By Karynn Brown and Brittany Ward
Photos by Alex Durrant, Jay Douglass and Stephanie Paul
Feb. 11, 2018
KZUM interns made the rounds during the third night of Lincoln Exposed Friday evening. The all-Lincoln music festival runs through Saturday night at 1867 Bar, Bodega’s Alley, The Bourbon Theatre, Duffy’s Tavern and The Zoo Bar. Check out a complete schedule here on our website.
The Rewind at 1867 Bar
Brittany Ward
Hard rock band, The Rewind, was in full rockstar mode for their 40-minute set at the 1867 Bar. Josh Decker (vocal/guitar) is a high-energy frontman that kept the crowd entertained. Alex Carroll played intricate guitar solos with Patrick Austin and Brett Lowe thundering on the bass and drums, respectively. Self-described on Facebook as “blending modern rock with an old-school sound,” The Rewind played a thrilling show. The group’s music will be featured in an upcoming British TV show that will be available to watch on Netflix. The Rewind’s recently released album, Casting Shadows, is available on Spotify.
Tragic Jack performs at The Zoo Bar on Feb. 9, 2018, at part of night three of Lincoln Exposed. Jay Douglass/KZUM.
Tragic Jack at The Zoo Bar
Karynn Brown
A mix of pop, rock and soul the five-person group Tragic Jack took the Zoo Bar’s 6:00 p.m. slot Friday night. What originally started as a songwriting passion project for former The Millions member Marty Amsler and Silver Street Records owner Charles Hull, the band evolved throughout the summer and into Lincoln Exposed as a well-rounded group of performers. Lincoln Exposed marked the first performance of Brett Vignery on drums for the group. Vignery’s straightforward rhythms and classic timing give the group a tightly structured sound. Their balanced pop-rock melodies ride through keys, guitar and cello. Hull’s vocals are rich and blues centered, with lyrics full of romance and conviction. The group played favorites “Holla Man”, and “Dangerous Game”. Their two albums, Tragic Jack and Live at Silver Street can be found on Soundcloud.
Red Cities performs at 1867 Bar on Feb. 9, 2018, at part of night three of Lincoln Exposed. Alex Durrant/KZUM.
Red Cities at 1867 Bar
Brittany Ward
The four-piece garage/punk rock, Red Cities, woke up the 1867 Bar with a howl before introducing themselves. Matt Bokovoy’s sharp guitar riffs led the songs, while Byron Anway’s animated showmanship added to his fast-paced, punchy vocals, the rhythm section, Josh Leeker (drums) and Justin Cermak (bass), kept the group rock-steady. The vast amount of influences from post-punk, classic rock, a little blues and much more, kept the show interesting, the audience entertained and dancing. Their most recent album Soft Target was released October 2017. There is another, self-titled album and two EPs available on bandcamp.
Jack Vespa, of Tupelo Springfield, performs at The Zoo Bar on Feb. 9, 2018, at part of night three of Lincoln Exposed. Jay Douglass/KZUM.
Tupelo Springfield at The Zoo Bar
Karynn Brown
This trio of old friends takes a new twist on classic blues and rock. Kelly Stage (drums), Steve Buhler (guitar/vocals) and Jack Vespa (bass/vocals) takes some of their favorite sounds of The Rolling Stones, Nirvana, and ACDC into a classy, smoothed-out mix. The group started the show with their own cover of “Satisfaction” taking the iconic riff into a blues ballad.
“Allow us to indulge in some alternative Americana,” Vespa announced as rBhler switched from guitar to mandolin. The group played a collection of new and old favorite songs, most of them from their first EP, Love Lies West. “Compass Rose” a composition by Vespa, who moonlights as KZUM’s Jack of Hearts, spoke to the trials of lost love. A familial stage presence and relaxed performance style brought a sense of fun and energy to the growing Zoo Bar crowd.
Brittany Ward
Commander Kilroy performs at Duffy’s Tavern on Feb. 9, 2018, at part of night three of Lincoln Exposed. Alex Durrant/KZUM.
The superhero-rock power trio, Commander Kilroy stormed the stage at Duffy’s with a massive sound that wouldn’t be expected from just three people. Band members Dylan Fink (Guitar/Vocals), Andrew Hanna (Drums) and Casey Fink (Bass/Vocals) played a set that makes you want to bang your head and dance around. During the set, the trio proved their versatility by switching it up and playing a ballad-like, reggae influenced song. Overall, the set was full of tight, intricate rhythms and dramatic vocals. The band have 3 releases under their belt, the concept album We All Wear Masks from 2013, the EP Howl at the Moon from 2015, and the full length Sound the Alarm, released in 2017.
23rd Vibration performs at Bodega’s Alley on Feb. 9, 2018, as part of night three of Lincoln Exposed. Alex Durrant/KZUM.
