FocusV3I15 by Focus Omaha

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VOLUME 3 ISSUE 15 | APRIL 10 - APRIL 16 | 2019 ARTS, ENTERTAINMENT, HEALTH, PERSONAL FINANCE, & MUSIC NEWSWEEKLY

LOCAL

SPORTS

Rewind

Baseball Updates

LIVE

STREAM

Arianna Neikrug

John Coltrane

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOCUS ON THIS WEEK!

- APRIL 16 | 2019

YOUR

LY 15 | APRIL 10 MUSIC NEWSWEEK VOLUME 3 ISSUE NAL FINANCE, & ENT, HEALTH, PERSO FREE ARTS, ENTERTAINM

THE ARTS

LOCAL

Rewind – The Nineties Come Alive By Howard Schwartz

LOCAL Rewind

LIVE

Arianna Neikrug

FAMILY

Baseball Updates

STREAM

John Coltrane

EVENTS Your Daily Events Guide

ON TEN

Top Ten Events By Focus Omaha

LIVE

Arianna Neikrug Tour Comes to Omaha’s Jewell By Andy Roberts

SPORTS

FINANCE

The Fed Hits the Brakes: No Rate Hikes Projected in 2019 By Michael Herek Sponsored By Blue Capitol Wealth

HAPPY HOUR

We gathered up some of the BEST Happy Hour spots around the Omaha metro.

THIS WEEKS FEATURE

A True Southern Six-String Slayer: Warren Haynes & The Mule By Jesse D. Stanek Record Store Day By Marq Manner & A True Southern Six-String Slayer: Warren Haynes & The Mule By Focus Omaha Focus is your FREE Arts, Entertainment, Health, Personal Finance, & Music Newsweekly. We’ve brought all of these elements together for the first time, ALL in one weekly format. Our goal is to provide you, the customer, with the best possible publication to suit all of your needs. 14 THE SHOPS AT COUNTRYSIDE VILLAGE

THE STREAM

FOCUS ON BENSON

HEALTH

Focus 7914 W Dodge Rd. # 413 Omaha, NE 68114 (402) 208-6545 focusomaha@gmail.com www.focusomaha.com

Getting to Know Jazz’s Spiritual Wanderer: John Coltrane By Jesse D. Stanek

Disaster SNAP Available to Eligible Flood-affected Residents of Six More Nebraska Counties, One Tribe By Focus Omaha

SPORTS

Creighton Bluejays, Nebraska Huskers & Omaha Mavericks baseball By Focus Omaha

Through April 23rd | I LET THEM IN. Conditional Hospitality and The Stranger, Bemis Center, 724 South 10th St. “I let them in. Conditional Hospitality and The Stranger” is a two-person exhibition featuring videos by Kader Attia and Candice Breitz, curated by Taraneh Fazeli, 2018 Bemis Curator-in-Residence. Amidst the current “migration crisis,” these artworks interrogate who is afforded the right to speak or the ability to be understood considering dominant representational narratives and the political, socio-psychological and technological systems that shape our understandings of self and the communal. http://bemiscenter.org/ iletthemin -------------------------------------------------------Through April 24 Chris Cassimatis featuring Larry Roots and Kenny Adkins Modern Arts Midtown, 3615 Dodge St. Sculpture artist Chris Cassimatis is showcased in this exhibit, which also features painter and sculptor Larry Roots and mixed-media artist Kenny Adkins. www. modernartsmidtown.com ------------------------------------------------------Through April 28th Oliver Jeffers: 15 Years of Picturing Books Joslyn Art Museum, 2200 Dodge This exhibition chronicles Oliver Jeffers’ development and success as a children’s book artist, including illustrations from The Day the Crayons Quit and The Day the Crayons Came Home, both The New York Times #1 Best Sellers. A Mind’s Eye Gallery exhibition. --------------------------------------------------------Through April 28th BFA Thesis Exhibition, Lied Art Gallery, 2500 California Plaza This exhibition chronicles Oliver Jeffers’ development and success as a children’s book artist, including illustrations from The Day the Crayons Quit and The Day the Crayons Came Home, both The New York Times #1 Best Sellers. A Mind’s Eye Gallery exhibition. www.creighton.edu --------------------------------------------------------Through April 31 Here Comes the Sun Artists’ Cooperative Gallery, 405 S 11th St, Omaha, NE 68102 The thirty-four members of the Artists’ Cooperative Gallery will share new works and selected favorites during the All Member show “Here Comes the Sun” through March 31. Gallery hours are 12 p to 6 p Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a to 10 p Friday and Saturday, and noon to 6p Sunday.

Through May 4 Human Condition, KANEKO, 1111 Jones St. Varied and complex, human experience encompasses a wide range of emotional, physical, environmental and situational circumstances. Amidst our exploration of existence, we come to find that these circumstances are crowded with variances––variances that exist between work and action, power and strength, property and wealth, humility and pride, and the earth and the world. By positioning ourselves between these variances, we are provided an identity that creates a tangible understanding of what it means to be human. Human Condition will provide audiences with a range of creative encounters that explore the physical and psychological experiences that we all face, as human beings. Captivating sculpture, emotive dance performances, lectures from renowned thought-leaders and hands-on educational experiences will encourage visitors to immerse themselves in the question of how we define what it means to be human. www.thekaneko.org --------------------------------------------------------Through May 5 Indecent by Paula Vogel Blue Barn Theatre, 1106 S 10th St Omaha Thurs-Fri: 7:30p/Sun (March 31 & April 14): 2pm/Sun (April 7): 6pm Admission: $35 Adults/$30 Seniors/$28 Military/Educators Phone: (402) 345-1576 Inspired by the true events surrounding the controversial 1923 Broadway debut of Sholem Asch’s God of Vengeance—a play seen by some as a seminal work of Jewish culture, and by others as an act of traitorous libel. Tony Award-winning INDECENT charts the history of an incendiary drama and the path of the artists who risked their careers and lives to perform it. A glorious celebration of the power of theatre to harness the very best of the human spirit. --------------------------------------------------------Through May 5 ‘30 Americans’ Exhibition Joslyn Art Museum, 2200 Dodge St Admission: $10 Adults/$5 College Students/ Free for Members & Youth ages 17 and younger Phone: (402) 342-3300 This exhibition brings together over 60 works by contemporary African American artists focusing on important issues of racial, gender, and sexual identity; ongoing narratives of racial inequality in the United States; poverty; racial stereotyping; and the power of protest.

Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15

Through June 2 Carolyn Albracht & Jennifer Radil: Depth & Accumulation Fred Simon Gallery, 1004 Farnam St. Painters Carolyn Albracht and Jennifer Radil sift through the ebb-and-flow nature of their medium, self, the stories people create, and the balance of depth and frivolity. www. artscouncil.nebraska.gov ------------------------------------------------------Through June 15 Alison O’Daniel’s Heavy Air and Lui Shtini’s Tempos, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, 724 S. 12th St. Alison O’Daniel is a visual artist working across the mediums of film, performance, sculpture, and installation. Structured as a call-and-response between these mediums, she creates cinema, performances, sound-dampening textiles, sculptures and large-scale installations that intend to visualize what it means to not have complete access to sound. Through collaborations with

composers and musicians as well as the experiences of deaf and hard of hearing friends regarding sound, O’Daniel’s work aims at building a visual, aural, and haptic vocabulary as a means of storytelling. www.bemiscenter. org ------------------------------------------------------Through June 23 American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith Durham Museum, 801 S 10th St Omaha American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith, explores America’s bold experiment in a government “of, by, and for the people.” Featuring engaging multimedia experiences, immersive design, and artifacts from the Smithsonian and state historical organizations, it demonstrate that democracy relies on our active participation.

Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15 5

Friday, April 12th 4p-8p WOODY AND BUZZ’S BIG NIGHT FRIDAY FAMILY DATE NIGHT Omaha Childrens Museum, 500 S 20th St. Join your friends Buzz and Woody for April’s Friday Family Date Night! Explore your creative side in Sid’s Toy Take-Apart, ride like the wind in our Wild West Horse Race, or blast off with the science of Balloon Rockets! Other activities include making your own Forky and watching the Tinker Show. Let your imaginations soar to infinity… and beyond! Activities are included with regular museum admission, while supplies last. Woody & Buzz’s Big Night is part of the Friday Family Date Night Series, sponsored by Learning HQ.

presents. New plush animals are given to each child who moves into the MICAH House. And gently used toys will be added to the MICAH House play room. If you bring in a toy, you’ll get a second entry in the raffle for the night! www.ocm.org -------------------------------------------------------Friday, April 12th 5p-11p GERMAN-AMERICAN SOCIETY’S MOTHER OF DRAGONS KELLER NIGHT, 3717 S 120th St Omaha, NE Join the German-American Society for Gemütlichkeit every Friday! Bring the family, friends, and co-workers to enjoy an evening of great food and German Bier. Food served from 5-8pm; bar is open until 10pm. -------------------------------------------------------Friday, April 12 8:30p - 9:30p Bring a toy to donate The museum will be collecting new and gently NIGHT SKIES AT LAURITZEN GARDENS: First Quarter Moon, Lauritzen Gardens, used toys for MICAH House during Woody 100 Bancroft Street, Omaha & Buzz’s Big Night. The MICAH House is the Join the Omaha Astronomical Society for a only short-term emergency shelter serving families and women in the Omaha metro area. series of outdoor viewing parties. Participants New toys and games will be used as birthday can observe faint deep-sky objects, planets,

and the moon in the darkness of the garden. In this session, participants will take the tram out to the middle of the garden to view the sky under the light of the first quarter moon. Participants should bring a flashlight. $5 for members, $15 for non-members. Register online at https://shop.lauritzengardens.org/product-p/ed-skies-apr19.htm or by calling Gabrielle at (402) 346-4002, ext. 263. Pre-registration is required prior to the event. Additional events will be held on July 6 and September 7. -------------------------------------------------------Saturday, April 13th 9a-12p EASTER EXTRAVAGANZA Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft Street Omaha, NE 68108 Enjoy a morning of fun with crafts, and Easter Egg hunts in the garden. Bring your camera for photos with the Easter Bunny! Advance registration for crafts and egg hunt ($3 extra) is requested. $10 Adults/$5 for Children (6-12)/Free for Children Under 6 & Garden Members www.lauritzengardens.org -------------------------------------------------------Saturday, April 13th 8a-9a DINOSAUR YOGA FOR FAMILIES Laurtizen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St. Each session $10, member (family, up to 4 people) $15, non-member (family, up to 4 people) Yoga poses are going prehistoric in this dinosaur-themed yoga sequence designed for the whole family! Bring your mat and stand like a stegosaurus, dip down like a diplodocus, and breathe like a brachiosaurus among incredible dinosaur sculptures in this indoor class with Megan Roth. Classes are designed to encourage playful, mindful movement for all ages and abilities. Pre-registration is required by April 11. www.lauritzengardens.org -------------------------------------------------------Saturday, April 13th 8:30a-10a BREAKFAST WITH THE BUNNY Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, 3701 S. 10th St. $25 for members & $30 for non-member; $20 for member adults and $25 for non-member adults

-------------------------------------------------------Saturday, April 13th10a-1p SPRING CELEBRATION & EGG HUNT ESU #3 Gifford Farm Education Center, 700 Camp Gifford Road, Bellevue, Neb. Note: This farm may be affected by flooding. $5; FREE for children younger than 12 months (must RSVP) -------------------------------------------------------Saturday, April 13th 9a-12p HUMMEL EARTH DAY HIKE Hummel Nature Center, 3033 Hummel Rd. Join us for a morning hike to help clean up

Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15

Hummel Park for the Spring. Learn about the flora and fauna at Hummel and why it is important to do our part to help keep nature beautiful and thriving. FREE! RSVP online at parks.cityofomaha.org -------------------------------------------------------Saturday, April 13th 10a PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT & ROBERTS PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION EASTER EGG HUNT at Roberts Park, 1000 N. 25th St. (for ages 10 and younger) -------------------------------------------------------Saturday, April 13th 10a-4p MAKE OMAHA Do Space, 7205 Dodge St. Make Omaha is a family friendly, innovation and technology showcase celebrating local tech-driven makers, inventors and businesses who are using state-of-the-art tools in their work. Make Omaha is powered by Do Space in partnership with Metro Community College. Through Make Omaha, Do Space supports the creative and novel exploration of technology by powering a free platform to make, exhibit, and present the work of the future. For more information please contact us at hello@dospace.org -------------------------------------------------------Saturday, April 13th 11a-6p EARTH DAY OMAHA Elmwood Park, 808 S. 60th St. Earth Day Omaha, currently in its 30th year, is an annual event providing a showcase for the many charitable, scientific, and educational efforts advocating for sustainable environmental practices and lifestyles. For more information, visit earthdayomaha.org. Visit over 100 exhibitors and vendors, enjoy live music including Mesonjixx • Yoga Rocks the Park • Edem Soul Music • Ojai • Nation • Michael Murphy • Friend of the Environment Awards, get involved with the interavtive events including • Free Tree Climbing • Valet Bike Parking • Beer Garden and Food Vendors • Electronics Recycling • Recycling and Composting – striving for a Zero Waste event! • Science Zone • Friend of the Environment Awards • Electronic Vehicle Display and more all this Saturday at Earth Day Omaha! -------------------------------------------------------Saturday, April 13th 2p-3p UNVEILING THE DRAGON FLAG UP Railroad Museum, 200 Pearl St. Join us for the unveiling of a unique Dragon Flag from the Union Pacific collection and a public Q & A. This ceremonial flag, heavily Family events continued onto the bottom half of page 7.

EVENTS THURSDAY, APRIL 11 Family Fun Night Charles E. Lakin YMCA, 5:30p -----------------------------------------------------Music Bingo 3rd Base Bar & Grill, 8p

Leap!, Arts Center @ IWCC, 7p -----------------------------------------------------U.S.O. Show-Veterans Fundraiser American Legion Post #2, 8p -----------------------------------------------------On The Fritz, Amerisports Bar, 8:30p -----------------------------------------------------Sinners N Saints, Whiskey Roadhouse, 9p

FRIDAY, APRIL 12 Unveiling the Dragon Flag Union Pacific Museum , 2p -----------------------------------------------------Leap!, Arts Center @ IWCC, 7p -----------------------------------------------------On The Fritz Amerisports Bar, 8:30p SATURDAY, APRIL 13 Easter Egg Hunt, Roberts Park, 10a --------------------------------------------------Twisted Whiskey Cellar19 Wine & Deli, 7p Family events continued from page 6.

language and more!! embroidered with pink silk and gold thread, is -------------------------------------------------------Through September 1 | rarely brought out into the public eye due to its size, (14 feet long) and its fragility. Explore ATTIC ADVENTURES this rare object alongside members from the Omaha Childrens Museum, 500 S 20th St Attic Adventure offers a variety of handsNebraska Chinese Association, the museum on learning experiences for children in the curator, and Rebecca Cashman, objects conservator from the Ford Conservation Center. imaginative setting of Omaha Children’s Museum’s attic. The exhibit contains popular --------------------------------------components from past exhibits alongside new Saturday, April 13th 12p-4p interactive spaces that utilize items commonEASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA Shadow Lake Amphitheater at Shadow Lake ly found in attics like instruments, stuffed animals, and dress-up clothes. The wide Towne Center, 72nd Street and Highway variety of exhibits and types of play allow for 370, Papillion, Neb. It’s FREE! Hop on over to the Easter Eggstravaganza on children to pursue their own interests and self-direct play. Intertwined with the exhibit Sunday, April 14 at the Shadow Lake Amphiis a scavenger hunt that encourages children theater! to explore the exhibit as they observe, solve, Visit and take pictures with the Easter Bunny, and decode. www.ocm.org enjoy free pony rides and face painting, play games, win prizes, and check out our petting zoo complete with an alpaca! We are so EGGcited to see everyone there! www.shadowlakeshopping.com -------------------------------------------------------Sunday, April 14 | 11a-4p CZECH SLOVAK FOLKLORE FESTIVAL St Nicholas Hall, 5050 Harrison, Omaha, NE Adult dinners $15, Child dinners $5 The Omaha Czech-Slovak Cultural Club invites you to join us for our annual festival! Join us for pork, dumplings, and kraut, koláce, polka music, kroje (traditional clothing), coronation of our club queen and royal court, history and culture presentation, club membership sign-ups, practicing Czech/Slovak

Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15 7

WEDNESDAY APRIL 10 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10 Happy Hippie Hour with Carrie Jean The Down Under Lounge, 3p ----------------------------------------------Dr. Webb Music The Down Under Lounge, 4:20p ----------------------------------------------Beer, Bingo & Trivia Kros Strain Brewing Co., 6p ----------------------------------------------Generations Ozone Lounge, 6:30p ----------------------------------------------Trivia, Stocks n Bonds, 7p ----------------------------------------------Acoustic Open Mic Night The New Frontier Bar, 7p ----------------------------------------------Music By Shawn Fredieu Therapy Bar & Grill, 7p ----------------------------------------------Jake Reisdorff The Omaha Lounge, 7:30p ----------------------------------------------Comedy Open Mic Barley Street Tavern, 8p ----------------------------------------------Thursday Night Trivia, Nifty Bar, 8p --------------------------------------------Karaoke w/ DJ Mad Matz Reverb Lounge, 8p ----------------------------------------------Blac Rabbit w/ Those Far Out Arrows The Slowdown, 8p ----------------------------------------------Aly Peelers Open Mic Night The Down Under Lounge, 8p --------------------------------------------Wrestling Trivia X: The Tenth Spectacular The Waiting Room, 8p --------------------------------------------Karaoke w/ Host Adam Flohr Brokedown Palace, 9p ----------------------------------------------- Open Mic Night (Hosted by Stathi) The B. Bar, 9:30p ----------------------------------------------Wednesday Night Karaoke with Brixz Brokedown Palace, 10p

THURSDAY APRIL 11 Hug and Unplug Acoustic Happy Hour Jam The Down Under Lounge, 4p ----------------------------------------------Come Together, Vino Mas, 5p

Nick Schnebelen Band CD Release W\ Earl and Them, Chrome Lounge, 6p ----------------------------------------------Big Wade and Black Swan Theory Ozone Lounge, 6:30p ----------------------------------------------Tech N9ne It Goes Up Tour 2019! Featuring Strange Music artist(s) Tech N9ne, Krizz Kaliko, ¡MAYDAY!, UBI! Sokol Auditorium, 7p ----------------------------------------------Acoustic Open Mic Night The New Frontier Bar, 7p ----------------------------------------------Come Together Band, Vino Mas, 7p ----------------------------------------------Drew Lynch, Omaha Funny Bone, 7:30p ----------------------------------------------Trivia, The Sociable Inn, 7:30p ----------------------------------------------- Thursday Night Trivia, Nifty Bar, 8p ----------------------------------------------Ugly Boys with Garst & Pagan Athletes Reverb Lounge, 8p ----------------------------------------------Sun Cycles w/ Kethro The Slowdown, 8p ----------------------------------------------Mic Check Showcase 12 The Waiting Room, 8p ----------------------------------------------Rise Of The Aries, Bar 415, 9p ----------------------------------------------Epicastle, Barley Street Tavern, 9p ----------------------------------------------Ladies Night Copacabana Cocktail Lounge, 9p --------------------------------------------Thirsty Thursday Karaoke Forte Music Hall, 9p ----------------------------------------------Hector Anchondo Solo Harney Street Tavern, 9p ----------------------------------------------Magick K Acoustic , Havana Garage, 9p ----------------------------------------------KoZee Karaoke KoZee Lounge. 9p ----------------------------------------------Karaoke | Salsa Lessons Rehab Lounge, 9p ----------------------------------------------Chris Shelton Dubliner Pub, 9:30p ----------------------------------------------Matt Whipkey, Chris Koza & Scott Severin The Down Under Lounge, 9:30p

Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15

FRIDAY APRIL 12 Dogfish Head Record Store Day Growler USA, 5p ----------------------------------------------Mace Hathaway The Cove Lounge, 5p ----------------------------------------------The American Fish Fry American Legion Post #1, 5:30p ----------------------------------------------Spike Nelson and The Nelson Brothers Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen, 6p ----------------------------------------------Hector Anchondo The Jewell, 6:30p ----------------------------------------------Shadow Ridge American Legion Post #1, 7p ----------------------------------------------Simplicated, Bogie’s West, 7p ----------------------------------------------Mason Michaels Therapy Bar & Grill, 7p ----------------------------------------------Drew Lynch Omaha Funny Bone, 7:30p/9:45p ----------------------------------------------Faust, Orpheum Theatre, 7:30p ----------------------------------------------Juke Butter-Modern Soul Organ Trio featuring Mitch Towne, Chad Stoner and Drew Brookins, Jambo Cat, 8p ----------------------------------------------Wicked Fun Junior’s Forgot Store, 8p ----------------------------------------------BloodThinnerz w/ Sozen & TrvpSquad Karma Nightclub, 8p ----------------------------------------------New Belgium and kamikaze karaoke Nifty Bar, 8p ----------------------------------------------Stick Figure w/ The Movement & The Elovaters, Sokol Auditorium, 8p ----------------------------------------------Emo Night w/ Nick Thomas The Waiting Room, 8p --------------------------------------------Tom’s BDAY w/ Low D, Brave the Fall & The Long Awaited, American Dream, 9p ----------------------------------------------Sepiatonic w/ The Zooeys Barley Street, 9p ----------------------------------------------Gallivant, Chrome Lounge, 9p ----------------------------------------------Chad Lee, Copacabana Lounge, 9p -----------------------------------------------

Nightmarathons (PA) / HeatWaves / Speedball Summer, Dr. Jack’s Drinkery, 9p ----------------------------------------------Rhythm Collective Growler USA, 9p ----------------------------------------------Undisco Kids Harney Street Tavern, 9p ----------------------------------------------Trivia Night, Julio’s, 9p ----------------------------------------------J. Crum, lite pole & Jay Influential Lookout Lounge, 9p ----------------------------------------------Lemon Fresh Day, Ozone Lounge, 9p ----------------------------------------------Party Life Night-clubside, Latin Night-lounge Rehab Nightclub, 9p --------------------------------------------Elevate presents: M25 Reverb Lounge, 9p ----------------------------------------------The 145, Skyybox, 9p ----------------------------------------------The Parlor Mob w/ The Cold Seas & Freakabout, Slowdown, 9p ----------------------------------------------Daniel & the Deliverance w/Anna P.S. The Down Under Lounge, 9p ----------------------------------------------Secret Weapon Two Fine Irishmen, 9p ----------------------------------------------Spirit Breaker / LightBringer Wired Pub, 9p ----------------------------------------------Wild Colonial Bhoys Dubliner Pub, 9:30p ----------------------------------------------SunnyDaze Live O’Leaver’s Pub, 10p ----------------------------------------------Spirit Breaker w/ Lightbringer Wired Pub, 10p

SATURDAY APRIL 13 Record Store Day, Homer’s, 10a ----------------------------------------------Earth Day Omaha, Elmwood Park, 11a ----------------------------------------------Record Store Day, Recycled Sounds, 2p ----------------------------------------------Tim Javorsky and The Jazz Cartel Jazz, A Louisiana Kitchen, 6p ----------------------------------------------Drew Lynch Omaha Funny Bone, 7:30p

The Matt Amandus Jazz Trio, Jambo Cat, 8p --------------------------------------------Karaoke & Music, Smitty’s Garage, 8p --------------------------------------------Trivia & Karaoke Night, Stumble Inn, 8p --------------------------------------------- Ecstatic, Therapy Bar & Grill, 8p --------------------------------------------24 Hour Cardlock, Pink Flamingos and Jeremy Mercy, The Down Under Lounge, 8p --------------------------------------------- Sprout The Anti-Hero, Dusty Grant, Michael Siebels, Chris Glover, Barley Street, 9p --------------------------------------------Peace, Love, Etc. , Growler USA, 9p --------------------------------------------- VMPG w/Radiant Bones Harney Street Tavern, 9p --------------------------------------------Trivia Night, Julio’s, 9p ---------------------------------------------eNVy, Ozone Lounge, 9p --------------------------------------------Ex Hex & Moaning, Reverb Lounge, 9p --------------------------------------------House Party w/ DJ Devon Dupree The Cove, 9p --------------------------------------------The Totally 90s Toga Party Rewind / Dummy Head Torpedo / RGF The Waiting Room, 9p --------------------------------------------Wild Colonial Bhoys Dubliner Pub, 9:30p

