R.Ring at The Waiting Room, July 12, 2012.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Most of the 50 (maybe) who were on hand for last night’s R.Ring show at The Waiting Room stood right next to the stage throughout a performance that felt as intimate as a house show. It helped that Kelley Deal, half of R.Ring with guitarist/vocalist Mike Montgomery of Ampline, was as unpretentious and approachable as any other member of the local music scene. In fact, she spent most of time playing pool while the opening bands burned up the stage.

Deal looked and sounded no different than the last time I saw her perform in Omaha more than a decade ago as a member of The Breeders, opening for Nirvana at Aksarben Coliseum. Her new band carries on the sonic themes that The Breeders were known for back in the day, albeit as a two-piece with no rhythm section. And for the most part, I didn’t miss it, though I wondered what some of the songs would sound like built on top of a solid rock foundation. Deal did a good job filling in the spaces with her frenetic guitar drenched in effects and delay, along with her voice, which shimmered between straightforward beauty to shrill energy to whispered ghostly hush.

Opener InDreama launched their set with a shotgun-blast rock song before shifting into full acid-trip mode. This band is starkly different than frontman Nik Fackler’s other project, the dance-synth-freakout known as Icky Blossoms, but is just as good in its own way. They were at their best in full trance mode, with bassist/keyboardist/vocalist Dereck Higgins channeling whatever mystic spirit guides him and this band to their sonic netherworld. They ended with “Reprogram,” the song that appears on the Icky/Touch People/Conduits/InDreama split from last year. Every time I hear it live, Fackler and Co. take the song to different places, creating ambient landscapes that are easy to get lost in. I found myself tapping out a beat toward the end of the song before I noticed that drummer Craig D had already quit playing — the rhythm deeply locked into my head. Hypnotic and Floydian. If there’s a gripe, it’s that their set was too short. InDreama needs more material, and then needs to head back into the studio.

Sandwiched between R.Ring and InDreama was Atlanta (by way of Omaha) band Hollow Stars and a sort of homecoming performance for Coyote Bones’ David Matysiak. Maybe it was all their green floor lights or just the vibe following InDreama, but something about Hollow Stars reminded me of Bauhaus — their minor-key rock grooves also had something to do with it. Their sound felt distinctively gothy, enhanced by frontman Colin Mee’s mono-tonal vocals. They closed with a song fueled by a staccato guitar riff that absolutely blazed.

All in all, a terrific night of music.

* * *

There’s a full docket of shows slated for this weekend:

Tonight at the Waiting Room it’s the Lynden Lyme Benefit. Lynden’s got Lyme Disease and money generated from this benefit show will help cover some of the expenses associated with its treatment. I have no idea who Lynden is, but I do know she has some super-talented friends, all of whom are performing tonight: UUVVWWZ, Dim Light, Solid Goldberg and Dads. $7, early 7 p.m. start time.

NE Pop Fest continues tonight at The Barley Street with Thunder Power (Omaha), Saara Norris (Germany/Finland), Well Aimed Arrows (Omaha), Claire and the Crowded Stage (Kansas City), Appropriate Grammar (Kansas City) and Field Club (Omaha). $7, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday night, Digital Leather returns to fabulous O’Leavers with Worried Mothers and an act with one of the best band names I’ve heard in recent memory: Serenghetto. $5, 9:30 p.m.

All Young Girls Are Machine Guns headlines a show at Slowdown Jr. Saturday night with Edge of Arbor, Sarah Donner and Tara Vaughan. $7, 9 p.m.

And the NE Pop Festival continues Saturday and ends Sunday at The Barley Street Tavern. See full schedule here.

Finally Sunday night Liars plays at The Waiting Room with Cadence Weapon. $13 adv/$15 DOS. 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 © 2012 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

A still from the new Icky Blossoms' video.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The Lupines (or, as I like to call them, The O’Leaver’s All-Stars) have three songs on Soundcloud for your review and reflection. “They’re fully tracked studio songs that the great Mark Wohlberg recorded at Plan C in Lincoln about 18 months ago,” said Lupines’ guitarist/vocalist John Ziegler. “I did all the tracks myself when it became more clear that Brimstone Howl was on its last legs. That’s why the drumming is very basic and sometimes slightly off, the former of which I really like.”