23rd Vibration at Bodega’s Alley
Karynn Brown
An unexpected gem of reggae music filled Bodega’s Alley Friday night. The six-piece group crammed onto the stage and brought warm, steady rhythms to the crowd. Guitarists, vocalist and songwriter Brad Hayes sang several favorites about bringing unity to the world and how to achieve it. A classic, feel-good jam band, the drummer lead several call and response chants with the crowd, getting people on their feet. 23rd Vibration plans to return to Bodega’s next Friday, Feb. 16th for a play a Bob Marley tribute show.
Night Push at Bodega’s Alley
Brittany Ward
Night Push brought their self-described “Janitor-Core” to Bodega’s last night, which according to their set, must mean thrashing *Sabbath-ian* riffing with a healthy dosage of head banging. The band consists of Tim Binderup, Ryan Coleman, Josh Caster, Tom Wardenburg and Ryan Petersen. With the combination of a deep, raspy voice and incendiary guitar heroics, it’s no surprise that Bodega’s was crowded and high-energy.The group has released one album in 2015, called Pushing in the Night, which spawned two singles “Night Push” and “Backseat,” both of which can be heard on Youtube.
Charlie Burton and Or What? at The Zoo Bar
Karynn Brown
Classic, unapologetic blues filled the Zoo Bar Friday night as Charlie Burton and Or What took the stage around 11:30. The four-piece group played fun-filled blues songs that mixed original compositions with longtime genre favorites like. The setlist included some of Burton’s most requested songs, “Knee-High Jane,” and “My Home is a Prison,” each sung with the conviction and experience the blues requires.
Big Daddy Caleb and the Chargers performs at 1867 Bar on Feb. 9, 2018, at part of night three of Lincoln Exposed. Alex Durrant/KZUM.
Big Daddy Caleb and The Chargers at 1867 Bar
Brittany Ward
Lincoln mainstay, Big Daddy Caleb, ended the night at the 1867 Bar with his dynamic group, The Chargers. Formed in August 2016, this soul/blues-rock group played as if it had been together for decades. The band consists of Caleb Whisenhunt (vocals), Ben Curran (guitar), Gregg Interdonato (bass), Jeremiah Weir (piano/organ), Joe Fox (drums) and Matt Richardson (guitar). Whisenhunt led the show with his moving voice, progressing from a bluesy rasp to a smooth cry that was complemented by Curran’s virtuosic playing. The group has yet to release any albums but for as prolific of performers as they are, it wouldn’t be hard to catch a show around town. The group’s music can be heard online.
The Killigans perform on Feb. 9, 2018, at part of night three of Lincoln Exposed. Alex Durrant/KZUM.
The Killigans at Duffy’s Tavern
Karynn Brown
Ending the evening on a high-energy note at Duffy’s, longtime Lincoln performers The Killigans started their set with a round of shots. Known for their 15-year-long tradition of Christmas and St.Patrick’s Day shows, the Killigans brought their classic Irish rock energy and longtime fan based to the snowy evening. The first time playing Lincoln Exposed in five years, this show also marked the first appearance of drummer Mikey Elfers with The Killigans. Elfers himself also played the festival as apart of the oil-fueled pop-synth group, Thirst Things First. The Killigans setlist included favorite rock ballads paying tribute to Lincoln, Grand Island, and their favorite bartenders. The six-person band creates a commanding stage presence with a four-man front line of singers and guitarists rocking in perfect synchronization. Songs heavy with chants, accordion flares and rock breakdowns, the Killigans more than lived up with their reputation. The group drew an enthusiastic crowd of dancing and jumping fans.
Powerful Science performs at Bodega’s Alley on Feb. 9, 2018, at part of night three of Lincoln Exposed. Alex Durrant/KZUM.
Powerful Science at Bodega’s Alley
Karynn Brown
Never in danger of taking themselves too seriously, the dream pop-esque group Powerful Science closed Bodega’s with a wall-to-wall crowd of friends and fans. Missing their synth player John Friedal, the group carried on as a three-piece. Starting the set with a favorite conspiracy-laden song, “Flat Earth,” the crowd arrived ready to dance.
“Use your heads people!” joked keyboard and synth player Joshua Miller as the song ended. The group’s sound uses constructive dissonance and electronic abstractions to create loops and jumps into their light-hearted dance-worthy performances. Keyboardist and vocalist Emma Lyness sets the tone for Powerful Science has her airy, captivating voice brings indie-style lyrics into the band’s broken down pop soundscape. A highly improvisational performance, the group played with timings, repetitions, and the structure of each chorus as the night went on. Powerful Science released their sixth album SLiME, on Bandcamp in January
Seymour at 1867 Bar
Karynn Brown
Representing the classic indie-rock sector of Lincoln’s scene, Seymour gave an upbeat, and well-executed performance on Friday. Working with a retro revival, melodic rock sound the four-piece group of young men showed up strong as the first band at 1867 Bar on Friday. Hints of surfer-style and blues rock guide the group into an upbeat, easy listening genre. Clean and harmonious lines from the guitarists classify the band in a growingly popular indie style along the lines of Twin Peaks and Real Estate. Having played together since 2011, Seymour recently started playing shows this past winter. Lincoln Exposed has been a chance for the group to perfect their live sound. The group has recorded two EPs, They Live released in June of last year, and X1, released in December.
