Teenage Halloween playes tonight at Reverb Lounge.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

UPDATE: The band order for this show has changed due to Teenage Halloween’s fear of being Omaha’d:

Estrogen Projection – 8 to 8:20
Blondo – 8:35 to 9
Teenage Halloween – 9:15 to 9:55
Bug Heaven – 10:10 to end

Boatloads of people go to those “emo nights” at The Waiting Room, which are nothing more than someone showing up with an iPhone and a playlist. Tonight at Reverb Lounge, you can see real modern emo played live by living breathing bands (OK, maybe they’re pop-punk bands).

Headlining is Asbury Park, New Jersey band Teenage Halloween. Fronted by singer/songwriter Luk Henderiks, the band has released a couple LPs, including their most recent, Till You Return (2023, Don Giovanni). Is it emo? Is it pop-punk? You decide. 

Since this is a Black Heart Booking production, it’s a 4-band bill, with three locals supporting (and probably splitting $100 three ways). 

Lincoln’s Estrogen Projection opens the show at 8 p.m. The 4-piece all-female pop punk band has an album coming out in December, according to their gram. 

Next up is Blondo, a pop-punk band fronted by Alex Malnack.

And then, before the headliner, here comes Omaha’s Bug Heaven.

That’s a lot of pop-punk/emo for $15. Like I said, starts at 8 p.m. 

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Work kept me from the clubs this weekend, but I hope y’all had a grand time without me. Why do I miss all the fun?

A couple new bands cropped up via social media in the past few days.

Big Nope is a new project by See Through Dresses drummer Nate Van Fleet. Nate’s taking the frontman position this time handling guitars and vocals, with Liv Baxter also on guitar, Aaron Lee on bass and Zachary Roland on drums.

The band has a two-song single on Bandcamp: “Never Going Outside” b/w “Grass is Greener,” recorded at Little Machine by Van Fleet and Matthew Carroll (also of See Through Dresses), mixed by studio wizard Ben Brodin at Hand Branch.

The tune is upbeat indie pop that kind of reminds me of Thin Lizzy, I guess because of Van Fleet’s vocal phrasing on the A-side more than anything (and the arrangement). The B-side is more traditional indie. Pretty cool! Can’t wait to see them live.

I just saw Van Fleet play drums in Las Cruxes. See Through Dresses is also gearing up, and now this. What else can he pull out of his hat? Check out the single at their bandcamp page:

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Another new one is Blondo, a project by Lincoln’s Alex Malnack. This is straight-up emo-pop a la The Get Up Kids or Saves the Day, very pop-punk. On the debut 6-song EP, Heritage, Malnack plays everything but the drums, which are handled by Salt Creek’s Nate Skinner. Malnack is currently filling out his roster to play these tracks live.

This one came to my attention via Alex’s pop, Brent Malnack, the proprietor of Mars Bar and Grill, the West Omaha brew pub / performance space formerly known as Growler USA. Brent went out on his own (Growler was a chain) because he said the Growler folks weren’t down with his continued music focus for the club.

That being the case, Malnack is eagerly looking for bands to play Mars. Hit him up at the bar’s Facebook page. Tap into that unexplored West Omaha music market.

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Unexplained Death is back, this time taking aim at Mitch McConnell. Check it below via Spotify. We’re all still waiting for Whipkey and Co. to make their stage debut…

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Tonight at The Trap Room (located just north of The Slowdown), Supermoon is playing a free show. Supermoon is Omaha ex-pat / legend Jake Bellows (Neva Dinova) and members of Whispertown. 8 p.m. and free!

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2019 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.