Lincoln Exposed - Review Coverage
- izzylewismedia8
- Feb 16, 2025
- 10 min read
Updated: May 28, 2025
These pieces are part of a larger coverage effort by multiple reporters for Lincoln Exposed, a multi-night music festival. The larger pieces can found on the Daily Nebraskan: Night One - Night Two - Night Three - Night Four. The following pieces on this post are written solely by Izzy Lewis.
23rd Vibration, The Zoo Bar, 5-5:40 p.m.
23rd Vibration kicked off Lincoln Exposed at the Zoo Bar with a feel-good performance. The first 10 minutes of the set was purely instrumental music. The lead singer Brad Hayes played harmonica for the first song, before taking the mic and singing.
“We hope you’re ready for the long haul that is this weekend,” guitarist Dave Hansen said to the crowd.
Immediately, it became clear the band wasn’t operating with its full lineup as their bassist was absent. Instead, the keyboardist Alex Lucier compensated by playing the bassline in his left hand. The band made light of the situation throughout their set, and sounded great despite the bassist’s absence.
Drummer Supe was a highlight of the performance. He set up the chill, reggae vibe using a hi-hat and rimshots as he jammed.
Hansen’s smile as he played was infectious. The band fed off of each other’s joyous energy, creating an atmosphere among themselves.
Since it was a Wednesday night at 5 p.m., there wasn’t much of a crowd when 23rd Vibration took the stage. The band could have greatly benefited from having a larger crowd to share in the cheerful vibes. By the end of their set, there was one man dancing along in the front.
The Vix, The Zoo Bar, 6-6:40 p.m.
The Vix took the Zoo Bar’s stage next. The lead singer of the three-man band is Kalen Krohn, a junior journalism major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
“We’re The Vix. We got a snow day today, lots of beer and I hope my car doesn’t get towed out there,” Krohn said early in the set.
The Vix opened their set with an energetic cover of “Churches” by flipturn. Later, the band played another cover, “Bennie And The Jets” by Elton John. Krohn’s vocals particularly stood out on this song.
The bassist and drummer were extremely entertaining to watch, clearly they were feeling the music as they played.
The Vix experienced some technical difficulties throughout the set, having to ask at one point for their vocal microphones to be turned up. The mics seemed to go in and out at times throughout their performance, and didn’t work at all for the last song. The band handled it well, laughing through it and continuing to pour passion into their instrument playing.
The crowd’s reactions grew from polite applause at the start to cheers and whoops by the time The Vix were finished. The Vix built up the energy in the Zoo Bar despite their technical difficulties.
JDREAMS + friends, The Zoo Bar, 7-7:40 p.m.
JDREAMS The Alien and his friends were a genre shift when they took the stage following The Vix at the Zoo Bar. The hip hop group, including Big Oso and ANTONIUS, took the stage, seizing a table from the bar below the stage to set their laptops and mixer on.
Big Oso played his beats and samples first. The other two sat on the side of the stage, nodding their heads along and occasionally hitting their vapes. Big Oso creates his beats from old vinyl records, chopping up different parts of the tracks to repurpose into new music.
“That’s what hip hop is to me,” Big Oso said after explaining his process to the crowd.
ANTONIOUS laid down some beats next. Big Oso freestyled over some of it, receiving positive responses from the crowd as he delivered clever rhymes. Another friend of the group, Ogi Kidd, also took the stage and freestyled to ANTONIUS’s beats.
JDREAMS finally took the mic 30 minutes into the set. His performance was a tonal shift, his lyrics reflecting themes of depression and grief.
The set also fell victim to some technical difficulties, resulting in some awkward pausing as they worked to fix the issues. Overall, the crowd seemed to be receptive to the music, tapping their feet or nodding their heads along.
A Ferocious Jungle Cat, The Zoo Bar, 9-9:40 p.m.
A Ferocious Jungle Cat took the stage at the Zoo Bar at 9 p.m. The funk band took control of the audience’s attention with their upbeat music.
The crowd was significantly larger than the previous night’s 5-8 p.m. shows. Some of the tables and chairs in the front of the Zoo Bar were moved out of the way to make room for the quickly growing crowd.
“Happy Lincoln Exposed everyone,” the drummer said. “It’s the best time of the year.”
A highlight of the band’s set was trombonist Ian Fleming. The trombone created a distinct sound, enriching the instrumentals.
The keyboardist was entertaining to watch, his emotions sinking into his music as he played with his shoes and socks off.
