Every table was filled in the “performance room” of the Barley St. Tavern last night, filled with people there to welcome back Reagan Roeder to the world of live rock and roll music. And Reagan did not disappoint.

To inaugurate the return, the Rayguns made some line-up changes, the most dramatic of which was the shift of Mike Friedman from keyboards to electric guitar. The keyboards always seemed out of place to me, anyway, and Friedman is one of the best axe men in town. He showed it last night, torturing his guitar to submission on a set of songs that made me think that The Rayguns could become Omaha’s own version of Crazy Horse. New drummer Landon Hedges did his usual arm-swinging Animal-from-the-Muppets good job, while bassist Kyle Harvey tried to kill us all with low-end feedback. As one patron said afterward, “They sound like a rock band.” That they do, my son. The Rayguns is a bar-owner’s wet dream. Their thick, growling turbulence coaxes listeners to want to drink and drink more. They’re a drinkers’ band, a bar band, the last band you’ll want to hear as the fog of alcohol sweeps over your consciousness, and the last thing you’ll remember upon waking in a pool of your own sweat, piss and vomit, squinting in pain, blocking out the cursed sunlight with the back of your hand.

Reagan, by the way, sounded as good as he possibly could over what arguably is one of the worst vocal PA’s I’ve ever heard. I’ve been to a number of Barley St. shows and the PA usually was adequate. Not last night. Reagan’s vocals sounded like they were being sung into a $10 condenser microphone, and then blasted over a pair of $20 Radioshack 6×9 car speakers. I suspect he’ll sound somewhat better when the band plays at The 49’r on May 10.

* * *

May 10 also is the date for The Whipkey Three’s EP release show at Mick’s. I’ve already received my copy of the EP, and can say without reservation that it’s the best recording that Whipkey has ever produced with any band. As one person put it who hasn’t cared for any of Whipkey’s past projects: “I guess persistence pays off. I actually like this.” I like it, too. The EP is about as DIY as you’re going to get — Whipkey burned the CDRs and hand rubber-stamped the discs and sleeves. I’m not sure where you can find a copy, but I know they’ll be available at Mick’s on the tenth.

* * *

The OWH has a story today on the “live music” ordinance (here), reiterating Slowdown’s and The Waiting Room’s open house events (TWR’s is later today). Kids, get your paperwork together. The article doesn’t mention if any other venues have applied for an all-ages permit. Will there be only two?

* * *

Tonight at Slowdown Jr., it’s Houston drone-masters Indian Jewelry. According to Wikipedia, the band “is known for its droning vision music and seizure-inducing stage show.” The few tracks I’ve heard were indeed dark, throbbing and psychedelic, yet… strangely catchy. Opening is Lymbyc Systym and Dim Light. $7, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, over at Mick’s, Brad Hoshaw is playing with Cami Rawlings and Boston to Austin. $5, 9 p.m.

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It was a weekend of contrasts at O’Leaver’s. Friday night the bar hosted Sarah Benck and the Robbers and Landing on the Moon featuring new guitarist Matt Carroll, who replaced Shawn Cox last month. Cox, who was at Friday’s show, said musical and personal commitments were piling up and something had to give, adding that Carroll’s guitar skills were going to blow people away. Carroll, who looks like he just turned 21, was impressive, though for whatever reason, his guitar sounded secondary (volume-wise) in the mix. Maybe it was because the band was playing louder — and looser — than usual. Because of their songs’ arrangements and style, LotM can sound somewhat tight on stage — that wasn’t the case Friday night at the jam-packed show. They seemed determined to let it all hang out — and did, to grand effect. The band currently is recording new material with Carroll. More to come…

Call it The O’Leaver’s Effect, but Sarah Benck and her posse also sounded more relaxed than I’ve ever heard them, ripping through a set of their bluesy tunes with laid-back panache. O’Leaver’s usual crowd of drunk, unshaven neighborhood regulars, musicians and vagrants was replaced by a covey of well-dressed female Benck followers including a few choice cougars with their cubs in tow. Purrrrrr….

