by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Nice write-up in The New York Times on Desaparecidos’ concert at NYC’s Webster Hall Tuesday night. And by famed NYT critic Jon Pareles no less. There isn’t much actual “review” in the review as Pareles spent most of the write-up explaining who Desaparecidos is, but there was this bit of technicolor toward the end:

“Mr. Oberst is not, after many years as a bandleader, a guileless punk novice. He shouted his way through the songs and interspersed his between-song banter with four-letter words, because that’s what punk as a genre requires. Band members did as much headbanging as they could. (The audience did its part too, churning and moshing and crowd surfing.)”

If you’re wondering, NYT “style” is to use courtesy titles on all references, which explains why Oberst is referred to as “Mr. Oberst,” unless Pareles knows something we don’t. Desa played their last show on this tour last night, again at Webster Hall, which means the boys should be back in town in time for…

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O’Leaver’s poster…

O’Leaver’s is celebrating its grand “re-opening” this weekend with three nights of music and booze that’s bound to get someone arrested.

The sched:

Friday, March 1 — Simon Joyner and the Ghosts, The So-So Sailors and McCarthy Trenching
Saturday, March 2 — Criteria and Noah’s Ark Was A Spaceship
Sunday, March 3 — Open at noon and special early performances by Ladyfinger and Rock Paper Dynamite at starting at  5 p.m.

“Sunday is just kind of a party during the day,” said one of O’Leaver’s proprietors, Matt Maginn. “(We) will probably have some of Craig Fort’s smoked meats and other snacks, and obviously drinks before the early show.”

Each show is $5, with the money going to the bands (of course).

Looking at their show calendar, O’Leaver’s is going to be jumping with a capital “J” over the coming weeks, which is good because lately there has been a severe drought in indie shows around here.

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In this week’s column, part 2 of “the house project” series. It’s in this week’s issue of The Reader, or you can read it online right 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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Johnny Vredenburg of Digital Leather dropped a note to say he’s excited about his new project, called PRO-MAGNUM. Comprising of Paul Hansen (Perry H. Mathews, The Fucking Party) on guitar, Pat Oakes (Ladyfinger) on drums and Vredenburg on bass AND vocals, Vredenburg described their music as “loud, aggressive, yet tight, rock ‘n roll, taking my bass settings back to the screaming tone of that which I used in Dance Me Pregnant, while Paul rips inhuman-like riffs and thunderous backdrop of the heaviest drummer this side of hell. Collectively, we roll out hard rock riffs on par with Motorhead, Iron Maiden, Torche, Converge…” Setting the bar kind of hard, aren’t you Johnny?

PRO-MAGNUM’s first show is March 9 at O’Leaver’s with Flesh Eating Skin Disease and Buildings from Minneapolis.

While I had Vredenburg on the horn, I figured I’d ask how he likes working with Todd Fink. The Faint’s frontman recently joined Digital Leather.

“Todd is a fellow professional who loves making music. That’s why he’s a perfect fit,” Vredenburg said. “It’s all been very casual working with him. Most of the time we get side tracked talking about food or obscure ’80s movie songs. All in all, real excited to be playing in a band with him. And excited to be in a band with Jeff and Shawn too. Ha.”

You can check out that new Digital Leather line-up the night before the PRO-MAGNUM debut — March 8 at O’Leaver’s.

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That new Replacements track, “I’m Not Sayin’,”  is pretty frickin’ good. Check out the stream here at Pitchfork. The Songs For Slim EP is out digitally March 5 and will be released as a commercial 12-inch on April 16.

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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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Happy Birthday, Johnny!

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Yesterday everyone’s favorite blog about ’80s and ’90s college music culture, Slicing Up Eyeballs, reported here that Morrissey has rescheduled a leg of his U.S. Tour, including the show at the Rococo Theater in Lincoln, now slated for Tuesday, March 19. The Rococo website confirms the new schedule. Let’s see how long this one lasts until it’s rescheduled. BTW, this show has been sold out since last fall.

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Low has a new single available for free download from this Sub Pop Soundcloud page called “So Blue.” Listen to the stream below. The new album, The Invisible Way, produced by Jeff Tweedy, comes out March 19 on Sub Pop and is bound to be one of the year’s best.

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Speaking of free downloads, Desaparecidos’ single “Anonymous” is available for download at Mother Jones. Below is Desa covering Joyce Manor’s “Constant Headache” during their Allston, MA, show. Conor’s getting downright shaggy.

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Today is Johnny Cash’s birthday. If he was still alive he’d be 81 years old and very likely raising living hell.

To honor the Man in Black, the Barley Street Tavern is hosting a very special tribute night tonight featuring a bevy of local musicians including Josh Dunwoody (The Filter Kings); Mike Bechtel, Ira Hughey and Scott Norman (The Bishops); Stephanie Krysl and Travis Sing (The Electroliners); Jeremy Mercy and Vern Feregesen (Travelling Mercies); Matt Whipkey, Matt Cox, Scott Severin, Dane Sybrant (The Debts) and your master of ceremonies, Brad Hoshaw.

Cover is $5, but if you dress in black, you’re in for free! Show starts at 9.

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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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Domestica at The Sydney, Feb. 22, 2013.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Who remembers these guys, circa Nov. 1994? Tisdale is the one in the hat.

Domestica unveiled a lineup change at the Sydney Friday night with the addition of Paul Tisdale on drums. The last time I saw Tisdale play live was way back in ’93 with his classic band, Sideshow. Back then, Tisdale became a slashing, violent blur every time the guitars kicked in. Twenty years later and time hasn’t diminished Tisdale’s insane percussion skills. Not in the least.

In fact, Tisdale is the first drummer (including Ron Albertson) whose drumming was so big that it drowned out Jon Taylor’s and Heidi Ore’s usual mammoth roar… at least during the first part of Friday night’s set. Tisdale hits those friggin’ drums hard hard hard, and as a result, they’re loud loud loud. So loud that two songs in, the sound guy passed a message to Taylor, who responded with: “Those are the words I love to hear.” The “words” (I think) were “turn your guitar up,” because that’s exactly what Taylor did, and would again a couple songs later.

Does any band really need to be that loud. The answer, of course, is yes. With Taylor pushing it to 11, the earth’s tilt was restored and all was right with the world once again.  Now if only the Sydney could have turned up Heidi’s vocals, which were lost where I stood on the opposite side of the room from the stacked PA and on the other side of Tisdale. It’s a balancing act that’s been around as long as I can remember seeing Heidi and Jon play. Add Tisdale and the equation becomes that much more difficult. Something tells me that over time, they’ll work it out. So is Tisdale a permanent part of Domestica? Let’s hope so.

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Last week the folks in Travelling Mercies launched a Kickstarter campaign for their sophomore full-length album Motel. They’re trying to raise $4,000 to help cover their recording and production costs. After one weekend, they’re already 1/4 of the way there.

I’m trying to remember the last time I saw this band perform and think it had to have been years and years ago, way back in the old Saddle Creek Bar days. Back then, the band was sort of a laidback Americana/Folk band. That, apparently, no longer is the case, based on the couple demos that frontman Jeremy Holan passed along. We’re talking breakneck buzzsaw rock with a hint of Americana to give it a rural tilt. Holan sees Kickstarter as a simple way to presale the record, and to me, that’s the best way to use Kickstarter (if you’re a musician). Check it 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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I have no idea if shows are cancelled tonight. Frankly, I don’t know why they would be as the streets are fine, just fine.

Anyway…

Birthday Suits

Two shows of note tonight: Asian Man recording artist Birthday Suits is playing at Slowdown Jr. with a band called “opk.” According to their label, Birthday Suits is “2-piece psychedelic garage-punk from the Twin Cities. Big riffs and high energy complimented by a wild live show.” Find out if they’re lying. $7, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, over at The Barley Street tonight, Country & Western band The Electroliners plays with The Ronnys and the Sub-Vectors. $5, 9 p.m.

Highlight show of the weekend is at The Sydney Saturday night. Our old friends from Lincoln, Domestica, open for The Filter Kings and The Killigans. The twist here is that Domestica will be debuting a new drummer — the legendary Pawl Tisdale, who some of you codgers might remember from his work in seminal ’90s Lincoln power trio Sideshow. Sydney shows typically start at 9, so better get there early. $5?

Meanwhile, over at O’Leaver’s Saturday night, it’s Millions of Boys with Schwervon and Well Aimed Arrows. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Also Saturday night, Omahype (check out their fancy new website) presents Back When at The Barley Street Tavern with Worried Mothers and the humorous styles of OK Party Comedy. $5, 9 p.m. More info here.

