by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Benson Beerfest

Be aware that Benson Beerfest is happening tomorrow. The area around Krug Park, The Waiting Room and Jake’s will be crowded with fun-loving, beer-gargling drunks. There are a few details about the event at bensonbeerfest.com, but not much other than the price: $30 Adv/$35 Day of Event. That gets you (apparently) all the beer you can drink? What else is involved in this event, I do not know.

Moving on…

Tonight, Hudson NY band Last Good Tooth (Team Love Records, you remember them) plays at O’Leaver’s (and could very well be opening). The band plays jangling Americana acoustic folk rock much in the same vein as Matt Ward. We’re talking guitar, drum, bass and fiddles. Check out some LGT sounds below. Also on the bill is Olympia, WA band Malaikat dan Singa (K Records / Pine Cone Alley). They call their sound “trance-punk outfit featuring bass clarinet, guitars, multiple drummers and his trademark wild vocals.” Headlining is our very own Touch People (Darren Keen). $5, 9:30 p.m.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/84123665″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Also tonight (Friday) Omaha rock band Witness Tree celebrates the release of its self-released EP Breathe In at Slowdown Jr. with Bullet Proof Hearts, Two Drag Club and Thunder Power. $7. 9 p.m.

The band has asked for a review of the EP, despite the fact that Lazy-i’s focus is indie music and Witness Tree — while without a record label — is anything but an indie band. Their sound borders on last-decade alt-radio rock that leans heavy on the pop side. Lots o’ big riffs, radio-friendly vocals and lyrics like “You could be my miracle tonight” and “You’re a bullet from a gun / You’re the fire from the heat” and “Ready or not, here I come.” You get the picture. Their songs emulate the kind of music I remember from the early ’80s, the kind of fun-time high school rock that Z-92 used to play. They’re not plowing new ground, in fact their soil is a couple generations old, and I can’t imagine they want it any other way. Harmless fun.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship headlines at The Sydney with opener bands Des Moines’ Fetal Pig and The Brigadiers. $5, 9 p.m.

Over at The Waiting Room, Satchel Grande is playing as part of Beerfest along with Touch People. It’s $7, but $5 with your Beerfest wristband. 9 p.m.

Finally, Sunday night — or should I say Sunday afternoon — Simon Joyner and the Ghosts, So-So Sailors and curry sausages are on the O’Leaver’s menu. as part of the Sunday Social Club. Food (from The French Bulldog) starts at 2 p.m., music starts at 5 p.m. $5

Also Sunday night, Dead Oceans Records indie dream-pop band Night Beds plays at Slowdown Jr. No opener is listed. $10, 9 p.m.

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/85464505″ params=”” width=” 100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Did I miss anything? Put it in the comments section. Have a good weekend.

ADDENDUM!!!

Someone e-mailed with “WTF, no love for Baths/Houses?”

I completely forgot about that show, which is happening at The Waiting Room Sunday night. Houses’ new album, A Quiet Darkness (Downtown Records) is a dark and seething as anything by The National but with more modern rhythms. Gloomy, but very good indeed. Baths is Will Wiesenfeld of [Post-Foetus] and Geotic fame. His latest, Obsidian, was released on the Anti-Con label. Also on the bill is EDM guy D33j, also on Anti-Con. Tix are $10 Adv./$12 DOS. Show starts at 9.

* * *

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

In this week’s column, a review of River’s Edge Park (during Playing With Fire). The size, location, set-up could change the area’s live music landscape. Read it in this week’s issue of The Reader or online right here.

One addendum to that review: Part of the Monday event was supposed to be a “Food Truck Festival.” By my count, there was only six vendors there (if you count two ice cream vendors). Not much of a festival. Why this part of the event fell through the cracks is anyone’s guess, but maybe the storm had something to do with it. Omaha (or CB) needs a real Food Truck Festival. Maybe Maha will fill that order.

