The month kicks off with bluesman Tinsley Ellis, who is back with a solo acoustic show Thursday, March 5, 6 p.m. at Lincoln’s Zoo Bar. “Premier Guitar” calls Ellis “a legend of American blues music.”

In Omaha, longtime K.C. harmonica player Brody Buster plays two Saturday shows. Buster’s now doing an energetic one-man-band act that he’s bringing to Mouth of the South Lakeside for brunch Saturday, March 7, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Then he’s at Shakedown Street in Benson the evening of March 7 as part of an 8 p.m. triple bill. See facebook.com/shakedownstreettavern for more info.

The B. Bar Shows
The Blues Society of Omaha hosts popular K.C. blues duo Womanish Girl at The B. Bar Friday, March 27, 5:30 p.m. The B. Bar presents blues, roots, rock, jazz and cover bands on a regular basis including popular band Sailing in Soup Friday, March 20, 5:30 p.m. Keep up with the full schedule at thebbaromaha.com.

Holland Happenings
Endea Owens & The Cookout play what should be a fantastic show Friday, March 13, 7:30 p.m., at the Holland Music Club inside the Holland Performing Arts Center. Owens is a Juilliard alum and a true rising star on the jazz scene who you have seen on TV as the charismatic bassist in the band for “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” Her own group makes rich, evocative and often high-energy jazz. She is also the founder of the Community Cookout, a non-profit organization in New York City that provides meals and free music to underserved neighborhoods. She’s seriously amazing. Hear for yourself, here’s her wonderful NPR Tiny Desk Concert.

Etienne Charles & Creole Soul are at the Holland Performing Arts Center Thursday, March 19, 7 p.m. A jazz musician from Trinidad, Charles is acclaimed as a trumpet player, a sideman and a bandleader. He’s also a composer and arranger. Charles and his ensemble, Creole Soul, will perform their composition “Earth Tones,” described as “a multimedia jazz performance featuring original compositions documenting peoples and regions that are, and will be, severely affected by climate change.” Find out more about the music at etiennecharles.com.

Looking ahead, accomplished blues artist Vanessa Collier is set to take the Holland Music Club stage Friday, April 10, 7:30 p.m. She is a popular artist who has been seen previously at local blues clubs. Collier is a multiple Blues Music Award nominee and took home two awards in 2025 for Blues Instrumentalist – Horns and Contemporary Blues Female Artist. She is nominated in three categories in this year’s Blues Music Awards, most notably for the prestigious B.B. King Entertainer of the Year Award. She’s also nominated in the Band of the Year category and in the Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year category. The Blues Music Awards will be announced in a May awards ceremony in Memphis.

OPA (Omaha Performing Arts) is also hosting the return of the legendary Bob Dylan to the Orpheum Theater Saturday, March 21, 8 p.m.

Jazz guitarist Pat Metheny is scheduled to perform at the Holland Performing Arts Center Wednesday, April 8, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets for all these shows are available at ticketomaha.com.

Playing With Fire Spring Show
Last year Jeff Davis, Playing With Fire founder and promoter, was telling me that he was working hard to book UK artist Elles Bailey, an artist he discovered on his travels and has become a big fan of. Since 2020, Bailey has been honored with over 15 UK Americana and Blues Awards, including Artist of the Year, Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year. See ellesbailey.com for more about her work.

Davis is excited to present Bailey in her U.S. debut in a special April edition of the free Playing With Fire concerts. Davis thrives on sharing his love of music and favorite artists with the community. Elles Bailey performs Saturday, April 18, in a 6 p.m. free show at Slowdown.

A write-up of her new 2026 record “Can’t Take My Story Away” at bluebirdreviews.com praised her voice as “magnificent” and her original songs as “little artistic gems of the highest value.”

Davis’ current Music House residency artist, Iowa’s Jeni Grouws, is also on the bill along with a third Iowa act, the Cedar County Cobras. Doors open at 5 p.m. While it is an indoor show, Slowdown is a big club with a capacity of 600 for these shows. Davis says last year no one was turned away due to the venue being at capacity.

Please note, a valid photo ID is required for admission to Slowdown as part of the venue’s rules, but the show is free. All-ages are welcome with appropriate ID. For those 17 and under, a valid Music Venue Parental Consent form must be on file at Slowdown. Find all the details at playingwithfireomaha.net/faq.

Zoo Bar Blues
Lincoln’s historic Zoo Bar has some cool shows popping up throughout the schedule as touring acts swing through. Texas bluesman Mike Morgan and his band The Crawl return for a special show Sunday, March 8, 6 p.m.   Blues-rock guitar star Tommy Castro and his band The Painkillers play a show Tuesday, March 10, at 6 p.m. Advance tickets are available at ticketweb.com.

Here’s a quick dive into highlights from the rest of The Zoo Bar’s upcoming calendar. Find all the details at zoobar.com and follow facebook.com/zoobarblues for pop-up shows and any last minute schedule changes.

Nashville singer-songwriter Mark Stuart takes the stage Saturday, March 14, 5-8 p.m., then The Killigans are on tap at 9 p.m. on a triple bill with Colorado Springs, Colorado, band The Sleights and Des Moines’ Casey Joe & The Ghosts.  The club celebrates St. Patrick’s Day with an all-Irish-music band called Out of the House. Omaha’s acclaimed Americana band Midwest Dilemma plays Friday, March 20, 9 p.m. with Orion Walsh and The Rambling Hearts also performing. Nashville’s raucous rockabilly band Hillbilly Casino is back for an early show Saturday, March 21, 5 p.m.

