May 3rd, 2022
Slowdown
Omaha, Nebraska
California has invaded Omaha. Nothing beats a solid night of authentic music, especially when the bands playing that music are just as passionate about the music as their fans are.
The line to get into The Slowdown wrapped around the block with hundreds of people eager for a night of good old fashioned rock and roll. Once the venue was packed, and the lights were dimmed, Classless Act took the stage.
None of us would be disappointed. There’s a reason why the band was hand picked by Def Leppard to open their 2022 near sold out stadium tour. While still relatively new to the national touring scene, the band’s stage presence is already well developed. They’ve spent years criss-crossing their home state and developed into hard hitting machine. This would be the band’s debut performance in Omaha, but hopefully it won’t be their last. Even though the band opened the show tonight, they hammered through their 8 song set like they were playing to a few thousand screaming fans in a sold out arena. Few may have been familiar with the band’s music but that didn’t matter. Classless Act’s unique take on an 80s style of rock music was more than enough to win over the crowd. The band even threw in a brilliant take on their cover of Guns N Roses’ Civil War for good measure, whipping the crowd into an even bigger frenzy. There’s something special about these guys, something that can only be experienced and not fully explained.
The fast paced evening was just beginning though. Joyous Wolf, no stranger to the cornfields of Nebraska, strutted on stage with a superb confidence. This would be their 4th stop in Nebraska since 2019, but their first in Omaha. The band was welcomed back with fist pumps and screams. If their previous shows in Lincoln were any indication, then tonight’s show in Omaha would raise that bar even higher. Joyous Wolf pummeled the crowd for nearly 45 minutes and left their fans begging for more.
The high energy of the evening was far reaching its peak though. The screams and cheers from excited fans shook the roof of The Slowdown as soon as Dorothy took the stage. The band hadn’t played Nebraska for nearly 5 years, and tonight would be their premiere in Omaha.
I haven’t had the chance to see Dorthy since the band played Northern Invasion in 2017, so tonight was a reunion on several levels. The band’s energy has gone supernova since my last time seeing them on stage. They have a way of drawing the crowd into their music, controlling the vibe of their fans with bombastic riffs and a sultry voice.
With all the bullshit going on in the world, especially after two years of lock-downs and no concerts to give our minds a break, I wasn’t the only one who needed the chance to just forget about life for a few hours and live in the moment. What started with Classless Act, continued with Joyous Wolf, and ended with Dorothy was night of fans who are just as passionate about the music as the bands were.
Dorothy set:
Feeling Good (Nina Simone)
Down to the Bottom
Gun in My Hand
Ain’t Our Time to Die
What’s Coming to Me
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (Eurythmics)
Rest in Peace
A Beautiful Life
Medicine Man
Raise Hell
Flawless
Freedom
Joyous Wolf set:
Quiet Heart
Get Myself Right
In the Shadow
Storm
Fearless
Karma
Place in Time
Juniper
Mother Rebel
Classless Act set:
This is for You
Give it to Me
All That We Are
Time to Bleed
Haunting Love
Storm Before The Calm
Civil War (Guns N Roses)
Classless Act
