Star City Blog / Music

Music Venue "Box Awesome" to Close

By Cory Kibler with notes from Alexis Abel

On June 30th, 2009, Box Awesome will hold its last show.  There won’t be a set cover charge; attendees are invited to pay whatever they like, and all of the money will go to the bands.  Local acts Plack Blague, Triggertown and Somasphere will rock out for the crowd.  People will dance, smile, sing along, and party their heart out.

Then, on July 6th, the Box Awesome will close its doors to the public, its future yet to be determined.

A Brief History

While it is currently home to Box Awesome, the building at 815 “O” Street has been many things.   Within the last eight years alone, it has transformed three times and will soon begin yet another chapter in its existence.

Starla Dear Contemplates Cover Songs, Getting Serious and Recording

By Nick Eneboe

I arrived at the designated meeting place around 10 p.m.  It was a quaint old house on A Street, just south of the Capitol.  I parked about a block away, but could already clearly hear Starla Dear practicing a cover of “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls.  I sat and listened to the end of their practice set, which included Radiohead’s “Karma Police” and a hard rock version of Britney Spears’ “Baby One More Time,” before we made our way to the porch for the interview.

Just as we were starting, two police officers showed up.  Apparently, one of the neighbors was not a fan of late ‘90s top 40 hits and thought the band was disturbing the peace.  The police left with just a warning, but if they had to come back… well, you know. Anyway, Starla Dear isn’t really a cover band, per se.  The band, composed of Becca McPherson, Jon Keyzer, Josh Bodfield, Benjamin Mailand and Josh Topolski, is just playing at Lincoln High’s class of ’99 reunion.

Zoo Bar to Host Ember Schrag's CD Release Show June 26th: Check Out Ember's Featured Song "Nobody Can Tell"

By Sarah F. Sullivan

Join local musician Ember Schrag at the Zoo Bar on June 26th to celebrate the release of her debut album. The music industry has always been a tough one to navigate and the making of A Cruel, Cruel Woman was no exception.

For over four years, the life of the album hung in the balance as recording engineers gave up their careers to become orthodontists and multiple studios went out of business. However, the album survived and will be released by Lincoln’s Lone Prairie Records.

Local Band Garfän Prepares for Summer Shows and a New CD: Check Out Garfän's Featured Song "Deborah"

By Nick Eneboe

Garfän (gar- fahn, notice the umlaut) is the brainchild of guitarist/vocalist Dale Hayes.  His musical stylings are classic - like a magical combination of Jimi Hendrix and Carlos Santana. Yes, he can really rip like that. Garfän’s catalogue is a vichyssoise of classic rock, funk and a dash of punk.

I sat down with this Lincoln band last week and the members Dale Hayes, Eric Lee, Kaitie Preston, Greg Davis and Ben Witfoth are just as diverse as their music – from the bassist, who’s been playing for about a year now, to some of the members who have been playing for decades.