* * *

Tonight at Slowdown Jr., electronic dream-pop one-man band Indians (4AD Records) headlines with See Through Dresses (Sara Bertuldo of Millions of Boys). $10, 9 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 © 2011 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Word spread via the social media yesterday afternoon that the Kanrocksas festival — which was supposed to be celebrating a return after taking a year off — has been cancelled due to poor ticket sales.

Festival acts were to include Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Avett Brothers, Kendrick Lamar, Passion Pit and MGMT, among others. According to this Kansas City Star story, the fest drew 50k attendees in 2011 — with Flaming Lips as one of its key headliners — but still managed to lose “significant money” (I’ve heard in excess of $1 million). This year they decided to take a “Moneyball” approach. “We felt like we could buy four to five great bands for the price of one,” said festival organizer Bill Brandmeyer. “It was like a small-market philosophy to get the most of our money and offer something special.” Tix were priced at $99 one-day, $175 two-day.

That price point for a collection of mid-tier acts seemed rather steep, until you consider that Cheap Trick at Stir last weekend was fifty freakin’ bucks. Last night’s Bloc Party show was $25, and I have a feeling you can expect to pay at least that much for quality mid-tier acts (i.e., those that could draw Slowdown big-room or TWR crowds) moving forward.

So is Kanrocksas’ failure a reflection of the weakening interest in indie music? Maybe, but consider how massive festivals like Coachella and Lollapalooza sold out almost immediately (though there are still plenty of tickets available to Pitchfork Fest), and how quickly Maha moved its pre-sale tix. Kanrocksas’ fatal error may have been in that Moneyball strategy. They needed at one one huge act each night.

That said, I’m not convinced interest in indie isn’t waning with this Spotify generation that expects to get everything indie for free or at reduced prices. There are fewer touring indie shows coming through town these days, which may reflect apprehension by a certain local promoter to take high-dollar chances in a market that doesn’t even have a radio station that regular airs indie music.

* * *

That said, Phoenix just got booked to play at the Music Hall Aug. 6, and guess who’s opening for them? None other than local electronic dance rock heroes Icky Blossoms. Tix go on sale Friday via Ticketmaster.

* * *

Couple shows going on tonight…

At fabulous O’Leaver’s McCarthy Trenching headlines a show with NC band JKutchma & the Five Fifths, and Brad Hoshaw. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, Gordon (who seems like they’re playing gigs twice a week these days) is headlining at The Waiting Room tonight with Red Lion and Timecat. If you haven’t checked out Gordon, this may be the perfect chance as this one is FREE. Starts at 9.

* * *

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 © 2011 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Skypiper at The Waiting Room, May 25, 2013.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I might have put my finger on who Skypiper reminds me of. I had to dig around in my feeble brain through most of their set at Saturday night’s EP release show at The Waiting Room, but (I think) I finally figured it out: Frontman Graham Burkum’ s voice bears a striking resemblance to David Baerwald’s.

Who is David Baerwald? Well, once upon a time in 1986 there was pop band called David and David. They had an album called Boomtown that was a huge hit. I loved that record, which today is all but forgotten despite the plethora of pop anthems it provided. David and David was a songwriter’s band; I don’t know if they even performed live. Skypiper also borders on being a songwriter’s pop band, though its songs aren’t as lyrically sophisticated (or as darkly personal) as Baerwald’s. That lack of lyrical intimacy might be what separates Skypiper from folks like Dan Wilson or Jeremy Messersmith, who have a similar embraceable pop style.

Saturday night’s show felt like a homecoming event, with the band creating its own stenciled stage backdrop complete with hand-made decorations. I didn’t realize Skypiper was simply going to give away their new EP. Sure enough, the Burkum Bros. told the crowd to take as many copies as they wanted from the back merch table. How are you ever going to become rich rock stars that way?

Opening band Cowboy Indian Bear put on their usual tight set. Their music seems to be constantly evolving, stretching to keep up with indie le style actuel, and while there’s plenty of sonic resonance to their sound, I’m beginning to lose the songs amidst their colorful noise. I walked away remembering the cacaphony, but not knowing what they were trying to say. Simpler is (almost) always better, which means you don’t need three people on stage pounding on a drum.