See you on the red carpet…

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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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Yeah, it does get tiresome seeing all those school teachers gloat on Facebook about having a “snow day.” You lucky sots. I’m more bitter about your summers off.

Needless to say, some shows are likely to be cancelled tonight. Fer instance, that Pleasure Adapter show (w/Touch People and Life Is Cool) slated for Slowdown Jr. tonight has been rescheduled for March 28, well past any threat of snow (right?). Wherever you go, you best call ahead to see what’s up.

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Word began spreading last night of the death of Lincoln and Zoo Bar blues legend Magic Slim. Here he is with the Teardrops doing “Crazy Woman.” Last chance to dance, baby.

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In this week’s column, my wise-ass take on the Oscar’s Best Picture category (based mostly on movie trailers). You can read it in this week’s issue of The Reader or online right here.

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Drive safe, y’all.

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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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Saddle Creek Records is returning to South By Southwest this year, hosting a label showcase at The Parish (Underground) Wednesday, March 13.

Kicking off the showcase is Jake Bellows, who as a solo artist isn’t currently on Saddle Creek (yet?), though the Creek released the last album by his former band, Neva Dinova, 2008’s You May Already Be Dreaming. He’s followed by UUVVWWZ, Big Harp, PUJOL, Icky Blossoms and Harouki Zombi, the brainchild of Nina Barnes (of Montreal, the Apollinaire Rave Art Collective) and Orenda Fink (Azure Ray, O+S) whose EP Objet Petit A was produced by Fink’s husband, Todd Fink (The Faint, Digital Leather) and released on Polyvinyl Records. Will HZ also be joining the Saddle Creek stable in the near future?

Who else is headed to SXSW? Well, I know Satchel Grande has been accepted. So had The Mynabirds, though Laura Burhenn’s participation in the Postal Service reunion nixed those plans.

Alas, I won’t be at SXSW this year. Money’s tight, folks. SXSW is a very expensive vacation and what can I tell you, things are tough all over. I won’t miss the back aches, the sore feet and constant search for vacant porta-potties, but I will miss the music and curry-ketchup hotdogs. Never fear because I know The Reader‘s Chris Aponick will be on the case, keeping an eye on all things indie.

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If you’ve ever wondered what (among other things) inspired Icky Blossoms’ saucy, sexy, subversive approach to the stage and scene, look no further than Kansas City’s SSION (pronounced “shun”). The pop culture icons headed by Cody Critcheloe have been around since the late ’90s. I saw them open for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs at Sokol Auditorium way back in March 2004 dressed in chicken suits. They were the best part of the show.

Anyway, yesterday SSION released the video from the band’s latest album, Bent, called “High,” and as per usual, it’s a freak-out (with a crazy dance beat). Check it out below, and let’s try to get these folks back to Omaha (preferably teamed with the Icky’s).

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Blues rock act North Mississippi Allstars play tonight at The Waiting Room with NYC rockers The London Souls. $20 and an early 8 p.m. show. Get it in while you can, folks, because that blizzard is about to bear down on us.

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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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

“River’s Edge Park” Council Bluffs

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Believe it or not, it’s been a couple years since Playing With Fire’s “grand finale” at Stinson Park featuring Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings. That was one helluva night. So it seems only fitting that Sharon Jones and her band kick off the new Playing With Fire series as it moves from one side of the river to another.

Via a press release that went out this morning:

The City of Council Bluffs along with Con Agra Foods Foundation and the Iowa West Foundation are proud to announce the acclaimed Playing With Fire concert series will bring world-class jazz, blues, soul and funk music to celebrate the Grand Opening of River’s Edge Park at the foot of the Bob Kerry Pedestrian Bridge in Council Bluffs by offering a free Memorial Day concert on Monday, May 27, 2013.

The headliner will be Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings…To complement the headliners, Omaha’s own premier local funk and party band Satchel Grande, and popular veteran of the local blues scene, Mojo Bag, will open the show. Gates at 3:30 p.m. and Mojo Bag kicks off the festivities at 4 p.m.

So where exactly is “River’s Edge Park” (apparently named after the 1986 American drama film starring Crispin Glover, Keanu Reeves, Ione Skye, Daniel Roebuck, and Dennis Hopper as “Feck”)? Well, according to the park’s website, it will be right on the other side of the Bob Kerrey pedestrian bridge, with the stage backing right up to the river. Could be a very cool place to see a show…

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Among my favorite bands of the ’90s was a little Seattle act called Silkworm.

