by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The Mynabirds, Lovers Know (2015, Saddle Creek)

In this month’s Over the Edge column in The Reader, an extended review of The Mynabirds’ new album, Lovers Know, which was released last month on Saddle Creek Records.

The record is a rather massive step forward for Laura Burhenn and her band, tackling subject matter that might have added meaning to folks familiar with the local music scene. Or as I said in the review:

“….the true meaning behind the record might have been too damn hard for Burhenn to talk about. It only takes one spin of Lovers Know to realize that it’s a devastating portrait of a broken heart — one of the best breakup records since Joni Mitchell’s Blue.”

Read the whole review here. Buy the record here. Stream it here. Then get tickets to tomorrow night’s show at The Slowdown. It’s only $10 and High Up opens.

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It’s a super-busy night for a Tuesday.

LA skate/surf punk band FIDLAR headlines tonight at The Waiting Room. The band comes through after playing the main stages at both Reading and Leeds festivals this year. Their new record, Too, was released Sept. 4 via Mom+Pop Records. Dune Rats open. $15, 9 p.m.

Mike Schlesinger returns to tonight to fabulous O’Leaver’s. He has some of the most listened to tracks on the Live at O’Leaver’s website. Check them out below. Also on the bill are Sam Martin and CJ Mills. $5, 9:30 p.m.

And finally, Lighthouse and The Whaler headlines at Slowdown Jr. tonight. The band’s new album, Mont Royal (Roll Call Records) was produced by Marcus Paquin (Local Natives, Stars, Arcade Fire). Opening is Born Cages and State Disco. 8 p.m. $12.

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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 © 2015 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Oquoa at Farnam Festival, Sept. 12, 2015.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Had a great time at the Blackstone / Farnam Festival Saturday night. It was kind of like a big, cool block party with live music, very much like Jake’s Block Party in Benson. They closed off 40th Street up by where Mula is located near Farnam, set up a beer tent and away they went. Hear Nebraska curated and organized the bands.

We hung around for Oquoa, which did their usual take on slacker/shoe-gaze — big, plodding, and even more intimidating on an outdoor stage, though I still can’t understand a word guitarist/vocalist Max Holmquist is singing. It never mattered with Conduits; I don’t suppose it matters here (though it really does).

My only gripe about the festival was that it didn’t showcase the quality restaurants located in the Blackstone District — Mula, Noli’s, Night Owl. If you wanted their food, you had to leave the compound. In all honesty, I don’t know how they could have provided their vittles, anyway. Instead, four food trucks provided grub. As least we could enjoy some fine craft brews from Scriptown and Infusion. If they do this again next year I’d love to see them to figure out a way to feature the local restaurants’ fare.

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Atlanta power punk trio The Coathangers (Suicide Squeeze Records) headlines a show tonight at Lookout Lounge. Also on the bill are No Thanks, Bien Fang and Tiananmen Squares. $8, 8 p.m.

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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 © 2015 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Desaparecidos at The Waiting Room, Sept. 10, 2015.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

In this awkward political season when President Trump (roll that one around in your head for a few moments) is making headlines while stealing music from the likes of R.E.M., Desaparecidos punched back at ol’ Teflon Don by playing some (likely unauthorized) Trump audio as an introduction to last night’s SRO show at The Waiting Room.

There was Trump’s blather at its most boob-tatstic presumably “introducing” the band during the audio pre-roll, right before Omaha’s own took the stage and proceeded to blow the place up with their cynical brand of spirited, punk-fueled political discourse, spewing a world view that couldn’t be further away from The Donald’s own.

If last night truly was the last time we see this band on an Omaha stage, they certainly went out with a massive thunderclap. Easily the best set I’ve seen them play — on edge, angry, musically precise. They performed all the best stuff off their two full lengths in what Oberst said was a record-breakingly long set, even though it only clocked in at just over an hour.

