Omaha, NE, April 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jim Minge
Media Liaison
Playing with Fire, Inc.
402-740-8188
jimminge@gmail.com
OMAHA, Neb. – Numbers tell the thrilling story of the 20-year run for the Playing with Fire free concert series: 100+ events – 300+ bands – 1,000+ musicians.
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And it has been all for FREE and open to ALL – including this year’s event, to be held July 11, 12 and 13 at the Performance Pavilion at Gene Leahy Mall, which will be the first time in this new location.
A lot has happened since the inaugural Playing with Fire concert in 2004. The iPhone was invented. The first commercial spacecraft landed on the moon. And Playing with Fire has grown from a single-day concert with local and regional performers to a multi-day, festival-like event with international artists from across the globe.
But many things haven’t changed.
Playing with Fire is still FREE and still open to ALL; the bands performing are top shelf across the board, and Jeff Davis, the visionary music lover whose passion lit this fire in 2004, still holds a fervent enthusiasm for the vast genres of “the blues” as he has ever been.
“What started as a one-season effort to bring free music to Omaha – my favorite city, by the way – has morphed into an epic endeavor,” Davis says. “I'm seriously proud that we’ve brought over 1,000 musicians to the Playing with Fire stage. It's been almost unreal to have met many of my musical heroes, many of whom played the U.S. for the first time at Playing with Fire.”
With annual support from the Nebraska Arts Council and funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and Nebraska Cultural Endowment, Douglas County Visitors Improvement Fund Awards, Davis invests personal funding alongside donor support and in-kind services to bring the hottest blues bands on tour to Omaha, Neb., several with their first ever U.S. performance.
“This has been our team’s passion for two decades, and we don’t have any plans to stop now,” says Davis. “This year’s lineup is even more stacked than usual – we’re bringing the hottest up-and-coming artists from England, Australia, Canada. It’s going to be three epic days of pure musical bliss!”
The lineups for this year’s 20th-anniversary event, to be held July 11, 12 and 13 at The Performance Pavilion at Gene Leahy Mall (complete details at PlayingwithFireOmaha.net):
July 11 SHOW TIME AT 5:30 pm.
- King King – British blues-rock sensation landing first show in the U.S.
- Walter Trout – Omaha blues fan-favorite and iconic American bluesman for the ages.
- Lachy Doley – Australian modern blues-rocker specializing in the Hammond B-3 organ and the whammy clavinet (keyboard-like instrument).
July 12 – SHOW TIME AT 5:30 pm.
- Bywater Call – Powerhouse seven-piece Canadian southern blues, soul, jazz, and funk band, back by popular demand.
- Blackburn Brothers – Award-winning Toronto-based soul blues band is returning to PwF.
- Little Joe McCarthy & Big Trouble – Omaha’s sensational blues-rockers returning to PwF.
July 13 – SHOW TIME AT 4:30 pm.
- Cardinal Black – Rising Welsh alt-rock-n-blues band making their first appearance in the U.S.
- Aynsley Lister – Popular English blues-rocker who has been shredding since age 8 (he’s now 47) and fan-favorite finally returning to the PwF stage!
- Kris Lager – A locally adored musician with a huge local and regional fan base, makes a repeat PwF performance.
Blankets, chairs, and picnics are welcome at the all-ages event, free of charge to the public for the 20th-consecutive year. Announcements forthcoming regarding the Beer Garden sponsored by a popular local brewery.
For those traveling to Omaha for the event or for those who might want a staycation, Playing with Fire has partnered with a new host hotel, Moxy Omaha Downtown, with special fan rates and offerings for a private appreciation party before concert dates. Go to PlayingwithFireOmaha.net for all the details.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Interviews with Jeff Davis and co-producer Vanessa Marie available upon request.
PHOTOS: Please see photos attached:
1. King King
2. Bywater Call
Additional photos and video available upon request.
ABOUT PLAYING WITH FIRE: Playing with Fire bridges communities through the power of music. Our mission as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization is clear: to champion local non-profits and foster connections between people across the globe, all through the magic of free live music concerts. At Playing with Fire, we believe in the transformative power of music to unite, inspire, and uplift. Through our events, we bring the world to Omaha while sharing the spirit of Omaha with the world. Each concert features extraordinary, award-winning musicians from around the globe, offering unforgettable experiences for our audiences. Join us in our journey to celebrate diversity, support local causes, and create lasting bonds through the universal language of music. Together, we're igniting passions, breaking down barriers, and spreading joy – one free concert at a time.
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