Due to a broken pipe in my basement, I arrived at last night’s Neil Young concert four minutes before he went on stage — I couldn’t have planned it any better. After three shows at Qwest where my seats were abysmal (Fleetwood Mac, The Who, Springsteen), I had prime seating for this show — atop the first tier, right by section 120 — terrific sight lines. There were plenty of other good seats available, too, as the upper tiers were curtained off and only about half the floor was filled. The OWH is reporting attendance of 6,000 — pathetic. Despite being one of the best live touring performers in history (his live CDs and concert films are as popular as his studio recordings) no one really expected Young to sell out or even draw very well here — more testimony to the current listening trends of the American Idol/Hannah Montana sink-hole generation.

Anyway, right around 9:30, Neil and his band ripped into their opening number, and like Qwest shows, I was startled at how bad it sounded — not Neil, but the Qwest’s sound system. It had all the dynamics of a transistor radio. Teresa turned to me and said “Wow, this sounds just plain bad.” Really bad. And it never got any better, though just like when you listen to your buddy’s shitty car stereo, after awhile you think it sounds better, when in fact it doesn’t. Part of the problem is the cow barn’s terrible acoustics, part of the problem is being spoiled by Slowdown and The Waiting Room. And part of it is my general dislike for arena shows. I don’t know, maybe all arena shows sound like shit these days…

It didn’t stop Neil and the boys from putting on one helluva show, though. No one’s updated the set list at sugarmtn site, but what he played was close to what he’s been doing the last few nights (which are listed there). The highlights were 10-minute-plus versions of “Change Your Mind” and “Down By the River,” as well as a sweet version of “Tonight’s the Night.” Despite being in his early 60s, Young’s voice is solid, as is his roaring guitar work. The only sign of age other than his general puffy, old-dude-with-long-hair appearance was flubbing up “Cinnamon Girl” and “The Needle and the Damage Done,” both of which he had to start over.

The concert’s highlight was the encore — a violent version of Beatle’s “A Day in the Life,” where Young tore out the strings on his Les Paul and left it leaning against an amp, battered and broken.

* * *

Here are a few web stories of note:

The first reviews of Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band’s upcoming album, Outer South, have surfaced in the webosphere. In this review, The UConn Daily Campus gave it 3 out of 5 stars, summarizing with: “Much like other wunderkinds who produce a lot of material, Oberst just needs to find himself a capable editor before producing an album that is more subpar than superior. This album walks that line precariously – but it’s such a tight line that one can’t help but wonder when it will snap.”

The LA Times was even less complimentary in this review, giving the album two stars and saying: “If only Oberst had seared more of his sirloin-steak country-rock with a fraught sense of place, the “Outer South” of his title that’s left largely unexplored.”

Don’t ask me. I’ve yet to hear the disc.

Cursive is in the midst of a publicity tour. In an interview in the GW Hatchet, guitarist Ted Stevens gives props to The Better Beatles: “There’s another band called The Better Beatles that are from Omaha. I just heard of them right before I left on this tour. It’s kind of a No Wave, early ’80s artsy project where they get a bunch of Beatles music with just a synthesizer and a bass and a little bit of that New York – like I said, No Wave – that Laurie Anderson kind of spoken word. It’s pretty hilarious; I’ve been trying to turn people onto BetterBeatles.com. It’s really interesting for a band that existed for probably one afternoon [laughing] and they made one record; it’s pretty incredible … what they’re doing with that record. It just got reissued.” He also talks about the joys of reading Dan Brown.

In another Kasher interview, this time with The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (read it here), Tim talks about opening for Mastodon: “Opening for a metal band, there was the fear of being booed off stage night after night. It really worked out great. It’s funny, the first night there was this huge guy in the middle of the crowd, friendly, big smile on his face, flipping us off. His smile said, ‘Hey, buddy, don’t take it too hard. Understand that you’re opening for Mastodon. I don’t give a [expletive] about you.’ I laughed about it. He wasn’t antagonizing. That was the last time we got any heckling.”

The Faint also have been getting some web attention in the past few days. My favorite Q&A exchange from this piece in blackbookmag.com:

BBM: Where’s the craziest place you’ve had sex?
TF: “Someone else’s house while they were trying to sell it to us.”

Nice.

