by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Here it is, the annual Reader and Lazy-i Top 20 (and next 10) bands from Nebraska (that’s an easy way of saying that both Omaha and Lincoln bands were considered when developing the list). So other than location, what else was considered?

That’s been a matter of contention for as long as we’ve been putting together this local version of a Village Voice-like Pazz and Jop where the writers and critics of the local scene get together and hammer out a list of the “most important bands in the area.” Are these the best bands? Are they the most popular bands? Are they the most successful bands? No, no and no. They’re not even our favorite bands. Throughout the back-and-forth that went into making the list, bands that have made the biggest impact from our scene are given preference. That means they’ve likely recorded and released something in the past year, have gone on tour or have created a substantial, undeniable buzz locally and/or nationally.

So like every year, the writers got together, brought their list, and then hashed out each nominee. Some bands and musicians make the list; some don’t. It don’t mean nuthin’, folks, it’s just a list.

Usually I post The Reader‘s list first, then my own. I’m doing it backwards this year and posting mine first because, well, this is lazy-i.com. So here are my picks, in no particular order:

Lazy-i Top 20 of 2012

Desaparecidos
The Faint
Cursive
Mynabirds
Icky Blossoms
Digital Leather
Whipkey Three
Azure Ray
Simon Joyner
McCarthy Trenching
Tilly and the Wall
Baby Tears
Darren Keen
UUVVWWZ
Eli Mardock
Conduits
So-So Sailors
Capgun Coup
Domestica
Universe Contest

And the next 10 (also in no particular order)

Dim Light
Millions of Boys
InDreama
Yuppies
Worried Mothers
Solid Goldberg
Brad Hoshaw
John Klemmensen
Under Water Dream Machine
Peace of Shit
Snake Island

And here’s The Reader‘s list:

The Reader Top 20 of 2012

Tilly and the Wall

Whipkey Three

Icky Blossoms

Mynabirds

Conduits

Kris Lager Band

Desaparecidos

The Faint

Cursive

Digital Leather

Magic Slim

All Young Girls Are Machine Guns

Simon Joyner

McCarthy Trenching

Capgun Coup

So-So Sailors

Matt Cox Band

Millions of Boys

Baby Tears

Azure Ray

Check out the full write-up here at The Reader, including band descriptions and other info. I’m told they’ll be posting their “next 10” online sometime today, probably linked to this story.

Now let the discussion begin.

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Tonight at Film Streams, Dan McCarthy provides the music performing live to Buster Keaton’s silent classic Sherlock Jr. The film starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $12 General; $10 Students, Seniors, Teachers, Military, Bike-Friendly; $8 Film Streams Members. More info here.

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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.

O’Leaver’s is under new management, and they’re a bunch of martyrs.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Remember way back in October when I said two bits of red hot news fell into my lap? One bit was that Red Sky Festival was dead (ho-hum); the other I said you’d have to wait for. Well now the news can be told (though just about everyone who follows local music already knows it).

The guys in Cursive bought — and are now the proprietors of  — O’Leaver’s, Omaha’s garage rock ground zero and home to the functionally inebriated. Last Saturday night, the George Washington of O’Leaver’s — Chris Mello — handed over the keys to Tim Kasher, Matt Maginn and Ted Stevens, along with the fourth partner in the venture, Chris Machmuller, who I think is actually a permanent fixture of the club like the album-sleeve-covered walls and the smell.

The full story about the handover is in my column in this week’s issue of The Reader and includes an interview with Cursive bass player and paint fetcher Matt Maginn. Matt talks about why they bought the club and what they plan to do with it. It’s online here. Go read it now and we’ll discuss. Go on, we’re waiting….

Done? OK. The central news from a music perspective is that O’Leaver’s will continue to book bands at the same pace it did before — just enough to keep music fans coming but not too much as to alienate the smelly drunks who JUST WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE.

A few musicians have snickered at the news, worried that the new management will ruin their playpen and will no longer allow their bands to play there. Poppycock. That’s the last thing they’d ever do, though Maginn said Stevens might try to help book a wider variety of bands, which has been sorely needed. For the past year there’s been a revolving door of about six bands that play O’Leaver’s regularly. At the very least, Maginn said they’d like to extend an invitation to bands they meet on the road to come and play at the club the next time their tour crosses the Nebraska landscape.

I doubt anything will change at O’Leaver’s except perhaps the smell. Here are a few other things that didn’t make it into the column: The new crew plans on putting a functional tiki bar in the back room where the Foosball table and punching bag machine (soon to leave) are now located. It’ll be a place where people can hang out if they want to escape the music. I’ve seen the new bar — its uber cool.

I also forgot to mention that the volleyball facilities were part of the deal. It’s a well-kept secret that all three Cursive guys are former collegiate sand volleyball stars with the tan lines to prove it. I suspect we’ll be seeing all three in Speedos and sunblock come next summer.

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Fantastic show tonight at Slowdown Jr. — Domino Records artist Night Moves headlines a show with Lincoln band The Renfields and Omaha surf rock kids Adult Films. $7, 9 p.m.

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Tomorrow: The Reader AND The Lazy-i Top 20 (and Next 10) of 2012. Don’t miss it.

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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.

The Millions at The Bourbon Theatre, 12/1/12.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

It felt like a reunion whether they want to call it one or not. The Millions (or The Millions NE as the lawyers would prefer) took the stage at The Bourbon Theatre Saturday night to a crowd that one person estimated exceeded 400.

The revamped movie house (formerly The State Theater) was filled to the brim with people crowded into the stadium risers and crushed in the aisles and on the floor. The audience looked the part of a crowd that came to see a band whose heyday was over a decade ago — more gray hair than hipster swoops, more pant suits and dresses than colored tights and blue jeans. You could have mistaken it for a wedding reception except the audience looked like it actually wanted to be there (unlike most receptions I’ve attended), and were downright bubbly despite the fact that their local football team was being pounded into oblivion on the flat-panels above the bar.

The band strolled on stage without fanfare at around a quarter to 10 and jumped right into their set as if they just walked off a stage in 1995, albeit older and wiser but with no less enthusiasm. If they were as good as they were back then, I cannot say as I never saw them play live “back in the day” (Who knows why, as I’m told they played in Omaha as much as they played in Lincoln). Compared to their recordings, including the just released Poison Fish, I can say they still have their chops. And needless to say, the crowd still adores them.

But there are still some nits to be picked. The sound mix was ass for the first of two sets — dreadfully muddy with too much bass and not enough guitar. Someone figured it out during the break because they sounded spot on during the second set. Also of note was the absence of drummer Greg Hill. No question that young’n Brandon McKenzie did a yeoman’s job behind the kit, but he still didn’t have the dynamism or drive that Hill brought to those recordings, and to be honest, I didn’t expect him to. The fact that he was there to help facilitate the reunion deserves plaudits on its own, and over time, I have no doubt that McKenzie would find his own groove to these rather well-worn songs if he got the chance. The question, of course, is will he get that chance.

There have been no official announcements regarding any future Millions shows, though I have to believe based on the turnout Saturday night that an Omaha promoter would be wise to book a gig either at Slowdown or The Waiting Room if the band is willing or interested.  And then there’s the rest of the region. No doubt during their heyday The Millions did their share of touring in the KC/Lawrence/Des Moines/Columbia market. With that new rarities album now available, it would behoove them to retrace their past conquests. And after that, who knows?

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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.