The differences between the band’s two albums never stood in more contrast than they did last night. Payola is a more guttural record, more intense and straight forward than Read Music, Speak Spanish, which we forget was written during Oberst’s creative peak, right around the time of Lifted and just before Wide Awake.

Payola songs are all power and political invective reflecting a specific time and specific political issues, while Read Music provided broader social commentary, certainly more subtle and poetic. Oberst was more apt to scream the lyrics of Payola songs, while for tunes like “Man and Wife, The Latter (Damaged Goods)” (which probably could have been a Bright Eyes song) he pulled back and sang with a focused clarity. It was that contrast that gave last night’s show added depth.

The entire band was on point. Bassist/guitarist Landon Hedges’ role as a second voice never sounded more vital to the overall sound. Denver Dalley’s guitar solos were raw and majestic, and Matt Baum proved once again he’s one of the area’s most powerful drummers. Balancing it out was Ian McElroy, a bobbing head of hair slouched over his keyboard.

Between-song patter was kept to a minimum, except toward the end of the set when Oberst introduced “Marikkkopa” by underscoring the racial divide in Omaha and the rest of the country. Oberst said (and I’m paraphrasing here) just when he thought things were getting better, along comes Trump (“I shouldn’t even say his name.”) or another story about a black kid getting shot by cops for doing nothing more than buying Skittles. But at the same time, there’s Obama “who’s been a good president” and the liberation of South Carolina from its hateful Confederate flag. For a brief moment, Oberst sounded hopeful. Right before the band blasted into a song about one of the most vile people in the history of these United States.

I don’t know if the show ultimately sold out. They were selling tickets at the door when I arrived at 10. That said, I can’t remember the last time The Waiting Room was so packed — butt-to-belly from stage to back bar, a youngish crowd, with a handful of old folks like me standing in the corners, watching the crowd-surfing from a safe distance. Was it their last hurrah? Something tells me we haven’t seen the last of this band on an Omaha stage.

Joyce Manner at The Waiting Room, Sept. 10, 2015.

Opening act Joyce Manor, who released music on seminal indie punk label Asian Man before signing to Epitaph, played a brief set of brief songs clearly influenced by Weezer. They were at their best during the moments they strayed the furthest from CuomoLand and into their own emo-pop-punk territory. Loud, fun, but very much a retread of everything we’ve heard before, from The Get Up Kids to You Blew It. Still, the kids loved them.

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Let’s get to the weekend.

I’ve always thought The Slowdown (specifically Slowdown Jr.) would make an amazing jazz club. Tonight you’ll be able to see how Slowdown’s big room works for jazz as one of the most critically lauded new jazz performers takes the big stage. Kamasi Washington has pushed beyond the jazz world with his latest recording, The Epic (Brainfeeder, 2015). And part of the reason for that extended reach is an 8.6 review in Pitchfork, where the album was honored with Pitchfork‘s “Best New Music” classification. And there’s also the fact that Kamasi is playing venues like The Slowdown on this tour. Delve Trio (formerly Luke Polipnick Trio) opens. $25, 8 p.m.

Here’s a taste of Kamasi’s latest album:

Also tonight, Omaha alt-country band Clarence Tilton opens for Iowa City indie band The Olympics at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Eklectica also is on the bill. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Local hip-hop hero Buck Bowen headlines at Reverb Lounge with bIXill & A Ferocious Jungle Cat. $8, 9 p.m.

The weekend’s BAE (Big Ass Event) is Saturday at the new Farnam Street District. The Blackstone Farnam Festival features food and booze from the fine establishments located in this happening now part of town, along with music from Digital Leather, M34N STR33T, Oquoa, Huge Fucking Waves and producer/DJ Kethro. It all takes place on 40th Street between Farnam and Dodge. Starts at 5 p.m., runs to 11, and is absolutely free.

