Anna McClellan, Staffers, MiWi La Lupa, Blanky tonight; We Were Promised Jetpacks, Motherfolk Saturday…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , , , — @ 1:51 pm February 21, 2020

Anna McClellan at O’Leaver’s, Dec. 3, 2015. She plays tonight at The Brothers Lounge.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Busy weekend.

Tonight at The Brothers Lounge it’s the tour kick off for Anna McClellan and Staffers. They’ll be selling a new split cassette, which is only available on tour. Also on the bill is the debut of Curtain, a new band featuring members from Dave Nance Band, Lazy Wranglers and Subtropics, among others. Rogue Moon opens at 10 p.m. $5. If I go out, this is where I’ll be.

Also tonight, Miwi La Lupa is playing at The Sydney in Benson. MiWi’s latest LP is Tips, which came out last year. Joining him tonight are Sean Pratt and Annie Dee. 10 p.m., $5.

Meanwhile, over at fabulous O’Leaver’s, Lawrence duo Blanky headlines. They call their style of music “folkgaze.” Also on the bill are Bokr Tov and Sgt. Leisure. $6, 10 p.m.

Tomorrow night’s big show is We Were Promised Jetpacks down at The Slowdown. This one originally was a front room show but has been moved to the big room by popular demand. Opening is Slaughter Beach, Dog. 8 p.m. start time, $20.

Meanwhile, over at Reverb Lounge Saturday night, Cincinnati indie band Motherfolk headlines with Bach Mai and Rascal Martinez. $10, 9 p.m.

Also, I never mention stand-up comedy shows because I don’t go to stand-up comedy shows, but CJ Olson from Saddle Creek Records reached out to let me know that the label’s latest signing, funnyman Adam Cayton-Holland, is having an album release show Saturday night at O’Leaver’s for the vinyl version of Adam Cayton-Holland Performs His Signature Bits. $15, 8 p.m.

And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend!

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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 © 2020 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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Jack McLaughlin’s new track features help from Conor Oberst, Shawn Foree; he plays tonight at Slowdown, Jr…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , — @ 2:16 pm January 9, 2020

Jack McLaughlin plays tonight at Slowdown, Jr.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Omahan Jack McLaughlin is a relatively new name on the scene. He’s played around Omaha (and Colorado) for a couple years, according to his Facebook page. The singer/songwriter, who’s playing a gig tonight at Slowdown Jr., is releasing a single called “Madyssen Is So Quick to Sin” this month, produced by MiWi La Lupa with a couple special guests — Shawn Foree of Digital Leather and Conor Oberst.

“It’s going to be put out on Jan. 23 as a single with a B-side called ‘Rained All Summer Long,’” McLaughlin said. “Conor came in and sang with me on the third verse. Shawn came in and recorded the main synth melody that plays across the track.”

McLaughlin said he’s known Oberst since he was about 15. “My good friend Phil (Schaffart) used to let me play at Pageturners when I was around that age and I met Conor there,” he said. “I met Shawn through (restaurant Blackstone) Meatball when I was 16. He used to always sit at the bar and say what’s up when I’d pop out on a break from dishwashing!”

You can get a sneak peek of the track below via Soundcloud, and of course, tonight at Slowdown Jr. Also on the bill are The Sunks and Daisy Distraction. $7, 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 © 2020 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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Car Seat Headrest, Naked Giants, Miwi La Lupa tonight; happy 7-4…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , — @ 12:30 pm July 3, 2019

Car Seat Headrest at the 2016 Maha Music Festival. The band plays at The Waiting Room tonight.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Car Seat Headrest, one of my favorite bands with one of the worst names ever, plays tonight at The Waiting Room. I’m sure there’s a great story behind that name, I just don’t know what it is. The band was a highlight at the Maha Music Festival a few years ago, and has a new live album, Commit Yourself Completely, just out on Matador that’s sort of a “greatest hits” collection, played live.