SUNDAY APRIL 14 Czech Slovak Folklore Festival St Nicholas Hall, 11a ----------------------------------------------Cancer Benefit, Therapy Bar & Grill, 12p --------------------------------------------Sacred Earth & Healing Arts of Tibet Om Center, 2p --------------------------------------------One Man, Two Guvnors Omaha Community Playhouse, 2p --------------------------------------------Faust, Orpheum Theatre, 2p --------------------------------------------Tonewoods Acoustic III, Growler USA, 4p --------------------------------------------Gurf Morlix “Impossible Blue” Album Release Sho , Reverb Lounge, 5p --------------------------------------------Joe and the Boys , The B Bar, 5p --------------------------------------------Marina’s Gaming Guild The Down Under Lounge, 5p --------------------------------------------Jessie James Decker, Holland Center, 8p --------------------------------------------ANOMALIE w/ Rob Araujo, Slowdown, 8p --------------------------------------------FREE Booze Bingo!, The Down Under, 8p --------------------------------------------Project: Constellation w/Adam n George And Acoustic Broadways Brokedown Palace, 9p --------------------------------------------Turned 2 Dust/ Brave The Fall/D.N.D./Stan-

ley Wayne Manor Winnchesters Bar & Grill, 9p --------------------------------------------Down Under Sunday Night Karaoke The Down Under Lounge, 10p

MONDAY APRIL 15 Happy Hour!, The Down Under Lounge, 3p --------------------------------------------Ozone Big Band, Ozone Lounge, 6:30p --------------------------------------------Early Karaoke, Forte Music Hall, 7p --------------------------------------------BINGO at Southwest Infusion Brewing Company, 7p --------------------------------------------Poker Night, Therapy Bar & Grill, 7p --------------------------------------------Michelle Eva Bleu w/ B. Baldwin The Omaha Lounge, 7:30p --------------------------------------------The John Mellencamp Show Orpheum Theatre, 8p --------------------------------------------Night Beats w/ DROSS, The Sun-Less Trio , Slowdown, 8p ----------------------------------------------Pub Quiz w/ Rob & Sara!, The Sydney, 8p --------------------------------------------Ryan Hamilton (solo) w/ Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers The Waiting Room, 8p --------------------------------------------Open Mic, Barley Street Tavern, 9p --------------------------------------------DJ Howie’s Karaoke, Grant St. Bar, 9p --------------------------------------------Open Mic and Molly’s, Molly’s Pub, 9p --------------------------------------------Poker Night, Therapy Bar & Grill, 7p --------------------------------------------Open Jam With Jason Figueroa The Down Under, 9p --------------------------------------------Down Under Sunday Night Karaoke The Down Under, 10p

TUESDAY APRIL 16 Open Jam w/ Tony Romero Therapy Bar & Grill, 6p --------------------------------------------Scott Evans & Friends, Ozone Lounge, 6:30p --------------------------------------------Open Jam hosted by Scott Moyer Barley Street Tavern, 7p --------------------------------------------Trivia, Goldeez, 7p --------------------------------------------Open Mic, Growler USA, 7p --------------------------------------------When Women Ruled the World with Egyptologist Kara Cooney, Holland Center, 8p --------------------------------------------Mitch Towne Jazz Organ Trio Jambo Cat, 7:30p --------------------------------------------continued on page 11

Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15 9

THURSDAY APRIL 11

Blac Rabbit SLOWDOWN

SATURDAY APRIL 13

Alan Jackson CHI HEALTH CENTER

THURSDAY APRIL 11

Ice Nine Kills SOKOL AUDITORIUM

SATURDAY APRIL 13

Wayne Brady HOLLAND CENTER

Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15

FRIDAY APRIL 12

Stick Figure SOKOL AUDITORIUM

SATURDAY & SUNDAY APRIL 13, 14

Arianna Neikrug THE JEWELL

FRIDAY/SUNDAY APRIL 12 & 14

Faust ORHEUM THEATRE

MONDAY APRIL 15

John Mellencamp ORHEUM THEATRE

SATURDAY APRIL 13

Record Store Day HOMERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S RECYCLED SOUNDS

MONDAY APRIL 15

Ryan Hamilton WAITING ROOM

Events continued from page 9 Hector Anchondo The Omaha Lounge, 7:30p --------------------------------------------Open Mic Jam , Brokedown Palace, 8p --------------------------------------------Lavender Country/ Gun Outfit / Paisley Fields, brothers lounge, 8p --------------------------------------------Damian McGinty w/ Dave Bakey Reverb Lounge, 8p --------------------------------------------UADA, Wormwitch & Cloak. Slowdown, 8p --------------------------------------------Trivia, The Down Under, 8p --------------------------------------------The Office Trivia, The Waiting Room, 8p --------------------------------------------Turbo Tuesdays w/ Vic Nasty, Bar 415, 9p --------------------------------------------Karaoke, Forte Music Hall, 9p --------------------------------- Open Mic (standup), The Backline, 9p --------------------------------Mikey Dean LIVE Acoustic debut Rose & Crown Downtown, 9:30p --------------------------------------------Daniel Does a Karaoke Vol. 2 The Down Under Lounge, 10p

Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15 11

Sometimes interviewing your musical heroes can be disheartening. Nothing could be farther from the truth when it comes to guitar-master Warren Haynes. Best known for his work with Gov’t Mule, an outfit he formed with the late-great bassist Allen Woody 25 years ago, this was my fifth interview with Haynes in the past 18 years. He is still as charming and kind as he’s always been, laughing and seeming to have a good time regardless of the chore at hand. Haynes fine-honed his chops playing with legendary Southern rockers The Allman Brothers Band (ABB) as well as taking part in a handful of post-Garcia Grateful Dead projects. While the Mule has always drawn heavily from the blues-rock idiom, a knock-your-socks-off-your-dancing-feet kind of thing, bass, drums and keys synched up with that ferocious guitar, Haynes and crew are also longtime believers in the spiritual connection between performers and listeners, seekers of that special place we all go when the band and crowd lock in together and take flight.

Never one to sit idly by, Haynes has put on a huge yearly benefit for Habitat for Humanity for over 30 years in his hometown, Appalachia’s Bohemian capital, Asheville, NC. The benefit draws a myriad of special guests and raises a nice chunk of change for a worthy cause. His guitar playing is as virtuosic as it is powerful, summoning the spirit of Duane Allman on solos and that of a runaway freight train on Mule’s straight runs. He’s a huge player with a heart of gold and Haynes sings with a gravel-road growl owing equally to the Mississippi Delta and the Smoky Mountains. While Gov’t Mule was at one time an ABB side project, it has grown into its own entity, incorporating elements of funk and jazz, using Haynes’ compositions and singular style as a canvas fit for any style of painting.

“I’ve always admired the way Bob Dylan and Miles Davis continued to reinvent themselves,” Haynes said. “They never spent too much time paying attention to what the fans or the critics thought about what they were doing. People would be trying to figure out “Yeah man, that whole connecting with the what they were doing and by the time they crowd thing was a big deal for both The Alldid, they’re onto something else. That philosman Brothers and The Grateful Dead,” Haynes ophy has always been my approach. I look at it said. “Having worked with both those bands like I’m blessed with this amazing opportunity and being a part of the scene they created, to create and I should take full advantage of because really the whole jam band things that.” was born out of The Allman Brothers and The Dead, they both took that que from the begin- In honor of 25 years as a band, Gov’t Mule will ning. They were all about connecting with the release a two-DVD, two-CD collection later this year. The set captures a live show from crowd. Gov’t Mule is always looking to have Port Chester NY’s legendary Capitol Theater. the crowd go along with us. You know, it’s a different show and a different set every night, A Mule show is a one of a kind experience, one of those much too-rare chances to let it all go, we play off the energy of the crowd.” slap on your dancing shoes and sway away Haynes’ importance in the ABB story can’t be the evening. Now a four-piece, Gov’t Mule overstated. Haynes and Woody joined The continues to offer one of the best bangs-forABB in 1989 when the band was coming off a your-buck live concert experiences available. break-up after several watered down releasHaynes is a one-of-a-kind talent, a guitar mones. The ABB had sadly become a piss-poor im- ster, a legend in the making and this week’s itation of its former self. Haynes and Woody Mule show in Lincoln is the perfect chance to brought back the power, the whiskey-soaked catch this band at a unique time in their cre“Whipping-Post” power, the band once had. ative development. 1994’s “Where It All Begins” remains one Gov’t Mule plays of The ABB’s best studio efforts and that’s saying a helluva lot coming from the band that Lincoln’s Bourbon Theatre on Tuesday, brought us the masterpiece “Eat A Peach.” Haynes contributed the gorgeous “Soulshine” April 16th at 8 pm. to the record, a song both searching and prais- The show is all ages ing, beautiful in its longing and celebratory in and tickets are $30 for General Admission, its tone. “No One to Run With” enjoyed a fair $50 for table seating. bit of radio play and put The ABB back in the national consciousness, a song offering equal For more info visit bourbontheatre.com. appeal to aging Hells Angels and frustrated insurance salesmen.

Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15

Record store culture in America and around the world is alive and well in 2019 as we head into the 12th annual Record Store Day this Saturday, April 13th. Omaha has unfortunately seen the closing of a few stores, but many stores around the country and the world are seeing great success in recent years. I attend the Record Store Day Summer Camp every year with stores from all over, and for the most part, stores are reporting positive growth in recent years. Many of the major appliance and department stores have gotten out of selling CD’s as a loss leader to entice people into the store, but the majority of titles being released are still being put out on compact disc and available in town. Cassette tape availability and sales continue to rise. One of the cassette-only releases this Record Store Day is a rare Prince release called The Versace Experience. Vinyl is what is driving sales at record stores and interest in physical music, and has been for quite some time now. Interest in vinyl has spread to every demographic you could try to come up with and is not just for a certain stereotype anymore. The industry certainly has its share of problems, faults, and controversies, but if you read an article talking about vinyl as just a nostalgic format, you may want to try another source. It’s here, it’s been here and it’s still growing.

the entire weekend. Some of the sought after titles include a vinyl release of a secret R.E.M. show form 1991, an alternate version of Fleetwood Mac’s self-titled album and Pearl Jam “Live At Easy Street”. Pearl Jam is this year’s Record Store Day Ambassadors and joins the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica, Chuck D, St. Vincent and Run The Jewels as honorees. Other releases include a pot leafshaped 7” for Cheech and Chong along with soundtracks to Malcolm X, Coneheads, Lost In Translation, Private Parts and The Crow. Exclusive releases from artists such as Sunn O, Death Grips, Erykah Badu and Mastodon will also be in the mix. You can see the entire list of titles at RecordStoreDay.com Omaha stores participating in Record Store Day include Homer’s Music and Recycled Sounds. Homer’s will open at 10 AM and have free donuts, breakfast burritos and coffee for those waiting in line. Entertainment will be provided by DJ Madix and tickets to many area concerts, vinyl, grab bags and much more will be given away. Recycled Sounds will open at 9 AM and will have live music during the day, free pizza and concert and movie ticket giveaways. If you are heading to Lincoln for the Husker Spring Game make sure to stop by Lefty’s Records in Lincoln.

Record Store Day is a celebration of the record store culture, which isn’t exactly High Fidelity, Empire Records or Pretty In Pink. Record store culture is a little bit of all of those though and every store and their patrons have their own unique personality. This year will see the release of over 400 titles that are exclusive to Record Store Day with some being as limited as under 500 printed to some that will have 5000 plus available that day. Lines will form at stores early in the morning and activities will typically continue on through the day and sometimes through

continued on page 13

Ryan Hamilton’s dream starts off a little like the late Chris Farley’s character Mike Donnelly in Black Sheep, “Hell, every guy’s got his dream, am I right? Between you, me and the wall here, I had a doozy myself last night. Haha, ha, ha. Get this: A corn-fed harvest mouse, a hooker, a nun, a Flemish peasant woman, whips, chains, whistles yoyo’s, a circus midget. My grandmother riding by on a bicycle give me the finger and a duck! Now, I don’t know ha, ha, ha. Are you crying? Oh, my lord. I am sorry honey, please don’t! Could you get your daddy on the phone? No, don’t hang up please !...” Ok, so there aren’t all of these elements involved, but his story did start off as a college student with a golf scholarship whose back was basically melted by a trainer with a heating pad that was too hot. So, at 20 years old he took up playing the guitar. Hamilton says he would have made it big ten years ago with his band Smile Smile, but the music industry was going through colossal changes and Smile Smile like many groups was lost in the shuffle.

biz that you wouldn’t typically hear. He had Roger Clyne on the podcast. Hamilton told Focus, “The success we have had has been really fast in England. I was a huge Refreshments fan back in the day. They were the first independent band to go No. 1 and were a great example of how it should be done. I told them if they went to England they would play in front of full houses, I’m not sure they believed me at first but we did it.” After playing in front of packed venues in England, Clyne has now returned the favor by inviting Hamilton and the Harlequin Ghosts on tour stateside. “My story is really unique in that I had America’s attention a decade ago. I had to start again in England. We had to blow up in England to get America to pay attention again. We started over, did things on our own terms. We used Roger’s model to get started again. Now I get to come home and do it with a hero of mine, Roger Clyne.” Catch Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers along with Ryan Hamilton Monday, April 15, at the Waiting Room. Showtime is 8 p.m.

Jaret Reddick, songwriter and guitarist from the pop-punk band Bowling for Soup, took notice when Smile Smile opened for them and they started writing songs together. They later formed the group People on Vacation and this is when they decided to play their first show in the UK at Borderline in London on March 25, 2012. Eventually, he formed the band Ryan Hamilton and the Harlequin Ghosts with all the members from the UK accept Hamilton, who’s from Texas. His latest band has taken all of the elements from the music he’s played and the background he’s familiar with and merged it into its own unique sound. Not too heavy, it’s catchy and fun to listen to. You can leave your troubles behind for a while and just enjoy. So how did he end up playing with Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers? It started with his podcast, “‘Ryan Hamilton’s Lost the Plotcast,” where Hamilton discusses unique stories from the music

Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15 13

Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15

Getting to Know Jazz’s Spiritual Wanderer: John Coltrane By Jesse D. Stanek

The Father of musical critique Lester Bangs once wrote: “writing about music is like tap-dancing about architecture.” Nothing better illustrates the brilliant, absurd truth of this statement as well as trying to use words to describe something as profound, beautiful, spiritual, honest and human as John Coltrane’s saxophone playing. Whether or not you’re familiar with Coltrane’s music you certainly know the name. It probably conjures images of smoky late-nights on small, seedy stages; saxophone ripping through the heavy air, up and down the scales while the bass goes for a walk and the drums try to make sense of it all. Coltrane’s legacy of recorded music is exhausting, just pick a point and jump right in, anywhere you chose on Coltrane’s timeline you’ll find a singular, unique voice, the rarest of musicians, one whose longings and regrets burst forth every time he blows.

Coltrane is one of the main reasons we have the modern ideal of music serving a larger spiritual or connective purpose. His saxophone spoke a language beyond the simple music expected from a mere brass instrument. His sound could be brooding and dark but it could also be joyful and bright, just depended on what side of the bed Johnny C woke up on. Because he played his instrument so honestly, you can hear Coltrane’s soul speaking when he plays. His emotions riding goofy-foot down a crystal blue musical swell, his playing has in my experience been able to touch parts of the spirit and psyche unavailable to other, lesser visionary players. In a 1964 letter to his listeners Coltrane wrote “I humbly asked to be given the means and privilege to make others happy through music.” Two short years later and a year before his death he added, “I know that there are bad forces, forces that bring suffering to others and misery to the world. I want to be the opposite force. I want to be the force which is truly for good.” In this respect, Coltrane is jazz’s Luke Skywalker, an agent for good but also a force born out of both good and evil. Accordingly, he was inherently aware of the power of both to touch and influence. From 1957 to 1967 Coltrane released music at a diz-

zying rate, putting out 25 albums as bandleader in his lifetime and playing on a host of others. Coltrane records like “My Favorite Things,” “Giant Steps,” and “Live at The Village Vanguard” are five-star jazz records, permanent and much-needed additions to the American musical canon. His music has become even more important and relevant as popular tastes turn more and more to plastic, corporate contrived bubble-gum crap. His Grammy-nominated “humble offering” to God, “A Love Supreme” is, according to music reference All Music, “one of the most important records ever made.” The record is unique in that it not only speaks to Coltrane’s continuing spiritual quest but also highlights a plethora of the instrumental innovations serving as milestones on his accomplished resume. His development and use of altered chord progression cycles would come to be called “Coltrane Changes,” changing Jazz forever. This record has meant so many different things to me at different times in my life, it’s like an old friend solid through the years, changing roles when the times and circumstances dictate necessary but always around and always an enjoyable comfort. The support is top-notch, the classic Coltrane Quartet: Jimmy Garrison on bass, Elvin Jones on drums and McCoy Tyner on piano.

Blue” (perhaps the best-known Jazz record of all-time) and “Milestones” both find Coltrane cutting his teeth and finding his voice at the foot of a master.

From 1955 to 1959 Coltrane teamed up with fellow legend Miles Davis to make some of the most memorable music either ever produced. On these recordings, while Miles was certainly the band leader, you have two insanely strong, distinct voices (Coltrane on Sax, Miles on trumpet) competing with each other to be heard, but also complimenting one another, allowing each other the freedom and space to innovate without hesitation. Under Davis’ tutelage, Coltrane was able to embrace a kind of open-ended freedom allowing him to explore his instrument and eventually find his own voice and gain confidence within that voice. In his autobiography Miles offers the following thought on first meeting Coltrane: “After we started playing together for a while, I knew that this guy was a bad motherfucker. [He] was just the voice I needed on tenor to set off my voice.” The collaboration between the two would prove to be one of the most fruitful pairings in jazz history. Coltrane did take a brief hiatus from Davis’ band to kick heroin and booze, a feat he accomplished by himself in a rotting New York City tenement, sweating it out and asking the important questions about self, his relationship with God and the world surrounding him. To continue an earlier metaphor, Coltrane’s time with Davis can be thought of as Skywalker going to Dagobah and studying with Yoda, learning the ins and outs from a master and beginning to mix his own genius into the stew. Davis’ albums “Kind of

In 2018 “Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album” was released, a collection of shorter pieces from the Classic Quartet mixed and polished up. The recording quality is superb and the late-born release to Coltrane’s catalog is a welcome addition, far from the desperate stab at revenue some artists’ descendants have engaged in. The songs are curious excursions, random untitled originals, and second and third takes, a pleasurable foray into Coltrane’s world. Ragas and roundhouses, the Jedi kid just keeps hitting and hitting, pounding away at some musical or mystical truth. It’s hard to separate the spiritual from the sonic with Coltrane, so don’t bother, no need.

1957’s self-titled outing is a chill mood masterpiece. Coming along relatively early in his career, “Coltrane” finds the compositions and playing a bit more subdued and studied, not quite as inventive and daring as his later work but equally enjoyable. Coltrane compositions “Straight Street” and “Chronic Blues” showcase a musical mind versatile in the history and style of Jazz and just on the verge of pushing the envelope beyond what critics and listeners found comfortable. What Coltrane did to Jazz, the way he changed how we experience the music is akin to Bob Dylan going electric at Newport Folk Festival: the purists were outraged, the casual fans were curious and legions of new listeners found a sound and spirit with which they deeply connected. “Blue Train” is another excellent document from this period. The record would be his only for Blue Note as a bandleader and remains to this day a major work of staggering creativity and brilliant execution. Bassist Paul Chambers is featured on this record and would become a major collaborator with Coltrane on future projects.

Records to Stream/Download: John Coltrane “A Love Supreme” Miles Davis “Milestones” Miles Davis “Kind of Blue” John Coltrane “Coltrane” John Coltrane “Blue Train” John Coltrane “Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album (Deluxe Version) Each week the column will introduce (or in the case of many artists reintroduce) the reader to a different band or artist and tell you why they’re worth checking out. The column will recommend albums by the artist/band to stream or download.

Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15 15

Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15

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Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15 17

Disaster SNAP Available to Eligible Flood-affected Residents of Six More Nebraska Counties, One Tribe By Focus Omaha

Lincoln – Residents of six more Nebraska counties and the Santee Sioux Nation, impacted by high water and power outages due to the recent floods, may be eligible for individual assistance, including Disaster SNAP (D-SNAP). The United States Department of Agriculture and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Children and Family Services have approved the D-SNAP for affected, qualified individuals in the Santee Sioux Nation and the following counties: • Boone County • Custer County • Richardson County • Buffalo County • Knox County • Thurston County D-SNAP uses different qualifying rules than regular SNAP. If you would not normally qualify for SNAP, based on income, you may qualify for D-SNAP if you have suffered one or more of the following disaster-related expenses:

except cash on hand and in bank accounts will be excluded from the eligibility determination.

Disaster SNAP was also offered to affected residents of Butler, Cass, Colfax, Dodge, Douglas, Nemaha, Sarpy, Saunders and Washington counties after those counties were also designated for FEMA Individual Assistance. FEMA is continuing to review counties for eligibility for individual assistance and they will be added as they qualify. DHHS will provide updates should additional counties become eligible.

-Albion Public Library, 437 S. 3rd St., Albion -DHHS Local Office, 2475 S. E St, Broken Bow -DHHS Local Office, 1700 Stone St., Falls City If approved for D-SNAP, the benefits will be -Faith United, 203 Garfield St., Gibbon For more on this and other disaster-related provided on an Electronic Benefits Transfer -Niobrara Rural Fire District , 259 Spruce Ave information from DHHS like and follow us on (EBT) card within three days of approval. EBT -DHHS Local Office, 415 Maine St., Pender Facebook and Twitter. cards are used like debit cards to buy food at Assistance will also be available at the abovemost local grocery stores. listed locations to apply for other DHHS Applicants must visit a DHHS assistance site administered programs, such as Medicaid, Aid to Dependent Children, Aid to the Aged, Blind for in-person verifications and to receive an and Disabled, Respite, Child Care Provider EBT card. A driver’s license or another form Natural Disaster Recovery and Emergency of identification from the head of household Assistance. must be provided. The application process may be started at the ACCESSNebraska website. Fill out an application and submit it or print the completed application and take it to an assistance site.

Applications for D-SNAP benefits must be made on or before Monday, April 15 at one of the locations listed below. Daily hours of operation at each location will be weekdays, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Home or business repairs • Temporary shelter expenses • Evacuation or relocation expenses • Home or business protection • Disaster-related personal injury, including funeral expenses • Lost or no access to income due to the disaster, including reduced, terminated or delayed receipt of income, for a large part of the benefit period • In some cases, food loss after a disaster, like flooding or power outages

Current SNAP Recipients Current SNAP recipients DO NOT need to go through the application process to receive DHHS officials will determine eligibility based assistance. Those in Boone County, Buffalo County ZIP codes 68840, 68866, 68876, on available income, minus unreimbursed Custer County ZIP codes 68813, 68822, Knox disaster related expenses. All resources County ZIP codes 68718, 68783, Richardson

County ZIP code 68431 and Thurston County ZIP codes 68039, 68047 will automatically receive a supplemental benefit, if not already receiving the maximum amount for their household size. SNAP recipients who lived or worked in other areas of the listed counties may request disaster replacement and supplements by contacting DHHS to attest to their disaster losses by April 15.

Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15

Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15 19

Ten) are currently tied with Indiana for first in the Big Ten standings. The Huskers seemed to benefit from a tough non-conference schedule and, aside from a four-game loss to #4 Oregon State, have held their own while managing to beat a few ranked teams while raising some eyebrows.

