Hmmm… well I guess you could say Ladyfinger has arrived. Okay, they’ve already been here, for quite a while actually. But last night was sort of a coming out party for these guys at O’Leaver’s. I didn’t get to see much of it. Oh, I heard it all, the whole set, but I couldn’t see it because the place was stacked up from the “stage” to the railing with people standing to watch the sweat fly. It was a crush mob, the type of crowd at O’Leaver’s reserved for a Simon Joyner or Kasher show.

And why not? The word is out that these guys are at the forefront of the next generation of Omaha indie bands. That said, their style is pure throwback, buzzing and howling to a beat that’s distinctly mid-’90s agro-indie a la Ritual Device; ratcheted minor-key buzzsaw guitar bordering on metal planted atop a throbbing bass line. Listening to Ladyfinger is like putting a couple feral cats in a cardboard box, shaking it up, and dropping it down a tumbling flight of stairs. Once it comes to a stop, open up the carton and put your hand inside. Static aggression. Anger and energy. Simultaneously frightening and exhilarating.

Sure, you won’t remember a single melody when you get home and take out your ear-plugs, but you’ll remember it was tight; you’ll remember they were good. Repeated listenings are a must if you want to figure out what the hell it means. I don’t know how they’ll do it in the studio, though I know they’ve tried. Rumors have circulated for months that labels are sniffing around these guys. Last night’s crowd will keep the rumors buzzing. If you missed it, you’ll have another chance to see them June 30 at The Olympic Lounge with Bombardment Society and Fromanhole, but it’ll cost you twice as much — $10 (but quarter pitchers all night long — it’ll be like going to Fat Jacks to see King Vitamin).

Tonight, again at O’Leaver’s, it’s Statistics with Latitude, Longitude. The gig is a warm-up for Stats as they get ready to head out with Maria Taylor on a tour that lasts all the way through their July 29 welcome-home show at Sokol Underground. They could be turning people back at the door tonight, so get there early.

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