(November 1, 2006) — Omaha, Nebraska. A name that, for many, conjures images of sprawling fields of wheat and small-town secrets – not one that inspires awe and excitement from music enthusiasts looking for upcoming bands the way a place, like, say, Atlanta or Los Angeles would. “It’s the middle of nowhere,” exclaimed teacher Nick Doom to AP government students a few weeks ago. “There’s nothing there!” Quite the contrary. The most exciting and important music scenes have a way of coming out from the most unexpected places. H ome of Saddle Creek Records, Omaha is the birthplace to indie superheroes like Bright Eyes, Rilo Kiley, The Good Life and Azure Ray. They’ve perfected a style now classified as the “Omaha Sound,” which can be described as acoustic with a country twang. Other bands like Broken Spindles and The Faint have completely revolutionized traditional Omaha sound by developing an incredibly catchy and unique combination of techno and dance. Cursive has also become known for its cello and horn section, off-center instrumentation and complex song structure. Most of the members of all of these bands have a long history together; many have been friends since elementary school. Omaha isn’t the only place spawning a new and exciting music scene. There are dozens of relatively underground communities revolutionizing music, undiscovered by most people not living in the area. My personal favorite (one I’m rather fanatic about) is Gainsville, Florida: home of No Idea Records record label, annual punk festival The Fest, the place where folk-punk thrives, and where the distinctive “beard punk” takes its roots. A bastion of DIY ethics and independence since the beginning, No Idea boasts bands like Against Me!, Hot Water Music, Gunmoll, This Bike is a Pipe Bomb, and Less Than Jake – bands that have been releasing consistently strong punk records for years since Gainsville’s debut as a mecca for independent punk. So next time you music lovah’s hear a unique sound coming from a band from a small town you’ve never heard of, don’t hesitate to explore it– you just may find a whole plethora of bands all sporting a sound unlike anything you’d expect.