By Saturday night, the usual O’Leaver’s crowd was back for a night of heavy-hard noise rock/punk. Much to my chagrin I missed the World Premiere of Techlepathy, who I thought was playing later in the evening. Instead, they were first. The buzz afterward: Techlepathy plays epic Midwestern punk rock and are “awesome.” Guess I’ll have to wait to see for myself. I caught the last couple death-hammer songs by Sirhan Sirhan — way too loud for little ol’ O’Leaver’s. Prize Country, on the other hand, was just right — aggressive punk rock by way of Helmet or Bad Religion or Fugazi — super clean, super good, probably the best touring band I’ve heard at O’Leaver’s so far this year. Last up was Omaha’s own Fromanhole, playing injured. Bassist Doug Kiser had accidentally drilled a hole in his index finger prior to the gig. He filled the divot with Krazy Glue to numb the pain, and had to stop halfway through the set to apply a second coating. Despite the disability, it was the usual mathy/angular/chaotic set from the trio, who had spent the day recording new material for an upcoming release.

* * *

Val Nelson from Slowdown e-mailed to say that the new “music venue” ordinance that allows those under 21 to be admitted to shows at Slowdown (and other licensed music venues) goes into effect April 30. The biggest change is that those under 18 must have a notarized permission slip from their parent or legal guardian. Slowdown doesn’t have a notary on staff, but will have an open house with a notary present this Saturday, May 3, from 2 to 5 p.m. They’re encouraging parents with children 17 and under to come down, check out the club and get that permission slip filed.

The consent form can be downloaded online here.

All right, so where the hell else are you supposed to find a notary (and what the hell makes one qualified to be a notary in the first place?)? Well, most First National Bank branch offices have a notary on staff, and if you’ve got an account there, it’s free (or at least it used to be). Check with your bank before you head out.

The new protocol for entry at Slowdown calls for those 18-20 years old to present a valid driver’s license, state ID or passport to get in. For anyone under 21, admission will no be granted until one hour before show time, and they must leave immediately after the performance (and buying some merch). Find out more details at The Slowdown website.

Marc Leibowitz at The Waiting Room said the same permission requirements will apply to his club starting April 30.

* * *

Speaking of Slowdown, there’s an interesting show in the front room tonight featuring Little Rock five-piece American Princes. Their new album, Other People (on Yep Roc), is a quantum step forward from their last album. At times (like on opening track “Auditorium”) the band sounds Paul McCartney fronting Spoon. Local acts Manna and Icares open. 9 p.m., $7.

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I thought it was a nice-sized crowd last night at The Waiting Room for Neva Dinova (I’m guessing 150?), but there were still a few people complaining that the gate seemed a little light. The band didn’t do itself any favors by playing a show just a couple weeks ago at Slowdown Jr. (I’m told it was supposed to be a “secret show,” though there wasn’t anything secret about it.). On top of that, Jake Bellows plays solo acoustic/electric quite often, and even though those sets are different than Neva sets, it’s still Jake up there. If Neva wants to sell out TWR, they have to play less frequently around here (say once every six months?) and make the show an event.

While the Neva set at Slowdown two weeks ago was good, last night’s set was arena-rock quality. The band never sounded bigger or better as they ripped through songs off the new CD. Neva has evolved from being a fun-lovin’ bar band whose performances more resembled band practices than concerts, to a highly honed, highly professional rock act that belongs on any stage. There’s really nothing holding these guys back except luck or lack of it. They just need to get that one break that’ll push them over the hump into the next level. Maybe their move to Saddle Creek will be that extra push. I suspect I’ll be seeing them perform on the Kimmel/Daly/Letterman/Conan/Leno circuit sometime in the near future…

If you missed the show last night, you’ve got a chance to catch the rerun tonight in Lincoln when Neva Dinova plays at Box Awesome with tourmate Ladyhawk and local heroes Outlaw Con Bandana. $8, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, back here in the Big Oh, Sarah Benck and the Robbers are slummin’ it at everyone’s (well, at least my) favorite stinkhole, O’Leaver’s, with Landing on the Moon (tonight featuring a new guitarist). $5, 9:30 p.m.

Down at Slowdown it’s the YWCA Benefit Concert featuring The Wholes, Goodbye Sunday and Eustace. $10 or $7 with student ID. 9 p.m.

