Bands Board Planes to Omaha: Local non-profit Playing with Fire bringing blues from across the globe to Nebraska

Playing with Fire is back on Friday and Saturday, July 25 and 26, with Weekend No. 1 of the non-profit organization’s annual free concert series in Omaha, Neb.

OMAHA, NE, UNITED STATES, July 16, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Cancel your quiet plans. Playing with Fire is back on Friday and Saturday, July 25 and 26, with Weekend No. 1 of the non-profit organization’s annual free concert series. And this time, organizers promise more groove, grit and global flair than a midnight jam at Muscle Shoals.

“This lineup is ridiculous in the best way,” said Playing with Fire co-producer Jeff Davis. “We’ve got guitar gurus, soul revivalists, Grammy nominees, and breakout stars from across the globe. It’s like a blues summit disguised as a summer party.”

And for the first time in 21 years, Playing with Fire is moving the party indoors to the Slowdown in Omaha’s popular NoDo entertainment district. The move indoors offers concertgoers access to air conditioning, improved sound quality, and further promotes a community atmosphere that represents Playing with Fire’s ongoing mission to make live, world-class music accessible to everyone through a free, community-centered concert series.

Weekend No. 1’s lineup is full of contemporary blues stars who have won numerous awards on the global stage, including Alice Armstrong, the two-time UK Contemporary Blues Artist of the Year (2024 and 2025), whose powerhouse vocals and one-liners knock people out of their seats. As PwF founder and producer Davis puts it: “This is going to be a gamechanger for PwF – for the fans and the bands.”

Why Indoors? Why Now?

Davis says the move was born of both necessity and opportunity: “It’s a gamechanger … bringing Playing with Fire indoors to the Slowdown gives our longtime fans an experience where every blistering guitar lick and fiery note is crisp and clear, with a full-bodied sound – and there is no heat, no wind, no rain, no lightning bolts to stop the music.”

Admission: Still free, and with a guaranteed option

As always, admission to Playing with Fire is free. Doors open at 5 p.m.; music begins at 6:30 p.m. This year, with the move indoors and a limited capacity, concertgoers have the option to purchase guaranteed admission, with a number of tickets available for $25 – inclusive of sales tax and processing fees. Once indoors, seating is first-come, first-served. Proceeds help support part of PwF’s nonprofit mission: bringing world-class blues to Omaha, free for ALL.

About the 2025 PwF Artists

Friday, July 25
• Jared William Gottberg: This Omaha native brings a stripped-down, soul-baring set of songs that sound like midnight confessions and Sunday morning recoveries. Imagine a campfire jam with singer-songwriters swapping stories – raw, real, and reverent.
• Harry Manx, with special guest Kevin Breit: It’s been 25 years since Harry Manx—seven-time Maple Blues Award winner, six-time Juno nominee, and Canadian Folk Music Award winner—last played Omaha. Known for his spellbinding slide guitar and mastery of the Mohan veena, Manx returns, joined by virtuoso Kevin Breit – collaborator with Norah Jones on “Come Away With Me.” Jeff Davis shares, “We are looking forward to hearing Harry’s rendition of ‘Tijuana,’ ‘Coat of Mail,’ and ‘Death Have Mercy' live and in person.’
• The Cinelli Brothers: 2024’s UK Blues Band of the Year and London’s finest blues export – are bringing their foot-stomping, soul-drenched, big-energy blues to Omaha for the very first time – Jeff says he’s “caught them three times in England and loves their infectious energy. I think you will too.” Expect tight grooves, velvety vocals, and guitar swagger for days. This London-bred, Memphis-infused blues revival is ready to drop onto Omaha’s doorstep.
Saturday, July 26
• Marcus Trummer: Winner of the Telluride Blues Challenge and a Maple Blues Awards nominee, Calgary’s blues phenom blends vinyl-era warmth and modern grit – his Grammy-worthy tune “Ready to Go” sets the tone.
• Alice Armstrong: This UK powerhouse won 2024 UK Blues Band of the Year and is a two-time UK Contemporary Blues Artist of the Year winner (2024 & 2025) and has a voice that swings from searing soul to stand-up quips. Jeff said, “Following Marcus is another British act. Get ready for the sultry power of Alice Armstrong. I think she is going to thrill you.”
• Danielle Nicole: With multiple Blues Music Awards, including Instrumentalist – Bass and Contemporary Blues Female Artist, the bass goddess from Kansas City returns to close the night with swagger, smoke, and basslines that haunt you – hailed by Jeff as “as good as it gets in the blues-rock genre.”

Additional FAQs are listed on the website playingwithfireomaha.net.

ABOUT PLAYING WITH FIRE – Since 2004, Playing with Fire has been Omaha’s free summer concert lifeline, spotlighting global blues, soul, funk, and roots music while fueling local nonprofits. Guided by Jeff Davis and his co-producer Vanessa Marie – two nomads in pursuit of musical brilliance – and supported by the Douglas County Visitors Improvement Fund, in-kind support, and public donations. PwF has hosted 1,000-plus musicians and welcomed 750,000 fans, all with an impeccable safety record, deep respect for the music and boundless community goodwill.

Jim Minge
Wayfinder PR
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