Matt Maginn

Cursive
Slowdown

Ë
Virginia Steve Pedersen
Tim Kasher
The band for which the Slowdown
rock club was named, Slowdown

Ë
Orenda Fink Azure Ray releases for Lumberjack Records,
Ë the label that would become Saddle
Creek. The band was also considered
a major source of inspiration for other
local groups during Saddle Creek’s

Ë
early years.

Maria Taylor Criteria

Todd Fink

Ë
Ë

Ë
The Good Life
A.J. Mogis

ARC Studios Mike Mogis

Mike Mogis and Conor

Enamel
The Oberst created ARC after
Mogis and his brother
A.J.’s Lincoln studio,

Omaha Music Scene

Ë
Presto!, was set to be
closed. These groups
(among many others)
The Faint have recorded at ARC
(“Another Recording

Family Tree
Company”): Eagle Seagull,
Little Brazil, Cursive,
Bright Eyes, Maria Taylor,
Tilly & the Wall, Flowers
Forever, Malpais

G R A P H I C BY K E V I N CO F F E Y & A N A N D A S PA DT | T H E O M A H A W O R ERALD

blank.wav Music scenes are always interconnected. Bands break up and other groups form from their
Ë pieces. Ô Friends create record labels to release music and venues to host shows. Ô But as
The Faint broke
away from
music scenes go, Omaha’s is like one big family tree. Ô Here’s Omaha’s tree, starting with
Saddle Creek Records at the core, and all the vines and branches that stem from it. Bright Eyes
Saddle Creek Ë
Records in Broken Spindles
2008 to self-
produce and Saddle Creek Records
release its own
Evolving from Lumberjack Records, Saddle Creek was named after the street that winds through midtown Omaha. The
album under
its own label, label has provided major cool points and credibility to Omaha’s music scene, causing publications like Rolling Stone and
blank.wav. Spin to heap praise on our fair city. Bands and individuals on Saddle Creek’s roster include Azure Ray, Beep Beep, Bright
Faint frontman Eyes, Criteria, Cursive, Orenda Fink, Sebastien Grainger, Ladyfinger (ne), Land of Talk, O+S, the Rural Alberta Advantage,
Todd Fink told Tokyo Police Club, Two Gallants, UUVVWWZ and Old Canes. Nate Walcott
The World- Ë
Herald at the Jason Kulbel
time that the
band wanted
Monsters
Ë

to handle
marketing,
production and
of Folk
distribution Commander
costs itself Conor Oberst
and keep a
bigger part of
Venus
the take. At
Ë

the same time,

the group also
created its
own recording Mystic Valley
Ë

studio, Enamel, Band

where the Faint Jamie Massey
and Broken Robb Nansel
Spindles (Faint
bassist Joel
Petersen’s side
project) record Nik Freitas
Ë

all of their
material. Race for Desaparecidos
Titles
Ë

Team Love
Ink Tank Merch Conor Oberst created his own
label in 2003. T
This subsidiary of Saddle Creek Records Matt Baum release was Omaha group
provides tour merchandise and screen The Sydney Tilly & the Wall’s “Wild Like
printing for bands. It handles merch for Children” back in 2004. Team
more than 100 artists and businesses Love went on to release records
such as locals McCarthy Trenching and from various groups, including
national indie groups like the Hold Steady Omaha artists such as McCarthy
and non-musicians such as former Trenching, Capgun Coup and
congressional candidate Jim Esch. Landon Hedges Simon Joyner.

One Percent
Productions
Benson neighborhood
Benson is a neighborhood
thriving with local music. Every
Little Brazil Capgun Coup
night, someone is on the stage
of at least one of these venues:
Waiting Room Lounge, Barley
Street Tavern, The Foundry, PS
Marc Leibowitz The Waiting
Collective and the Sydney.

Jim Johnson Room Lounge

Slumber Party Records
DISCLAIMER:
Omaha’s music scene Local label Slumber Party came together when friends from Capgun Coup,
involves more people, Bear Country and the now-defunct April in Andalusia decided to create a record
bands and venues than label to release their own music as well as that of other friends. Slumber
Party includes artists Baby Walrus, Bear Country, Honeybee, Noah’s Ark Was
page. This chart covers a Spaceship, Outlaw Con Bandana, Talking Mountain, Thunder Power, Darren
the big names, but some Key: Venue or Former Band Band disbanded
Keen, Conchance and Capgun Coup (which is also on Conor Oberst’s Team
items inevitably got left business member Married Love label).
out.