The rest of the Lupines are guitarist Mike Friedman (ex-Movies, member of Simon Joyner and the Fallen Men), bass player Mike Tulis (Monroes, Fullblown, Sons of ___, and the Third Men), and drummer Javid Dabestani (Ghost Runners, among others). “We’re working on proper, full-band recordings, some of which are the same songs and will sound pretty different, and will definitely have more ‘kinetic’ bounce than what I was able to make on my own,” Ziegler said. “Nonetheless, the songs on soundcloud right now are not basement tapes or demos, and I think they represent the sound of the band’s music well enough, as well as being a really good example of Mark Wohlberg’s analog perspicacity. They’re part of a nine-song session.”

Ziegler said release of the nine-song session is pending, and the band has a show Aug. 30 at the Barley Street Tavern. Until then, enjoy:

The Luplines, “I Blame Creation”
[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/52232041″ iframe=”true” /]

The Lupines “Everlasting Man”
[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/52231574″ iframe=”true” /]

The Lupines, “Ohio”
[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/52230511″ iframe=”true” /]

* * *

Icky Blossoms’ latest video is an epic love story realized to the song “Perfect Vision,” off their new album, which hits store shelves next Tuesday. You can check it out on Vimeo here. Wonder whose house got the demolished in the making of this modern masterpiece?

Also premiered this week was the new video by Capgun Coup for “Laugh Cry,” off their latest album Contextual Doom released on the ORG Music label.  Check it out here. Sweet!

* * *

This week’s Over the Edge column takes a look at the new HBO series The Newsroom — is it a drama or satire, and is wordy scripter Aaron Sorkin trying to influence the electorate a la Colbert/Stewart? You can read it in this week’s issue of The Reader, or online right here.

* * *

Tonight’s show at The Waiting Room is one of the best $8 shows I’ve seen scheduled in a long time. Opening is InDreams, the psychedelic/dance/rock project of Icky Blossoms’ guitarist Nik Fackler, along with local legend Dereck Higgins, Ashley Miller, Sam Martin (Capgun Coup), Aaron Gum, Craig D (Tilly & the Wall), Kevin Donahue, and Mason Brown. With Icky blowing up all over the place, it’s good to see Nik keep his foot firmly planted in this project. Also opening is Atlanta’s Hollow Stars fronted by former Deerhunter guitarist Colin Mee and featuring David Matysiak (Coyote Bones), Devin Brown and Mason Brown. Finally, the headliners: R.Ring is Mike Montgomery of Ampline and Kelley Deal of The Breeders. After listening to one of their songs online, it’s safe to say this may be the closest we’ll ever get to seeing The Breeders live. $8, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, the Nebraska Pop Festival continues at The Barley Street Tavern with Union Specific (Austin), Orion Walsh (Lincoln), Chasing Shade (Iowa City), Seedlings (Des Moines), In Love (Omaha), and Elijah Jett (Michael Todd, the managing editor of Hear Nebraska). $7, 7:30 p.m. Check out the full schedule here.

* * *

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 © 2012 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Tonight is the launch of the annual Nebraska Pop Festival, the most confoundedly strange music event of the year. Strange in that somehow, some way, organizer Christopher Beiermann manages to get bands from “around the world” to come to Omaha to play for free at places like the Barley Street Tavern and Shamrock’s.

Needless to say, these international bands Beiermann does attract are virtually unknown by anyone in our scene. Tonight, for example, Virginia band The Anatomy of Frank plays at Shamrock’s, 5338 No 103rd St., with Le-Li (from Italy), Croaker (Wisconsin), Sad Navigator (Kansas City), Prairie Tide (Kansas) and Classes (from Omaha). Heard of any of these folks? Neither have I.

Tomorrow night the festival moves to Barley Street Tavern with Saara Markkanen (Finland/Germany), Tony Memmel (Wisconsin), and handful of Nebraska bands that, again, I’ve never heard of: Brutal Pheasant, Miss Fick, No Triangles, and Amy Schmidt and The Restless Things.

The balance of the festival is sprinkled with a few familiar faces: Orion Walsh, In Love, Well Aimed Arrows, Thunder Power, Field Club and Ragged Company all will perform. Check the schedule at the Nebraska Pop Festival website,  where you can download a .zip file that contains most of the bands slated to perform.

Tonight’s show at Shamrocks is free. The shows the rest of the week at Barley Street are $7, with proceeds going to Arts for All, Inc. Hats off to Beiermann for pulling this off year after year.

