by Hilary Stohs-Krause
This column is just about one year old, and in that year, it's undergone several format changes as I've struggled to find the best use for this space. When I first started producing for Hear Nebraska, I was working 20 to 30 hours per week at a few part-time jobs. Since then, I've added a full-time job and consequently upped my workweek to about 50.
Big difference.
What this means is I've had less time to write full-blooded stories and features, but that doesn't mean there's less going on. As a way to remedy this, I'm converting this column from a simple show preview calendar to a succession of items and tidbits concerning Nebraska, women and music. I'll still write longer pieces when at all possible, but when it's not, I'll touch on the top stories here.
I'd love to hear what you guys think and any suggestions or comments you have (like for a name – we're tossing several suggestions around, but nothing's stuck yet). Let me know in the comments section below, or shoot me an email at xrated@hearnebraska.org.
PICKS OF THE WEEK – COMING SHOWS – HITTING THE ROAD – PROJECTS
_________________________________________
PICKS OF THE WEEK
"*" signifies from out of town; bold signfies the band has at least one female member
Monday, Jan. 16
All Young Girls Are Machine Guns at Cultiva Coffee, 727 S. 11th St. in Lincoln
I feel like AYGAMG hasn't played Lincoln in ages. I enjoy AYGAMG as an ensemble, but when the original "machine gun" plays solo … it's fair magical. A little hot chocolate and a little ukulele sounds like a pretty good respite from the blustery winter weather that finally seems to be catching up to us.
Wednesday, Jan. 18
*Lydia Loveless, Amy Schmidt and the Restless Things, Lloyd McCarter at Duffy's Tavern, 1412 O St. in Lincoln
Lydia Loveless is like Neko Case meets Patty Griffin (with a Dolly Parton twang). She brings a healthy dose of cussin', sass and Jim Beam, and a voice (and attitude) like a Southern rebel. She's joined by Amy Schmidt, an arresting Lincoln songwriter and storyteller, and her backing band; and by Lloyd McCarter, a honky-tonk musician from Lexington, Neb. (If you can't make it Wednesday, she's playing Tuesday in Omaha with Joe Fletcher at the Waiting Room.)
Lydia Loveless:
Amy Schmidt:
_________________________________________
Here are some recently announced shows you'll want to get on your calendar early:
Feb. 14 – YACHT at the Bourbon Theater, 1415 O St. in Lincoln
Feb. 22 – Tennis at the Slowdown, 729 N. 14th St. in Omaha
_________________________________________
Lincoln group The Golden Hour is heading on tour with San Diego-based Normandie Wilson, hitting the West Coast for a month-long jaunt they've dubbed the "Hot Coco" tour. They're launching the tour with a show on Jan. 19 at the Zoo Bar in Lincoln with Floating Opera and Love Technicians. Looks like they'll be blogging about the tour here.
Omaha band Conduits is going on a whirlwind tour with Cursive and Cymbals Eat Guitars in March and April, starting in Iowa City and ending in Columbia, Mo., with 25 stops in-between. Their debut LP, Conduits, is slated for release on March 20th through Omaha-connected label Team Love. (Download "Top of the Hill.")
_________________________________________
This is for items that are based more on community and less on strict performance. (Some might only indirectly be related to music, apart from the fact that the women involved are active in Nebraska's music scene.)
The Dirty Haiku Project
Heather Sticka of Lincoln band Tsumi is working on an art project that blends photography, poetry and sex. It's called "The Dirty Haiku Project," and centers on Rob Liliedahl's photographs of Sticka's dirty haikus, written on the skin of semi-naked Nebraskans – including a lot of musicians, based on the Facebook group she created. (Hint: it's a private group.) Look for the photos to be shown in Lincoln in June and Omaha in August.
Baby on Tour
Adam Hawkins and Katey Sleeveless of Omaha group It's True! have been traversing the states as new duo The Golden Hearts – with their newborn baby Amilio. Sleeveless started a blog about the experience, "Baby on Tour." You can read her first entry, watch a tour video, see pictures and listen to new music from the Golden Hearts here.
Lincoln Exposed poster contest
The annual Lincoln Exposed festival runs Feb. 8 to 11th at the Bourbon Theatre, the Zoo Bar and Duffy's Tavern, and this year, they're hosting a contest for the poster design. The four-day festival boasts a plethora of female acts, including UUVVWWZ, Bol'd Crow, The Betties, Domestica, Once A Pawn and more. The deadline for entries is Jan. 21, so get your design on and submit a poster. (See the link for details.)
Hilary Stohs-Krause needs to stop drinking so much hot cocoa. She gets her local music fix through HN and as a cocktail waitress at Duffy's Tavern. For more on Nebraska ladies making music, tune into the "X-Rated: Women in Music" radio show every Thursday from 1:05 to 3 p.m. CST at 89.3 FM KZUM in Lincoln or streaming live at kzum.org. Find it on Facebook at facebook.com/xmusicnebraska. Or, if Tumblr is more your style, check out xmusic.tumblr.com.