* * *

Satchel Grande at River’s Edge Park, May 27, 2013.

In other weekend coverage, look for a review of River’s Edge Park in my column in this week’s issue of The Reader. Needless to say, the park is going to be a gamechanger in terms of live outdoor facilities. I only caught Satchel Grande (the usual feel-good dance stuff) and Josh Hoyer’s new band, the Shadowboxers, which sounded like the reincarnation of James Brown. Get on the good foot, Josh.

* * *

News from Lincoln: Ideal Cleaners broke up… last November. In an email that arrived in my old AOL account, Dan Jenkins announced that the Cleaners’ Nov. 24, 2012, show at The Waiting Room was the band’s finale. “We sure had a good time in that band and played together for 9 1/2 years or something like that,” he said.

On the plus side, Jenkins announced that his new band, Halfwit, will be debuting June 7 at The Sydney. Fellow band members include former members of Mother Pile, Life of a Scarecrow and Machete Archive.

* * *

Two shows of note tonight:

Down at Slowdown, it’s the Bloc Party (yes, that Bloc Party) with Vancouver band Bear Mountain (Last Gang Records). $25, 9 p.m. Tickets are still available.

Meanwhile, over at The Waiting Room tonight, it’s John Klemmensen’s “Songwriter Death Battle,” an intriguing concept wherein 30+ local songwriters take a turn playing one song on stage using Mr. K’s acoustic guitar. Among the battlers: Dane Sybrant, Greg Loftis, Jon Jerry, Kendra Senrick, Sam Houser, Edward Spencer, Koby Good, Sarah Benck Tardy, Bret Vovk, Andrew Janousek, Scott Severin, Tara Vaughan, Jessica Errett, Jeremy Mercy, Nick Carl, Vern Fergesen, Reagan Roeder, Justin Neal, Justin Lamoureux, Stephanie Krysl, Doug Kabourek, Matt Cox, Rebecca Lowry, Matt McLarney, Eliza Doo, Brad Hoshaw, Matt Whipkey, Landon Hedges, Sara Bertuldo, Michael Wunder, and John Klemmensen. That’s a lot of entertainment for $5. Show starts at 9.

* * *

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 © 2011 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Three-day weekend. Too bad it’s supposed to rain. And that the highlight of the weekend — Sharon Jones + The Dap Kings at River’s Edge Park — has been cancelled.

Anyway…

First, tonight at the Sweatshop Gallery in Benson, it’s the 7-inch release show for The Dad (formerly Dads). Also on the bill: Fletch (Mike Schlesinger of Gus & Call, a band which no longer exists for reasons that have not been made clear to me but which I find unfortunate); Pro-Magnum (Paul Hanson (Perry H. Matthews, Fucking Party), Pat Oakes (Ladyfinger), Johnny Vredenburg (Digital Leather); and Sister-Kisser. $5 cover gets you in and beer (for a limited time), an additional $5 gets you a copy of The Dad 7-inch. Show starts at 9.

Also tonight, So-So Sailors returns to Fabulous O’Leaver’s for a gig that includes the production of the play “Wu World Woo,” which will be accompanied by Electric Chamber Music (more ex-Gus & Call members James Maakestad along with Aaron Markley, Daniel Ocannto and Dan McCarthy). Should be weird fun. Everything at O’Leaver’s is weird fun. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Lest we forget, Cheap Trick is playing at Stir Cove tonight. Tickets are a whopping $50 for a band that played for free in Memorial Park two years ago. 8 p.m.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) it’s the Skypiper EP release show at The Waiting Room with Twinsmith (new Betsy Wells w/Oliver Morgan (ex-Little Brazil) on drums) and Lawrence faves Cowboy Indian Bear. $7, 9 p.m.

