Tonight is the big Omaha Entertainment Awards Nominee Showcase Block Party being held at a handful of venues in Benson. For $5 you can pick up a wristband that will get you into showcases at Mick's, The Waiting Room, España, The Barley St. Tavern and PS Collective. Sayeth the OEA website: "The Waiting Room Lounge, Barley Street Tavern and Mick's will host bands performing in 20-minute segments. España will feature DJs and ethnic ensembles, and the PS Collective will present the performing arts showcase. Screens throughout The Waiting Room and other establishments will show a constant feed of visual arts nominee highlights." This is a helluva deal. There isn't an official schedule yet, but a tentative line-up has appeared on SLAM Omaha, and is below:

At Mick's:
6:15 Steve Raybine
6:50 Side Effects
7:25 Lucas Kellison
8:00 John Henry
8:35 Oxygen
9:10 Sabor
9:45 Sarah Benck and The Robbers
10:20 No Better Cause
10:55 Forty Twenty
11:30 Chris Saub

At The Waiting Room:
6:00 Icares
6:50 Mariachi Luna y Sol
7:25 a symbiont
8:00 Mariachi Zapata
8:35 Satchel Grande
9:10 Little Brazil
9:45 Narcotic Self
10:20 Confidentials
10:55 Wholes
11:30 Venaculas

At The Barley St.:
6:15 South Paw Bluegrass
6:50 Tim Wildsmith
7:25 Acoustic Groove
8:00 Secret Weapon
8:35 Matt Whipkey
9:10 Black Squirrels
9:45 112 North Duck
10:20 Filter Kings
10:55 tba
11:30 Paria

At España:
9:30 Brent Crampton
9:50 Shor-T
10:20 Jamazz
10:45 Shif-D
11:15 HG Filled
11:40 CMB
12:05 Articulate
12:35 Chiffy
1:05 Breathless
1:30 Goo

As an OEA academy member, I need to see as many bands as possible that I haven't seen before, which means I'll be spending most of my evening at Mick's. I could come up with an elaborate personal schedule to weave back and forth through the various venues, but I know that none of them will adhere to their scheduled times. It's going to be a real crapshoot if you want to see a specific band. Just get there early and ask the guy at the door who's next.

Wouldn't it have been great if they had blocked off Maple St. and let people walk from venue to venue with beer/drinks in hand? Or if street food vendors (operated by Benson restaurants) were available so you could nosh as you go? I'm not looking forward to eating at Subway tonight.

If you don't want in to deal with the drama, swing over to O'Leaver's tonight for Midwest Dilemma with Zephuros and Lincoln singer/songwriter Cory Kibler (ex Robot, Creek Closer). I'm told the new MD recording is stunning and includes a plethora of instrumentation which may or may not be replicated tonight on stage. $5, 9 p.m.

--Got comments? Post 'em here.--