Mark your calendar now to join the Blues Society of Omaha (BSO) on Sunday, Oct. 25, at The. B. Bar, 4330 Leavenworth St. Beginning at 2 p.m., for the Nebraska Blues Challenge. The afternoon of music will select the Nebraska representatives for the annual International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis Jan. 19-23, 2027. Performing at the IBC offers musicians a great opportunity to be heard by blues industry professionals from booking agents to recording labels, and winning the annual event has provided valuable career boost for many now-nationally-recognized artists.
Competing in the band category are Brother East-Brother West, Jeni Grouws band and the Nebraska Jr. Blues Band. Two artists will perform for the chance to represent the BSO in the solo/duo category: Brady Wells and Paul Hanich. A panel of judges will use the Blues Foundation’s IBC scoring system to determine which artists advance to the IBC competition. The BluesEd band participating in the IBC Youth Showcase, The Memphis Project, also performs at the Omaha event. Admission is $10. Learn more about the Blues Society of Omaha at omahablues.com. Find out more about the IBC at blues.org.
Soul Power
Local audience favorite Curtis Salgado returns to the metro for two gigs. He and his always fantastic and soulful band are at Lincoln’s historic Zoo Bar Wednesday, Oct. 7, 6-9 p.m., and perform a BSO-sponsored show at the Jewell on Capitol Thursday, Oct. 8, 6-9 p.m. For an additional treat, acclaimed Pacific Northwest guitarist Ben Rice is in the band on this tour. Advance tickets for the Zoo Bar show are available at the club or online here.
Advance tickets for the Jewell on Capitol show are available online here.
Salgado has been electrifying local audiences since he started hitting Midwest venues in the late ’90s. He’s out touring in support of a new live record, “Legacy Rewind: Live in ’25” (Nola Blue Records) that was released earlier this year. The recording features Salgado doing what he does best, orchestrating a thrilling show with the sort of large band fans in his home area of Portland are used to seeing on festival stages. The album showcases Salgado leading a 15-piece band that includes four horns and three back-up singers. The project was recorded live at The Triple Door in Seattle on April 5, 2025, for the album and companion DVD. The record is available on vinyl and CD. Find out more at curtissalgado.com.
Salgado is a 10-time recipient of the Blues Music Awards (BMA) Soul-Blues Male Vocalist of the Year award and a multiple nominee, Salgado also took home the 2017 Song of the Year for “Walk a Mile in My Blues.” These days he doesn’t just tour the U.S., his music takes him frequently to venues and festivals across Europe, too. Salgado’s website eloquently notes: “He sings ballads that silence rooms and funk that fills dance floors. He plays harmonica like it’s a horn section. And by the end, the audience feels like they went to church.”
Salgado has been working for a while on a memoir of his adventures in life and music. Written with Rebecca Pillsbury, the book is due out in January. “Walk a Mile in My Blues” (University of Illinois Press) follows Salgado from his childhood inspired by a music-loving family with a mother who taught piano, a father who loved music from opera to pop and older siblings who brought home music from the early rock era through his start on the local scene. You’ll learn more about his years as a rising star on the Pacific Northwest blues scene, including six years as a member of the Robert Cray Band, to his solo career and why The Blues Brothers “Briefcase Full of Blues” album is dedicated to Salgado. Find out more or pre-order a copy from the University of Illinois Press here.
Other BSO News
The BSO has cut back on financially producing local shows due in part to a reduction in audience attendance. After the Oct. 8 Curtis Salgado show, the next official BSO show is popular horn-driven band The Jimmys Thursday, Nov. 5, 6 p.m., at the Candlelight Bar and Grill, 5031 Grover St. Award-winning band The Jimmys draws praise from industry pros including Alligator Records founder Bruce Iglauer, who said of the band, “The Jimmys are excellent musicians, wildly fun entertainers, and perform a slew of strong, original songs. They’re a treat for any fans of roots rock, old school R&B, and straight-up blues. every performance is like a party!”