Also Saturday night, Max Fischer has his EP release show w/ Downtown James Brown at The Sydney. Gig includes pals Touch People (Darren Keen), M34n Str33t and possibly a plethora of others. 9 p.m.

Also Saturday, Killer Blow returns to The Brothers Lounge with Pleasure Adapter and Howard. This one’s a knock-out. $5, 9 p.m.

Also finally on Saturday, Snake Island headlines at O’Leaver’s with LA’s Vinyl Williams and Monarchs of Speed. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday, what would have been a perfect night for shows (since most of us don’t have to get up to go to work the next day), has nothing happening. Drag.

Then it’s Memorial Day and what was supposed to be the big free Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings show at River’s Edge Park. Unfortunately, the band cancelled Monday’s show along with their gig at the Santa Cruz Blues Festival due to “an urgent family matter,” according to their Facebook page. The rest of what has been marketed as the re-introduction of the Playing With Fire concert series will go on as planned Monday, along with the “Food Truck Festival,” but the loss of Jones/Dap Kings was a real knee-capper to my weekend.

Anyway, if you’re headed over there, the festivities are all part of what’s being marketed as “Loessfest,” It starts Saturday with the ultra-lame Mike Love version of The Beach Boys featuring creepy John Stamos. The Playing with Fire portion Monday kicks off at 4 p.m. with a handful of blues bands, Satchel Grande, and then something called Vintage Trouble. More details, including parking information, are available at http://loessfest.com/

Also Monday, O’Leaver’s is hosting a Memorial Day show with Arless Nance, Brian Detweller and ManCavesAreForCaveMen. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Have a good holiday. Stay dry.

* * *

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 © 2011 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Skypiper, Troubledoer EP (self-release, 2013)

I don’t know where Skypiper fits into the mosaic of music styles that make up the Omaha / Lincoln / Nebraska music scene. They’re not part of Saddle Creek, aren’t involved in the city’s burgeoning dirty garage rock world, don’t fit into the folk/Americana scene and certainly aren’t dance / EDM. To my knowledge, they’re also not aligned with the city’s Christian rock scene.

And so, I’m left scratching my head as to where they fit in. Do we have to put labels for everything? No, we don’t, but it makes it easier for lazy music journalists to describe music.

I don’t know how to describe the new Skypiper EP Troubledoer other than to say it’s as good an indie-pop recording as I’ve heard this year, just straight-up hook-filled songwriting and tight musicianship. Quite a surprise considering their forgettable 2011 full-length debut.

The highlight of this new 4-song collection is track 3, “Free Spirit Woman,” a cute little rock shuffle with a plethora of clever lines that paint the portrait of a local scenester who (thinks) she’s cooler than you and may well be — a woman so free that she doesn’t have time to deal with her own problems. I think I’ve met this person before (Haven’t we all?).

Frontman Graham Burkum has a crisp, unadorned rock voice thankfully lacking any affected accoutrements. This is free-and-easy stuff without a hint of angst and/or cynicism, which will instantly relegate it outside of the sardonic audience that follows today’s indie or punk or anything else with an edge. There’s nothing dangerous about Skypiper. That doesn’t mean there’s nothing interesting about their music. It’s pure feel-good pop that begs you to sing along.  Add a super-crisp recording and you’ve got a promising new player in an already crowded scene, one that stands outside of the usual categories.

Skypiper celebrates the release of Troubledoer Saturday night at The Waiting Room with Twinsmith and Lawrence band Cowboy Indian Bear.

* * *

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.

Unread Records homepage

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

If you’re on Facebook and you live in Omaha than you’re already tired of being inundated with people asking you to give money today as part of the Omaha Gives event. I will not pile on, other than to point you to what I said last week during Lincoln’s version of this same fund drive, i.e, give some cash to Hear Nebraska (by clicking here), and here’s why. Other charities to consider: Omaha Girls Rock, the Maha Music Festival (which you may not know is a non-profit) and FilmStreams. The rest is up to you. Do your duty. Give. And then do what I plan to do: Turn off Facebook for the rest of the day. Here are the give links:

• Hear Nebraska
• Maha Music Festival
• Omaha Girls Rock
• Film Streams

* * *

Max Larson, drummer of rock group The Dad (formerly know as Dads), emailed a head’s up about the band’s 7-inch release show (and tour kick off) this Friday night at Sweatshop Gallery in Benson.