* * *

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 © 2012 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

No rock shows for me this past weekend. The only rock-related experience was seeing Well Aimed Arrows tear up the KETV sound stage with their performance on the station’s Sunday morning chat show. I doubt the host nor the show’s audience was quite prepared for what they heard. The gig was in support for this week’s Nebraska Pop Festival, which starts tomorrow. More on that later.

* * *

The Ottawa Sun had a write-up on Conor Oberst’s solo performance on Bluesfest’s Main Stage last Friday. Sounds like Conor and the band — guitarist David Rawlings, bassist Macey Taylor and drummer Jay Boesel  — played solo stuff to a smallish crowd, as well as a number of Bright Eyes tunes, eventually trotting out Gillian Welch for a surprise guest vocal on “Lua” and “Classic Cars.” Ah, but the best part was how he ended the set. From the write-up:

“The pair also coined a new verb —  ‘Skrillexed” —  ‘which means when you’re playing one stage, and a band on the other stage is ten times louder than you. We’re about to get Skrillexed by whoever that is over there,’ said Oberst, pointing to the culprit, Arkells, on the adjoining River Stage.“

I’d like to see Arkells try to “Skrillex” Desaparecidos…

* * *

Tonight at The Waiting Room it’s British folk-pop duo Graffiti6 (Capitol Records) with our very own Matt Whipkey. $12, 8 p.m.

* * *

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 © 2012 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Eli Mardock and his band at The Waiting Room, July 5, 2012.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I hate to start this review with a downer, but the draw at last night’s Eli Mardock EP release show at The Waiting Room was disappointing — maybe 30 people? I guess everyone either was completely bushed after their 4th of July festivities or were down the street at The Barley Street Tavern for Outlaw Con Bandana, Sam Martin and Jake Bellows, who turned out to be John Bellows and further evidence that I need to start wearing reading glasses. Apologies to those who went there expecting Jake, but at least I’m told you still got to see a helluva show.

Eli Mardock was pretty good, too. The former frontman of Lincoln band Eagle*Seagull played a number of songs off his new EP, NE Sorrow is Born as well as a tune or two off an upcoming LP that he said will be released later this year. How to describe Mardock these days: How about: ‘What you’d get if Neil Diamond fronted Pink Floyd.’ We’re talking mid-tempo drone-groove songs that border on shoe-gaze, with the stellar Carrie Butler adding the necessary “ahh’s” and cool keyboard lines. “Cut Me Open,” my favorite from the new EP, sounds like classic Neil if Neil had spent the bulk of the ’60s strung out on smack — a pretty, dreamy, slow-skate of a song.

Most of Mardock’s rather short set was locked in mid-tempo — semi-slow and done in shades of dark blue. I wondered what a couple of his songs would sound like at twice the BPM. And just as I was thinking that, the band closed with a cute tune with a sweet Flock o’ Seagulls synth line and dueling vocals between Eli and Carrie that came off like a New Wave version of Neil and Babs. Next stop: The Maha Music Festival.

* * *

There’s a wealth of shows going on tonight and virtually nothing slated for Saturday. What’s up with that?

Most of the shows are in Benson tonight, which is also celebrating its second First Friday event, so good luck parking. Oh, it ain’t that bad. Surely you can walk a few extra blocks to the venue of your choice.

Among the events is the return of Lincoln punk band Domestica to The Sydney. Heidi, Jon and Todd will be playing songs off their latest self-released EP, simply called Domestica 2, which you can check out in its entirety at their Bandcamp page. Classic. Also on the bill is Chromafrost. No idea on cost, but it’s probably around $5, and starts at around 10.

Meanwhile, the King of Surf Rock, Dick Dale, is playing down the street at The Waiting Room. Don’t know who Dale is? Check out my vintage 1998 interview with the man himself. Opening is The Blacktop Ramblers. $20, 9 p.m.

If that weren’t enough, there’s a solid lineup tonight at The Barley Street headlined by John Klemmensen and The Party with Under Water Dream Machine, Family Picnic and Knife Fight Justice. $5. According to the Barley Street website, it starts at 6 p.m., but the Facebook invite says 9. Do as you will.

The sleeper show of the night (and maybe the best) is Fat Possum band Youth Lagoon down at Slowdown. If you haven’t heard Boise singer/songwriter Trevor Powers’ stuff, it’s catchy but kind of downcast, tuneful but depressing. Kind of reminds me of Perfume Genius but a tad more upbeat. Curious? Check out “Cannons” below:

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/12894335″ iframe=”true” /]

Opening is Father John Misty. $14, 9 p.m.