Opener Naked Giants is a Seattle trio that’s toured with Car Seat Headrest in the past. Their most recent release, a 4-song EP, Green Fuzz (2019, New West), includes the long, bluesy title track (9+ minutes) that’s kind of cool. But for the most part, Naked Giants plays slop-dash garage punk, noisy and often tangled in ideas. The EP is a step forward from last year’s LP, SLUFF, which was a real mish-mash. I wasn’t surprised to see they’re pals with Ron Gallo, as a few songs off the full-length remind me of his last album. Definitely worth getting at the club at 8 p.m. $25.

Also tonight, MiWi La Lupa is playing two sets down at the new Jewell, 1030 Capital Ave. He’ll be backed by a full band. Sets are at 6:30 and 8:30, and tickets are $10.

I don’t see anything happening music-wise tomorrow night, which is no surprise. I’m not even sure what’ll be open tomorrow night. Maybe it’s time to take a day off anyway? I’ll be busy prying my terrified dogs off the ceiling due to the fireworks. Please, go light them off somewhere else… Happy 7-4 Day…

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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.

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Miwi La Lupa, #BFF tonight; Thelma and the Sleaze, That 1 Guy Sat.; Darling West, Graham Ulicny, Lucy Arnell, DJ Bob Nastanovich (of Pavement) Sunday…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , , , — @ 1:35 pm March 1, 2019

MiWi La Lupa at Dundee Days at Dario’s, Aug. 25, 2018. He plays tonight at The Sydney for #BFF.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Damn, I’ve been missing out on a lot of shows. Porcupine last night, Kurt Vile earlier this week. It’s not due to lack of interest so much as work stuff, which for now is dominating my time. So I’m living vicariously through all of you.

Anyway, the weekend…

We’ll start off with the fact that it’s Friday, March 1, which means Benson First Friday. As per usual, The Sydney has the marquee #BFF show tonight with Bed Rest, Miwi La Lupa and Field Club kicking it off at 10 p.m., $5.

Since you’ll be in Benson anyway, you might as well stop in The Little Gallery, located in the east bay of the Masonic Lodge building just east of The Sydney on Maple. This month’s featured artist is Joe Liebentritt (who old-school Omaha music fans might remember from the band The Still). Swing by, have a beer, check out the art and say hello. We’re there from 6 to 9 p.m.

Also tonight, singer/songwriter multiple Grammy winner Iris DeMent plays at The Waiting Room with Pieta Brown. $30, 8 p.m. This has been postponed due to illness.

Tomorrow night Burger Records artist Thelma and the Sleaze are at fabulous O’Leaver’s. The Nashville trio plays gritty garage rock that isn’t afraid of hooks. This should be fun. Joining them are Muscle Cousins and CatBarat. $10, 10 p.m.

Also Saturday night, Mike Silverman a.k.a. That 1 Guy brings his home made one-man show to The Waiting Room. He’s all by himself, literally, as in there’s no opener. 9 p.m., $15.

And then Sunday night…

Pageturners is turning into a popular stage for touring acts. Sunday Norwegian folk-rock duo Darling West headlines. Just gorgeous stuff. Omaha superstar Gram Ulicny (Thick Paint) opens along with Bach Mai. It’s free (Do you believe it?) and starts at 8 p.m.

Also Sunday, LA by way of NYC indie rocker Lucy Arnell plays at The Sydney with Des Moines’ Odd Pets and DJ Need a Stack (Pavement’s Bob Nastanovich, seriously). $5, 9 p.m.

And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend.

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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.

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Live Review: Miwi La Lupa, Tom Bartolomei at Dario (Dundee) Days…

Category: Reviews — Tags: , , , — @ 12:53 pm August 27, 2018

MiWi La Lupa at Dundee Days at Dario’s, Aug. 25, 2018.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Dario Days — or Dundee Days at Dario’s, which is how it’s referred to now — was the usual good time. Dario’s set up a stage in the parking lot just west of Blue Line along with tables and benches and poured delicious beer while bands played.