“We will be playing with Fletch (aka Mike Schlesinger of the late Gus & Call), Pro-Magnum (hippie-hating members of Digital Leather & The Fucking Party) and Sister-Kisser (female-fronted anger),” said Larson. “The record is $5, admission is $5, and I believe that all-you-can-drink keg beer will be available for $5 (This might have been a cruel joke, though).” This should be massive fun.

Larson also added this very useful PS: “P.S. I’m not sure if you’re a follower of Unread Records, but a week or two ago Chris put a large handful of his releases up for stream on Bandcamp. It is my understanding that, until now, a number of these recordings have suffered from limited digital representation. Most of these bands/singers are from Omaha (including Simon Joyner of course), so if you want to listen you should. The link is http://unreadrecords.bandcamp.com/“

“Chris” is Chris Fischer, who I spoke with way back in 2000 for an article in the Omaha Weekly. I was going to post a link to that story (which still exists on Lazy-i), but you’d have to scroll around to find it and I figured what the heck, I’ll just post it below. Unread Records started out as a tape label and still is, though they also sell other media, including vinyl, as evidenced by The Dad 7-inch that Unread is releasing. According to the Unread Records website, the label’s world headquarters is now located in Pittsburgh. Check out the Bandcamp page for some very rare recordings, go to Unread to order / buy some awesome stuff, and keep up with the label on their Facebook page.

Now, into the Wayback Machine, from The Omaha Weekly, Sept. 14, 2000:

The roster of fall releases by Omaha’s Unread Records is crowded with a number of … wait-a-minute, you’ve never heard of Unread Records? That’s probably because the label is part of the underground world of cassette-tape-only record labels, a music scene so obscure that it makes an indie label like Saddle Creek Records look like DreamWorks in comparison.Operated by Chris Fischer out of his house/performance space known as Gunboat, Unread Records has produced cassette and vinyl releases from some of the underground’s most famous unknowns, including a tape by South Carolina’s “king of banjo” Charlie McAlister, as well as a 7-inch single by Shrimper and Catsup Plate recording artist Will Simmons.

Fischer says there are “zillions” of tape only labels. Some more-famous artists who have put out tape-only releases include Sebadoh’s Lou Barlow, folk-music favorites The Mountain Goats, and even undisputed funk-groove indie rocker Beck, Fischer said.

“I started my label three years ago to put out tapes for me and my friends,” said Fischer, who recently moved to Omaha from Lancaster, Penn. “I don’t have any artists signed to anything, and I don’t ever want to put out a thousand units of anything.”

That shouldn’t be a problem for the 20-year-old entrepreneur. Most his 27 releases include hand-made cassette shells or screen-printed jackets. Though promotion is usually through word of mouth or the Internet, Fischer has placed ads in fanzines and sent flyers to a handful of record labels that pass them onto their customers. His most popular release thus far is the McAlister cassette Turn of the Century Photograph of, which moved more than 300 units.

Fischer said the label will branch out to CDs this fall, with a release by Fizzle Like a Flood (Omaha singer/songwriter Doug Kabourek, who also performs as The Laces). Also look for a split 7-inch vinyl release by Park and A Boy Named Thor, a split-label CD with Twee Kitten Records, a Jarbaby one-sided LP, as well as cassettes by Church of Gravitron, Park, Caleb Fraid and others.

Just as obscure as Unread Records is Gunboat, Fischer’s performance space located in the basement of the house he rents at 301 So. 38th Ave. Past Gunboat performers include most of the Saddle Creek Records’ stable of artists, who have made house shows a staple on their recent tour schedules.