Tomorrow night’s marquee attraction is Back When at Slowdown (on the big stage) with Lincoln’s Ideal Cleaners, Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship and The Show Is the Rainbow. I haven’t seen Back When since, well, way back when a couple years ago. Guess it’s about time. $7, 9 p.m.

Also Saturday night, Sokol Underground is hosting a good show (a rarity since One Percent quit booking the room) with Thunder Power!!!, Dan McCarthy and AM Revival. $7, 9 p.m.

Finally, O’Leaver’s wraps up the weekend with an evening of beautiful noise featuring art math metal maniacs Fromanhole, Oregon’s Prize Country, California’s Sirhan Sirhan (featuring former members of KC’s Molly McGuire) and the world debut of Techlepathy, featuring members of Sound of Rails, Putrescine and The Monroes. $5, 9:30 p.m.

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Lots of Conor Oberst news today:

Billboard reported this morning that Oberst signed a deal with Merge to release his first solo record since ’96’s Soundtrack to My Movie. According to Billboard: “The self-titled set is due Aug. 4 and was recorded in January and February in Tepoztlan, Mexico. Oberst is backed on the project by the Mystic Valley Band, the members of whom have not been named. Longtime collaborator Andy LeMaster assisted with the recording, which Oberst produced.” The full story is here.

The CD is a departure for Oberst on many levels — it wasn’t recorded at ARC, it wasn’t produced by Mike Mogis and it won’t come out on Saddle Creek. It’ll be interesting to hear how those differences impact the music, and what it means to the future of Bright Eyes, which in most people’s minds, was a Conor Oberst solo project (with side players) to begin with. There are going to be those who ask, “How could he put something out on a label other than Creek and his own Team Love?” Hey, we’re talking Merge Records here, which over the past two or three years has emerged as the leader among indies. I have a feeling that the record ended up on Merge much the same way Jenny Lewis’ solo record ended on Team Love — the result of a conversation. Conor probably was talking to Mac McCaughan or Laura Ballance and one of them suggested that, hey, you should do a solo record and put it out on Merge. And Conor said “Why not?” followed by “Who’s gonna tell Robb.”

On top of that, I got my new issue of Rolling Stone yesterday and on the cover, sharing space with a dozen or so others, was Oberst. It’s Stone‘s annual “best of” issue, and Oberst was named “Best Songwriter.” Among the comments from the story: “The quality and breadth of Oberst’s songwriting have provoked comparisons to Bob Dylan – an IED of a compliment that exploded the careers of many promising artists before him. Oberst is flattered but not fazed. Now twenty-eight, he pauses for a full ten seconds when asked how his songwriting has changed since adolescence. ‘It’s strange how similar it is,’he says with a laugh. ‘It’s still mysterious to me.'” Read the whole story (written by Anthony Decurtis) here.

I was reading this and thinking that despite the honor, Oberst continues to be flying under the general-public radar. He still hasn’t done a “musical guest” spot on Saturday Night Live (My Morning Jacket is next in the barrel; can Matt Ward be far behind?); and he’s never been given a solo Rolling Stone cover. Is it a scheduling issue? Could be. Probably. Or it could be that he doesn’t want that limelight, though the last person to care about such things is probably Oberst himself.

* * *

The Waiting Room launched a new website this morning that’s a lot easier to navigate (and works better on my iPhone). Check it out at waitingroomlounge.com.

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—

I didn’t go to any shows on Friday night, while I went to three shows on Saturday, sort of. I dropped by at the Earth Day festivities at Elmwood Park Saturday afternoon and caught part of The Pendrakes’ set. Very nice. The crowd was larger than last year’s, probably because of the fine weather (or maybe it was the addition of a beer garden?).

Saturday night I swung by O’Leaver’s. They had just poured their new beer garden patio earlier that day — not huge but big enough, running along the north side of the building just outside the front door, which now will become a patio exit only. The new front door will be the current exit/entrance to the “pool table room.” That means the doorman no longer will be able to watch the shows (Hey, he’s not getting paid to watch them anyway, right?). So, I arrived just in time to see El Diablos Blancos’ five-minute noise-rhythm set squelchingly played to about 15 people. I guess he wasn’t feeling it.