MiWi La Lupa was on stage when we arrived at around 6 p.m. For whatever reason I’ve never caught his set despite the fact that he’s played around town numerous times. His is singer/songwriter style that compares to Simon/Garfunkel / Windham Folk / Harry Nilsson / Cat Stevens, upbeat and personal and in no way old sad bastard music.

I dug it, and for the rest of the weekend conducted additional research via Spotify, where I discovered his most recent album, Beginner’s Guide (2016, Tigershrimp Records), which I’ll file under “better late than never.” in terms of my discovery. Miwi has a great voice, which was showcased during this solo acoustic set that took place before Dundee Day’s main stage fired up.

Tom Bartolomei, left, accompanied by Stephen Bartolomei at Dario Days, Aug. 25, 2018.

Instead, Tom Bartolomei, joined with his cousin, Stephen Bartolomei, got the brunt of the “overblow” from Dundee’s main stage, at one time asking the Dario’s audience, “Is that Bon Jovi?” Yes, Tom, it is, but it also isn’t. Tom played a set of low-key, quiet singer/songwriter folk on his acoustic, with Steve adding some fine touches via his electric.

Many of you probably remember Stephen as one of the central players in Mal Madrigal (along with Ben Brodin, Ryan Fox, Dan McCarthy, John Kotchian and Mike Saklar). Steve moved to NYC years ago, lived in Queens, but now he’s back to Omaha for good (They all come back, don’t they?).

BTW, Stephen Bartolomei will be playing Wednesday night at Pageturners, opening for Sun-Less Trio’s record release show. More on that later.

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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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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Rusty Lord (Dave Goldberg, et al.) debut, Miwi on a boat tonight; Adult Mom, vinyl swap Saturday…

Category: Blog,Reviews — Tags: , , , — @ 1:08 pm June 23, 2017

Adult Mom plays Saturday night at Milk Run. Photo by Richard Gin.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

On to the hotness that is this weekend…

Tonight, another mega debut, this time at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Omaha welcomes Rusty Lord. No, not the bald, nebbish WOWT meteorologist, the new rock project featuring Austin Ulmer (Dumb Beach) on guitar and vocals, Ben VanHoolandt (Digital Leather) on synth/guitar, Johnny Vredenburg (Digital Leather, Pro-Magnum) on bass/synth/vocals, and the legendary Dave Goldberg behind a FULL drum kit.

Says Vredenburg, “It’s somewhat what you’d imagine it to be. loud, abrasive dissonance with maniacal drumming driving it, yet a different sound from any of our previous bands.” I asked him to pin down a genre, and he said “probably psych/synth-punk.”

This is a four-band show, kicked off by Alcools, then Rusty Lord, followed by Effluvium and headlined by Satanic Abortion. $5, 10 p.m.

Also tonight, it’s another River City Star rock ‘n’ roll cruise down the Missouri River, this time featuring Miwi La Lupa, with AllSortsOfGood and the turntable stylings of DJ Tyrone Storm. The details:

Gates – 7 p.m.
Boat Access – 8 p.m.
Set Sail – 9 p.m. (they leave with or without you, folks)
Dock – Midnight

Cost is $20 for General Admission-only ticket, or $35 for General Admission + Miwi La Lupa’s Beginners Guide on vinyl!

And then Saturday night…

Through some happy accident a few years ago a link to Adult Mom’s Bandcamp page made it into my email, wherein I purchased a cassette copy of her 2014 release Sometimes Bad Happens, a great debut. That release must have caught the attention of Tiny Engines (the label that releases See Through Dresses’ albums), who put out Adult Mom’s 2015 full-length debut Momentary Lapse of Happily.

Now along comes Soft Spots (2017, Tiny Engines), which is her best release yet. “Her” is Adult Mom frontwoman/songwriter Stephanie Knipe, who is described by her label as “a gender-weird queer navigating through heartache, trauma and subsequent growth” and who gives the record an RIYL of The Weakerthans, The Cranberries, Girlpool, Liz Phair and Diet Cig.

