The Men at Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop, SXSW, March 16, 2012.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The hottest shows of the weekend are happening Saturday night.

Top among them is a gig I’ve been waiting for since it was announced a month or so ago: The Men at Slowdown Jr. Here’s the weird thing about this Brooklyn four piece. I saw them play at Lance Armstrong’s bike shop, Mellow Johnny’s, during South By Southwest in 2012. I got what I expected: Chunky Bad Religion-style rock, loud and fast and raw, with dueling guitar riffs and a couple solid vocalists/screamers.

Then a few months ago, I check out (via Spotify) the band’s latest, New Moon, The opening track, “Open the Door,” starts off like a piano-driven Cat Stevens number before the rest of the band comes in and turns it into a twangin’ yee-ha. Check it out below:

The second track, “Half Angel, Half Light,” has more in common sonically with Centro-matic than any punk band.

They don’t really get heavy until track three, “Without a Face.”

The point is, this isn’t the same band I remember in Austin. The album is one of the bigger surprises of 2013. I have no idea what we’ll get Saturday night when they play on Slowdown’s small stage, but I know it’ll be memorable.

Opening the show is Gordon, one of the Omaha’s best new hopes who hasn’t played live in a few months (at least as far as I know). Get there early. In the center slot is the fucked-up wonder of Baby Tears. Epic show. $10 Adv/$13 DOS. 9 p.m. See you there.

Also Saturday night, The Lupines return to fabulous O’Leaver’s. Opening is North of Grand and The Magnolias. $5, 9:30 p.m. Grab a tiki drink and head out to the patio between sets and soak in the night.

BTW, O’Leaver’s is also hosting a rock show tonight with Rock Paper Dynamite, Witness Tree and Moses Prey. $5, 9:30 p.m. And The Nadas are playing at The Waiting Room tonight with Vago. $15, 9 p.m.

The weekend is rounded out with a pair of shows. Early Sunday evening (5 p.m. to be exact) Outlaw Con Bandana plays with The Brigadiers at O’Leaver’s. But get there anytime after 2 to enjoy some meat & fixin’s from Smoke Buds (I’m getting the munchies already).

Later Sunday night Killer Blow headlines a show at The Sydney with Wisconsin garage rockers Hue Blanc’s Joyless Ones and Silent Drape Runners. $5, 9 p.m.

Whatever you do, get out and enjoy the weather. We’ve waited long enough…

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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.