* * *

Singer/songwriter Sarah Xiong opens for Andrew Ancona tonight at The Barley St. $5, 9 p.m.

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—

Just to clarify, I don’t recommend the U2 CD — it rates a “no.” All of the others get a firm “yes.” A few others worth checking out that didn’t make it into the column: A.E. Newman, Get Guilty; Alela Diane, To Be Still; Beep Beep, Enchanted Islands; Bonnie Prince Billy, Beware; Elvis Perkins in Dearland, self titled; Heartless Bastards, The Mountain; Little Brazil, Son; M. Ward, Hold Time; Maria Taylor, Ladyluck; Micachu & The Shapes, Jewellery; Mogwai, The Hawk Is Howling; Neko Case, Middle Cyclone; Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship, My Name Is What Is Your Name; Sebastien Tellier, Kilometer; The Show Is the Rainbow, Wet Fist; The Thermals, Now We Can See; Thin Lizzy, Still Dangerous – Live 1977.

Column 219: 13 for Summer
Capsule reviews of recent releases.

Here’s another one of those what-have-you-been-listening-to-lately columns to stave off readers dying for music suggestions as we head toward summer. I realized after rereading these that they’re written in a sort-of short-hand — you have to know something about these bands or this style of music or else these caplettes will read like someone with tourettes barking out an iPod playlist. You’ll figure it out.

Camera Obscura, My Maudlin Career (4AD) — As if channeling Phil Spector or the Ronnettes or something that your folks’ folks grew up listening to, but jazzed up like modern swing without a hint of nostalgic irony, thanks to Tracyanne Campbell’s shiny-lipstick voice. Leave it to some Glasgowians to show us how to reinvent classic American pop.

O+S, self-titled (Saddle Creek) — The sell-point is Scalpelist (a.k.a. Cedric LeMoyne) adding his thick, throbbing, exotic rhythms to Orenda Fink’s downcast, typically passive love/lost songs. In the end, it’s a Fink solo album, as moody and down-tempo as everything she’s done before. And “The Fox” is the prettiest, saddest, slightest song of her career.

U2, No Line on the Horizon (Interscope) — It’s not so much that it sounds uninspired as much as it sounds like they were trying to capture an earnest buzz not heard since The Joshua Tree. The result is a hodge-podge of shadowy guitar reflections heard on better albums. In the end, it made me like their older material that much more, and made me wonder if they’ll ever come up with anything groundbreaking again.

Belle & Sebastian, The BBC Sessions (Matador) — Back when they were young and sinister, the album collects some of their most obscure — and most essential (at least to fans) — recordings, including a handful you’ve never heard before unless you tuned to John Peel. The stripped-down, breathy production reveals a whole ‘nuther, twee-ish view of their intricate, heartfelt songwriting.

Glasvegas, self-titled (Columbia) — Like a Scottish version of Interpol laced with equal parts of The Cure and Simple Minds, they take songs “Geraldine” and “It’s My Own Cheating Heart that Makes Me Cry,” to gigantic, anthem-sized proportions. Throughout, the brogue is unabashed — on the shimmering do-wopper “Daddy’s Song,” crooner James Allen sings “Forget your da, he’s gone.” Not dad, da. One of the most hyped bands going, and worth all of it.

Depeche Mode, Sounds of the Universe (EMI) — When I say it sounds like 1988, I mean the 1988 seen in a film adaptation of a Bret Easton Ellis novel — rich kids driving in shiny convertibles on their way to a late-night El Lay party, blurred on coke, looking for a backyard swimming pool to pass out next to. No one makes mid-tempo electronic music like this anymore, though that hasn’t stopped bands from trying. Their best album since ’93’s Songs of Faith and Devotion.

Jarvis Cocker, Further Complications (Rough Trade) — Nevermind that Steve Albini recorded it (What’d you expect? A Big Black album?), it still has the same strut and swagger one wants and expects from a Jarvis Cocker/Pulp record, with something a little harder (“Homewrecker,” “Pilchard,” the title track) tossed in to shake things up.

Lloyd Cole, Cleaning Out the Ashtrays (Tapete) — Included because I’m his biggest (and only) fan in Omaha, here’s a 59-track, 4 CD box set of b-sides and rarities that span from 1989 to 2006 and includes extensive notes that explain where the recordings came from and why they never saw the light of day. I still say he’s our best living literary pop-song writer.

