* While unfortunate circumstances derailed Playing With Fire’s biggest summer 2013 event earlier this year, there’s still time to catch a weekend of tunes put on by Omaha’s premier outdoor blues showcase. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings were scheduled earlier this summer, but Jones cancer diagnosis as put that band’s touring plans on an indefinite hold. Thankfully, Playing With Fire still had planned to celebrate its 10th anniversary with Robert Randolph and Otis Taylor headlining a weekend of music on the Lewis & Clark Landing, 515 North Riverfront Drive. Robert Randolph and the Family Band headlines Friday, July 12th, with support from Ben Poole and Kim Churchill. Otis Taylor headlines Saturday, July 13th with Meena & the Chris Filmore Band and the Kris Lager Band supporting. The event is free, however donations are accepted and split with the Food Bank of the Heartland and two Parkinson’s Disease charities.
* Local record label Speed Nebraska will host a band showcase Saturday, July 13th at O’Leaver’s Pub, 1322 South Saddle Creek Road. The showcase was originally supposed to be part of the label’s yearly adult soapbox derby day, however the race didn’t materialize this year because of a lack of enough entrants. Instead, the label will present sets by the Killigans, Domestica, The Filter Kings and the Sons of O’Leaver’s.
* Icky Blossoms may just pack O’Leaver’s Pub on Thursday, July 11th, when they host Chicago’s Outer Minds and local basement twee-punk act Places We Slept. The show doubles as a release show for Places We Slept, who will celebrate their new seven-song Peeled vinyl EP that night. (Ambien) It’s also the second show put on by Eyeball Promotions, a concert booking venture of Icky’s Derek Pressnall and Craig D. of Pleasure Adapter.
* Local rapper Galvanized Tron released a new music video for his song “Bar 4 Bar”, while also revealing that he has signed to Original 5 Productions. The video is directed by Tomas Capitol.