A recollection of some favorite music and happenings in 2016 by Shannon Claire, KZUM development director and host of X-Rated: Women in Music

National Releases – Songs/Albums

Gregory Alan Isakov: Gregory Alan Isakov with the Colorado Symphony
Angel Olsen: My Woman
Solange: A Seat at the Table
David Bowie: Blackstar
A Giant Dog: Pile
White Mystery: Outta Control
Lizzo: Coconut Oil
Shovels and Rope: Little Seeds
Tribe Called Quest: We Got It from Here… Thank You for Your Service…

Local Nebraska Releases – Songs/Albums

Bogusman: Bogusman – “The Harvestmen”

Kait Berreckman: Battle Scenes: “Let Her Go”

Jack Hotel: Voices From the Moon – “Sadie Says”

The Hottman Sisters: Two – “Katz”

BOTH -“#FLASHDRIVE

Mesonjixx – “Without You”

Kris Lager – “Love Can Get You By”

Live Performances and Festivals

Gregory Alan Isakov at Nebraska Folk & Roots Festival
Levi William at KZUM Stransky Park Concert
BOTH at Lincoln Calling
A Giant Dog at Lincoln Calling
Lee Fields and The Expressions at Zoo Fest

Lincoln Calling
In its 13th year, the annual Lincoln music festival, conceived and produced originally by booking guru Jeremy Buckley, passed the baton to the music and educational non-profit, Hear Nebraska. Not only did HN catch the baton, they straight up threw it back up in the air and I think it’s still lost somewhere in outer space. Insert the raise the roof a.k.a. praise hands emoji here for a phenomenal job well done in bringing diverse nationally recognized and critically acclaimed acts, among media sources like NPR, Pitchfork and Spin, to Lincoln.

Omaha Girls Rock Showcase at The Waiting Room

BFF Femme Fest in Omaha
In September, Rebecca Lowry of All Young Girls are Machine Guns, along with a few other righteous women in music, organized the second Benson First Friday Femme Fest. This years fest consisted of 9 venues and over 40 artists, all who had at least one female band member. The fest took over Maple Street in the heart of Omaha’s Benson neighborhood.

Nebraska Exposed at SXSW in Austin, TX
SXSW these days has become a festival larger than itself, and with the help of a few Nebraska festival organizers and musicians, eight bands traveled down to Austin Texas to perform in one of the state’s first showcases, Nebraska Exposed. The line up featured artists from Lincoln and Omaha; BOTH, Freakabout, Laughing Falcon, Bolzen Beer Band, Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal, AZP, Bonehart Flannigan and Oketo.

Art Spaces & Exhibits/Shows

Case Study – Bi Molar | Bri Murphy at Tugboat Gallery
Hellyeahx7 | Kristin Mahan, Emily Lux, Katharen Hedges, Makaela Harder, Lisa Guevara, Katherine Morrow and Skyler Simpson at Tugboat Gallery

Blueberry Gallery – Blueberry Gallery opened this summer up in Parrish Studios. All walls painted sky blue, this space so far has focused on local contemporary art. Exhibits like Josephine Karr’s “Favorite Foods and Better Outfits” that featured nude subjects feasting colorfully on vibrant foods like watermelon.

Parallel Visions – Parallel Visions advocates for people of color in Nebraska by providing them a space in which to celebrate their lives, experiences, and art. This space recently opened this past fall with artists of color meet ups, and First Friday art exhibits and performances.

“Narcissus Smirked” | TJ Templeton at Gallery 105 – Back in July, TJ Templeton showcased work that had emphasis on current day expression of self love, “a snapshot of our selfie cutlure”.

The Commons – A safe and welcoming place where creativity and kindness are encouraged. The Commons is organized and staffed completely by volunteers and is funded by donations. This space set the bar this summer when they rolled out their Code of Conduct back in June. Stating not only is The Commons a drug and alcohol free space but that patrons engage only in consensual physical contact and be mindful of words that may have a different impact of their intent. As well as “remarks about gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, mental illness, physical appearance, body size, age, race, or religion will not be tolerated.”

KZUM In-studio Performances / Interviews / Events

The Hottman Sisters performing on X-Rated: Women in Music
Walk By Sea performing on Hear Nebraska FM
Edem Soul Music performing on Language of Music
Bill Board & Jim Jones of Capitol Punishment / Hate CD Interview on Slacker Morning Show
Frank Lamere on Earth to Lincoln
That’s What She Wrote w/ A Novel Idea’s Cinnamon Dokken on the Wimmins Show
Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds performing at KZUM’s Blues Blowout
Inclusive Feminisms on X-Rated: Women in Music
Andrew Dickinson of Fly Over Media on The Joy Factor
KZUM’s MesoTerra’s Halloween Show w/ host “Vic Valvicious,” aka Vic Valverde

Shannon Claire hosts “X-Rated: Women in Music” every Thursday from 1:30 to 3 p.m. on KZUM. Like the program on Facebook and listen to recently archived episodes via Radio Free America.