In fact, Adult Mom emerged from the crowded forest of indie bands at about the same time as Diet Cig. I thought AM would be the one to break through, but it’s been Diet Cig that’s gotten all the attention, unfortunately. As a result, Diet Cig has had sweet opening tour slots and played Maha and Slowdown, while Adult Mom is relegated to playing tiny venues like Saturday night’s show at Milk Run.

Soft Spots is a gorgeous collection of bitter-sweet relationship songs that sonically remind me of K Records bands like The Softies while lyrically her music has a similar honesty heard on Elliott Smith albums. Knipe has a one-of-a-kind voice that emotes a sort of confident loneliness that fuels rocking tracks like “Steal the Lake from the Water” and “Drive Me Home.” The record is definitely worth checking out.

And so is the show — Saturday night at Milk Run. Opening for Adult Mom is Philly band Free Cake for Every Creature and our own The Morbs. $8, 9 p.m. Remember, Milk Run is now at Midtown Art Supply. Enter through the alley.

One more thing to mention this weekend… Brothers Lounge is hosting another Omaha Record Swap from 4 to 7 p.m. Almost Music, Homer’s, Vinyl Therapy and D-Tour are among those who will have stock on hand. It’s free and the drinks are extra tasty at Brothers.

And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend.

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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 © 2017 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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Appleseed Cast, Miwi La Lupa, Clarence Tilton tonight; Relax, It’s Science, Man Vs Animals Saturday; CALYX Sunday…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , — @ 1:56 pm November 11, 2016
Clarence Tilton at the Parkwood Lane Bluegrass Festival, Sept. 10, 2016. The band plays tonight at Barley Street Tavern.

Clarence Tilton at the Parkwood Lane Bluegrass Festival, Sept. 10, 2016. The band plays tonight at Barley Street Tavern.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Still reeling from Trump? Who isn’t. Well, maybe some music will help blunt that funk. Can you even imagine what kind of music Trump likes?

Here’s what’s happening this weekend…

Lawrence’s The Appleseed Cast has played Omaha so many times over the past 20 years it’s practically a “local band.” Chris Crisci, Taylor Hollenbeck and Nate Wilder have had the emo tag thrown on them from back in the day. They’re actually a pretty heavy band in the Built to Spill vein. They haven’t released a record since 2013’s Illumination Ritual (Graveface Records), so who knows what they’ll be playing tonight when they open for Caspian at The Waiting Room. $15, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, you’ve seen him playing next to Conor Oberst on Kimmel, see Miwi La Lupa doing his own thing tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Miwi just released a new album called Beginner’s Guide (Tigershrimp Records). Headlining is Carl Miller & The Thrillers. Opening is McCarthy Trenching. Three bands, $7, 9:30 p.m.

Also tonight, Omaha’s best alt-country/Americana indie band, Clarence Tilton, headlines at The Barley Street Tavern with The Pink Flamingos and Mace Hathoway. $5, 9 p.m.

Tomorrow night Relax, It’s Science is out supporting their new release, a 3-song ep called Paranoia, at Barley Street Tavern. We’re talking a two-bass three-piece centered around veteran drummer Jeremy Stanosheck. Must be seen and heard to be believed. Stronghold and Altura also are on the bill. $5, 9 p.m.

Also Saturday night, KC low-fi/garage marvels Man Vs. Animals (Shit Shack Records) headlines at Milk Run with Gongfermour and Sweatpantsdaze. $7, 9:30 p.m.

And down at Slowdown Jr. (you remember that place?) Eklectica, SIRES, and Ridgelines play. $7, 9 p.m.

Finally Sunday night back at Milk Run, Pittsburgh power-punk band CALYX headlines. Jettison and Benjamin Charles Freeman also are on the bill. $5, 9 p.m.

That’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments. Have a great weekend and keep ya head up.

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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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Lazy-i

Twinsmith, Bloodcow, Tara Vaughan, Miwi La Lupa tonight; Dolores Diaz/Standby Club, Low Long Signal Saturday; Future Punx Sunday…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , — @ 12:46 pm May 20, 2016
Twinsmith rocks the crowd at Bar 512 in Austin March 12, 2014. The band plays tonight at Slowdown Jr.