Since it was only around 11:30, I high-tailed it over to what is widely believed to be a den of pure evil — The Saddle Creek Bar. There, I consorted with The Dark Lord accused of high crimes and misdemeanors to the Omaha music scene, and retrieved my winnings. As I mentioned last week, I had a bet riding on the outcome of last Tuesday’s City Council meeting. I played Randolph Duke to Mike Coldewey’s Mortimer Duke, and he paid up: one dollar.

If there’s a back story to the all-ages music venue issue, it’s the demonization of Coldewey. Fact is, few people who I know in the music scene liked him or his brash, straight-forward approach to begin with. Musicians already were avoiding The Saddle Creek Bar either because of the sound system, the lack of free booze for performers or Coldewey’s abrasive tell-it-like-it-is personality that refuses to suffer fools lightly. The fact that he pushed the all-ages issue to the forefront by asking cops what he can and can’t do all-ages-wise at his bar (and the meaning of an existing ordinance that’s never been enforced) only made him more of a pariah to people who never went to his bar in the first place. Accusations that he had a vendetta against Slowdown or The Waiting Room may or may not be true, either way they’re laughable. SCB has never been (and never will be) a competitive threat to those businesses, and had nothing to gain by seeing them ticketed or lose their all-ages shows. Coldewey did have something to lose, however, if cops had busted him with minors in his bar — a bar that unlike Slowdown or The Waiting Room, is not being lauded by the City of Omaha as a cornerstone of neighborhood development. Considering the police presence in his neighborhood, I have little doubt that Coldewey would have been busted, and we all would have ended up in the City Council chambers discussing a “live music” ordinance anyway. The only difference would have been that he’d have been ticketed and/or lost his license and maybe his business. But who cares, right?

Well, I do, and it has nothing to do with Coldewey. My reasons are purely selfish — the Saddle Creek Bar is only a few blocks from my house. It’s convenient, and the Rolling Rock is cold and cheap. Fact is, I only swing by SCB for shows about once every two or three months. Indie music doesn’t work well there probably because of its weird box-like stage and its step-back-in-time sound system. I’ve suggested to Coldewey to back away from indie music altogether. He’ll never be able to book (or afford) the top-flight touring indie bands handled by One Percent, and the local indie bands all hate his guts.

What works well at The Saddle Creek Bar is heavy metal shows, as evidenced by last Saturday night’s Big Al metal showcase. I got there about halfway through a set by an all-female heavy metal band called The Clincher. It didn’t matter if there was a slight error in sibilance in the back of the room — you could hear the roaring guitars and the roaring vocals just fine. Though I was weaned on heavy metal at good ol’ Fat Jack’s (where anyone could get in regardless of age if they were ballsy enough to show their ID), I’m not a metal expert and rarely listen to the genre. That said, The Clincher did what they did pretty well, and the crowd (consisting of a cross-section of bikers, metal dudes, chicks in halters and guys who wear their baseball caps backwards) loved it. They also loved The Big Al Band and its four-word metal epics (“It’s war, you die,” “Boycott The Wal-Mart” “Oregano” and so on…).

SCB should try to become a modern-day version of Fat Jacks. Gary, their sound guy, is a metal fan and knows how to make it sound great in that room. He also has connections in the metal circuit. But it’s unlikely that they’ll ever go all-metal. Coldewey likes the idea of hosting a wide variety of music styles, from blues and jazz to hard rock, metal and yeah, even indie if it attracts a crowd. For him, it’s all about attracting a crowd so he can sell more booze, and isn’t that what running a bar is all about?

* * *

Tonight at Slowdown Jr. it’s Asthmatic Kitty recording artist Half-Handed Cloud. The project’s singer/songwriter, John Ringhofer, has worked with a number of collaborators from the Asthmatic Kitty stable including Sufjan Stevens, and as a result, his music has the same childlike, whimsy quality. Opening is another Ringhofer collaborator, Lake. $7, 9 p.m.

