Summer is here!

Summer is finally here, and with it the hot weather, humidity, outdoor activities, as well as more bands touring. The hardcore shows for the next three months are slowly coming together and a few are looking pretty good. I'm really excited to see Cruel Hand again as well as Coke Bust later in July. Omaha road-warriors Hercules will also embark on a summer tour with In The Face Of War early june. Hercules will finally have their lp Moon Riders for sale by then. Check www.myspace.com/nebraskahardcore for all upcoming shows.

This summer is will also see the final shows of Lincoln bands Era and Ghost Towns. Lincoln metal band Labori Tori are also on hiatus shortly after self releasing a cd-r of new material a couple months ago. However, there is a small insurgence of new heavy hardcore bands that are up and coming including: Opus Noir and Murdia from Omaha, and High Dive from Lincoln. Wasteoid seem to be playing out more as well, and that is always a good thing.

As far as blog news is concerned, things are running at full speed. Shows have been getting a lot closer and that has allowed me to check out more bands and shoot tons of photos. The last 8 rolls I have been experimenting with a larger aprature setting in order to prevent the whites from blowing out as well as giving me more overall detail. So far I have been happy with the results. Shooting with film so far as been somewhat of a challenge but it's always rewarding to see the photos after waiting a few days for them to be processed. Recently I came up with the idea of doing well made cd-r releases for hardcore bands I like, as well as doing demos. This idea is still really up in the air but I currently do have a project in the works. Updates will be posted as they happen. I would also like to mention that if anyone wants to contribute to the blog in any way you can, I am open to submissions. I can't make it to every show sadly, so if anyone wants to help out and contribute in any way it would only make the blog better. Get in touch if you are interested.

In a few weeks I will no longer be a 20-something anymore as I hit the big 3-0. I honestly can't say why I still support hardcore and concider it my lifestyle, but I don't see any reasons why I should stop. Shooting photos at shows has really invorgorated me into staying really close with the hardcore scene, and it's been a lot of fun. I don't have any offical plans for my birthday outside of getting out of town for the day and possibly shooting some photos at my family's farm if weather is permitting. Mid-June I'll be traveling up to my former home of Minneapolis/St. Paul to see Cult Ritual, and see some friends that I havn't seen or heard from in a year. It should be a good time, and I'm excited to finally explore the cities with a car for the first time. I have also been playing drums here and there so with luck, I'll get a hardcore band of my own. Time will tell on that. Until then, thanks to everyone who has supported the blog and the Nebraska hardcore scene in whatever way you have.

-Keith