Beach Bunny Shines in Omaha!
- 12 hours ago
- 4 min read
Story and Photos: Spencer Fleming
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Wow, what a show! I see a lot of folks talk online about post-concert depression. Like, you've just seen a show that was so incredible that coming down from this high puts you in a low. I never really prescriped to the notion, mostly because I have concert after concert, and sometimes it's hard to keep up, but boy do I feel a little sad knowing it could be years until I see Beach Bunny again.
Thursday night (8.20) Chicago pop-rockers Beach Bunny finished their tour in Omaha at The Slowdown and it was a show for the ages. It was dangerously close to a sell-out and the building was packed with fans ready to bop all night!
The show opened with the band Wishy from Indiana. I had never heard of Wishy but I liked their set. They definitely had that Midwest emo vibe with jangly guitars and even a little bit of funk. One of their songs had a really close bass line to "Lust for Life". As Jamey Jasta would say, "I think they owe someone a sandwich." For context, if a band lifts a riff but it's not a complete copy they should buy the original writer a sandwich the next time they see them as a token of appreciation.
Wishy did a great job getting the crowd dancing and fired up for Beach Bunny. They had a lot of little quips about life in the Midwest and how they were enjoying the humidity in Omaha as it's what they are used to back home. The crowd ate it up!
After a short setup it was time for one of the best new bands around, Beach Bunny!!! After seeing Beach Bunny play a sold out show at the Waiting Room in 2022 I was patiently waiting for them to announce a headline tour, or better yet, a headline show in Omaha!
Over the last couple years Beach Bunny took on some pretty awesome support slots for bands like The Last Dinner Party and even a small run with Panic! at the Disco. Since the last time I saw Beach Bunny they released two full length albums, Emotional Creatures, and their latest Tunnel Vision. Both of the albums were a step up from their fantastic debut Honeymoon, but Tunnel Vision is an absolute masterpiece in pop-rock writing and production. From start to finish it's filled with hooks and amazing storytelling. Lili's writing is so real and relatable. Many times, in my opinion, pop songs can be over the top and vapid, but Lili paints such a clear picture of her life in her songs. Going through breakups, falling in love, and growing up in the age of social media and the internet are all on full display through her vivid, heartfelt lyrics.
Beach Bunny opened the set with "Mr. Predictable" the first track from Tunnel Vision, which felt just right since it's the album they are on the road supporting. From front to back the crowd bobbed and sang along. The vibes were vibing. After the third song "Vertigo" Lili asked if anyone wanted to mosh. The crowd lit up during "Oxegyn" and the circle pit was raging. This was my queue to exit the floor. Expensive gear and mosh pits don't mesh well. Plus I don't want to slip a disc and be assinged to a walker! I made my way to the back to join my friends Nate and Trevor who came to the show with me.
Over the next hour Beach Bunny delighted Omaha with cuts from their three full length albums and singles like their latest "July" and "Year of the Optimist" which just turned one year old. Beach Bunny whipped the crowd into a frenzy before closing things out with the classic "Painkiller" from their debut album Honeymoon. You could tell the band was in full end-of-tour celebration mode as the openers Wishy joined them on stage for a big dance party.
After the show I was able to speak with drummer Jon and guitarist Anthony. They were kind enough to sign my Beach Bunny albums. I really wanted to buy a vinyl they were selling at the merch booth but I waited until the end of the set and it was gone! Let that be a lesson kids, buys some merch and carry it around or risk missing out!
One of these days I'll hang around and meet miss Beach Bunny herself but I was stoked to get my albums signed and make it home at a decent hour. At the end of the show Lili thanked the crowd for coming and said "See you next year!" If that holds true, consider me one happy camper. This will no doubt go down on the top ten shows of the year list. If you've never seen Beach Bunny get them on your radar! Let's hope the next show is at Steellhouse and there's an even bigger crowd, woot!
Big thanks to Beach Bunny management for photo access. Thanks for reading and we'll see you at the next one!
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