Live Review: Kite Pilot; MAHA to announce initial lineup; Black Lips tonight…

Category: Blog,Reviews — Tags: , — @ 12:45 pm April 25, 2011
Kite Pilot at Stir Lounge, Council Bluffs, April 23, 2011.

Kite Pilot at Stir Lounge, Council Bluffs, April 23, 2011.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I don’t know the backstory behind last Saturday night’s Kite Pilot gig at Harrah’s Stir Lounge in Council Bluffs other than it wasn’t some sort of one-off reunion. In fact, if you were among the 30 or so in the bar hoping to hear “Tree Caught the Kite” or “On My Lips” from their amazing debut EP or maybe “Lucid Lights” from their debut LP Mercy Will Close Its Doors, you would have been sorely disappointed. Instead, the four-piece that features husband-and-wife team of Todd and Erica Hanton, guitarist/vocalist Austin Britton and drummer Jeremy Stanoschek played songs from their never-distributed 8-song EP (“released” just prior to their breakup in May 2007) as well as a couple new tunes presented rather matter-of-factly. In other words, Kite Pilot has picked up right where it left off without blinking. As you might guess (or hope), their sound is “the same as it ever was” — and yes, that’s a veiled reference to early Talking Heads. KP continues to proudly hoist a New Wave/Post Punk banner in style and songcraft. Their new songs have the same angular-pop sound that defined them back in the mid-aught years. The only downer other than not hearing those classic songs off the EP is that Todd played trumpet on only one song. Like a superhero “reboot,” Kite Pilot seems determined to look forward with only a moment’s glance toward its past. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

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Today at 10 p.m., the fine folks behind The MAHA Music Festival will be releasing the initial line-up for this year’s event, which is slated for Aug. 13 at Lewis and Clark Landing. Yes, I know the names of the three bands that will be announced. No, I’m not going to let that information slip. You’ll know soon enough, especially if you follow MAHA on Facebook or Twitter. And even if you don’t, you’re bound to see it somewhere. I will say this: They’ve done a masterful job in the face of some staunch competition for touring bands this summer.

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Tonight at The Waiting Room, it’s the return of The Black Lips with Vivian Girls and Solid Goldberg. Chris Aponick has an interview with Lips’ guitarist/vocalist Cole Alexander in the current issue of The Reader, where he talks about working with Amy Winehouse / Duran Duran producer Mark Ronson on their upcoming album (Check it out here). $13, 9 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 © 2011 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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