Creighton Bluejays By Focus Omaha

Mitch Ragan threw seven innings of shutout ball to help Creighton Baseball to a 4-0 win over Kansas State on Friday. Creighton got all the offense it would need with all four runs in the third inning against K-State ace Griffin Hassall. Saturday was not as kind to CU as the Wildcats took a 9-2 win. Nine walks from CU pitchers didn’t help the cause. Things turned around on Sunday as Evan Johnson allowed just one hit in five shutout innings and Parker Upton scored four times while finishing a triple shy of the cycle. The win gave Creighton a win in the weekend series against the Big 12 squad.

They’re currently ranked #40 and are 8-0 at home. After completing their first three-game conference sweep against Michigan State (the first conference sweep since May 5-7, 2017 against Rutgers) they lost a 2-out-of-3 at Minnesota before coming back home this past weekend and putting it to Purdue for another 3-game sweep. This Husker team is fun to watch and can score runs in piles. While they’re not overpowering, they hit their spots and are aided on defense by a good starting pitching rotation led by Matt Waldron who currently has a 1.64 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 44 innings pitched. The Huskers will face Creighton again on Tuesday in Lincoln before heading to University Park to battle Penn State this weekend.

Creighton improved to 5-2 at home and 16-7 overall with a trip to Nebraska set for Tuesday night and a nationally televised game. League play begins Friday with the first of three games at Butler.

Omaha Mavericks By Focus Omaha

Nebraska Huskers

The Mavericks improved to 12-0 in the Summit League on Saturday when Thomas DeBonville hit a grand slam in the top of the ninth to boost UNO to an 11-7 win over South Dakota State in a game played at Sioux Falls. Keil Krumwiede also homered for Omaha.

UNO has won 16 of 17 games and is 20-6-1 overall. Next up are a Wednesday game at Rpberts. Kansas State and a weekend series By Focus Omaha Now that college basketball season is officially at Oral Roberts. over (congrats to UVA) we can finally start talking baseball. The Huskers (17-9, 7-2 Big

Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15

Rewind – The Nineties Come Alive By Howard Schwartz To twist a phrase from state tourism, the ’90s, like Nebraska, were not for everyone. But for many who came of age in that decade, it was the greatest time of their lives, with their youth, their political scandals, their fashions, and their music. Introducing, Remind, Omaha’s ‘90s tribute band featuring Jenny Thompson on lead vocals, Mike Kirk on guitar and lead vocals, Chris Schrom on lead guitar, drummer Lowell Owen, and Carl Andersen on bass and backing vocals. They started about two years ago. Thompson said a love of ‘90s music is a common value of the group with Schrom planting the seed of an idea. “That’s when I discovered music,” she said. With ‘70s and ‘80s bands in the state, but no ‘90s acts, they saw a void and moved to fill it. Rewind started as a grunge band and has now expanded to multiple ‘90s sounds. Alanis Morissette, Britney Spears, Sublime, Soundgarden, Four Non Blondes, and Spin Doctors are highlighted. Heck, they’ll even do ‘90s hip hop after expanding from the grunge base. “Without me the guys are a Soundgarden tribute band,” she stated. They do four to five shows a year as Bad Motor Finger. The members also are starting an Alanis Morissette tribute band. The ‘90s are simply the members’ favorite period of music. “And I will say we play it well,” Thompson stated.

“It’s challenging but it’s fun. I also think it’s something you don’t hear at every venue and club.” Rewind dresses the part for their shows, with fishnet stockings (for Thompson only) and flannel for the guys. “Hairball – that was our vision and is our vision,” Thompson emphasized. It was a decision made after the band’s first practice. Those windbreakers of the 90s and slapstick bracelets are added to the mix. “We sing the part, but we also dress the part.” She called the band’s shared focus on their goals, the sounds they can achieve, and their work ethic as strengths of Rewind. “We want to perfect the song,” Thompson stated. “We want to play it well . . . we also want to be entertaining.” Rewind has talked about doing originals in the future but for now they do all ‘90s cover music. Touring also has been given some thought, but it would have to make sense with families, children and relationships. “We’ve talked about wanting to play Sturgis,” she said. “It would have to make sense financially.” Your next chance to check out Rewind on April 13 at The Waiting Room. “We are super excited!” For more on Rewind: www.facebook.com/9Dmusic

Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15 21

Arianna Neikrug Tour Comes to Omaha’s Jewell By Andy Roberts

Sometimes it all comes down to a simple choice. Arianna Neikrug had applied to the Hamilton High School Academy of Music and Performing Arts in L.A. It’s a school that has produced more than its fair share of outstanding alums, including current jazz sensation Kamasi Washington. Thinking she might go the musical theater route, Neikrug happened to hear the school’s jazz ensemble and was moved to action. “I’m switching – it’s now jazz,” she recalled thinking. In many was it wasn’t that big a jump.

“A lot of the songs are crossovers but in jazz you have free rein,” she stated. It has proven to be a good move. Neikrug won the 2015 Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition and comes to The Jewell in the new Capitol District for shows this Saturday and Sunday. Coming with her is the Laurence Hobgood Trio featuring Jared Schonig on drums and Matt Clohesy on bass in addition to Hobgood, a Grammy Winner, ace pianist and arranger. They will be promoting her debut album on Concord Jazz, Changes.

Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15

The album includes two originals – one co-written with Hobgood – plus Neikrug’s interpretations of eight tunes from the Great American Songbook plus more recent pop and R&B classics from the ’70s.

current New York City base.

“Los Angeles born and raised,” Neikrug grew up listening to: “A lot of oldies, R&B, Motown . . . a lot of Aretha Franklin. My mom used to be a singer,” she said.

“I think if I could have live in another time period it would have been the ‘70s,” Neikrug offered. Hobgood suggested the song, they started playing it and soon the decision was made.

While she still did some musical theater, and enjoyed playing other characters on stage, it was jazz that drew her in for the long run. “I love being myself the most,” she stated after taking on several roles in musical theater. From L.A. it was off to the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music due to her earning some scholarships and, she admits, a good school with the fun of a football team and frat parties. She acknowledges it was not much of a climate change. That, and a new perspective, came with the move to her

The album’s direction came from her listening to a ‘70s classic – Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together.”

“This is going to be a defining tune for this record,” she recalled thinking. “You really have to do justice and pay homage to the music.” This weekend will mark Neikrug’s first Omaha shows. She has been to Milwaukee and Chicago but never to Nebraska. Her lone connection is a local trombone player with whom she performed a decade ago at The Grammys. She has “a couple weeks left in my quarter century age” and will perform with a trio who ages are roughly double hers.

Their talent and experience adds to her challenge. “I have to be really on (to perform at) that level. It lights a fire under you,” Neikrug stressed. She feels it is a combination that can make something magical. “That is the reason we do this. Moving other people, touching other lives,” she said. “I feel this is a little bit of a dream . . . You want people to be so engaged they don’t even know what hit them.” For more on Arianna Neikrug and The Jewell: facebook.com/ariannaneikrugmusic facebook.com/jewellomaha/ www.ariannaneikrug.com

Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15 23

The Fed Hits the Brakes: No Rate Hikes Projected in 2019 By Michael Herek

At its meeting on March 20, 2019, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) maintained the benchmark federal funds rate at the target range of 2.25% to 2.50% that was set in December 2018. This in itself was not surprising. But other communications signaled a definite hiatus in the Fed’s policy of raising interest rates and tightening the money supply.1

direct comments from Fed Chairman Jerome Powell. “We don’t see data coming in that suggest we should move in either direction,” he said. “They suggest that we should remain patient and let the situation clarify itself over time...It may be some time before the outlook for jobs and inflation calls clearly for a change in policy.”4

The FOMC has raised the fund rate nine times since December 2015, with four increases in 2018 alone. As recently as September 2018, the committee projected three more increases in 2019. That dropped to two projected increases at the December meeting. But the March projections suggest that there may be no rate increases in 2019 at all.2

Dual mandate

The FOMC also indicated that it would slow its program of reducing excess reserves of Treasuries and other government securities that were built up during and after the recession in a policy known as quantitative easing. The reduction program will stop after September 2019 unless conditions change, reflecting the Fed’s belief that there is no need for further tightening of the money supply.3

The federal funds rate is the interest rate at which banks lend funds to each other overnight to maintain legally required reserves. The funds rate serves as a benchmark for many short-term rates set by banks, including the prime rate, which in turn influences consumer rates such as auto loans and credit-card rates. It can also influence longer-term rates.

