* The Omaha Entertainment & Arts Awards have announced the line-up for their summer music showcases, taking place July 8 and 9 in downtown Benson. One band will be selected from the showcases by fan voting to open the Maha Music Festival August 13. A voting box will be available to collect votes at each showcase venue. The participating venues are The Waiting Room Lounge, The Sydney, Burke’s Pub, The Pizza Shoppe Collective and The Barley Street Tavern. Admission to all venues for one night is $10 and for both nights is $15. More information is available at OEA-awards.com. * Local hard rock heroes Emphatic will issue their debut album Damage July 12 on major label Atlantic Records. Fans can preorder the disc from EmphaticRock.com and get access to a full album stream before the album’s release. The band will also play Harrah’s Stir Cove concert series as part of the Carnival of Madness tour August 19, alongside Theory of a Deadman and Black Stone Cherry. * The Shanks will rise again June 24 and 25 at O’Leaver’s Pub, 1322 S. Saddle Creek Road. The band plan to play 13 songs each night, representing their entire recorded output. Mosquito Bandito and The F***ing Party open Friday night’s show, while Whyte Bitch play the Saturday show. The show should be a stark reminder of just how deep the Shanks punk-garage clatter could cut. Really, really deep. Both shows are $5. * In related news, be sure to check out members of the Shanks in new projects Thursday, June 16 at the Studio Gallery, 4965 Dodge St. Baby Tears and Saudi Arabia feature Shanks members. They will play with Bay Area band The Street Eaters. The show is $5 and starts at 9:30 p.m. Also, Baby Tears are prepping a 7-inch single for release on local imprint Rainy Road Records. *One of my favorite little modern power-pop records is getting re-released on vinyl. That album is Lapalco by Brendan Benson. Before Benson teamed up with Jack White in The Raconteurs, he cut this great record in 2002. The release will come with a full album’s worth of downloadable extras and limited editions will include liner notes by White.

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