by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The June cover, June 1993

Sorry for the lack of updates this week. I’ve been on the side of a mountain on the outskirts of Breckenridge, Colorado, since last Sunday. Without WIFI, there was no way to update the blog. But really, when you’re on vacation, aren’t you supposed to set aside such menial tasks and try to reconnect with what’s important in life? Or at least drink as much as possible?

While gone, it was reported that Larry Boehmer, the man who turned The Zoo Bar in Lincoln into a national blues destination, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 65. There’s no denying the role Larry played in

Behind Bars, pg. 1, The Note, June 1993

Lincoln’s and Nebraska’s music scene — as well as the national blues scene — for decades.

Click on the three thumbnail images on the left side of the page (and then click on the images two or three more times to magnify the scans) to read a cover story about Larry and the history of The Zoo Bar written for The Note waaay back in June 1993 to mark the 20th anniversary of the bar. Read more memories of Larry here at hearnebraska.org and the obit in the Lincoln Journal Star. He will be missed.

Behind Bars, pg. 2, The Note, June 1993

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Also while I was gone, I got an email from Phil Schaffart saying that Pageturners, the new bar he’s launching with Conor Oberst, will open its doors for the first time at 4 p.m. today, Friday, Sept. 7. Pageturners the bar is located where Pageturners the bookstore used to be, just west of 50th Street on Dodge (right next to Goldberg’s). Expect a crush mob, paparazzi and plenty of happy drunks. Will Conor and Phil (and Roger) be standing next to the taps slinging drinks? Will someone pull out a guitar and belt out a few bars of “How Dry I Am” or “If Winter Ends”? As that song goes, “And so I drink to stay warm / And to kill selected memories…” Don’t we all? Now we all have a new place to do it…

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In this week’s column, a look at how Big Red mania engulfs everything in its path, and how we still don’t know what happened to UNO’s football team, or why it went down like it did. You can read it in this week’s issue of The Reader, or online right here.

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Let’s get  into what’s happening tonight and this weekend. Looks like I got back in town just in time…

It’s another “First Friday” in Benson. Look for art stuff happening along Maple Street throughout the evening. For details, go here.

While your stumbling around Benson gawking at all the art, drop in at The Sydney for Lightning Bug and Conchance. $5, 10 p.m.

Another hot ticket tonight is Toxie at The Brothers Lounge. Toxie (Goner Records) is a Memphis four piece with two guys and two girls playing endearing garage indie.. Check it out for yourself. Also on the bill are The Lupines and Solid Goldberg. $5, 9 p.m.

It’s back to Benson tomorrow night (Saturday) for a show I’ve been looking forward to for a few months. I’m not talking about Jake’s “Because We Can” block party, which is happening outside at 62nd and Military and features Satchel Grande, Noah’s Ark Was A Spaceship, Rock, Paper, Dynamite, Dim Light and Millions of Boys starting at 7 p.m. No, I’m talking about Twin Shadow at The Waiting Room.

Twin Shadow is Dominican-born George Lewis Jr. whose album Confess (4AD) is a dizzying trip back to ’80s electro-pop with a sound that recalls everything from General Public to Fine Young Cannibals to New Order to Peter Gabriel. For what it’s worth, Pitchfork gave it an 8.2 rating. It’s also one of my favorite albums so far this year for the sheer fun of it. Twin Shadow is one guy, so I have no idea what he’ll bring to the stage. For a gig last month in Seattle, Twin Shadow performed as a three-piece. Tickets are $12 today, $14 tomorrow. Opening is Sub Pop synth band Niki and The Dove. Starts at 9.

Twin Shadow, Five Seconds (4AD, 2012)

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/51888563″ iframe=”true” /]

If all that ’80s synth pop just ain’t your thing, check out the return of Peace of Shit to fabulous O’Leaver’s Saturday night with Killer Blow (Genie Molkentine on drums and vocals, Todd VonStup on guitar) and Mosquito Bandito. $5, 9:30 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.