Later that night, it’s back to Benson for what will be one of the last (if not thee last show ever) at Sweatshop Gallery. The line-up: headliner Palehound, Uh Oh, Low Long Signal and Strawberry Runners. $8, 9 p.m. Someone needs to save Sweatshop’s iconic zebra zig-zag stage backwall design.

Look out for motor scooters in Benson Saturday night as the Hell On Wheels Scooter Rally 2 will be in full effect, with a concert at The Sydney featuring The Bishops. $5 or free if you’re a registered rally rider. Starts at 8 p.m.

Back at O’Leaver’s Saturday night Red Cities headlines with The Broke Loose and Once a Pawn. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Sunday night, Japanese punk band Mugen Hoso plays at The Lookout Lounge with The Big Al Band. The show is listed as starting at 6 p.m. and is $5.

And finally, it’s once more back to O’Leaver’s for the homecoming of New Yorker Darren Keen. Joining him is Channel Pressure (Todd from The Faint and Graham from Reptar) and Giant Claw. $5, 9 p.m.

And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend.

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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 © 2015 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Desaparecidos at The Waiting Room, Oct. 22, 2013. The band returns to The Waiting Room tonight.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Before I left on vacation to NYC, warnings were being posted in Facebook that tickets to tonight’s Desaparecidos show at The Waiting Room were in short supply. It’s now the day of the show and tickets are still available — which is surprising, or maybe not so surprising.

Desa played Coachella this year; their new album, Payola, has been heaped with praise; the band performed on Late Night with Seth Meyers this past June, and Desa regularly sells out shows in other cities. So why haven’t they sold out their home town gig?

Well, the question of whether or not Desa is even an “Omaha band” has been kicked around by a few folks. I definitely consider them a hometown band even though Denver Dalley and Ian McElroy no longer live in Omaha, and Conor Oberst is (probably) only a part-time resident. Landon Hedges and Matt Baum remain fixtures of the local music scene, with Landon fronting Little Brazil and Baum performing in Montee Men.

The lack of a sell-out heralds back to a trend that began in mid-’90s and continued through the next 20 years, a trend of Omaha / Nebraska bands drawing better outside of their home state. I can’t tell you the number of times bands have commented to me that they enjoyed bigger crowds in St. Louis, New York, Chicago and Kansas City than when they played right here. Maybe we take the local talent for granted? Maybe we just assume “Meh, I’ll catch them next time” even if there may not be a “next time.”

That said, I wouldn’t be surprised if tonight’s show sells out before the 9 p.m. start time. Before you go, read (or reread) the band’s “secret origin story” in The Reader, online here. Asian Man Records punk/emo band Joyce Manor opens the show, along with St. Louis act Radkey. $20. See you there.

Also tonight, Rock Paper Dynamite begins its September-long Thursday-night residency at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Opening is Super Ghost, who recently announced that they’ve been “signed” to new local label We’re Trying Records. Also on the bill is Clear the Day. $5, 9:30 p.m.

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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 © 2015 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Twin Shadow at The Waiting Room, Sept. 8, 2015.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The last time Twin Shadow came through The Waiting Room (almost three years to the date of yesterday’s show — Sept. 10, 2012), the band performed as a trio in front of around 150, playing their urgent dance songs to a darkened, smoke-filled stage.

Last night’s performance at The Waiting Room showed how much the band has grown in three years, though their core sound has changed little. At the center of Twin Shadow is George Lewis, Jr., the songwriter and vocalist and guitarist, surrounded by three musicians who spent most of the time on synths, though two of them picked up guitars for a few harder numbers. Nary a drum was scene as most of the rhythm tracks were pre-programmed, with one player adding a few manually created electronic drum fills, and Lewis himself crashing down on cymbal that towered behind him like a slam dunk.

The music was dense, gorgeous electronic rock that leaned more toward classic FM than New Wave or post-punk. In fact, there were times last night when the music came dangerously close to (Dare I say it?) yacht rock territory. The slower, shoulder-pad ballads sounded like something pulled from a John Hughes or early Tom Cruise film. Other times I was reminded of Escape-era Journey and even, yikes, Toto.