Los Campesinos!, We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed (Arts & Crafts) — This band of Cardiff, Wales, rebels is getting by on the idea that if you shout loud enough — together and in a group — you can make any miserable situation go away. Maybe they’re right. On the same label as Broken Social Scene (though punkier than any of their label mates).

Morrissey, Years of Refusal (Lost Highway) — Is it me or are all of Moz’s albums beginning to sound the same, like since Vauxhall and I? Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing, but the songs are starting to grow as gray as his sideburns. Still, it’s worth it for standouts like the booming “Black Cloud,” and the chiming, soaring “I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris” which, yes, we’ve heard before, but never seem to grow tired of (at least I don’t).

Peaches, I Feel Cream (XL) — Boom-box bass, electro-clash synth, simple 1-2-3-4 kick drum, and a woman with a filthy mouth who “don’t give a f__k if you fall for me.” This dance-floor Wendy O. Williams is at her best when she’s sassin’ ya with her sex jive and bragging that she’ll “f__k you like a billionaire,” vs. when she’s trying to channel Heart-of-Glass-era Blondie. But as infectious as the beats are, she can only “keep it up” for so long.

The Strange Boys, The Strange Boys And Girls Club (In the Red) — Garage rock by way of dawn-of-time Rolling Stones, Them, The Count Five, The Blue Magoos, all the usual suspects. The up-jump jangle belies songs with titles like “They’re Building the Death Camps,” “Should Have Shot Paul,” and “Death and All the Rest.” Don’t worry, it’s all in good fun, and good fun it is.

Dark Was the Night, various artists, (4AD) — A can’t-lose double-CD (or triple-vinyl) album that compiles previously unreleased songs from current-day indie royalty, from Andrew Bird to Yo La Tengo and 30 artists in between, including Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, My Morning Jacket and Spoon, with proceeds going to the Red Hot Organization dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS. The most satisfying indie music comp I’ve heard in years.

* * *

Tonight is the Benefit Music Show for Erin and Ariann Anderson at The Waiting Room. The Andersons’ parents, Karla and Robert Anderson, were the couple who died March 30 in their Dundee home — the alleged victims of a murder-suicide. Performing at the show are Song Remains the Same, Grand Theft Girlfriend, Goodbye Sunday, and Awake and Dreaming. The show starts at 8, and the minimum donation is $10.

Also tonight, Ha Ha Tonka plays at Slowdown Jr. with Tie These Hands and Ben Weaver. $8, 9 p.m. Me, I’ll be at Neil Young at the Qwest Center. Opening is Neil Young protégés Everest and the Neville Brothers. Show starts at 7:30 — I’ll get there around 9. Tix are still available.

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, I suggested to Lincoln Calling organizer Jeremy Buckley that he should put together a weekend of shows in Benson that feature all Lincoln bands. Maybe call it Lincoln Invasion. Now a few years later, Lincoln Invasion is becoming a reality. In fact, Buckley just sent me the preliminary schedule for the event, which will be held June 19 and 20 at three Benson venues — The Waiting Room, PS Collective and The Barley St. Tavern.

“It’s still seven-plus weeks out so we might have a band cancel or add, but hopefully we don’t screw with too much,” Buckley said. “We’re doing a $5 cover each night — the cover will get you into all three shows (Barley St. is 21+). We have 10 bands on Friday and 12 on Saturday and I think it’s a good representation of what’s going in Lincoln musically these days.”

So do I. A few bands are obviously missing (Eagle*Seagull, UUVVWWZ, For Against, etc.), but Buckley said that’s partially due to scheduling conflicts (i.e., they’re on the road). He said that he’s also “hoping to set up a bus excursion from Lincoln to Omaha and back each night so fans that don’t want to drive up there personally can go with a bunch of other music fans. If we pull this off it will be a true Lincoln Invasion.”

Here’s the schedule, along with the bands’ myspace addresses:

Friday, June 19

The Waiting Room

9:40-10:30 The Machete Archive www.myspace.com/themachetearchive
10:50-11:35 Ideal Cleaners www.myspace.com/idealcleaners
11:55-12:40 The Show is the Rainbow www.myspace.com/theshowistherainbow

PS Collective

9:30-10:20 The Allendales www.myspace.com/theallendales
10:40-11:40 Lucas Kellison and the Assembled Soul www.myspace.com/lucaskellison
12-1 Andrews Ave www.myspace.com/andrewsave

The Barley Street Tavern

9:20-10 Triggertown www.myspace.com/triggertown
10:20-11:00 The Amalgamators www.myspace.com/theamalgamators
11:20-12 Pharmacy Spirits www.myspace.com/pharmacyspirits
12:20-1:00 Big Gigantic www.myspace.com/biggiganticmusic

Saturday, June 20

The Waiting Room

9:40-10:10 Manny Coon www.myspace.com/mannycoon
10:20-11 Crush the Clown www.myspace.com/crushtheclown
11:20-12 Domestica www.myspace.com/domesticajr
12:20-1 Somasphere www.myspace.com/somasphere

PS Collective

9:10-9:50 Gooses www.myspace.com/goosesgooses
10:10-10:50 Once a Pawn www.myspace.com/onceapawnmusic
11:10-11:50 Columbia Vs Challenger www.myspace.com/columbiavschallenger
12:10-12:50 Knots www.myspace.com/knotit

Barley St. Tavern

9:00-9:40 AM Revival www.myspace.com/amrevival
10-10:40 Jodie Loves Hinckley www.myspace.com/jodieloveshinckley
11-11:40 Orion Walsh www.myspace.com/orionwalsh
12-12:40 Strawberry Burns www.myspace.com/strawberryburns

This festival, of course, will not preclude the annual Lincoln Calling festival, which will be held Sept. 30 through Oct. 4. More info as it becomes available…

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—

Friday night’s Maria Taylor show at The Waiting Room wasn’t quite a sell-out but looked pretty darn close. I caught the last two or three hoe-down-inspired tunes by Whispertown 2000 — a six-piece that included Taylor. Everyone in the band had amazing heads of dark-brown hair — maybe they should change their names to The Brunettes (Oops, that name’s already taken). Taylor and her band came on at around 11 and sounded their usual spot-on selves, playing a nice selection of old songs and new stuff off Ladyluck. Here’s a pic from the show.

The running gag throughout the set was Craig Reier’s wedding the following day in Lincoln. The keyboardist played the show in a formal suit, apparently coming to the club right after a rehearsal dinner. Many offers were made to buy him a shot to help him get through the next day, but Reier wisely stayed away from the hard stuff. The celebratory tone carried over throughout the evening, with the Taylor’s band and members of Whispertown joining for a raucous cover of “Song Beneath the Song” to close out the set.

I didn’t know if I was going to catch any of Big Al’s “Free Music Festival” last weekend, but ended up down at the Saddle Creek Bar for at least an hour both nights. There was about 60 people on hand both evenings (not including band members) — not bad. Al did his usual, fun-loving heavy-metal set that included such “classics” as “It’s War, You Die,” and a new song about people who text and Twitter with their cell phones. In fact, on stage on night one, Al directed that song right at me, saying, “TMac is probably twittering a review of this show right now.” He was right (Follow my Twitter feed here). Half of the fun of Al’s stage presence (and songs like “Oregano”) is his carnival-barker personality behind the microphone. So while I still don’t understand why he didn’t charge at least $5 (or $3 or $2) for the show, I’ve got to hand it to him for pulling it off.

* * *

There’s an extensive interview with Tim Kasher that was posted today on A.V. Club (right here) that covers everything from his past band break-ups, to listening to old Cursive albums (specifically The Storms of Early Summer), to the status of his Help Wanted Nights — the script, not the album, the production of which appears to be in limbo. Check it out.

* * *

Tonight, it’s the whiskey swagger of Dim Light at O’Leaver’s with Drakes Hotel and Junius. $5, 9:30 p.m.

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—

Last night started at the sold-out M. Ward show at Slowdown. Ward went on shortly after 10:30 for a 5-man low-key urban hoedown in support of his new album, Hold Time (Merge Records) which I recommend. The music is middle-of-the-road ’70s-style countrified folk-rock, differentiated by its thick beat and Ward’s miraculous guitar prowess, not to mention his raspy croon. On stage, he was the young guy in the trucker cap surrounded by what looked like a veteran crew of sidemen who followed his lead to perfection.

There is a timeless quality to Ward’s music, an easy simplicity that masks a deceptive intricacy. It’s considered indie rock, probably because of Merge and his ties to other indie rock performers (not the least of which is Zooey Deschanel), but Ward’s music exceeds the boundaries of any trends. I get the feeling he’ll be playing his songs for the next 40 years, and they’ll always sound just as good as they did last night. I’m also not sure where he falls in the cadre of classic singer songwriters. He’s not angry enough for Johnny Cash; too urban for Woody Guthrie; too rootsy for Glen Campbell. Most often, he reminded me of Kris Kristofferson, maybe because the song he was singing — alone on stage — when I wrote this note was a dead ringer for “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” but with Ward’s moonlight guitar chords and his wispy singing style has become his trademark.

Memorable between-song comment: “We’ve been traveling all over the country. It’s nice to be in a place that feels like home.” Shortly before that, I took a couple pictures with my iPhone, but was told to stop by a Slowdown guy who couldn’t have been cooler. So I guess that makes this photo contraband.

I cut out before the encore so I could drive cross-town to O’Leaver’s for The Photo Atlas. Fortnight was still on stage when I arrived, playing its brand of indie-pop. They get better every time I see them. When are they going into the studio?

The Photo Atlas took over at midnight for a set of twitch-dance-rock that reminded me of The Rapture, sort of. It was shiny post-punk with an ever-present dance beat beneath everything all the time. Chatting with folks around the bar, the consensus — regardless of whether they liked the music or not — was that this is the kind of band that a label could turn into something huge, at least with 15-year-old girls. I think there’s more to them than that, but then again, I like twitchy-dance rock. Here they are in action.

* * *

Let’s get to the weekend. Tonight at The Waiting Room it’s Nettwerk Recording artist Maria Taylor with Whispertown 2000 and our very own McCarthy Trenching. Tickets are still available for only $9. I wouldn’t be surprised if this sells out prior to showtime.

Also tonight at O’Leaver’s it’s San Francisco duo Tartufi with local heroes Fromanhole and new band (as far as I know) Wall Street Kids featuring members of Perry H. Matthews and Gnome Slaughterhouse (who remembers them?). $5, 9:30 p.m.

Tomorrow night The Thermals play at Slowdown Jr. with The Shaky Hands & Point Juncture, WA. $12, 9 p.m. Thermals’ new album, Now We Can See, is a pop gem. This will be tons of fun.

Also Saturday night, singer/songwriter Nick Jaina is playing at The Barley Street with Midwest Dilemma, Robert Adam HauG and Lincoln Dickison. Jaina’s new album, A Narrow Way, is loaded with good, lowkey indie folk. $5, 9 p.m.

Of course, going on both Friday and Saturday nights is Big Al’s Free Music Festival at the Saddle Creek Bar. 12 bands, two nights, all the details are here.

Column 218: Holiday on Vinyl
Record Store Day afterglow…

Records Store Day has come and gone and now we wait another year for the next one.

The discussion in the Twitter/Facebook-sphere afterward: What did you score? Among my haul purchased at the Old Market Homer’s — only one RSD exclusive: The Flaming Lips with Stardeath and White Dwarfs / Black Lips split 7-inch on luscious seafoam-green vinyl, bought on the recommendation of a local record label honcho. As I type this, I’m listening as Wayne Coyne’s spacey whisper-love cover of Madoonie’s “Borderline.” The rest of my Saturday booty was all CDs: Neko Case’s Middle Cyclone, Pete Molinari’s A Virtual Landslide, Thin Lizzy’s Still Dangerous: Live at the Tower Theater, Philadelphia 1977 and Art Brut’s 2007 release It’s a Bit Complicated. Most of these were recommended by Homer’s staff (The number one reason I shop at record stores is staff recommendations).

Alas, the two things I specifically came to pick up weren’t available. The Cursive/Ladyfinger 4-song 10-inch split picture disc sold out immediately (The aforementioned label honcho said that it’ll be available on the Saddle Creek website for purchase, eventually), while I was told that the Neil Young Sugar Mountain Live at Canterbury House 1968 2LP set was never in stock. Disappointed? Yes.

Regardless, the event looked like it was a success. At 1 p.m. Homer’s was packed with folks mulling around like cattle trying to find the exclusives along with whatever else they needed to pick up. Meanwhile, in the front of the store, KC duo Far Beyond Frail was providing the shopping soundtrack. Funny thing: It really did feel like a holiday. Homer’s top dog Mike Fratt did his job generating hype for the event, and people I know were eager to participate. There were also crowds of shoppers up the street at Drastic Plastic and The Antiquarium thumbing through the vinyl bins.

So the question that’s begging to be asked: Why can’t every day be Record Store Day? Why do the national indie stores only come together once a year to provide exclusive releases, in-store performances and other promotion? I asked Fratt via email but didn’t hear back from him by deadline (I’m told he was on vacation). I suspect the answer has to do with the event’s overall costs. Still, with indie record stores under attack by everyone from online Somali-like pirates and faceless box stores like Best Buy, they’re going to have to keep a Record-Store-Day level of interest going all year ’round.

It’s time that record stores return to their roles as gathering spots for music lovers and hubs for products that can’t be found anywhere else, especially online.

* * *

The city announced that this year’s “youth concert” in Memorial Park will be June 6, and the headliner will be Gomez, a band that hasn’t had a notable record in 10 years and would likely be playing Slowdown or The Waiting Room if this “opportunity” hadn’t presented itself.

According to an article by Kevin Coffey in the Omaha World-Herald, Mayor Mike Fahey worked with “a St. Louis-based talent scout to line up bands.” It’s not as if Fahey didn’t have other promotional options locally, including One Percent Productions, who at least could have found someone who has released a popular record this century. Needless to say, booking a show like the Memorial Park gig probably needs to be done a year in advance — as in right now for next summer — if you want someone with a broad appeal but that still targets a younger demographic, such as Wilco, Death Cab, Belle and Sebastian, PJ Harvey, MGMT, etc.

Depending on the weather, I suspect this will be one of the least-attended of the park concerts. Having been to all four previous events, the largest hands-down was 311 in 2004, followed by Feist last year, Bright Eyes in ’06 and Plain White T’s in 2007 where fewer than 3,000 people showed up (despite the city’s estimate of 10k, which was pure malarkey).

Now the big question: What local bands (if any) will open? Last year The Good Life did a controversial set that was the highlight of the evening. If the city could get The Faint, they might be able to draw a sizable crowd both locally and from out of state. Too bad The Faint has a moratorium on outdoor shows. So who decides…?

* * *

I generally don’t hype shows in this column — we’ve got an event calendar and our 8-Days section for that sort of thing. Still, I feel compelled to mention the Benefit Music Show for Erin and Ariann Anderson next Wednesday, April 29, at The Waiting Room. The press release issued for the benefit doesn’t mention the story at its core — that the Anderson’s parents, Karla and Robert Anderson, were the couple who died March 30 in their Dundee home — the alleged victims of a murder-suicide. I know Ariann as the singer in long-gone indie band Echo Farm, who I interviewed way back in 1998. Performing at the show are Song Remains the Same, Grand Theft Girlfriend, Goodbye Sunday, and Awake and Dreaming.

I also feel “compelled” to mention the Big Al “Free Music Festival” at the Saddle Creek Bar this Friday and Saturday night. Eleven bands are taking part, including The Filter Kings, Sarah Benck, No Blood Orphan and, of course, The Big Al Band, whose epic anthem “It’s War, You Die” has become the theme song at local area fitness centers (or at least the one Al works at). So there’s your promo, Al, now GET OFF MY BACK.

Ah, deadlines. Literally a few hours after my column went to press, Mr. Fratt responded to my e-mail questions regarding RSD. Fratt said business for the event was “WAY up” this year. “We were up 88 percent over last year,” he wrote. “Even beyond the goals I gave the stores. Last year our bump was only 20 percent so this year’s numbers are really good.” In fact, nationally, RSD business was up 28 percent over ’08. He gives some of the credit to a strong media presence both nationally and locally.

So why not have this level of intense promotion all year ’round instead of just once a year? Fratt says he does, with at least two in-stores per month and 130 exclusives offered last year. “What makes the difference is the national media exposure and the combined efforts of all indies; something that would be difficult to arrange on a daily basis,” he said. “It would lose its impact if we tried to say ‘Everyday is Record Store Day.’ Although the desire is to get people to get into stores everyday by focusing on what we do one day a year.

“Lots of under-20-year-olds don’t even know we exist or think we, too, are a national chain because, hell, everything is anymore.”

And what happend to my Neil Young album? “Bill, our buyer, got cold feet on the Neil Young vinyl because it was $64.98 list, so sorry about that,” Fratt said. He also passed along a list of upcoming in-store performances:

April 24 (Friday): Maria Taylor in the Old Market store, 5:30 p.m.
May 5, Ben Harper listening party at Orchard Plaza, 5:30 p.m.
May 6, Other Lives in the Old Market store, 5:30 p.m. (Elvis Perkins’ band may do this, too)
May 25, Grizzly Bear listening party at Orchard Plaza, 3 to 6 p.m.

* * *

According to their publicist, Little Brazil‘s album, Son, has weighed in at No. 67 in this week’s College Music Journal top-200, up 58 spots from the previous week, with 20 stations adding the album this week.

* * *

Tonight at Slowdown it’s M Ward with The Watson Twins, and yes, it’s SOLD OUT. No tix? You’ve got a couple other solid shows to choose from:

— The 1090 Club, The Photo Atlas and Fortnight are all playing at O’Leaver’s tonight for just $5. What’s going on with O’Leaver’s? Suddenly they’re booking awesome shows almost every night. It’s like 2005 all over again.

— Over at The Sydney (formerly Mick’s), Ladyfinger takes the stage with Paria. Think it’ll be loud? $5, 10 p.m. When is The Sydney going to get a website? Let’s get on that, Jamie.

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—

Just posted, the Lazy-i interview with Maria Taylor, right here. Maria talks about leaving Omaha, leaving Saddle Creek, and the end of a relationship (with Conor? She’s not saying…). She also talks about her poppy new album, Ladyluck, and working with (among others) R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe. It’s a barrel of fun. In the end, Taylor was sometimes elusive but never unwilling to talk (or explain things, off the record). Give it a read, then run out and buy your tickets to Friday night’s show at The Waiting Room. Opening is Whispertown 2000 and McCarthy Trenching. Let’s give Maria a homecoming she deserves.

* * *

Tonight at The Waiting Room it’s Drew Smith’s Lonely Choir, a guy who counts among his influences Harry Nilsson, Van Morrison and Ray Davies. And according to his bio on the Waiting Room website, he once joined a band in Omaha. What band would that be? Opening is Matt Whipkey (doing a solo set). $7, 9 p.m.

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—

Techlepathy played their usual post rock / noise / math-groove set last Friday night at O’Leaver’s to a smallish crowd of around 30. Here’s an action photo from the show that of course doesn’t capture the disturbing energy coming off the stage. Their music is intricate and abrasive, nothing that you’d mistake for pop. But just as I was thinking that — about two or three songs from the end of their set — the band rolled out a new song that was surprisingly poppish — or at least started out that way before devolving into their usual brutal fun.

* * *

Two noteworthy shows are on tap tonight setting off a strong week of shows. Tonight at O’Leaver’s Minneapolis post-rock phenoms Vampire Hands play with Dance Me Pregnant and Perry H. Matthews. When VH came through O’Leaver’s last September, a patio chair almost went through someone’s back windshield (see review here). Strange days indeed. $5, 9:30 p.m. Meanwhile over at The Waiting Room, Cleveland indie band Pomegranates (Lujo Records) takes the stage with Baltimore duo Wye Oak (Merge Records) and Omaha’s very own Honey and Darling. $8, 9 p.m.

Coming soon (tomorrow? Thursday?): An interview with Maria Taylor.

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—

The city announced that this year’s “youth concert” in Memorial Park will be June 6, and the headliner will be Gomez, a band that hasn’t had a hit record in 10 years and would likely be playing Slowdown or The Waiting Room if this “opportunity” hadn’t presented itself. According to Kevin Coffey’s OWH article, Fahey worked with “a St. Louis-based talent scout to line up bands.” It’s not as if Fahey didn’t have other promotional options locally — i.e., One Percent Productions, who at least could have found someone who has put out a decent record this century. Needless to say, booking a show like the Memorial Park gig probably needs to be done a year in advance — as in right now for next summer — if you want someone with a broad appeal but that still targets a younger demographic, such as Wilco, Death Cab, Belle and Sebastian, Morrissey, PJ Harvey, MGMT, etc.

Depending on the weather, I suspect this will be one of the least-attended of the park concerts. Having been to all four previous events, the largest hands-down was 311 in 2004, followed by Feist last year, Bright Eyes in ’06 and Plain White T’s in 2007 where fewer than 3,000 people showed up (despite the city’s estimate of 10k, which was pure malarkey).

Now the big question: What local bands (if any) will open? Last year The Good Life did a controversial set that was the highlight of the evening. If the city could get The Faint, they might be able to draw a sizable crowd both locally and from out of state. Too bad The Faint has a moratorium on outdoor shows. Wonder who decides…

* * *

Pitchfork has weighed in on Ladyfinger’s Dusk with a 6.2 — a rating that’s par for the course for almost all Saddle Creek releases (read it here). The summary: “Ladyfinger (ne) are obviously a talented bunch, but they’re trying to crack open the rock ‘n’ roll firmament with ball-peen hammers, chiseling grooves without making any real breakthroughs. Which is fine in therapy, but not if you’re rocking with your cock out. So to speak.” The writer’s assessment would hold more water if she could get the names of the songs correct: It’s “Plans” not “Plums.”

* * *

Tonight at O’Leaver’s, Speed! Nebraska is welcoming its two newest bands to the label: Wagon Blasters and Techlepathy. Both bands are kind of connected to the label — Wagon Blasters’ frontman Gary Dean Davis runs Speed! Nebraska with help from Techlepathy’s Lincoln Dickison (read about the label here). $5, 9:30 p.m.

Also tonight, Des Moines’ band North of Grand plays at The 49’r with live karaoke rockers Girl Drink Drunk. Down at Slowdown Jr., Midwest Dilemma headlines a show with Anniversaire, Cameron McGill And What Army and McCarthy Trenching. $7, 9 p.m.

As mentioned yesterday, tomorrow is Record Store Day at all Homer’s locations, Drastic Plastic and The Antiquarium. I’m told that as part of the event, The Antiquarium will be giving away copies of Fullblown’s Agents of Entropy CD with any purchase. Nice. Performers Far Beyond Frail, Brad Hoshaw and Matt Cox will be doing in-stores at the Old Market Homer’s starting at 1 p.m.

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—

I don’t know if I mentioned this to you or not (actually, I have), but I’ve got a little over $800 in store credit at Homer’s. And I plan to drop a large chunk of it this Saturday at “Record Store Day.”

The event, founded in 2007, is celebrated each year on the third Saturday of April and involves 700 independently owned record stores, which are defined as “a physical retailer whose product line consists of at least 50 percent music retail, whose company is not publicly traded and whose ownership is at least 70 percent located in the state of operation” — i.e., the Good Guys.

It’s not just Homer’s who’s involved — The Antiquarium and Drastic Plastic also are participating, which I guess means they’ll be offering some of the event’s exclusive, limited-edition merch. What kind of merch? Well, the full list is online here.

What each store will actually have on hand is the real question, and will also depend on when you get there, because I assume all of this stuff is very limited. What am I interested in? Well, the Cursive/Ladyfinger 4-song 10-inch split picture disc (two unreleased and two “new” tracks) limited to 1,500 copies; the Neil Young Sugar Mountain Live at Canterbury House 1968 2LP set; The Yeah’s new LP; The Smiths The Headmaster Ritual/Oscillate Wildly 7″; the Camera Obscura 7-inch, and that’s just for starters. I’m open to suggestions. And apparently there are performances by Matt Cox, Far Beyond Frail, Brad Hoshaw and others downtown at the Old Market location, but I’m not sure of the schedule.

So drop in on any of the local record joints Saturday and buy something. Seriously, when was the last time you went to a record store?

* * *

Seattle singer/songwriter Unwed Sailor a.k.a. Johnathon Ford is playing at O’Leaver’s tonight with Landing on the Moon, $5, 9:30 p.m. Also tonight, Little Black Stereo plays at The Barley Street with Down with the Ship and Sweet Pea.

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—