A standout song was “Cheek to cheek, butt to butt,” the drummer and vocalist directed the ladies in the crowd to say “cheek to cheek” and fellas to say “butt to butt” over the chorus. Big Daddy Mike played thrilling guitar riffs throughout.
A Ferocious Jungle Cat closed their show with “Jungle Cat.” The band had an infectious energy, their enthusiasm affecting the crowd throughout their set. They had the Zoo Bar grooving and moving, and the technical difficulties of the previous night at the Zoo Bar seemed to be resolved.
The Other Side of Now, Bodega’s Alley, 10-10:40 p.m.
The Other Side of Now took the stage at Bodega’s Alley to a slightly smaller crowd at 10 p.m. The alternative rock band was founded in 2016 with vocalist Dave Frolio, guitarist Kyle Laughlin, bassist Daley Porter and drummer Darren Smith.
“You guys are good, giddy up,” an audience member shouted after The Other Side of Now finished their first song.
The band played as a perfect unit, drums, guitar, bass and vocalist all working to create a picture of animated stage presence. Laughlin banged his head, Porter whipped his hair, Smith felt the beat and Frolio jumped around the stage.
“Wingspan” was a standout song, featuring a spirited bass solo from Porter. This song seemed to resonate with the audience, which had become more engaged as the set progressed. Audience members bought the band drinks as they played.
“Comets” was another highlight of their set. Frolio’s vocals shone on this song especially. The song is off of the band’s first studio release EP, “Chameleon.”
The band ended with a song that featured an a capella opening by Frolio. The bassline came in as he sang, and then the guitar and drums built on top of it.
Pearl Parade, 1867 Bar, 10:40-11:20 p.m.
Pearl Parade took the stage at the 1867 Bar at 10:40 p.m. This year was the alternative rock band’s first year playing in Lincoln Exposed. The band features vocalist Noah Trumble, a UNL junior emerging media arts major, bassist Zak Reese, a UNL graduate student, lead guitarist Johnny Spahn and drummer Aidan Klein, a senior nutritional science and dietetics major.
UNL students may recognize the band as the winner of Cornchella’s Battle of the Bands last semester. Since then, the band has been playing countless shows around Lincoln.
Pearl Parade opened their set with “False Witness.” Trumble captivated the crowd with his lively stage presence as he bounced around the stage. The rest of the band was just as entertaining to watch, with Klein drumming so enthusiastically that his drumstick went flying at one point.
The band played two unreleased songs. After playing a currently unnamed song, Spahn asked the audience to vote on the name: “Spotted Line” or “What You Sow.”
Every song that Pearl Parade played was filled with energy and excitement. A peak of the show was the song “Love You More.”
Pearl Parade also couldn’t compete with the crowd at the Zoo Bar Thursday night, but the crowd they did have was pumped up.
Orion Walsh & The Ramblin’ Hearts, 1867 Bar, 7:40-8:20 p.m.
Orion Walsh and the Ramblin’ Hearts performed at the 1867 Bar for night three of Lincoln Exposed. The folk group was destined to play on Valentine’s Day with their romantic songs. Walsh’s hearts supported him on vocals, bass and drums.
Walsh’s voice is reminiscent of an old friend exchanging tales full of the simple beauty of life in front of a crackling fire. Walsh is multi-talented, playing harmonica and guitar simultaneously while also tapping his foot that had a mini tambourine on it.
Their song “Wasting Time” got the crowd involved. Walsh welcomed four audience members to the stage, having them supplement the song by playing a washboard with a quarter, two kazoos and a banana shaker.
There was a significant tonal shift as the song “Last Halloween” was played. The song discusses grieving someone around a holiday, the storytelling was incredibly evocative. They picked the energy back up again right after.
Walsh was selling CDs of his newest album, “Walking Through the Forest,” out of a suitcase for donations. Walsh encouraged supporting local bands by buying merch. He discussed the value of buying CDs over streaming on Spotify, and fighting against Elon Musk’s mentality around money.
“That $10 you donated will be much much more than Spotify will pay me for streaming,” Walsh said.
To end the set, Walsh and the hearts played “Tornado Lullaby” from Walsh’s first record. The song is about a schizophrenic homeless man, and it was easily the most energetic song of the evening, demonstrating Walsh’s showmanship.
Vempire, The Zoo Bar, 11-11:40 p.m.
Vempire took the Zoo Bar stage at 11 p.m. The band is a musical project by the duo Mike Elfers and Lindsey Yoneda. While on stage they produced a sound with only their voices and a mixer.
As the duo took the stage, they lifted a white sheet, creating a distinct setting and vibe before they even started. The sheet was backlit with flashing, color-changing lights that casted the band in shadow.