Lewis has a rich, soulful voice that Michael McDonald would nod toward with admiration. We’re talking American Idol-quality tonsils, not the usual warbling indie-rock mewing I’m used to. And the few times he picked up an ax proved that he’s one helluva guitar player. The upbeat dance numbers were Twin Shadow’s sweet spot. Songs like the infectious “Old Love/New Love” off the new album got the zombie-eyed crowd of around 100 bouncing, as did set closer and Twin Shadow staple “Five Minutes” off breakthrough album Confess. Unfortunately, slower ballads outnumbered  dance moments three to one last night.

On the whole, it was a solid 45-minute set — a much better set than the droll half-hour I sat through at SXSW this past April when the band played under a giant scrim that looked like a mosquito tent. And while there were plenty of strobes and smoke last night, the best special effect was still Lewis’ own Ya Mo B There voice.

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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 © 2015 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Desaparecidos’ 2001 stage debut at the Holy Name High School fieldhouse.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I’m back.

The feature on Desaparecidos in The Reader is on newsstands now and online right here. Denver Dalley (and I) recall the origin of the band, starting in 2000. He talks about its rise, its unannounced hiatus, its return and the band’s new album, Payola. Better go read it. The interview was conducted in support of the band’s concert this Thursday, Sept. 10, at The Waiting Room, which, rumor has it, is close to selling out. And as Dalley says in the story, if you’re on the fence about seeing them this time ’round, “There’s a chance there won’t be a next time.” Better get your tickets now.

One thing that didn’t make it into the story…

I concluded the interview with Denver the way I’ve concluded all the Desa interviews I’ve had with Denver, with this question: When will Team Rigge return?

Named after a building on Creighton’s campus — Dalley said hip-hop act Team Rigge has included Ian McElroy, The Faint’s Clark Baechle, Oberst, former Cursive drummer Clint Schnase, Son Ambulance’s Joe Knapp and Dan Maxwell of Little Brazil, who at the time was a member of Secret Behind Sunday.

Team Rigge tracks have shown up in the strangest places.  The first Team Rigge recording was included as a pretrack on Criteria’s 2003 debut LP. The only way to find it was by dropping the CD in a player and hitting the “rewind” button to discover — voila! — something preceded the first track. McElroy, who has carried on the team’s tradition as Rig 1, said in this 2008 interview that at the time Oberst lived next door to Criteria’s Stephen Pedersen in a small house just north of Dundee. The two shared recording equipment along with a copy of Pro Tools. That first recording featured McElroy, Oberst and Jenny Lewis. Here it is:

“I would love to see an actual Team Rigge reunion,” Dalley said. “Unfortunately, one of the original members, Dave Vederami, passed away recently.”

Still, Dalley said he’d “be curious” to see a reunion of surviving members. “I’d also love to see a Smashmouth reunion,” he said, referencing a band that included Criteria’s Pedersen, bassist Bart Volkmer and drummer Schnase.

“We’ve been trying to get Conor to cover a Commander Venus song,” Dalley added. “We tried back in 2001, but he thought the two bands (Desaparecidos and Commander Venus) sounded too similar.”

Denver said during Desa practices he’ll start to play a Commander Venus song and guitarist Landon Hedges will immediately join in, “but it just fades off. Maybe that will be my ultimate goal — to break him down before Sept. 10 to do one encore song.” Do you think CV guitarist Robb Nansel would join them on stage?

Get a load of baby Conor heard on this classic Commander Venus track:

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Twin Shadow returns to The Waiting Room tonight. Twin Shadow is Dominican-born George Lewis, Jr., whose 2012 album Confess (4AD) was a dizzying trip back to ’80s electro-pop with a sound that recalled everything from General Public to Fine Young Cannibals to New Order. I caught the band this year at SXSW, where they played music from their current release, Eclipse, which isn’t much of a departure from Confess. Opening is electronic trio LANY. $17, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, Seattle band La Luz headlines at fabulous O’Leaver’s (where I’m told the new beer garden has finally opened (and must be seen to be believed)). Opening is Will Sprott and the always entertaining Sucettes. $7, 9 p.m.

