Blue Moon Ghetto

Blue Moon Ghetto is back. In some ways though, it seems as if they never really left. They grew out of Omaha’s music scene at a time before Saddle Creek Records or any of the now common notoriety that the scene has received. The only point of reference local musicians had as far as original music at the time was 311 as they were the only Omaha band that had really “made it”, and they were the standard of success with which most were compared...deservedly so.

BMG went through so much between their formation in 1994 and their disbanding in 1998. There were law suits, car accidents, member changes, and turmoil. There was also a lot more than that. Blue Moon Ghetto also sold 20000 records, had the top selling record at area record stores, thousands of spins on area radio stations, and thousands of avid fans. There are many stories that have been shared about BMG’s music and what it meant to the people of Omaha. In fact, that is what this band really symbolizes for many people… Omaha’s young people coming of age.
Members came and went, but the Blue Moon Ghetto that most remember consisted of Matt Banta, Joel Kassera , Joe Rhodes, Bruce Coddington, and of course the cameo appearance of Nikki Boulay on “that one song.” Their hit single “Shine All the Time” in many ways drove the bands success and yet did not capture the full range of the band’s sound. Ranging from heavy electric to tender acoustic guitar and piano, from funk filled jams to layered harmonies, the band changed from set to set, and from song to song. This may have been what made them harder to define, but it gave them so much energy live. Their live show is really what built their legacy, and it is to the stage that they return.

After many years where a reunion was not just unlikely but also geographically impossible, all four members now live in Omaha again. This is what ultimately led to the band’s reunion, and what BMG hopes leads to more shows, and new music. The band just wants to take the stage again, and have you sing along.