Flyover Country. That’s the areas on the map that have nothing of interest to the cultured crowd. However, I’m writing this article to inform you that dotting the map between the East Coast and West Coast are cities that may not make headlines, but do support art, artists, and cultural experiences.
The Maha Music Festival is a good example, but more on that later.
One such city is Omaha, my hometown and residence for the last 25 years. I’m an Air Force brat who moved around for my first 14 years of life before returning to my place of birth. And I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to travel regularly. So while I’m partial to my roots, I’ve been around and can view my city as an outsider too. I’m aware people have heard of Omaha and might have a vague understanding of where Nebraska is, but you may not know much about it.
If you’re a fan of college baseball you might know Omaha hosts the College World Series each year. Perhaps you enjoy the musical stylings of 311, Conor Oberst, or Mannheim Steamroller who all got their starts in Omaha. If you’re a zoo aficionado, you might know Henry Doorly Zoo is rated one of the best in the country. And since true crime is all the rage, Charles Starkweather, the infamous serial murderer was from nearby Lincoln. And of course, was the subject of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska.
I want to familiarize you with another cultural touchstone, The MAHA Music Festival.
Founded in 2009, the summer even brings in bands from all over the globe to Stinson Park in Omaha. I attended the two-day event this year covering bands from Alvvays to The Beths. I hope sharing my perspective and personal experiences will draw you into what Omaha has to offer. Moreover, the importance of taking risks on something unfamiliar.
On Day 1, I hadn’t slept well for 3 days, the weather was hot and humid, and I couldn’t take the day off from work. Admittedly, I felt little motivation to go cover the show. But then words I tell my clients come to me, “You don’t have to do the whole thing. Just get started and see how you feel.” I got myself ready and started feeling a little better. I got down to Stinson Park, collected my press pass, made my way down to the Union Pacific Stage, and took in my surroundings.
The buzz of activity, heat, and smells coming from the food vendors all mixed with the sounds of the Icky Blossoms sound check. Now I’m starting to get into the whole scene. I’m recalling all I know about musical journalism from my favorite movie Almost Famous noting that much like Lester Bang I am decidedly uncool both figuratively and literally on this humid Omaha evening.
From the stage, Sarah Bohling laments about the heat and temporary rain delay but congratulates the Maha crowd on their high spirits before tearing into her set.
After a few measures, I can feel my toes tapping and my head bobbing. I’m hooked! I start making mental notes for my story. A story about an event and bands I’ve never seen before. My Lyric Shrinks articles are nothing like this assignment. Feelings of excitement and nervousness wash over me. I decide to just let everything come to me: sights, sounds, thoughts, feelings, etc. Just observe for now and analyze later. My enjoyment increases with each new song and as the sun begins to lower in the sky a cooling breeze moves through. I take out my camera to capture a few moments worth sharing as the Icky Blossoms wrap up their set.
Looking on from the LinkedIn stage were members of BFF Omaha there to introduce the next artist, Ekkstacy. He and his band mix brash vocals and punk sonics to unique effects. Ekkstacy is a charismatic frontman engaging with the crowd and taking long swigs from a Bombay Sapphire bottle. The raw performance got people moving in the heat and primed for the next band Alvvays. Between those sets, I made my way to the press conference room to cool off and rehydrate.
While there I met two journalists/photographers from Denver covering Maha and visiting Omaha for the first time.
Remarks like, “I had no idea Omaha was like a large city.” and “It’s actually pretty cool.” and finally we had a nice laugh about how “Omaha puts the mid in Midwest.” Jokes aside, they seemed genuinely impressed by the level of talent attracted by the festival and cultural offerings Omaha has to offer. Remarks like these highlight the importance of events like MAHA to bring people together and showcase the uniqueness of host cities. After a bit of respite, I settled in for Alvvays and immediately felt transported to a college rock station circa 1989. It was a perfect cap to my night with the air cooling alongside the easy harmonies of Molly Rankin and her bandmates.
For Day 2 of Maha, I made an effort to take in the social-political aspects of the festival that reflect those in my home state.
Recently, the state legislature passed two controversial laws affecting education, rights for transgender people, and abortion. Planned Parenthood of Nebraska had a booth encouraging supporters of healthcare and rights for legal and safe abortions. Access is now curtailed to 12 weeks under the new legislation, which legislators combined with rules giving the Nebraska State Medical Officer jurisdiction over the prescribing of medications to persons under the age of 19 for gender-affirming care. A law the Nebraska ACLU is challenging in the state supreme court.
The gist of the education law is to allow income tax deductions for donations to scholarship funds of private schools with 10% going to 3rd party managers of these funds reimbursed by the state. Supporters of the law point to it helping the underserved population and giving students a choice in their education. Those who oppose the law want voters to decide on these matters and are gathering petitions to challenge the law via ballot initiative. People gathering signatures strolled up and down the lines to the park explaining the petition.
I also spotted Tony Vargas, the Democratic nominee for state representative and challenger to incumbent Don Bacon, enjoying the festivities.
Such was the backdrop of my second day at Maha; an important reminder that music carries a message and gets people to listen to it. I had one other mission on day 2, hear The Beths. After a week of brutal heat, insomnia, and a very full Day 1, I was determined to complete that order given to me by my editor, Coop. And I am so glad I did. The quartet of musicians from New Zealand were as unassuming as their music. Straightforward rock music with unpretentious lyrics had the crowd grooving along and feeling the summer vibes in the air. Their stage banter fit right in with the self-glossed “Midwest nice” mentality of the region as Liz, Jonathan, Benjamin, and Tristan each took turns cracking corny jokes and praising their experiences while in town.
Assignment complete I made my way back home with a head full of thoughts about the Maha Music Festival.
My takeaway from the experience is the importance of festivals like Maha to expose locals to cultures from around the world. Meanwhile introducing outsiders to the local culture of Omaha. Cross-pollination brings out the best in all of us, challenges us, and delivers experiences like the one I had at Maha. I’m looking forward to when the festival returns in 2024 in a new location with new things to offer locals and visitors alike.
For more information on the Maha Music Festival, please visit MahaFestival.com