The Candlelight Bar and Grill offers food service as well as bar service and plenty of parking. If you want to see touring blues bands continue to value Omaha as a place to perform, get out and support the BSO in these efforts.
Also looking ahead to November, the BSO presents the 2026 IBC award-winners in the solo/duo category The Weary Ramblers. Iowa Public Radio calls the duo, featuring Kathryn Severing Fox and Chad Elliott, “one of the premier acts in Iowa’s rich folk music scene.”
Make a note now for an early December show. The BSO and North Omaha Music and Arts (NOMA) present straight-up Chicago blues from John Primer & the Real-Deal Blues Band Thursday, Dec. 3, 6-9 p.m. at NOMA, 2510 N. 24th St.
The BSO offers a curated calendar of their own shows plus many local and regional shows in Omaha and Lincoln at omahablues.com. Keep up with the latest news from the organization at facebook.com/bluessocietyofomaha.
The Mouth of the South
The Mouth kicks off the month with the band who represented Omaha at the 2026 IBC, The Pocket Architects, playing at the Mouth of the South After Dark, Thursday, Oct. 1, 8-11 p.m. The restaurant plans to have an evening band on the first Thursday of each month, with Iowa’s Matt Woods Band scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 5, 8 p.m. The venue also hosts Sunday blues brunches most Sundays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with Matt Woods (solo) Sunday, Oct. 4, Brody Buster playing Sunday, Oct. 11 and Héctor Anchondo performing Sunday, Oct. 25. Table reservations are recommended. Find all the details at motsomaha.com/upcoming-events.
B. Bar Music
Some other notable shows are happening at The B. Bar. Catch Texas-raised multi-instrumentalist Hamilton Loomis Friday, Oct. 9, 5:30 p.m. No Depression wrote, “Classify him as a blues guitarist with an appetite for rock or a rock and roll maestro with a sweet tooth for the blues … Loomis lives in both worlds comfortably, crossing stylistic boundaries with effortless precision.”
The Pocket Architects are up Saturday, Oct. 9, 9 p.m. Sailing in Soup gigs Friday, Oct. 16, 5:30 p.m. Blue House with The Rent to Own Horns takes the stage Friday, Oct. 23, 5:30 p.m. Chicago guitarist Michael Charles plugs in Thursday, Oct. 29 for a special 7 p.m. show. Charles was born in Australia but has spent enough time in Chicago that in 2015 he was inducted into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame. Find out more about Charles at michaelcharles.us.
Lou DeLuca & the Delta 88’s play the Friday, Oct. 30, 5:30 p.m. show.
And Funk Trek is onstage for a Halloween Party Saturday, Oct. 31, 7:30 p.m.
And don’t forget the Nebraska Blues Challenge Sunday, Oct. 25, starting at 2 p.m. Find all The B. Bar info at thebbaromaha.com.
FolkHouse Final Season, Remaining Shows Need You
Jerome Brich’s and Mary Montag’s concert series, FolkHouse, recently sent a notice to their email list to raise awareness for the Sarah McQuaid show Friday, Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m. Brich writes, “advanced ticket sales have been slow at this point and I encourage you to consider attending the show, I guarantee you won’t regret it. She’s travelled all the way from Cornwall, England, for this tour.”
It’s been a decade since McQuaid’s last gig in Omaha. One audience member is quoted on McQuaid’s website stating “To anyone considering seeing her live: go. It’s worth every second. You’ll leave with your heart full and your soul touched — guaranteed.” McQuaid’s press materials note that her “lush, velvety voice combines with her engaging personality and ‘brilliant musicianship’ … to create a truly immersive experience.”
The FolkHouse concert series is held in the Joslyn Castle’s historic Carriage House. Find out more about McQuaid at sarahmcquaid.com. Find out more about the venue and purchase advance tickets at joslyncastle.com.