Twinsmith rocks the crowd at Bar 512 in Austin March 12, 2014. The band plays tonight at Slowdown Jr.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Another busy weekend of shows. So without further ado..

Tonight at Slowdown Jr. Twinsmith (Saddle Creek Records) returns. Will they be playing new material or just stuff off the last album, Alligator Years? You’ll have to wait and see. Also on the bill are Halfloves and Eklectica. $10, 9 p.m. And don’t bother getting there before 8:30 unless you have tickets to see Hannibal Buress, who performs in the big room prior to this show.

Also tonight, local singer/songwriter Tara Vaughan celebrates the release of her debut album Dandelion Wine, produced by former Joe Pisapia (ex-Guster) down in Nashville. Opening is Miwi La Lupa (Team Love Records) who (I’m told) might be joined by Orenda Fink. And I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a local celebrity in the audience. $10, 9 p.m.

No doubt fabulous O’Leaver’s also will be chock full o’ local celebrities tonight… or at least drunk degenerates, there to see Bloodcow once again try to raise the soul of L. Ron Hubbard with their diabolical form of metal (Give it up, guys; he’s with Xenu now). Joining them are Jump the Tiger and Towering Rogue. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Lastly tonight, Milk Run is hosting a CD release show for The Way Out, with Super Ghost, Mint Wad Willy and Joe Champion of Uh Oh. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Tomorrow, before all the night-time stuff begins, swing on over to The Brothers Lounge at 4 p.m. for the Bar Stool Record Swap. Vendors on hand will include Almost Music, Homer’s Music & Gifts, Vinyl Therapy record shop, D-Tour Records and several more. The fun runs 4 to 7 p.m.

Saturday night’s big show is Dolores Diaz & the Standby Club at The Waiting Room, which you read about here yesterday. Opening is Carl Miller & The Thrillers. $10, 9 p.m.

Also Saturday night, Low Long Signal headlines at fabulous O’Leaver’s with Citizen’s Band (who will be recording their set for inclusion with an upcoming studio album) and Stephen Nichols. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Speaking of record release shows, Lodgings is hosting a show for its 12-inch vinyl release Saturday night at Milk Run. Lodgings is Bryce Hotz, Eric Ernst, Dave Ozinga and Jim Schroeder “playing music somewhere between Weezer and Crazy Horse,” according to Milk Run. Also on the bill are Eric in Outspace, The Sun-less Trio and The Morbs. $7, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday it’s back to Milk Run for Brooklyn band Future Punx (Dull Tools Records) with The Razors, The Shrinks and Plastic Garbage. $8, 9 p.m.

That’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. No doubt I’ll also be spending a lot of time at Horseman’s Park this weekend for the spring track meet. Three words come to mind: Let it ride.

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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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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Conor Oberst talks Dolores Diaz and the Standby Club (Saturday at The Waiting Room)…

Category: Blog,Interviews — Tags: , , — @ 12:47 pm May 19, 2016
Dolores Diaz & the Standby Club, from left, are Ben Brodin, Miwi La Lupa, Dan McCarthy, Roger Lewis, Corina Figueroa, Mike Mogis, Matt Maginn and Conor Oberst. Not pictures is Phil Schaffart.

Dolores Diaz & the Standby Club, from left, are Ben Brodin, Miwi La Lupa, Dan McCarthy, Roger Lewis, Corina Figueroa, Mike Mogis, Matt Maginn and Conor Oberst. Not pictured is Phil Schaffart.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com
What do you do for fun when musically you can do anything you want? You put together a country cover band.

That’s what Conor Oberst did with his wife, Corina Figueroa, and their two roommates, Roger Lewis and Miwi La Lupa.

The project began last November strictly as a lark. Among the belongings La Lupa brought with him when he moved to Omaha from Brooklyn was a copy of Them Old Country Songs, a 1972 “various artists” classic that includes songs by the likes of Skeeter Davis, Connie Smith, Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton.

