Here’s a look at what’s happening in the remainder of June. Also, a note that due to the Fourth of July holiday, the July Hoodoo will post on Wednesday, July 9, to allow for a little lead up to ZooFest July 11-12.
The calendar is bursting with outdoor music series like Lincoln’s Jazz in June and all kinds of music in the parks and outdoor venue spaces.
Because of all the other live music options, The Blues Society of Omaha (BSO) cuts back on their bookings until the big In the Market for Blues festival Saturday, Aug. 9. Remember that event brings you 30 bands at 10 venues with over 12 hours of live blues bands for you to choose from. Find out more and make your plans now by visiting OmahasBluesFest25.eventbrite.com.
I cannot get to all the available live shows in this write up, but I can give you an overview of what looks interesting to me. Don’t forget clubs like Lincoln’s historic Zoo Bar, and Omaha venues Waiting Room and Reverb, The B. Bar, The Harney Street Tavern, The Jewell on Capitol plus Buck’s Bar & Grill in Venice (just to name-check a few) are all still actively staging band shows in the clubs. There’s also a Sunday blues brunch, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Mouth of The South on Lakeside Plaza. If that’s too early for you, the Jewell on Capitol also offers a Gospel Brunch Sundays from 1-3 p.m., this is a ticketed event. See jewellomaha.com/gospel-brunch for details. The clubs need your support during the summer season and so do the bands. Remember you can always find a curated calendar of local blues-roots events at the Blues Society of Omaha’s omahablues.com.
Blues Society supporters will want to check out the BluesEd youth performance bands hitting The B. Bar Friday, June 13, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Vertigo, The Redwoods and Blue Sunday are scheduled.
Meanwhile, fans of the old Mighty Jailbreakers band may want to check out trumpet player Michael “Gooch” Gurcuillo and his big band in a free show at Rockbrook Village Friday, June 13, 7-8 p.m. Based out of the Phoenix, Ariz., area, the 17-piece big band is visiting for a Saturday, June 14, performance at the 50th Anniversary Glenn Miller Festival in Clarinda, Iowa. They also play at The Red Lion Lounge in the Blackstone District Sunday, June 15 7-10 p.m.
Now I’m intrigued by my discovery of the 2025 Glenn Miller Festival, which is happening June 12-14 in Clarinda, Iowa. If you are a fan of swing and big bands, this looks like a perfect weekend event. There are multiple big bands each night, plus hometown activities like a picnic, coffee and donuts in the morning and lunch and dinner events (for an additional charge). You can find the details here at glennmiller.org.
The Glenn Miller Birthplace Museum and the Birthplace Home will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily during the festival.
Weeknight Shows of Note
North Omaha Music & Arts (NOMA) at 2510 N. 24th St. hosts Monday night free “Jazz Sessions” 7-10 p.m. that showcase local artists and offer an opportunity to jam later in the evening. Big Wade is holding down a residency at NOMA in the Café Tuesdays, 7-10 p.m. NOMA Wednesdays showcase various artists. See northomahamusic.org for the details, some events are free and some ticketed, like the Pete Fucinaro Quartet performing Saturday, June 14.
The Red Lion is hosting a lot of jazz with recurring shows and one-off performances. Check it out at redlionlounge.com.
Big Shows
Alison Krauss & Union Station play The Astro Sunday, June 15, 7:30 p.m. The bluesy southern rock of Blackberry Smoke is at The Astro Friday, June 27, 8 p.m. Astro shows are ticketed through Ticketmaster. Looking ahead, Blues Traveler and Gin Blossoms are scheduled Sunday, July 6, 7 p.m. at The Astro. The Spin Doctors open. Find all the One Percent Production shows at onepercentproductions.com.
Remember Fishbone? That fun ’80s ska-rock fusion band gigs Tuesday, July 1, 7:30 p.m. at the Waiting Room with Funk Trek opening.
A few highlights from Lincoln’s Pinewood Bowl schedule include Chicago on Tuesday, June 17, 7 p.m. In early warnings, the schedule also includes ZZ Top Sunday, Aug. 10, 6 p.m., Indigo Girls and Melissa Etheridge Saturday, Aug. 23, 7 p.m. and the Steve Miller Band Wednesday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m. Tickets for Pinewood Bowl touring concerts are sold through Ticketmaster. See pinewoodbowltheater.com.
Live and Free in Lincoln
Lincoln’s free Jazz in June concert series takes place each Tuesday night in June, with music starting at 7 p.m. Jazz in June happens on the west lawn of the Sheldon Art Museum on UNL’s city campus, just off 12th and R streets. This year they expect to offer more food truck vendors from 5 p.m. on.
Sax player Pete Fucinaro, a Nebraska native and Grammy nominee for his work with the One O’Clock Band, is up June 17. Saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist Sam Greenfield performs on June 24. Before focusing on his own music, Greenfield had recorded saxophone for many other prominent artists, including Mariah Carey, Queen Latifah, R. Kelly, Dave Koz, and Anita Wilson. For more info see .jazzinjune.com.
