Austin Druse

While the 1920s were roaring, the 2020s have been muted. The novel coronavirus ransacked the world and upended the global economy. One of the biggest casualties of the disruption has been live music, with venues large and small closing their doors for some time. 

Otto Meza, a promoter with Zoo Bar in Lincoln, Nebraska, felt distraught amid the shutdowns.

“We had bands booked up till the summer [2020], with our annual Zoofest booked up for a two-day street dance,” Meza said. “Then, one-by-one, all the bands started canceling. It was tough.”

Zoo Bar has been lucky enough to withstand the financial burden of the shutdowns, but that doesn’t come without a bit of luck. “We weren’t forcing anyone to play. If they were comfortable they would perform,” Meza said. 

Now, two-years later, restrictions are loosening and governments have shifted to an “endemic mindset,” offering a return to the stage.

Artists, both famous and underground, have been welcomed back by their fans with roaring applause. Lincoln’s own Jacoby Vann recently played a set at Zoo Bar after a COVID-induced hiatus. Vann, an aspiring pop star, felt the re-connection to the audience immediately. 

“The energetic exchange felt in the room between all participating parties is what truly makes live performances magical, removing that element was incredibly stale for me. It’s really healing to share that again and I’m eager for more,” Vann said. 

Vann turned to writing for much of the pandemic, and he felt that it helped his process to have that amount of free time. Vann did perform over live-stream a few times during the brunt of the pandemic, but yearned for the real thing. 

“I was very fortunate to perform via live-streamed events like a series put on through The Union for Contemporary Arts and Lincoln Calling,” Vann said. “Although I didn’t feel very successful in my first attempt due simply to limited knowledge and experience with the format.”

Lincoln (despite any preconceived notions about Nebraska) has a vibrant music scene. Whether it be acoustic, rock, hip-hop, country, or classical, there’s a show for everyone. 

Local musician Nate Armstrong has been playing the Lincoln circuit for 12 years. While he does work full-time to make ends meet, music is where Nate’s heart lies. “There’s nothing quite like hopping up on stage and performing for a live audience. It’s a high unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced,” Armstrong said.

For the venues and promoters, an endemic comes as a lifeline. Spring 2020 saw a full lineup vanish into thin air. 2021 offered some relief, but many performers opted not to play due to the obvious health concerns. Now three months into 2022, normalcy feels imminent. 

“I think now that a lot of people, not all, are vaccinated, that helps get more bands wanting to go out and perform. It’s still a slow process but it feels almost normal,” Meza said. “I feel like with it easing up, we are getting more bands who haven’t played but have practiced for the last two and a half, 3 years wanting to get back up and show off what they’ve been working on.”