The strongest communication to come out of the March meeting may be the unusually

Powell’s reference to jobs and inflation reflects the Federal Reserve’s dual mandate to foster maximum employment and price stability. The FOMC sets monetary policy in accordance with the mandate, using two primary tools: the federal funds rate and the monetary supply.

Theoretically, lowering interest rates and increasing the money supply will stimulate the economy, which is why the Fed took these

Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15

measures during the recession and extended them through the long, slow recovery. (The federal funds rate was near zero for eight years, from December 2007 to December 2015.)

rates has been more of a preventive measure and return to historical norms than a response to an overheated economy or runaway inflation.

The shift from further rate increases suggests that the Fed believes there is little to fear regarding high inflation. In fact, Powell said that the greater danger is low global inflation, calling it “one of the major challenges of our time.”5 While the Fed has raised rates steadily over the last three years — providing flexibility to drop rates if necessary — central banks in other countries have been slow to act due to sluggish economies and low inflation. Some have kept their benchmark rates below 0%, A moderate level of wage and price inflation is creating a risk of asset “bubbles” and placing considered integral to a healthy economy, and them in a difficult position in the event of an the Fed has set a goal of 2% annual inflation economic downturn.6 as optimal for economic growth. However, despite a strong labor market, wages and the Market reactions broader economy have not grown as quickThe stock market rose moderately after ly as expected, and inflation has generally the FOMC announcement, which came just remained below the 2% target. Thus, raising two hours before the close of the New York On the other hand, raising rates and tightening the money supply are intended to slow the economy, primarily to control inflation. In theory, a strong economy with low unemployment should put workers in a position to demand higher wages, and higher wages allow businesses to raise prices on their products, which allows them to expand and pay higher wages.

Stock Exchange, but stocks still closed with a small loss for the day. The market generally applauds lower interest rates, but investors continue to be jittery about the potential for global economic weakness. In the longer term, stable interest rates at current levels may be good for stocks, which began to rally on January 4, 2019 — when Powell first preached “patience” — and gained more than 15% through March 20.7 The reaction in the bond market was stronger. The prospect of lower rates for an extended period — along with the Fed’s decision to keep more Treasuries in its portfolio — made current yields more appealing. Investors rushed to buy Treasury securities and other bonds, driving prices up and yields down. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.52%, the lowest level in 15 months and just seven basis points (0.07%) above the yield on the three-month T-bill — nearing a “yield curve inversion” considered by some economists to predict a recession. Two days later, on March 22, the curve inverted for the first time since 2007, with demand for longer-term bonds driven by soft global growth.8

nomic growth, but it also suggests that the Fed believes the current level is a neutral rate where further movement up or down could have a negative effect. This is not necessarily cause for concern. It may just mean that the Fed is doing its job. The return and principal value of stocks and bonds fluctuate with market conditions. Shares, when sold, and bonds redeemed prior to maturity may be worth more or less than their original cost. U.S. Treasuries are guaranteed by the U.S. government as to the timely payment of principal and interest. 1-3, 10) Federal Reserve, 2018-2019 4-5, 9) Bloomberg, March 20, 2019 6) The Wall Street Journal, March 21, 2019 7) The New York Times, January 4, 2019; March 20, 2019 8) MarketWatch, March 20 and 22, 2019

Although pessimists have feared a new recession for years, Powell emphasized that the U.S. economy is “in a good place,” and the official FOMC policy statement pointed to “sustained expansion of economic activity” in its expectations for future economic direction.9-10 A potential pause in rate hikes this year does reflect some concern about eco-

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Focus | April 10 - April 16 | Volume 3 Issue 15

BARRETT’S BARLEYCORN 4322 Leavenworth St. M-F 4P-6P $2.25 Domestic Bottles $3.00 Well Drinks BROKEDOWN PALACE 8805 Maple St. Happy Hour 12P-6P $4 28 oz Domestic Frozen Mugs $5 28 oz Nebraska Brewing Cardinal Pale Ale Frozen Mug

NOSH WINE LOUNGE 1006 Dodge St. Everyday 4P- 6P Reverse HH 10P -12A $3 domestic beers and wells, $2 off Glasses of Wine, $4 House Wine PADDY’S McGOWN’S PUB & GRILL 4503 Center St. Happy Hour Specials from 3-6pm

CADDYSHACK 2076 N 117th Ave & 7007 S 181st St M-F 2P-6P $1 Off Beer, Wine & Wells TUES- HAPPY HOUR All Day

PITCH PIZZERIA 5021 Underwood Ave. 17808 Burke M-F 3P-6P $5 off any appetizer $5 off any pizza

COHEN & KELLY’S LOUNGE 13075 W Center Rd M-F 4:30P - 6:30P Drink Specials

OMAHA TAP HOUSE 1401 Farnam St. & 579 N 155th Plz M-F 3P - 6P & ALL DAY SUNDAY $1 Off All TapBeers $4 Svedka, $4 Windsor, $4 Sauza Silver, $4 Cruzan Rum

DUBLINER PUB 1205 Harney St. Nightly Drink Specials & Happy Hour 1P - 7P Everyday !! $1.00 off Pints and Bottles GETAWAY LOUNGE 4745 S 96th St M-F 2P - 6P $2 Busch Lite Bottles $2.25 Busch Lite Tall Boys $3 Fireballs $3 Apple Pie Shots JERRY’S BAR 6301 Military Ave Happy Hour Prices ALL Day EVERYDAY! JULIO’S 123rd & Center M-F 3P – 6P & FRI & SAT AFTER 9M $1 off all Tap Beer, $3 House Margaritas, $8 Pitchers of Bud Light & Miller Light, $2 Tacos & $8 Nachos KOZEE LOUNGE 5813 N 60th St. Daily Drink Specials! LEAVENWORTH BAR 4556 Leavenworth St. M-F 12P-7P LOOKOUT LOUNGE 320 S 72nd St. EVERY DAY 4-7, MIDNIGHT - 2 AM $2 PBR, $2.50 Domestic Bottles , $3 Wells, $3 Fireball MALONEY’S IRISH PUB 1830 N 72nd St. M-F 3P-7P $1.00 off any beer

RAILCAR MODERN AMERICAN KITCHEN 1814 N 144th St. M-F 3:30-6:30P $4 Well Drinks $3 Off Signature Cocktails

THERAPY BAR & GRILL 5059 S 108th St Monday-Friday 3-6pm $.50 cents off Bottles, Drafts, & Wells THE SOCIABLE INN 4917 S 136TH ST M-F 2P-7P $2.50 Pints, $2.50 Domestic Bottles TIGER TOM’S 7103 Military Ave M-F 4P-6P $12 Domestic Buckets TIMBER WOOD FIRE BISTRO 8702 Pacific St – Countryside Village M-F Patio Only 11A-7P M-SAT 2P- 6:30P & SUN 2P-10P $2 Off Local and Craft Drafts, $2.50 Tier 1 Import and Domestics, $3 Tier 2 Import and Domestics, $3 Off Signature Cocktails, $4 Well Drinks, $2 Off Glass of Wine, $1 Off Tap Wine. & Select Gourmet Food

RATHSKELLER BIER GARDEN 4524 Farnam St. Monday to Saturday – 3P to 6P | 10P-Close Sunday – All Day BOSO – Buy one second one for $.25 SCRIPTOWN 3922 Farnam M-F 4P - 6P $1 Off Beers & $1 Off Well Drinks SMITTY’S GARAGE 7610 Dodge St. Everyday 3P - 6P & 9P - CLOSE $2.50 Domestics THURSDAYS $1 OFF Local Beer Draws THE BULL & THE BEAR LOUNGE 11341 Davenport St M, T, W 2P - 6P SUN 12P - 2A THE CASUAL PINT 8718 Countryside Plaza M, W, TH 4P-6P TUES All Day $1 Off All Draft Beers. Friday – 1/2 Price Growler Refills Sunday – Ladies Day. $1 Off All Pints for Ladies from 1P–8P THE DOWN UNDER 3530 Leavenworth St. MON-SAT 3P-7P SUNDAY-All Day

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