“We love this record,” Oberst said last week over drinks at his Dundee bar, Pageturners Lounge, while fellow Standby Club member Dan McCarthy pounded out ragtime tunes on the bar’s upright piano. “I’ve not been a person to cover a lot of songs. It was nice to learn new ones. I’ve never played songs with this many key changes before.”

Oberst said Figueroa has a great voice and loves to sing, so it made sense to give the band a try. “She’s sang with me a few times before,” he said. “She was super excited at practice, but for that first show, she was extremely nervous. We all were.”

The rest of band is made up of people Oberst said are part of his extended household: Phil Schaffart, Oberst’s partner on the road and in running Pageturners; Mike Mogis and Ben Brodin, whose studio, ARC, is practically an extension of Oberst’s home, and Cursive’s Matt Maginn, who at one time also lived with Oberst.

“No one in the band is a country player in any way, shape or form,” Oberst said. “Even Mike (Mogis) doesn’t consider himself a country player. He doesn’t know all the Nashville things. The guy who’s most dialed in is Ben. He can play anything.”

The band’s first gig, at O’leaver’s Jan. 3 of this year, included covers of songs by the aforementioned country legends along with Charlie Pride, Sammi Smith, Bob Dylan and Randy Newman and more. The evening’s music was recorded and is online at liveatoleavers.com. Expect to hear a lot of those numbers when the band plays at The Waiting Room Saturday, May 21, along with a few new covers, possibly including “Honey Won’t You Open the Door” by Ricky Skaggs and “Good Girl Gone Bad” by Tammy Wynette.

Oberst said unlike playing in one of his other bands, this band has access to an unlimited musical catalog. “I never realized all the virtues of being in a cover band,” he said. “We’re never going to run out of good songs.”

It’s unlikely this band will ever enter a recording studio. “It sounds like a joke, but I feel like we’re a good band for parties and weddings and funerals and all that kind of stuff,” Oberst said. “It would seem weird to record covers, and I don’t know if we’d ever have originals, definitely not for this show.”

La Lupa, who sat next to Oberst during the interview, said the band may be “just for fun,” but that it takes the music seriously. “Someone wrote a review after our first show and said it sounds like we didn’t practice or something, and we were all kind of bummed,” La Lupa said. “We practice more for this band than any other band we play with. We’ll be practicing a lot over the next week.”

The band’s name, The Standby Club, grew out of a phrase used by a friend of Oberst’s who does film editing of live sporting events. “He always says ‘standby,’ and began using the phrase in everyday life,” Oberst said. “The Standby Club — I thought it would sound dope.”

As for Figueroa’s musical nom de plume, Oberst said she was afraid about going on stage. “I suggested putting on a persona, like a Superman cape,” he said. “Dolores Diaz is a Spanglish version of Doris Day and has an old Hollywood sound to it.”

“And it works out because the name ‘Dolores’ signifies heartbreak,” La Lupa said, adding that the name means “sorrow” in English, a fact that surprised Oberst, who quickly added, “We’re going to have some nice T-shirts made.”

Dolores Diaz & the Standby Club plays with Carl Miller & The Thrillers Saturday, May 21, at The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St. Tickets are $10; showtime is 9 p.m. For more information, go to onepercentproductions.com.

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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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Lazy-i

Live Review: Quilt; MiWi La Lupa, Bomb Shelter Radio tonight, Josh Hoyer Saturday; Yuck, Big Thief Sunday…

Category: Blog,Reviews — Tags: , , , , , — @ 12:38 pm April 1, 2016
Quilt at Reverb Lounge, March 31, 2016.

Quilt at Reverb Lounge, March 31, 2016.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Last night’s Quilt performance at Reverb Lounge was a gorgeous step back into another time and place: San Francisco circa 1967, or at least what I think it must have been like back then, sans drugs and war and technology and free love.

