Little Brazil circa 2004. Back then the band was (clockwise from left) drummer Corey Broman, bassist Danny Maxwell, guitarist/keyboardist Austin Britton and vocalist/guitarist Landon Hedges. A new line-up takes the stage tonight, 10 years later…

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

So what day is it again? Monday? Wait, what? Thursday? Huh? This is the strangest holiday season that I can remember… but I like that what feels like Monday is actually Thursday.

I also like the fact that tonight is the return of Little Brazil to O’Leaver’s.

The big news here is that guitarist Greg Edds quit Little Brazil a number of weeks ago — the reason for his departure I cannot say, but he’ll be missed. Filling his rather monstrous shoes is none other than one of the city’s best guitarists, Mike Friedman, last seen on stage bent over a pedal-steel guitar accompanying Simon Joyner. Friedman is a rock veteran who’s history includes stints in The Movies (with Matt Whipkey), Reagan and The Rayguns, and his other current gig playing alongside the local heroes who make up The Lupines.

Greg’s not the only one who flew the Little Brazil coop. Drummer Oliver Morgan took flight last year, replaced by one-man wrecking crew Matt Baum (Desaparecidos). Ollie now drums with Saddle Creek band Twinsmith, and according to this story in Hear Nebraska, will be playing with LB for the last time ever tonight.

Of course the core of LB remains the same: Danny Maxwell on bass alongside frontman/guitarist Landon Hedges. Both were kept busy with other projects last year — DMax with New Lungs and Landon touring as a member of Desaparecidos.

The 4-band bill tonight at O’Leaver’s (yes, four bands, who knows why so many) include Love Drunk mastermind Django Greenblatt-Seay’s new band The Gramps followed by travelers Dan Mariska and the Boys Choir (from Minnesota), then the amazing See Through Dresses, and finally Little Brazil closing out the night.

This should be a rather huge show if the brutal below-zero temps don’t keep people from venturing out. $5, 9:30 p.m.

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Lazy-i Best of 2013

We’re still taking entries in the drawing for a copy of the Lazy-i Best of 2013 compilation CD! The collection includes songs by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The Gardenheads, Destruction Unit, Lloyd Cole, Pet Shop Boys, Daft Punk, Jack Bugg and a ton more.  The full track listing is here. Entering has never been easier: To enter either: 1. Send an email with your mailing address to tim.mcmahan@gmail.com, or 2) Write a comment on one of my Lazy-i related posts in Facebook, or 3) Retweet a Lazy-i tweet. You also can enter by sending me a direct message in Facebook or Twitter. Hurry, contest deadline is midnight Jan. 6!

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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.