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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 © 2015 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

NYC on Sept. 2, 2010. Something tells me not much has changed.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Reception at Lazy-i Central may be spotty this week as I’m headed to New York City for the annual adventure. Follow the hi-jinx at instagram.com/timmymac29.

Bad timing on my part because I’m going to miss Retirement tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Retirement consists of Simon Joyner and Dave Nance doing their thing as only they can. Also on the bill are Michigan band Trancers and Thick Paint (Graham Ulicny of Reptar). It’s gonna be a good one. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Also tonight, Nashville Pussy headlines at The Waiting Room with Valient Thorr. $15, 9 p.m.

Speaking of TWR, word on the street is that tickets to the Sept. 10 Desaparecidos show are in short supply. Better get them while you can. Look for my Desaparecidos history-based interview in the September issue of The Reader, which should hit the streets Thursday, followed shortly after by the online version. As Desaparecidos guitarist Denver Dalley says in the story, this may be the last time you get to see Desa live. Who knows? Better take advantage of 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 © 2015 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

The Blind Shake at O’Leaver’s, Aug. 31.2015.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Another night spent at O’Leaver’s. It’s becoming a habit, thanks to their bookings, which lately have been outshining just about everyone else in town. If you’re looking for rock music, O’Leaver’s is (once again) becoming your go-to choice.

Certainly the rock was a-rollin’ last night, and the turn-out of 30 or so was impressive for a Monday. Things started off with a film by White Mystery shown on the plasma TV that hangs behind O’Leaver’s “stage” (Just when I was about to suggest to grandmaster sound-guy Ian Aeillo that they should take down that flat panel or move it to a different wall — there’s nothing quite as tacky as having a blank plasma TV in every photo taken of bands at O’Leaver’s). The video was like a found-footage collection of road-trip video mashed with a pseudo-psycho-sexual horror film that concluded with a pick-up basketball game where-in some guy won with a granny shot. Coming to a theater near you?

DJ Dave Goldberg spun old-time wax between bands, the next up being Minneapolis power-punk trio The Blind Shake. Riveting straight-forward guitar chops and pounding rhythms backed bark vocals from the dueling guitarists of Jim and Mike Blaha. Brittle and brutal stuff in sort of Thee Oh Sees-meet-The Night Marchers vein. Great stuff.

The blurring red heads of White Mystery at O’Leaver’s, Aug. 31, 2015.

Then along came the brother and sister team of Miss Alex White and Francis Scott Key White a.k.a. White Mystery. The Chicago duo is becoming old-timers in Omaha. They just played here a few months ago at Reverb, and decided to pass through again after playing Riot Fest in Denver. Their stripped-down guitar-and-drums attack defines a style of garage that is uniquely their own. Now one shreds and screams quite like Miss Alex.

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There was some chit-chat on the patio last night about the demise of The Sweatshop Gallery as a music venue. The art garage in the heart of Benson’s last show is Sept. 12, headlined by Speedy Ortiz-connected band Palehound. Casey Logan at the Omaha World-Herald got the scoop last week, here. I’m told the folks taking over the space aren’t interested in hosting rock shows. A pity, as Sweatshop was gaining momentum after this year’s Sweatfest, becoming recognized as an alternative venue for cutting-edge bands that are flying just under the radar, as well as a few clearly on the grid, like Ceremony, Speedy Ortiz and Parquet Courts, all of whom have played shows there.

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Speaking of The Sweatshop, the ol’ garage is hosting a show tonight headlined by Canadian acts Homeshake and Sheer Agony, with Lineman’s Rodeo and Little Ripple. $7, 9 p.m.

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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 © 2015 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.