“House shows are a different kind of scene, a more personal performance that allows the fans to hang out with the people who play,” Fischer said. “There’s no stage, it’s kind of one-on-one.”

Gunboat shows attract a mostly under-21 crowd made up of house show regulars or people who have heard about the shows either by visiting the Saddle Creek Records website (www.saddle-creek.com) or by spotting a flier at The Antiquarium or Drastic Plastic. Fischer says his largest show drew about 70 people.

One recent night at Gunboat included performances by Bright Eyes, Philadelphia’s Jen Turrell (Rabbit in Red), and Pennsylvania band Chauchat. Last week, Fischer hosted Jarbaby from Normal, Ill.

Among the bands slated for Gunboat’s upcoming Sept. 20 show are The Good Life (a new project by Cursive’s Tim Kasher), Boston’s Kolya, Omaha emo-rockers Secret Behind Sunday and Lincoln’s Her Flyaway Manner (slated to release a CD on Caulfield Records) Fischer says the cover is usually two or three dollars, all of which goes to the touring band to help cover their expenses.

* * *

Ah, those were the days…

Speaking of blasts from the pasts, I just got word that Mousetrap has been booked to play a return engagement at The Waiting Room Aug. 16 for what I’m told is being billed as a “Pre-Maha Party” (the Maha Music Festival is the following day). No idea who else will be playing this gig, but I’m told we should expect to hear some new Mousetrap material along with old favorites. Mark it down on your calendar.

* * *

Finally, Maha Music Festival and The Slowdown are hosting an Omaha Gives Showcase tonight. Among the acts are current favorite, Gordon. Also on the program are A Wasted Effort, Rock Paper Dynamite and The Seen. It’s a free show, but you’ll be hit up to give money (and you should, you cheap-ass). Gordon I believe plays second, so get there early.

* * *

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.

Field Club at O’Leaver’s, May 17, 2013.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Diversification is the key to survival when it comes to rock clubs or anything for that matter. The Waiting Room and Slowdown know this, which is why you see a variety of offerings in different genres and not just the indie meat-and-potatoes we might prefer.

The same can be said for O’Leaver’s. Friday night’s line-up was outside of the club’s usual leather-and-blood garage punk/indie that they’re known for. Instead, headliner Field Club is more of an alt band in the Lilith Fair vein, an easy stereotype considering the female vocalists and winsome folk rock a la 10,000 Maniacs. And as a result, the audience was a tad different than the usual O’Leaver’s crowd — cleaner, more collegiate, almost suburban, more like the folks you see out playing in the sand rather than on a post office Wanted poster.

I own In My Tribe, along with The Sundays’ debut and a couple early Indigo Girls albums, so I think I know what Field Club might have been going for on their new Best Friends EP. And for the most part, the sound is there. The live version, however, was a different animal. Vocally it was less restrained as frontwoman Andrea Purdy reached harder for an emotional sweet spot, helped by (presumably sister) Kara Purdy on harmonies. The extra effort at times pushed them over the edge. It’s a subtle thing and I can’t quite put my finger on it, but when female vocalists add too much flourish, too much accoutrement, their sound changes from college/indie to something reaching toward mainstream. Depending on your point of view, that can be either good or bad.

As a whole, the sound was uneven on the usually rock-sold O’Leaver’s stage. The tone of the lead guitar was piercing, while the bass was lost in the mix. Things were smoothed over by the end of the set, but it would be interesting to hear what this six-piece would sound like on a different stage.

* * *

Looks like a quiet week show-wise. The Slowdown is hosting an Omaha Gives event Wednesday night that includes a set by Gordon. It’s a free show, but they’ll be badgering you for a donation (along with every other non-profit in Omaha that day).

And then it’s back to O’Leaver’s Friday for So-So Sailors…

* * *

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.

Field Club celebrates the release of its new self-released EP, Best Friends, tonight at O’Leaver’s.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

There no indie happening at the “big two” Omaha venues, which means it looks like we’re all in for a double-dip of O’Leaver’s splendor this weekend.