Audibly the band captured that fractured, beautiful era with its own pastoral rock rife with Byrd-ian harmonies, Jeffersonian Airplane guitar and sun-streaked flowers-in-your-hair melodies amped up to modern times with flourishes of pace and rhythm likely absent from the Nixon era.

That’s a colorful and long-winded way of saying that Quilt’s performance dripped with even more nostalgia than what’s heard on their sublime new album, Plaza. That record is, without a doubt, destined to become a modern indie rock classic, dense with strings and flute and keyboards along with the band’s sterling performance. But Plaza is more upbeat, modern-sounding and “rocking”  than what we got last night, which for the most part, felt a tad subdued and painted in sepia tones.

The four-piece recently became a five-piece with the addition of a keyboard player, who gave dimension to the traditional rock arrangements. It’s harmonies that take the sound to the next level. While front-woman/guitarist Anna Rochinski and guitarist/vocalist Shane Butler provided the bulk of the lead vocals, drummer John Andrews’ tight harmonies on almost every song  provided glowing nuance. Bass player Keven Lareau also threw in some extra woo-hoo vocals. Andrews got to sing lead on one number, which he dedicated to local hero Simon Joyner.

While most of the songs were laid-back, the band got the crowd moving on the night’s closer, “Own Ways,” which also is the album closer on Plaza and my favorite song on the album. Imagine Feelies’ rhythms with spy guitar and CSN&Y harmonies — the perfect highway driving song.

Afterward, it was a feeding frenzy for merch back inside the bar (and I think I accidentally screwed the band out of $5 when I bought a vinyl copy of the new album and a T-shirt. I’ll pay you back next time, Team Quilt).

Halfloves at Reverb Lounge, March 31, 2016.

Halfloves at Reverb Lounge, March 31, 2016.

Opening band, Iowa City’s Halfloves, played standard indie fare that too often felt muted and  withdrawn for what they were trying to pull off. That said (and this is the strangest thing), the band had a way with how it ended songs. I started noticing this toward the end of their set. The third-to-last song (no idea what it was called) had an amazing instrumental outro that played off a shimmering keyboard line and could stand on its own as a musical piece (and that got the best crowd reaction of their set). Wonder if these guys ever considered doing instrumental-only compositions…

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What a week of shows. From an indie music standpoint, the weekend lets up on the gas pedal, at least until Sunday night.

Tonight’s big show takes place at fabulous O’Leaver’s, where native New Yorker now Omahan MiWi La Lupa celebrates the release of his new album on Team Love Records, Ended Up Making Love, produced by Mike Mogis and Conor Oberst. I would not be surprised if half of Bright Eyes doesn’t make a guest appearance during MiWi’s set. Opening is McCarthy Trenching and Mike Schlesinger. $8. Starts at 9:30. Expect a crowd.

Tonight also is the swan song for Bomb Shelter Radio at Milk Run. The art project / guerrilla radio station located in the art room next to Milk Run will be broadcasting tonight’s show live starting at 9 p.m. at 95.5 FM in downtown Omaha and online at http://mixlr.com/bomb-shelter-radio/.

Bands will be playing in both the Milk Run and in the Bomb Shelter room. The lineup: No Thanks, Sam Martin, Conchance, Dominique Morgan, Silversphere, Was (members of Gordon, Universe Contest), Rogue Moon, Graham Ulicny, The Shrinks. The show starts at 9 sharp and is $10.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal celebrates the release of their new album, Running from Love, at The Slowdown (no doubt in the big room). Opening is Satchel Grande and Rothsteen. The 8 p.m. show is $8 Adv/$10 DOS.

Also Saturday night, O’Leaver’s has Anthems, Low Long Signal and Super Ghost. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Finally Sunday night, Lookout Lounge does it again. Indie band Yuck (MAME Records) headlines a show that also includes Saddle Creek Records’ latest signing, Big Thief, making their Omaha debut. Opening is Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship. I suspect this will be a rather massive show. Better get your tickets now. $12 Adv / $15 DOS. Show starts at 9 p.m.

And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend.

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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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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