Jesse Welles with Ratboys

August 18, 2026 – Steelhouse – Omaha, NE

Tuesday night, August 18, 2026, Steelhouse in downtown Omaha did it again with another phenomenal show. They’ve been on a roll this year with the artists they’ve been bringing in, and this time, Jesse Welles brought The Red Tour to town for a lengthy set packed with a lot of great songs!

The night kicked off with Ratboys, and they were the perfect way to get the crowd warmed up.

Ratboys are an indie rock band from Chicago, Illinois, formed in 2010 by lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Julia Steiner and lead guitarist Dave Sagan. The band now consists of Steiner, Sagan, Marcus Nuccio on drums, and Sean Neumann on bass and backing vocals.

Steiner and Sagan formed the band while studying at the University of Notre Dame before relocating back to Chicago in 2015. That same year, they released their debut album, AOID, on Topshelf Records. Over the years, Ratboys have continued to build a strong following with albums like GN, Printer’s Devil, Happy Birthday, Ratboy, The Window, and their latest release, Singin’ to an Empty Chair.

The band has earned plenty of critical praise along the way. Rolling Stone named GN one of the “15 Great Albums You Probably Didn’t Hear in 2017,” and The Window, recorded in Seattle with former Death Cab for Cutie member Chris Walla, was called the band’s most confident work by the Chicago Tribune.

They had a chill vibe, sounded great, and gave the crowd a really solid opening set. Julia Steiner’s voice fit the room well, and the band had an easy, laid-back presence that worked perfectly before Jesse Welles. They also threw in a few political statements throughout the set, which got some heavy cheers from the Omaha crowd.

Ratboys currently have over 154 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify, and their new album, Singin’ to an Empty Chair, is definitely worth checking out.

After a brief intermission, it was time for Jesse Welles!

In case you’re not familiar, Jesse Welles is a singer-songwriter and guitarist who’s built a reputation for sharp songwriting, dry humor, and folk songs that don’t shy away from saying something. He released his debut studio album, Red Trees and White Trashes, in 2018 and has performed under several names over the years, including Jeh Sea Wells. He’s also been the frontman for bands like Dead Indian, Cosmic-American, and Welles.

In 2024, Welles started getting a lot of attention online for his folk protest songs, including “The Poor,” “Cancer,” “The Olympics,” “United Health,” “Join ICE,” and “War Isn’t Murder.” His music has been compared to old-school folk protest writing, and some have even described him as a modern Woody Guthrie. In 2026, he received four Grammy nominations, which feels like a pretty strong sign that more people are starting to pay attention.

Welles started his set solo with just him and his guitar, and from the beginning, he had the crowd with him. He was charming, funny, and completely comfortable onstage. He opened with “Walmart,” which had the crowd laughing and singing along right away. It was the perfect way to start the night because it showed exactly what makes him stand out. He can be funny, honest, and sarcastic all at the same time.

From there, he performed several acoustic numbers before being joined onstage by his band. The solo portion was great, but once the band came out, the show opened up even more. The songs had more weight, and the energy picked up.

One of the biggest highlights of the set was his cover of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs.” It was unexpected, powerful, and fit his style better than you might think. He also covered Nirvana’s “Come as You Are,” which was another great moment. Both covers showed how well he can take something familiar and still make it feel like his own.

Welles has a great voice, and it’s the kind of voice that works whether he’s being funny, angry, reflective, or completely sincere. He can make the crowd laugh one minute, then turn around and belt out a ballad when the moment calls for it. That balance is a big part of what makes his show so interesting.

He currently has over 599 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify and more than 1.5 million followers on TikTok. His latest single, “Bugs” with The Wiggles and The Tree of Wisdom, is definitely worth adding to your playlist. It’s another example of how unpredictable he can be as an artist, which is part of the fun.

This was an awesome show from start to finish. Ratboys opened the night with a great set, and Jesse Welles gave Omaha a performance that was funny, heartfelt and political.

If you get the chance to see Welles live, make sure you do. He definitely gives the crowd their money’s worth.

Jesse Welles Setlist: