So I’m back from my brief medical hiatus, not at full-speed but getting there. It’s amazing how much stuff happens when you disconnect for even a couple days. The death of Jay Reatard disturbed me more than I thought it would. I write about it and the 49’r in this week’s column (which goes online Wednesday). I keep looking online for more information about his death, but it just ain’t there. Here’s a story about his funeral (which was Saturday) that appeared in the Memphis Flyer, including a eulogy written by Eric Friedl of Goner Records.

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Well, today’s the last chance to get in on the drawing to win a copy of the Lazy-i Best of 2009 Sampler CD. To get your name in the hat, send me an e-mail (to tim@lazy-i.com) with your name and mailing address. It’s that simple. I’ll announce the winners tomorrow!

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I picked the right time to be taken off my feet. It’s been quiet from a show perspective the last few weeks. Something tells me that’s all going to change Thursday night…

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—

…while I recover from surgery…

In the meantime…

Here’s another reminder that you’ve got a week to enter to win a copy of the Lazy-i Best of 2009 Sampler CD. It’s my annual best-of-the-best collection, and this year includes songs by Yo La Tengo, Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Box Elders, Micachu and the Shapes, Cursive, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, The xx, Digital Leather, Pete Yorn, Peaches, Ladyfinger, The Avett Brothers, Maria Taylor and more. Full track listing is here. To get your name in the hat, send me an e-mail (to tim@lazy-i.com) with your name and mailing address. It’s that simple. And considering the number of people who have entered so far, your odds of winning are pretty damn good. Deadline is Jan. 18.

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—

A final word on my music predictions as we move forward into 2010: People love them, which is yet another reason why I stretch them out over three columns. For those of you who prefer the compendium version (all three parts together in one friggin’ huge article), it’s online here.

Column 254: Predictions Pt. 3: The Lightning Round
Music Visions of 2010

Do we really need three weeks of music “predictions”? I’m afraid the answer is yes. I used to knock this out in one 2,500-word article, but The Reader doesn’t budget space for that sort of thing anymore unless you write horoscopes, so here we are. If you’re coming in late, Pt.1 was a review of my 2009 predictions. Pt. 2 was predictions based on the theme for 2010: Survival in the Time of Music Industry Cholera. And now, onto the “lightning round”:

— Consider it a raising of the white flag — a well-known mainstream band will give away the digital download of its next album. You’ll simply have to log into the band’s website and voila, the files will be transferred to your computer and/or iPod. Though the download will be free, you’ll still have to pay for the CD version and the limited edition vinyl (as well as the tickets to see the band on tour).

— Despite the fact that only old people buy music these days, a new kind of record store will open this year that specializes in just that: Records. This small, boutique-style music store will boast the area’s largest selection of new vinyl, but also will sell CDs and music-related merch, such as T-shirts, collectibles and other assorted music-related ephemera.

— The success of Susan Boyle proves that it doesn’t matter what you look like or how well you sing, anyone can be the next American Idol. All it takes is YouTube and a crush of publicity. With that in mind, watch as record labels scour the globe (or reality television) for the next Elderly Idol — some unassuming, unemployed fat guy or a recently divorced housewife — anyone with a shred of talent who appeals to aging baby-boomers who still buy CDs.

— Three years ago, it was MySpace. Then it was Facebook and Twitter. This year, look for yet another new social media service that will eclipse both of those fossils. This one will be optimized to allow for easy, instant (and legal) distribution of online music, revolutionizing how musicians and fans access “music content” on portable devices, while also providing yet another way to tell our BFFs (and anyone else) what we had for breakfast.

— Omaha dived into music festivals in a big way last year; with every swinging dick putting together a night of shows and calling it “an event.” This year you’ll see fewer “festivals” in Omaha, with one pushing ahead of the pack. The Maha Festival could finally become the event the organizers dreamed it could be, that is if they get the right line-up. Find out July 24 down at Lewis & Clark Landing.

— Adding to the annual “Youth Concert” and the July 4th weekend county-fair freedom-rock concert, look for a third major concert event in Memorial Park this year featuring a genuine outside-the-box performer.

— DJs Rising: Like other big cities, this year you’ll begin to see DJs spinning at more and more clubs and restaurants in Omaha. Soon all of us will know at least one person who “spins” somewhere in the metro, even if it’s only at Anthony’s.

— Finally, a new all-ages performance space will take hold, becoming this generation’s Cog Factory.

— Who we’ll be talking about this time next year: Arcade Fire, Rolling Stones, Radiohead, Liz Phair, Tim Kasher, Of Montreal, Okkervil River, Bright Eyes, It’s True, Soundgarden, Prince, Pavement, Ritual Device, Beck, MGMT, Bear Country, Modest Mouse, The Wrens and Sufjan Stevens.

— Who we won’t be talking about: Animal Collective, Susan Boyle, Monsters of Folk, Wilco, Cursive, The Faint, Emphatic, Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, Phoenix, Green Day and Vampire Weekend.

— UK musician/dope fiend Peter Doherty (Libertines, Babyshambles, Kate Moss) will finally see his problems resolved once and for all.

— Conor Oberst will break the hearts of thousands of his female (and a few male) fans (I know I said that last year, but it’ll actually happen this time).

— Sick of life on the West Coast and seeing no discernable advantages to living near L.A., a member of a national band we all know will move back to Omaha to be closer to his family.

— A major national musician will come to Omaha to record his/her new album. But he won’t be visiting Mogis’ ARC studios; he’s headed to Enamel.

— Watch out SLAM Omaha, a new local online resource will launch in ’10 that will act as the definitive arts, entertainment and music information hub, featuring news, reviews and schedules, along with another pointless online discussion forum.

— Michael Jackson was only six years old when he debuted as a member of the Jackson Five way back in 1964. This year, watch as another 6-year-old raises the eyebrows (and hearts) of an America still mourning the passing of the King of Pop.

— Back in the day (about 20 years ago) there were a few live music venues located in the midtown/Mutual of Omaha area. Who remembers The Chicago Bar and The Brickhouse? With the development of Midtown Crossing, look for a new live music venue to open among all those restaurants that not only will focus on dance music, but will provide a viable stage for original bands.

— Forget about Saturday Night Live, Conan, Letterman or network television in general. No one’s watching anymore. The next national breakthrough for a local band will come when one of its songs is included on the soundtrack of a major motion picture.

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—

The big buzz over the weekend was the announcement that The 49’r and its surrounding property has been sold and will be demolished to make way for a CVS Pharmacy, this according to The 49’r Facebook page. The page says that the bar will be open for the rest of the year, and then it’s wrecking ball time.

The Niner used to be one of Omaha’s primary venues for live indie music, but began ratcheting down the number of live shows back in 2005. It continues to book bands on weekends, and will throughout its final year of operation.

My favorite show at The Niner? There were quite a few. The Street Urchins back in 2004; any show by any of Mike Tulis’ bands (The Sons of…, The Monroes, etc.); Gris Gris and The Terminals back in ’06; all of the Bad Luck Charm shows… And all of Matt Whipkey’s bands had their best shows at The 49’r. The reason: There’s no real stage at The Niner, the band plays right up to the tables and that forces interaction, whether the patrons want it or not. It’s going to be tough to see this one go, especially for something as unnecessary as another pharmacy…

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Following up on ’09, Box Elders’ album Alice & Friends made Buddyhead‘s “Best of 2009” list. Buddyhead has been writing some of the funniest (and meanest) music commentary for a long, long time. Check out their Gossip section.

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The Slowdown is trying out a new “Free Thursdays” showcase, wherein there’s no cover charge for an evening’s worth of live music. The series kicks off this Thursday with Our Fox and The Mynabirds. Next Thursday Fortnight plays along with The Answer Team and John Klemmensen and the Party.

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Here’s another reminder that you’ve got a week to enter to win a copy of the Lazy-i Best of 2009 Sampler CD. It’s my annual best-of-the-best collection, and this year includes songs by Yo La Tengo, Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Box Elders, Micachu and the Shapes, Cursive, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, The xx, Digital Leather, Pete Yorn, Peaches, Ladyfinger, The Avett Brothers, Maria Taylor and more. Full track listing is here. To get your name in the hat, send me an e-mail (to tim@lazy-i.com) with your name and mailing address. It’s that simple. And considering the number of people who have entered so far, your odds of winning are pretty damn good. Deadline is Jan. 18.

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—

Following up on what was reported here early this morning:

A half-dozen or so online music news sites, including NME and Spinner reported this morning that Monsters of Folk are working on new material. They’re making the claim based on a Twitter account titled twitter.com/oberstconor (that shows a profile photo of Oberst smoking a cigarette; the page has just been taken down). None of the sites apparently verified that the Twitter account actually belongs to — or is updated by — Conor Oberst. Just a glance at the account and what’s been written on it would make anyone doubtful. Then there’s the fact that the feeds that @oberstconor is following, such as the @saddlecreek aren’t following @oberstconor.

So I contacted Monsters of Folk’s publicist Jen Appel of Press Here Publicity and asked if @oberstconor was real. This was her response: “Not him. Also, She & Him are starting to promote Volume Two, thus M. Ward is not working on MOF things at this time.”

No surprise here. Anyone who has been following Oberst over the years knows that he doesn’t participate in these kinds of thing, preferring to let his music speak for itself. He rarely even does interviews anymore (I haven’t interviewed him since Cassadaga came out). Twitter seems out of the question.

What is surprising is that music pubs like NME would run the information without verifying it with: 1) Oberst’s or Monster’s of Folk’s publicists, 2) Shangi-La Records, 3) Anyone.

Twitter has taken steps to try to prevent impostors tweeting under other people’s names. Their “verification” checkmark, which you can see @lancearmstrong, for example, is among those efforts.

FYI: As of lunchtime, NME took the story down, but it lives on at sites like clashmusic.com (story here), spinner.com (story here), and strangeglue.com (story here). Ah, the Internet…

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It’s looking like it’s going to be an O’Leaver’s weekend. Tonight at everyone’s favorite concrete bunker is Slumber Party artist Conchance with Terrior Bute. $5, 9:30 p.m THIS SHOW HAS BEEN CANCELED.

Then tomorrow night at O’Leaver’s, Little Black Stereo takes the stage along with Matt Cox Band, Why Make Clocks and Bazooka Shootout. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Of course those shows are always dependent on weather issues. Last night’s Hubble show, for example, was canceled.

This weather is, indeed, wearing thin…

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—

That Monsters of Folk article in NME (here) that’s being picked up by a lot of online music sites is complete bullshit. I just confirmed with the band’s publicist that twitter.com/oberstconor is an imposter. More at lunch.

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—

I got a bit of a surprise this morning. I checked my e-mail, then checked various websites including the Lazy-i webboard, where I found a new thread titled “Doom Town Records.” The message announced the release of a 5-song EP by Baby Tears, the new band that features among its members Ethan Jones (ex-Ladyfinger). Clicking through to doomtownrecords.com I discovered that this new label also will be releasing that amazing new Perry H. Matthews LP that I mentioned a few weeks ago that was recorded by Joel Petersen at Enamel. That’s not all. DTR also is rereleasing a couple out-of-print singles by Church of Gravitron.

So who is Doom Town Records? A quick search on whois.net revealed that the site’s domain name (i.e., url) belongs to Ethan Jones, which doesn’t mean that DTR is his label, only that he purchased the label’s domain name. Maybe someone from DTR will let us know the skinny?

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Tonight at The Sydney, space-rockers Hubble will be playing with John Klemmensen and The Party and Agronomo. $5, 9 p.m.

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—

Before we get to Pt. 2 of the three-part “predictions” columns, a few words of wisdom: There’s nothing wrong with making money. I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again. It needed to be said before I sent you onto the column, because there are those out there that think that “making money” is a dirty, selfish thing, especially when it comes to anything associated with art and music. It’s not. There’s nothing wrong with making a living. In fact, there’s nothing wrong with making a lucrative living. So when I say that some bands will begin demanding to get paid to play and that venues will start raising ticket prices, the comments aren’t “negative” or made out of spite. Commerce is essential for art to exist.

Bands, if you value the music you’re making, then you should demand to get paid for it (unless music is merely your hobby). Venue owners, if you feel a band’s music can help you make money, you have the option to pay the bands to get them to perform on your stage.

Conversely, if a band feels that its music is worthless, then by all means, play for free. Venue-owners, if you feel a band’s music can not draw people into your establishment and/or make you money, then by all means, don’t pay them to play on your stage (or, if you like, charge them).

But, if a venue owner is unwilling to pay a band that can draw a crowd, it’s the band’s perogative to refuse the gig. No one is holding a gun up to anyone’s heads.

Column 253: Visions of 2010, Pt. 2
Sage music predictions of the year to come…

The biggest change of 2010 will be in how bands and musicians react to the continued demise of the music industry. Dreams of living off CD sales have become just that — merely dreams with no bearing in reality. And that means everyone — including the local high fliers — have to figure out ways to better leverage their performance income.

So, Prediction No. 1: In 2010, local bands will become more insistent than ever about getting paid for gigs, and it’s a long time coming. While the army of hobbyist ensembles who are “just happy to be able to perform on a stage” will continue to roll over and lick their nuts for any venue owner willing to put a microphone in front of their mouths, the real bands and performers who have invested long hours and lots of dollars on the road and in the studio no longer will be willing to “suck it up” and play for free or for next to nothing so that the clubs have something to draw people through their doors to buy their booze. With fans no longer buying their CDs, bands will have little choice but to insist on getting paid to play if they want some sort of income for hanging their asses out on stage every night.

Prediction No. 2: As a result of venues (both locally and around the country) being unwilling to knuckle down to those demands from unproven acts, the number of local bands will begin to dwindle. Many long-time stalwarts of the scene that have been struggling to break through the waves will finally realize that it just isn’t worth it, and that maybe it’s time to get on with the rest of their lives.

Prediction No. 3: The serious touring indie bands that can draw hundreds to their shows also are seeing their CD sales dwindle to almost nothing. As a result they will either charge venues higher guarantees or bypass towns like Omaha altogether, assuming that not enough people will show up at their gigs to make it worth their while.

Prediction No. 4: Being forced to actually pay the “good” local bands and pay higher guarantees to touring acts will put more strain on venue owners who have been trying to eke out a profit during these tough economic times. As a result, the number of live music venues will continue to dwindle all over the country, including in Omaha, where the serious options will boil down to The Slowdown and The Waiting Room.

Prediction No. 5: Despite having fewer venues, there still will be plenty of good, young, unproven touring bands looking for a place to play. This will spawn an increase in “alternative venues” like we saw in the ’90s, when social halls and what were essentially practice spaces became options for one-off shows. You’ll also see a rebirth of a serious house-show circuit.

Prediction No. 6: Ticket prices will continue to rise at local club shows. If the $7 ticket became the new $5 ticket three years ago, the $9-$10 ticket will become the new $7 ticket. And $20 to $25 ticket prices for the next-tier acts will become commonplace. Considering what it costs to see a movie these days, $10 is a value for a night’s worth of original live music. Besides, someone has to pay those higher guarantees.

Prediction No. 7: Ultimately, there will be fewer indie shows booked in Omaha next year, but they will be better shows.

Prediction No. 8: Conversely, ticket prices for huge national touring acts at arenas like the Qwest Center will actually go down, driven both by the economy and the bands’ desire to get butts in seats so they can peddle their $100 T-shirts and other assorted non-CD-related merch.

So, to summarize: there will be fewer bands overall, and all of them will be trying to get paid more to play in fewer clubs that will be booking fewer shows but with better national bands playing at a higher ticket price.

Extend that beyond the clubs and you’ll see fewer record labels with fewer bands recording fewer albums. But despite that, I still think local recording studios will be just fine, even though cheap, high-quality home-studio options are more available than ever. There always will be someone willing to invest in serious recording, understanding that it’s the price of admission if they want to get to the next level (whether that level exists or not).

Overall, the slow demise of the music industry will continue to impact every community in the country just as it impacts ours. But there is a wildcard that could change everything in a heartbeat.

All it takes is another Conor to break through. Because every scene needs a prophet to lead it; someone to give musicians’ hope that it could happen to them, too. Well, it’s been about a decade since any Omaha band has broken through the way the core Saddle Creek bands — Bright Eyes, The Faint and Cursive — broke through nationally, and people are beginning to give up hope that it’ll ever happen again.

If in 2010 another music prophet emerges from the Omaha music scene and becomes a national focal point, everything will change, for the better. Prediction No. 9: It’s going to happen. But who will it be?

Next week, the final chapter: Predictions Pt. 3 — The Lightning Round.

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No shows tonight. Again. Ah, but there’s something going on tomorrow, if we’re not trapped in our homes…

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—

Welcome back to the working week; say ‘hello’ to 2010. The office has been kind of empty without you. It’s nice to have you back. If you haven’t been to Lazy-i throughout the holiday, you’ve got some catching up to do. I’ll make it easy for you. You can either scroll down and read all the past entries, or check out these convenient links. We’ve covered a lot since you’ve been gone, including:

— The Year in Music 2009 (complete with various top-10 lists)
— Visions of 2010, Pt. 1 (a recap of the 2009 predictions)
— The Best of the Decade (that ain’t over yet)

Along with various and sundry live reviews of shows that took place over the past two weeks. Catch up on your reading. We’ll wait…

We’ve also been running a contest in your absence. Enter to win a copy of the Lazy-i Best of 2009 Sampler CD. It’s my annual best-of-the-best collection, and this year includes songs by Yo La Tengo, Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Box Elders, Micachu and the Shapes, Cursive, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, The xx, Digital Leather, Pete Yorn, Peaches, Ladyfinger, The Avett Brothers, Maria Taylor and more. Full track listing is here. To get your name in the hat, send me an e-mail (to tim@lazy-i.com) with your name and mailing address. It’s that simple. And considering the number of people who have entered so far, your odds of winning are pretty damn good. Deadline is Jan. 18.

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Yesterday (yes, just yesterday) I spent the lunch hour at the home of Wayne Brekke talking into a microphone about the year that was 2009 for the latest episode of his wonderful Worlds of Wayne podcast. Wayne’s already edited the conversation and placed it online for your listening pleasure, right here. We talked about the best music and shows of ’09, and even had a friendly, heated back-and-forth about songwriting rights and the Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards, though neither conversation may have made it to the final edit. I’ll never know because my ongoing phobia regarding hearing my own recorded voice will likely prevent me from ever listening to this specific episode. But you can, and should. Do it.

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With The Waiting Room closed for renovation and bands generally not touring because of the time of year (Who wants to drive a van in sub-zero, ice-packed conditions?), there aren’t many shows looming on the horizon. Something tells me it’s going to be a long, cold January…

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—

So here’s the deal with The Waiting Room, as told to me by the proprietors — Jim Johnson and Marc Leibowitz: Right after the bar closes after tonight’s show featuring Filter Kings, Broken Spindles, Black Squirrels and The Bruces, a small crew will begin clearing out the place in preparation for the venue’s interior demolition, which begins tomorrow.

In essence, the ceiling throughout the entire venue will be “raised” to the same level as the ceiling in the main stage area. That means all of the existing ceiling everywhere else — and whatever’s above it (including a small room) — will be ripped down to expose the building’s true ceiling. Some of the interior walls also will be demolished, opening the sight-lines for the entire space from the bar forward. Johnson told me that the demolition will be full effect on Monday.

After everything is torn down, the new opened-ceiling room will be refinished with the necessary electrical and ventilation and everything else that needs to be done to make the room usable. Johnson told me a new drop ceiling will be installed over the entranceway area that will open up to the full room. The bar area also will see some enhancements, and the rest of the venue’s walls will either be recovered or repainted. In other words, you’re not going to believe what the place looks like when it’s done.

Or sounds like. As part of The Waiting Room’s “facelift,” the stage’s PA will be enhanced, with the speakers hung from the ceiling (or “flown”) similar to how the PA is hung from the ceiling of The Slowdown’s main-stage room. That, along with the removal of the old ceiling, will completely change the venue’s acoustics.

The plan is to have the entire project completed by Jan. 22, when the bar reopens with a free, all-locals show featuring Little Brazil, Little Black Stereo, Ground Tyrants and Kyle Harvey. The following night, afro-beat rockers NOMO returns with Satchel Grande.

It’s a hugely ambitious plan. So ambitious that I’m afraid they’ll be wheeling Johnson out on a stretcher when it’s all done. But in the end, he and Leibowitz will have the music club that they’ve always dreamed of. The renovation of The Waiting Room represents a substantial investment not only in the local music scene but in Benson, helping galvanize the district as the Omaha music community’s “ground zero.”

In the mean time, it also means slim pickin’s in terms of shows throughout most of the month of January. In addition to The Waiting Room being closed, there aren’t that many shows booked at The Slowdown. It’s going to be a long, cold January, folks, but it’ll be worth it.

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Speaking of “closings,” my only venture out on New Year’s Eve was to The Saddle Creek Bar, where a handful of local punk bands including The Upsets (see photo) took the stage for the venue’s “last waltz.” Afterward, the bar closed for good. Only the drive-thru remains open as its “going out of business” sale continues. Mike Coldewey, the guy behind The Saddle Creek Bar, is moving to Chicago in a few weeks. Who knows what will happen to the building, which holds a unique place in the history of the Omaha music scene. The property is being handled by NP Dodge, and there’s a listing online here that shows an asking price of $350,000, which includes the property, the 9,164 sq. ft. bar and drive-thru liquor store. Or you can buy the business without the real estate for $65,000.

I, for one, will miss the Saddle Creek Bar. Despite being vilified for his perceived role in the creation of Omaha’s all-ages music ordinance — and for his tell-it-like-it-is communication style — I liked Mike Coldewey and wanted to see his bar succeed. The reasons were strictly personal — a strong music venue/restaurant would have strengthened a neighborhood that has its share of crime and economic problems. And also because the bar is less than a mile from my house.

But it wasn’t to be. The biggest crowd that I ever saw at the Saddle Creek Bar was when The Good Life played there back on Dec. 21, 2006. The rest of the time I rarely saw more than a handful of people in the club, as Coldewey couldn’t get the bigger-drawing local bands to play there either because of his reputation or the reputation of the venue’s sound system.

I still believe that the bar could be a success due to its location and its size. I’ve talked to a number of touring bands who said the SCB sort of reminded them of The Bottleneck in Lawrence, and I can see that. My fear is that the property will be sold, the venue will be demolished and storage units or some other abomination will be constructed there. And that will be the end of it.

–Got comments? Post ’em here.—