Tonight at O’Leaver’s Field Club celebrates the release of its new EP, Best Friends. The Omaha six-piece’s style falls somewhere between The Sundays and The Cranberries — smooth, lilting, pretty indie pop. Check it out below. Also on the bill is Lincoln’s Guilty Is the Bear and Lansing, Michigan band Doug Mains and the City Folk. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Then tomorrow night The Brigadiers (Clint Schnase (ex-Cursive), drums; Shane Lamson, guitar, vocals; Mark Weber (ex-Box), lead guitar, vocals; and Vic Padios (ex-Calico, ex-Gymnastics), bass, vocals) return to O’Leaver’s with EVERYONE’s favorite post-punk four-piece, Well Aimed Arrows. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Am I missing anything good? Put it in the comments section. Have a fantastic weekend…

* * *

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

Hear Nebraska’s Lincoln Fund Drive is today.

A couple things to consider as you decide whether to give to HearNebraska.org during the organization’s Lincoln pledge drive…

Yes, the Omaha fund drive isn’t until next week, but for every $10 you give to this one, your name gets dropped into a “virtual hat.” And if your name is drawn from that “virtual hat” you’ll win a custom turntable valued at $2k. For all you lame-o’s that don’t have a turntable, here’s your chance to finally get with it, and for you hipsters who already have a turntable, well, once you win this one, all you’ll need is a microphone to fulfill Beck’s “Where It’s At” dictum.

For you musicians out there who could give a shit about turntables, consider this:

Not only is Hear Nebraska’s mission entirely to support your artistic endeavors, but unlike some local charitable organizations that are always mooching you for free performances, HN does what it can to compensate bands who take part in activities like the upcoming “Hear Nebraska at the 1200 Club” concert and the “Hear Lincoln concert series.”

Look, eventually you’re going to book a show, cut a recording, start a new band, get busted for something you didn’t do, and you’ll want to get your story seen-read-heard by the music-loving world that follows Nebraska music, and it’s Hear Nebraska that’s going to help you do that. What’s it cost to hire a publicist? It’s nice to know you already have Hear Nebraska on your side.

And HN couldn’t have made it any easier. Just go to hearnebraska.org and fill out the “Donate Now” doohickey right on the homepage. Your donation TODAY will help HN get a share of the “Give to Lincoln” matching gift fund. Come on, you cheap-asses, do it.

* * *

In this week’s column, those narcissistic Millennials. Is it me or does it seem like we see and  hear more about the young, hip people creating the companies than the companies themselves? Read it in this week’s issue of The Reader or online right here.

* * *

Travelling Mercies, Motel (self release, 2013)

Listening to the new Travelling Mercies album, Motel… What would you call this… Country? Country Rock? Alt Country? Outlaw Country?

Despite its inherent twang-and-drawl it leans heavier to the right on the Rock needle. Usually. On the other hand, songs like the acoustic “Holy Mary” bend toward folk. Then there’s the weird-Hawaiian-flavored lap-steel Hank Williams-derivative “Million Dollar Recipe.” But for the most part, it’s foot-on-the-floor tractor-flavored rock like the relentless “Border Run” that rattles and crashes like a waltz in a hailstorm.

Throughout the recording is an overshadowing Christian lilt that’s not so much “preachy” as an acknowledgement by songwriter/frontman Jeremy Mercy that yeah, there’s a higher power and he may or may not pull his ass out of the shit the next time it lands there. Mercy is a storyteller, and without a doubt this is a story-teller album.

I bring this up because Travelling Mercies are headlining tonight’s relief benefit at The Waiting Room for those devastated in the recent explosion in West, Texas. Also on the dance care are Belles & Whistles, 24 Hour Cardlock and Stephen Monroe. Recommended donation is $5 (but you can always give more), with all door proceeds going to the McLennan County Salvation Army.

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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.