They were on a number of labels, but did some of their best work while on Matador, specifically 1996’s Firewater (though ’98’s Blueblood on Touch and Go is still my favorite). When their drummer, Mike Dahlquist, was killed in a car accident in 2005, the band called it quits, and a few years later, a couple members went on to form Bottomless Pit.

Anyway, today Matador major domo Gerald Cosloy posted in his blog “Can’t Stop the Bleeding” (a must read for any sports fan (even if you — like me — love the Yankees and Knicks)) that documentary Couldn’t You Wait? The Story of Silkworm is now available online for a mere $5. In addition to footage of the band, the film features interviews with Steve Albini, Stephen Malkmus, Jeff Tweedy and others.  Check out the clip below and then download the film.

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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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

What’s that? You skipped the Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards ceremony last night at The Hilton? Well, you’re not alone. The only regret is missing the Dave Sink tribute as part of his Lifetime Achievement honor. Well, don’t fret because the tribute video shown at the awards show is online right here at YouTube:

As for the rest of the show, here’s this year’s top music “winners”:

Album of the year: Icky Blossoms, self-titled
Artist of the Year: Icky Blossoms
New artist: Universe Contest
Rock: Snake Island
Hard rock: Bloodcow
Alternative/indie: Cursive
Singer-songwriter/folk: All Young Girls Are Machine Guns
DJ/electronic: BASStoven
Country/Americana: Matt Cox

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Sam Martin & Sean Pratt, Kids, Beat Your Vegetables (self-release, 2013)

Capgun Coup’s Sam Martin and Sean Pratt just put out a 5-song EP on Bandcamp called Kids, Beat Your Vegetables. It’s two Martin songs and two Pratt songs and the duo covering the ’20s standard “Tonight You Belong to Me.”  My favorite track is “Big O’le Child,” which betrays my aged taste for melody rather than dissonance. It’s a real foot-stomper. You can listen to the whole thing below, but head on over to their Bandcamp page and buy the download for a mere $5. You’ll feel better for it.

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Speaking of online music, Touch People is putting DJ sets online at his Soundcloud channel. I’m currently listening to this one:

More to come…

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Looks like we’re in for a blizzard this week… batten down the hatches.

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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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Here’s your weekend line-up, though it’s mostly a Friday-night line-up because there ain’t much happening the rest of the weekend.

The top touring-band show is Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears at The Waiting Room tonight. This is straight-up funk, blues, rock ‘n’ roll brought to you by Lost Highway Records. I’m surprised this hasn’t sold out already. Snake Island opens. $15, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, just down the street at Sweatshop Gallery (just south of The Barley Street) The Fucking Party is celebrating its LP release as part of their Very VD Valentimes Art Show. According to the event invite “Five dollars includes all you can drink beer, art, and music!” Wait, what? Free beer with your $5 cover? How can you beat that? Well, add Baby Tears and Dark Satellites to the line-up, along with some sweet art by the likes of 10 artists. I’m surprised this hasn’t sold out already. Starts at 9.

Happening right frickin’ next door at The Barley Street (They should have just closed off the street and combined the two shows) is Dim Light with K.C. psych act The Devil and Omaha sludge/stone rockers Megaton. $5, 9 p.m.

What’s that you say? You want to stay away from Benson tonight? No prob. Head over to O’Leaver’s tonight for Gordon (break-out act of 2013?) with Worried Mothers (unpredictable hi-jinx bordering on bat-shit crazy) and Adult Films (surf rock Omaha style). $5, 9:30 p.m.

And then comes Saturday and there ain’t dick going on in Omaha.

So you might want to drive to Lincoln not only for the final night of Lincoln Exposed, but also for the Ladyfinger album release show at The Bourbon Theater featuring a rare performance by fellow Saddle Creek Records band Criteria. Headcase-noise-explosion band Masses opens.  $8 if 21+; $10 if 18-21 (confusing!). 9 p.m.

One more thing…

Looks like the OEA Awards show is Sunday night at the Hilton Grand Ballroom. I’ve read/heard virtually nothing about this event other than there will be a special award and video tribute for the late, great Dave Sink, which by itself would be worth the $27+ ticket price. Show starts at 6 p.m. Good luck to the nominees, whoever they are… Waitaminit. The Reader‘s Chris Aponick, who’s all about The OEAA’s, wrote this bitchin’ summary of nominees.

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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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.