I’m having a hard time finding anything to recommend for Saturday night. If you know something that’s good that I’m missing, put it in the comments section.

I’ve been notified that our friends in Well Aimed Arrows will have their television debut Sunday morning on KETV, performing as part of a package that’s promoting the upcoming Nebraska Pop Festival. Tune in at around 8:40 a.m.

Sunday night, Eisley plays at The Waiting Room with Merriment and Skypiper. $13, 8 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 © 2012 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Icky Blossoms, self-titled (Saddle Creek, 2012)

Though technically their debut album doesn’t hit the streets until July 17, there are a couple ways to buy a copy of Icky Blossoms’ debut record today, that is if you live in the Omaha area.

The best way is to come to Icky Blossoms’ record release show tonight at The Waiting Room with UUVVWWZ and Depressed Buttons (Todd, Clark & Jacob from The Faint’s EDM project). Don’t forget your dancing shoes — this one will definitely be a party. 9 p.m. Tix/ $7.

The other way to pick up a copy of their album is to drop by the Saddle Creek Shop down at the Slowdown complex where they already have both the vinyl ($15) and CD ($11) in stock. Sweet!

By the way, during our recent interview, I asked the band what exactly does “Icky Blossoms” mean. I figured it was some sort of southern-fried drug reference. It’s not. “We got (the name) from our friend Jesse (Mckelvey) from Capgun Coup,” said Icky mastermind Derek Pressnall. “It was the name for an art project he did; then he joined a punk band a couple summers ago and they played one show under the name Icky Blossoms at Hotel Frank. I thought the name was bad ass.” When Pressnall found out Jesse’s punk band was no more, he asked if he could use the name. Interesting story, but it still doesn’t answer the question of what “Icky Blossoms” means… Leave it to your imagination.

* * *

Also tonight, the Avett Brothers are playing at Stir Concert Cove. No opener, it’s just them, and it starts at 8 p.m. Tix are still available for $47 from Ticketmaster.

And let’s not forget Bear Stories plays at The Sandbox with The End of the Ocean, Lee Corey Oswald and Family Picnic. $7, 8 p.m. More info here.

* * *

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 © 2012 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

So much for the Red Sky Festival — or, more accurately, the Red Sky Concert Series… Kevin Coffey reported today that the MECA mind trust has given up on trying to book a fourth day for the so-called festival, which means it’ll take place July 18, 20 and 21 — Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. So for all of you music fans flying in for this mega event, you’ll just have to find something else to do on that empty Thursday night, like maybe going to the free Future of Maha Showcase at The Waiting Room for Lightning Bug, Millions Of Boys, and Snake Island!

I know it’s only Year 2 for the “festival,” but maybe it’s time that Meca think about dropping the Red Sky concept and focus instead on booking two or three (or more) stadium-filling concerts throughout the year rather than target a string of days (that aren’t even a string anymore). If they untether themselves from a festival concept and just look at booking available days at the ballpark one would think the odds would be better of booking stellar acts for a facility that (according to Wiki) has capacity for 24,000 people with the ability to expand to 35,000 spectators.

Or maybe they don’t care…

* * *

Speaking of mammoth crowds, according (again) to the OWH, there were 70,000 people at Friday night’s Huey Lewis concert at Memorial Park, although most of them weren’t there for the anonymous opening bands. I caught the last three or four Huey Lewis songs as I waited for the fireworks to begin. The old boy still sounds pretty good for a 61-year-old. Sure, the top end has been shaved off of his range, but none of his songs really demand much range-wise to begin with. It’s as if ol’ Huey knew back in the ’80s that he was going to be doing this heading into his twilight years and that he better not record anything that would be too trying for withered vocal chords. Smart guy. Smarter still is having one of the better backing bands I’ve heard in a long time. No, the music isn’t terribly interesting, but it’s probably just what the doctor ordered for a free outdoor family event.

BTW, whatever happened to the city’s “youth concert series” that used to be held at Memorial? Was Feist the last one?

* * *

Tonight at The Slowdown it’s the return of DeVotchKa with The So-So Sailors and Pony Wars. $15, early 8 p.m. start time.

* * *

ADDENDUM: Oops. Forgot to mention that Brad Hoshaw and the 7 Deadlies is opening for Lucero tonight at TWR…. $17, 9 p.m. I have no idea who Lucero is, but Brad and his band is always worth checking out.

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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 © 2012 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.