As Yoneda sang, she jumped around the stage, dancing to the music. Both she and Elfers would put their arms in the air and excited audience members rushed to mimic it.
“Hey you guys have plenty of space to move around a bit,” Elfers said to the crowd.
The song “Electricity” was what really got the crowd into the music. The Zoo Bar l was packed, as per usual. While most of the crowd was headbanging, there were still some audience members that stood without moving to the set.
The microphones at The Zoo Bar seemed to experience slight technical difficulties for another time this Lincoln Exposed. At times, the vocals didn’t seem quite loud enough.
Vempire demonstrated an almost dreamy feel, their heavy synth music layered with high pitched noises. Most of the crowd seemed entirely enthusiastic about dancing to the electronic music.
The Breakroom, 1867 Bar, 5:40-6:20 p.m.
The Breakroom performed at the 1867 Bar when it was still light outside on the last night of Lincoln Exposed. The alternative rock band was the first band of the evening in the 1867 Bar.
“We’re The Breakroom. Thank you for starting tonight off with us,” lead singer Simon Nabb said to the crowd.
The Breakroom includes two University of Nebraska-Lincoln students: drummer Bennett Woody, a senior advertising and public relations major, and guitarist Ryan Jelinek, a senior construction management major. The band won 2nd place at the 2024 UNL Homecoming Battle of the Bands.
The Breakroom opened their set with “Green Eyes,” the band’s first ever single. A fog machine and flashing, color lights created an image that mirrored the band’s vibes.
The small early-evening crowd shied away from the stage for most of the set. Gradually, the band coaxed them closer and closer.
The Breakroom was balanced, allowing different members to demonstrate their talent on separate songs. The drum and synth intro on the song “Dirty Word” was a highlight. Bassist Ross Fraser shone on “Simple Minded,” a release from their 2025 EP, “Just Think.”
The Breakroom closed their set with their song “The Look.” They encouraged the crowd to come closer to the stage as they played their closer-worthy song.
Social Cinema, The Zoo Bar, 9-9:40 p.m.
Social Cinema took the Zoo Bar by storm with their first ever performance at Lincoln Exposed. The rock band finished their sound check with five minutes to spare, the anticipation in the Zoo Bar was palpable as the crowd waited for them to officially start. The band received cheers before they played a single note.
“Thanks for being here even when it’s f****** cold. It’s a beautiful festival,” vocalist Griffin Bush said.
Social Cinema opened their set with their song “Star Quality.” The energy they played with enchanted the crowd. The band also played two new songs off of the record they’re currently working on.
Every member of Social Cinema is a performer. The interactions Griffin Bush had with his bandmates as he artfully stumbled around the stage was captivating to watch, especially between guitarist Mari Crisler. Dummer Logan Bush poured his heart into his playing, his facial expressions reflecting his passion.
Griffin Bush also interacted with the crowd, encouraging them to throw their hands around as they played louder songs.
Social Cinema played “Brown Paper Bags & Funny Faces” as their last song. Griffin Bush and Crisler had a conversation with their guitars as the lights flashed. Griffin Bush lured the crowd forward with his hands, drawing them close, and the crowd packed in toward the stage.
Estrogen Projection, The Zoo Bar, 1-1:40 a.m.
Estrogen Projection played the last show of the night at The Zoo Bar. The all-women indie surf punk band brought 2025 Lincoln Exposed to an epic end.
“It’s always an honor to play Exposed,” lead singer Lanie Schlueter said. “There’s so much talent it’s insane.”
Estrogen Projection kicked off their set with a cover of “99 Luftballons” by Nena. Schlueter sang the original German lyrics. After the opener, the band stuck to originals. As guitarist Lexi Storm played the intro for “50%” the crowd cheered enthusiastically.
Estrogen Projection’s energy on stage was lively. During one song, Schlueter and bassist Lyla McConnell pretended to shoot each other with the headstocks of their guitars to Amilia Breton’s drum hits.
Schlueter’s interacted a lot with the crowd, telling a story about buying taxidermy on eBay. She also introduced their song, “Happy Birthday, Mr. President,” by asking who in the crowd knew JFK. A heckler asked the band to instead sing about RFK.
“Can it,” Schlueter said in response before starting the song.
During the same song Storm’s vibrato arm on guitar also broke, demonstrating her dedication to performing a powerful performance. Between Storm’s occasional vocals and her skillful guitar playing, she was definitely a highlight of the set.
The band closed with their song “Worker’s Revolution.” The Zoo Bar danced along to the punk anthem, ending the night on a high note.
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