During the writing of this column, Brich posted a follow-up notice to Facebook stating they’ve made the decision to end the series with the November shows. Brich wrote, “After 26 years of hosting FolkHouse shows, the first 23 years actually in our home, Mary Patrice and I have made the difficult decision to retire the FolkHouse Concert Series after this year’s shows and take some time to address some much needed work around our home, play more music myself and just enjoy our retirement… FolkHouse has been a labor of love and we don’t regret a minute of it! That being said, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE help us make these last three shows successful. Sarah McQuaid, House of Hamill, and Moors & McCumber are all outstanding and deserve our support.”
Zoo Bar Blues
Lincoln’s historic blues bar, The Zoo Bar, keeps the great music coming this month. Don’t let road construction on 14th and O streets deter you – the sidewalks are still open and the parking garage at 14th and P streets is easily accessible via P St., though a debit or credit card is required for the self-serve payment kiosk.
Of particular note is the return of Minneapolis-based jump-blues, jazz and swing artists Davina & The Vagabonds on Sunday, Oct. 25, 5 p.m. Davian brings the joy to every performance with a danceable mix of swing, jump-blues and old-school jazz-inflected material. She is one of my hands-down favorites. Rolling Stone raves, “Davina Sowers creates her own Americana mishmash — a little Amy Winehouse-worthy neo-soul here, a little Great American Songbook-influenced songcraft there.” While Downbeat Magazine says, “Davina and the Vagabonds combat heartache with sugar and sass.”
Other notable shows include Zoo audience favorites Igor & The Red Elvises Monday, Oct. 12, 6 p.m. Blues-rock guitar star Coco Montoya plugs in Tuesday, Oct. 13, 6 p.m. Kansas City jazz-blues man David Basse brings his sweet and soulful sounds to the stage Wednesday, Oct. 14, 6 p.m. Longtime Lincoln favorites The Tijuana Gigolos play a reunion show Thursday, Oct. 15, 6 p.m.
Chicago blue-rock guitarist Toronzo Cannon is a powerhouse player, performer and contemporary blues songwriter, he performs at The Zoo Friday, Oct. 16, 5 p.m. That’s all in one week, folks, so plan accordingly and support these musicians and our iconic Lincoln blues venue when and where you can.
Club owner Pete Watters celebrates his birthday with a big show on Sunday, Oct. 18 featuring Gabe with Pants and The Tijuana Gigolos. Music starts at 4 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 30, 9 p.m. Josh Hoyer’s Colossal 4 play with Post Service Collective. Saturday, Oct. 31, 9 p.m., Tulsa, Okla., Americana artist Johnny Mullenax takes the stage with his genre-spanning band that embraces everything from country to blues, which Mullenax describes as funky country bluegrass good time. Find more info at zoobarblues.com and updates on late-breaking shows at facebook.com/zoobarblues.
When shows have advance tickets available, they can be purchased at the bar and also on ticketweb.com (search for Lincoln’s Zoo Bar).
Omaha’s Public Radio Stations Offer Options
Mike Jacobs, music director at KIOS, 91.5 FM, shared that due to popular demand, the station’s original locally-curated blues and jazz programming will be available on the station’s new digital platform at the shows’ original 1 p.m. time slots. Catch Jacobs’ “Blues at Sundown” (formerly “Blues in the Afternoon”) Mondays at 1 p.m. on their streaming “KIOS Music” platform and over the air Mondays at 7 p.m. Likewise the jazz programs produced by Jacobs and Chris Cooke are now heard over the air Tuesday through Friday at 7 p.m., but the programs can also be heard in their old 1 p.m. timeslot on the “KIOS Music” platform. Find out more at https://www.kios.org.
The newest option in Omaha’s public radio market at 101.9 FM took the airwaves this past summer. Nebraska Public Media Omaha at 101.9 FM offers a mix of NPR programming with local news from Nebraska Public Media reporters including journalists dedicated to covering Omaha. The music is more focused on the popular AAA format sounds. Music highlights include the excellent, over 30-year-old program “World Café” at 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. The celebrated show focuses on in-depth interviews and music selections from “essential and emerging artists.” Beginning at 9 p.m. the station presents XPoNential Radio, a service of WXPN in Philadelphia, described as “the nationally-recognized leader in Triple A music.” You’ll hear new, classic and deep cuts from “a mix of heritage and emerging artists” in genres including blues, rock, world, folk, and alternative country. Find out more here. (Full disclosure, this digital platform of The Reader is a service of Nebraska Public Media, thanks to an arrangement The Reader founder, John Heaston, made with Nebraska Public Media before his passing.)
