Zoo Bar Overview
The Zoo Bar is a legendary blues music venue and nightclub located in downtown Lincoln Nebraska at 136 North 14th Street. Housed in a building constructed in 1921 and styled after the Chicago blues clubs the Zoo is a long narrow venue that has been the heartbeat of Lincoln's live music scene since 1973.
Rich History
Around 1971 Jim Ludwig Bill Kennedy and Don Chamberlin purchased the bar. Larry Boehmer a Master of Fine Arts student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln at the time promoted the bar to his fellow artists and booked the first band in 1973. By 1977 Boehmer was the sole owner. He formed a crucial connection with Chicago musician and promoter Bob Riedy which brought many revered Chicago artists to the Lincoln club.
The Zoo Bar holds the distinction of being the first white club that Magic Slim ever played. In 1975 he had never ventured outside the clubs in Chicago's African-American neighborhoods. Magic Slim and his band became regular performers playing week-long stints and in the 1990s Magic Slim moved his family from Chicago to Lincoln.
In 1993 the Zoo Bar won the Blues Foundation's Keeping the Blues Alive Award for Club of the Year. In 2000 Larry Boehmer retired and passed the bar to his sons Jeff and Tim Boehmer and Pete Watters. Currently Jeff Boehmer and Pete Watters are partners in the club. Larry Boehmer passed away in September 2012 after struggling with lung cancer and is remembered as a visual artist blues bass player and community builder.
The Jazzocracy - Weekly Jazz Jam
Every Tuesday night at 6pm the Zoo Bar hosts The Jazzocracy Lincoln's longest running weekly jazz jam session. The event is open to students and jazz musicians who want to jam or for anyone who wants to listen. The sessions feature a wide variety of modern and classic jazz compositions with no cover charge. Among the regular hosts are Bill Wimmer on saxophone Aaron Stroessner on guitar Brian Gerkensmeyer on bass and Parker Sibley on drums. The night continues after the jam session with DJ Relic spinning soul music until morning.
Other Regular Programming
The Zoo Bar offers live music six to seven nights a week with a variety of recurring events. Monday nights feature Emily Bass and friends playing up close and personal next to the bar taking requests from 5:30 to 7:30pm with no cover charge. The first Sunday of each month hosts an afternoon jam session from 2-5pm where solo performers and group performances are welcome. Accompaniment is available for those who need it and performers are encouraged to bring simple lead sheets with chords. Sets run 15-20 minutes depending on attendance.
Thursdays feature Shithook Live Band Karaoke where audience members pick songs and the live band plays them. Every other Wednesday night hosts Vibe Check a soulful groovy moody event with no cover charge that continues to elevate with each show.
ZooFest - Annual Celebration
ZooFest is the Zoo Bar's mid-summer anniversary celebration that spills into the street transforming 14th Street into the stage. The festival brings famous jazz and blues musicians for a day of outdoor performances. The 2024 celebration marked the venue's 51st anniversary continuing a tradition that has made ZooFest one of Lincoln's most anticipated annual music events.
Legendary Performers
Over its five decades the Zoo Bar has hosted an incredible roster of blues and roots music legends. The list includes Bernard Allison Luther Allison Dave Alvin Tab Benoit Tommy Castro Albert Collins Robert Cray Bo Diddley Buddy Guy John Hammond Candye Kane Charlie Musselwhite Rod Piazza Ana Popovic Otis Rush Koko Taylor Junior Wells Kim Wilson Link Wray Eddie Clearwater Mighty Joe Young Clarence Gatemouth Brown Carey Bell and The Blind Boys of Alabama among many others.
James Harman wrote a song on behalf of the club called Everybody's Rockin' At The Zoo Bar which can be found on Harman's 1995 Black and White CD cementing the venue's place in blues music history.
The Venue Experience
The intimate setting features a low stage wood floors and walls lined with show posters that tell decades of musical stories. The warm punchy sound system and close connection to performers turns concerts into conversations. Most nights are general admission with standing room near the stage and some bar stools along the perimeter. The Zoo opens daily at 3:00pm and offers quick bar service and a friendly atmosphere.
While the Zoo Bar does not serve food guests are welcome to bring in food from the many great restaurants in the surrounding area. The venue offers a full bar service.
Location and Accessibility
Located just a half block off O Street in the heart of downtown Lincoln the Zoo Bar sits within easy walking distance of restaurants bars and the University of Nebraska campus making pre-show plans simple. The downtown location has made it a gathering place for students locals and music lovers from across the region for over 50 years.