Stick around downtown and check in on Jazzocracy at The Zoo Bar, a free weekly Tuesday night jazz session with great players who open the stage to folks who want to sit in.
Another Lincoln institution is the free KZUM Stransky Park Concert Series. These shows are every Thursday night at Stransky Park, 17th and Harrison streets, with music 7-9 p.m. A highlight for blues fans will be Kansas City’s Womanish Girl performing Thursday, June 26. Each week also offers a food truck with food available for purchase. Find all the info at facebook.com/stranskyconcerts.
Another weekly free series in Lincoln is the Live at the Telegraph series sponsored by Allo Fiber. There’s live music on the patio every Wednesday 6-9 p.m. with a variety of local bands. The NE Grease & Power band play Wednesday, June 18, and the traditional blues of local supergroup Church of Blues takes the bandstand Wednesday, June 25. See all the info here.
Zoo Bar Blues
The July column will hit shortly before ZooFest, the annual street party happening July 11-12. Celebrating Lincoln’s historic Zoo Bar’s 52nd Anniversary, this is always part festival and part family reunion. Let’s review what’s happening now and hit it again in July’s column. Tickets are on sale now at the bar or at ticketweb.com. Advance tickets are $35 per day or you can purchase a two-day pass for $60. Admission is free for children 12 and under with a paid adult. Folding chairs are available and bag chairs are welcome in designated spots. It’s a fantastic lineup of local fan favorites. Friday, July 11, it’s The Bel Airs at 5 p.m., followed by Austin’s powerhouse vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Carolyn Wonderland at 7 p.m., The Blood Brothers featuring Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia plug in at 9 p.m. and Kris Lager’s Big Band at 11 p.m. closes out the show.
Then on Saturday, July 12, youth bands are featured at 1 p.m. Then catch Sailing in Soup at 3 p.m., Church of Blues at 5 p.m., Kansas City’s keyboard virtuoso Kelley Hunt at 7 p.m. and longtime favorite of The Zoo Bar, Alligator recording artists Tommy Castro and The Painkillers at 9 p.m. Nebraska’s 2025 winners of the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal, close out the festival with an 11 p.m. set.
Looking at the rest of June, here are some highlights from The Zoo Bar’s calendar. A band with local roots in guitarist Bill Dye, Drum and Dye play Friday, June 13, 5-7 p.m. Church of Blues lays down their sizzling take on traditional blues Saturday, June 14, 5 p.m. Nebraska’s up and coming Rascal Martinez plays his mix of Americana and indie-rock at 9 p.m. Paper Canaries, an Omaha trombone-fronted prog-jazz collaboration featuring Shawn Bell, Mitch Towne, Bobby Scharmann and Jeffery Johnson play Friday, June 20, 9 p.m.
A perennial Zoo Bar favorite, Dale Watson & His Lone Stars, bring their honky-tonk sounds to the stage Monday, July 7, 6 p.m. Also in the first full week of July, make note that John Primer plays Wednesday, July 9, 6 p.m. and John Primer and the “Mike Zito Trio” are scheduled Thursday, July 10, 5 p.m.
Find all the information and more weekly shows at facebook.com/zoobarblues and zoobar.com.
Hot Notes
Of course, Omaha music fans will be staking out their spaces for the popular, free Jazz on the Green series at Midtown Crossing at Turner Park. The annual free series kicks off July 10 and runs through Aug. 14. Check jazzonthegreen.org for all the details.
2024 International Blues Challenge winners Piper & The Hard Times’ performance at the Soaring Wings Winery’s annual blues fest in early June was cancelled due to lead singer “Piper” Al Green dealing with an unexpected diagnosis of colon cancer. The Nashville-based band’s Facebook page is being updated regularly, with Green and band members posting everything from treatment updates to short videos from their hospital lobby songwriting sessions.
Jeff Davis’ annual Playing With Fire (PWF) concerts are moving indoors to the Slowdown this year, still free but obviously there is limited capacity and minimal seating. The move was made after recent summers have offered rainouts or sweltering 100 degree days. More on these shows in the July column, but I have to say I’m extremely excited for the return of Canadian Harry Manx, an artist who has captivated me since the 1990s with his signature blend of American blues and traditional East Indian music which some have described as a “mysticssippi” sound. Manx, joined by Kevin Breit, play as part of the first PWF show on Friday, July 25. See playingwithfireomaha.net for all the details. Davis prides himself on bringing in bands from Canada and the U.K. and many of his discoveries have made their American debut right here in Omaha.
Remember, look for the July column on Wednesday, July 11, when we’ll spotlight ZooFest, talk more about Playing With Fire, and dig into what’s happening in the club and outdoor venue schedules.
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