Hot Notes
The 10th annual Porchfest OMA happens Sunday, Oct. 4, 11 am to 6 p.m. in the Gifford Park Neighborhood surrounding 33rd and California streets. Over 90 performers take to 13 porches and outdoor stages and it’s all free. It’s a great day of music and community. Check out all the details at porchfestoma.com.
Kris Lager plays a special solo show at the Jewell on Capitol Friday, Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m. This is a ticketed event. See jewellomaha.com/livemusic for advance tickets and the music schedule for the rest of the month.
Nathan Paul Goessling, going professionally by Nathan Paul, reached out to me to talk about his new recordings, which he is mixing and releasing as singles. Paul’s band includes harmonica player Justin Shelton and bassist Troy Johnson. Paul wrote that he is “working in the space between country, Americana, blues and classic rock. The music is rooted in songwriting and storytelling — real people, real experiences, hard-earned lessons and the places where life gets complicated. I’ve been writing and performing seriously for several years while balancing music with the fire service, family and everything else life brings with it.” Watch for his new single, “Got a Hold On Me,” which comes out Oct. 12. Paul will be playing at the Wildwest Songwriters Festival in Deadwood, South Dakota, Oct. 15-18. You can catch him locally Oct. 1 at Brokedown Palace, Oct. 3 at The Dubliner Pub and Oct. 25 at Buck’s Bar & Grill. Keep up with Nathan Paul at NathanPaulMusic.com and on instagram.com.
BEAT performs Saturday, Oct. 17, 8 p.m. at Omaha’s Orpheum Theater featuring Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, Steve Vai and Terry Bozzio performing the music of King Crimson. Get tickets at ticketomaha.com.
Grammy-nominated Danielle Nicole and her band hit Lincoln’s Bourbon Theatre Sunday, Oct. 18, 7 p.m. A dynamic vocalist and songwriter, Nicole has been inducted into the Kansas Music Hall of Fame and is the recipient of Eight Blues Music Awards.
Ryan Bingham & The Texas Gentlemen play Sunday, Oct. 25, 8 p.m. at Steelhouse Omaha
Big Head Todd & The Monsters take the stage at Slowdown Thursday, Oct. 8, 7:30 p.m. Remaining general admission show tickets will be available day of show.
The Sunday Roadhouse concert series presents rock pioneer and Americana singer-songwriter Peter Case Wednesday, Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. at Reverb Lounge. Case was a founding member of the early punk-era trio The Nerves and a founding member of influential band The Plimsouls, noted for their “maximum rock ‘n’ roll” energy. In the mid-1980s, Case returned to his folk roots with an acclaimed, self-titled release that put him at the forefront of what we call Americana these days. Find out more at petercase.com. And The Claudettes return for a Sunday Roadhouse gig Sunday, Nov. 1, 5 p.m. at Reverb. The Claudettes “garage cabaret” sound is praised by fans and critics alike with NPR writing “Chicago’s original recipe band…The Claudettes’ sonic playing field is the blues and everything after, all tastefully and artfully blended together….Perhaps the band’s greatest super power: songwriting.” Founding member Johnny Iguana has an impressive resume that includes keyboard player for some of Chicago’s blues greats and composer, with his longtime songwriting/producing partner JQ, of the original score for the hit FX/Hulu series “The Bear.” See theclaudettes.com. For more details and tickets visit sundayroadhouse.com.
Here’s your early warning for coming shows of interest including Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox at the Astro Theater Saturday, Nov. 14, 8 p.m. Pokey LaFarge performs at Waiting Room Friday, Dec. 4, 8 p.m.
The Claudettes play Sunday Roadhouse at Reverb Lounge Sunday, Nov. 1, 5 p.m.