The ZOO Bar

The Zoo Bar is a blues music venue and nightclub located in downtown Lincoln, Neb. Styled around the Chicago blues clubs, it is a long, narrow venue in a building built in 1921. 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. He booked the first band in 1973 and was sole owner by 1977. In 2000, Larry Boehmer retired and passed the bar on to his sons, Jeff and Tim Boehmer, and Pete Watters. Currently, Jeff Boehmer and Pete Watters are partners in the club. Musical acts have included: Bernard Allison, Luther Allison, Dave Alvin, Billy Bacon and the Forbidden Pigs, Tab Benoit, Tommy Castro, Albert Collins, Robert Cray, Deke Dickerson, Bo Diddley, Chris Duarte, Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials, Tinsley Ellis, Rick Estrin, Anson Funderburgh, Buddy Guy, the Hacienda Brothers, John Hammond, James Harman, Mark Hummel, Candye Kane, Jay McShann, Matt "Guitar" Murphy, Charlie Musselwhite, Rod Piazza, Ana Popovic, Otis Rush, Doug Sahm, Curtis Salgado, Gina Sicilia, Magic Slim, Watermelon Slim, Son Seals, Koko Taylor, Junior Wells, Kim Wilson, and Link Wray.