Popular local blues supergroup Church of Blues, featuring Levi William, Josh Hoyer, Dave Boye and Joe Gourlay, brings their scorching takes on traditional blues to the Friday Afternoon Club on Friday, March 27, 5-7 p.m. Shawn Holt Band is up Saturday, March 28, 5 p.m.

Exciting young blues-based Atlanta guitarist Eddie 9-Volt takes the spotlight Tuesday, March 31, 6 p.m. Eddie 9-Volt has been signed to Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound label and will be opening shows for The Black Keys later this year, including The Black Keys show Monday, July 20, at The Astro in La Vista.

Returning to The Zoo stage Wednesday, April 1, 6 p.m., is boogie piano up-and-comer Henri Herbert. He’s from the UK, currently based in Nashville after time spent in Austin. Herbert’s style mixes boogie-woogie with vintage rock ‘n’ roll and rockabilly. His performance comes highly recommended by members of The Zoo Bar staff. Check out some music samples at henriherbertmusic.com and on YouTube.

Stream Nebraska Music – Meet Noizel
Lincoln musician and entrepreneur Mike Semrad Jr. has launched a new music streaming concept called Noizel with the focus on showcasing Nebraska artists. In an email discussion, Semrad explained “My hope is that Nebraska artists, including those who have moved away, will see Noizel as a trusted home for their music and a living archive of our state’s creative legacy. This platform was built so the Nebraska music community can listen, discover, and support one another, knowing that the revenue generated goes directly back to the artists who created it. We’ve needed something like this for a long time. Now it’s about earning artists’ trust and showing them their work will be valued, heard, and fairly supported.”

At noizel.com, musicians can find out more about the financial structure for sharing their music on the platform and individuals can start using the app, which is currently only available via download from the website. Users subscribe to the service using a donation structure.

Noizel is supported by the Nebraska Performing Arts Hall of Fame, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.  Semrad serves as the General Manager of the Nebraska Performing Arts Hall of Fame.

Summer Music Events Announce Dates
The remaining Playing With Fire free concerts are set for Thursday, Aug. 13-Saturday, Aug. 15. We will be talking more about those shows as the dates get closer, but the lineup has been announced with the return of some of Jeff Davis’ favorites along with some more new-to-Omaha acts. Find all the details at playingwithfireomaha.net/schedule.

Lincoln’s Zoo Bar hosts its annual outdoor street festival, ZooFest, Friday and Saturday, July 10-11. The event takes place with a big stage outside at 14th & P streets. The lineup has not been announced as of this writing.

The Blues Society of Omaha’s annual In the Market for Blues event is set for Saturday, Aug. 1, in The Old Market and Capitol District. There will again be a special concert party for those purchasing VIP tickets on Friday night, July 31. This 14-hour celebration of the blues features national, regional and local acts at multiple clubs in a festival atmosphere. Watch the BSO website at omahablues.com or follow In the Market for Blues on social media for the artist lineup and ticket information.

Hot Notes
Mark your calendar for Alligator Records artist Selwyn Birchwood and his album release party Thursday, April 16, 6 p.m., in a BSO presents show at Waiting Room. Birchwood also plays Lincoln’s Zoo Bar Wednesday, April 15, 6 p.m. Birchwood’s new record, “Electric Swamp Funkin’ Blues” (Alligator), drops Friday, March 27.

Jeremy Mercy & The Rapture Orphans, Ashley Rayne Boe and Edward Spencer reunite at Benson’s Shakedown Street Tavern Saturday, March 21, 9 p.m. The musicians were all part of the scene that came together around the same stage when the venue was known as Barley Street Tavern. These former members of Platte River Rain and Travelling Mercies will be back together performing with their current bands, promising “an evening of heartland indie and outlaw folk.”

Memphis roots band Lucero gigs at the Waiting Room Saturday, March 14, 8 p.m. Songwriter and storyteller Otis Gibbs opens the show. If you don’t know Gibbs’ music you might be familiar with the excellent interviews he posts online with roots music artists. Find advance tickets at etix.com.

Local artist Eva Bleu has put together a trio with Lucas Kellison and Larel Ware. You can catch her Wednesday nights in March, 5-7 p.m., at Brokedown Palace, 8805 Maple St. The Eva Bleu Trio also plugs in at The B. Bar Friday, March 13, 9:30 p.m.

Multiple Grammy nominee Charley Crockett, known for his soulful “Gulf and Western” take on country music, hits Steelhouse Omaha Sunday, June 28, 7:30 p.m. with Sierra Hull opening. The Texas-born Crockett is an Austin Music Awards winner and received the Emerging Artist of the Year Award at the 2021 Americana Music Honors & Awards. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 6, at ticketmaster.com.

The always magical Gillian Welch and David Rawlings are playing a show Thursday, August 6 at Lincoln’s Rococo Theatre. Tickets go on sale March 6, 10 a.m. at etix.com. I’ve seen them probably at least half a dozen times. Truly breathtakingly musical magic, no hype.