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—

It’s been determined that I’m the only one on the face of this great mothership we call Earth who thought the movie Juno was a piece of shit. That critical overhang has caused me to be less than enthusiastic about tonight’s premiere show, Kimya Dawson at The Waiting Room (with David Dondero, Angelo Spencer and L’Orchidee D’Hawai). I assume the show will attract avid fans of Juno (which happens to be everyone on the face of the Earth but me) dying to hear some songs from the soundtrack, a soundtrack that was unintentionally dumbed down by being associated with such a dopey film (a film that won an Academy Award for best screenplay, by the way, which is yet another reason why I don’t write about film in Lazy-i). $14, 9 p.m. I’m surprised it isn’t sold out yet.

Other than that, there’s not a lot going on tonight. Kyle Harvey’s doing a set at hole-in-the-wall Benson bar Incognito (with John Fino — 9 p.m., free). Maybe it’s time for a visit to The Brothers?

Tomorrow is Earth Day, which we celebrate in this country with day-long concerts interspersed with environmental testimony by people who are supposed to know more than you do about why it’s important to recycle. That’s what you’re in for tomorrow afternoon in Elmwood Park. Highlight performances include Black Squirrels at 3:30, Bear Country at 4:20, Pendrakes at 5:10, Son Ambulance at 6:10 and Sarah Bench/Robbers at 7:10.

Also tomorrow afternoon, Homer’s is celebrating “Record Store Day” with in-store performances at its Old Market location by Bear Country, Jake Bellows and Matt Whipkey starting at 1 p.m.

Tomorrow night it’s El Diablos Blancos and Endometrium Cuntplow at O’Leaver’s. I’ve never heard of either band, but it’s at O’Leaver’s so it has to be good, right? $5, 9:30 p.m.

Also tomorrow night, Talkin’ Mountain is playing at PS Collective with Chow Nasty and Columbia Vs. Challenger. $5, 9 p.m.

And downtown at Slowdown it’s fun-lovin’ Philly angle-rockers Man Man (Anti Records) with Yeasayer (who were just here in February). $12, 9 p.m.

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—

The biggest surprise from people who got a sneak-peek of this just-posted, rather long Lazy-i feature on Neva Dinova (read it here) is how the band has been around for 15 years. That’s a long time. In fact, as I mentioned in the first feature I wrote about the band more than six years ago (here), I first saw Neva when they opened for Commander Venus and Norman Bailer sometime around ’95 at the Capital Bar and Grill.

This new story takes up where the last one left off. The band talks about their 2004 split EP with Bright Eyes, their relationship with Crank! Records, their slow decline due to endless booze-fueled tours, their near break-up and their sort-of rebirth, as well as overcoming a mountain of obstacles to make their new album. Take a look.

Among the stuff that didn’t make it into the story was an update on Bo Anderson, the band’s original drummer who was replaced by Roger Lewis in the summer of 2003. Lewis said Anderson left the band to practice law in Houston, Missouri, a small town nestled on the edge of the Ozarks about 100 miles east of Springfield. “The opportunity arose for him to take over his father’s law practice and settle down with his wife and kids,” Lewis said. “He took that path as opposed to being in a rock band and not making any money.” Anderson also is either a city or county prosecutor, depending on which member of Neva you ask.

Neva Dinova’s April 24 show at The Waiting Room (and their April 25 show at Box Awesome in Lincoln) is the front end of a tour with Ladyhawk that runs through June 1. Come out next week and wish the band well before they hit the road.

* * *

Speaking of shows, there’s a hot one tonight at Slowdown Jr. featuring Ladyfinger and Dance Me Pregnant. The bands are celebrating the release of a split 7-inch on Belfast label No Dancing Records, whose roster includes Desert Hearts and the super-talented Robyn G Shiels. How this tiny Irish label managed to find Ladyfinger and DMP is anybody’s guess. I’m told that there is an extremely limited number of copies of the split available, so get them while you can. This show is guaranteed to be crowded and brutal. Opening is out-of-town band His Mischief. $8, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, a super-rare solo performance at Mick’s by Mike Friedman, one of the best guitarists in the area. Friedman plays with Simon Joyner as well as Reagan and the Rayguns (and was a member of The Movies). Also on the bill are Heather Wessling and Black Squirrels. $5, 9 p.m.

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—