Anonymous American  at Slowdown Jr., Nov. 30, 2011. The band reunites tonight at The Barley Street Tavern.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Feels like a Saturday, doesn’t it? The holidays will do that to you, especially if you have the day off.

Lots o’ shows going on this weekend. Let’s get right to it…

Expect a nutso crowd at The Brothers Lounge tonight for a reunion of Capgun Coup. Today as in 2004 when the band first got rolling, Sam Martin, Greg Elsasser and the rest of the crew were/are on the verge of something. Find out what that “something” is tonight. Joining them is hip-hop crew M34N STR33T. $5, 9 p.m.

Listen to “Bad Bands” from Capgun Coup’s Maudlin (Team Love, 2009), below:

Also tonight at brand new all-ages rock venue Milk Run there’s a three-band bill featuring Lincoln band Domestica — consider it a christening of the club as only Jon and Heidi can. Also on the bill are The Morbs (Lincoln indie-pop trio featuring members of Manic Pixie Dream Girls) and Relax, It’s Science (Jeremy Stanosheck and Co.). $5, 9 p.m.

Read more about Milk Run in my detailed interview with the club’s proprietors, Chris Aponick and Sam Parker, and watch this interview from Hear Nebraska.

Speaking of reunions, Matt Whipkey and the boys of Anonymous American reunite at The Barley Street Tavern tonight. The band, which also features Wayne Brekke, Bobby Carrig and Corey Weber, hit its stride with the 2004 self-release of When the Drummer Counts to Four. Opening is Travelling Mercies. $5, 9 p.m.

Tomorrow night is all about The Good Life at The Slowdown main room. Consider it a victory lap for the band whose been touring on and off since the release of Everybody’s Coming Down (Saddle Creek, 2015) this past August. Read about the record here. It’s a star-studded bill with the return of Big Harp, whose new cassette Waveless (Majestic Litter, 2015) is a career high-water mark. If that wasn’t enough to get you to Slowdown, the hottest Omaha band of 2015, High Up, opens. $13, 9 p.m.

Also going on Saturday night, Ocean Black (the band formerly known as Nightbird) headlines at O’Leaver’s. Joining them are Laughing Falcon and Montee Men (Matt Baum and Co.). $6, 9:30 p.m.

And John Klemmensen and the Party headlines at Lookout Lounge, 320 So. 72nd Street. Also on the bill are Anthems, Low Long Signal and Super Ghost. $5, 9 p.m.

Consider Sunday a day of rest.

That’s what I got for this weekend. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a frosty 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.

When Black Friday comes, I’m gonna dig myself a hole…

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Just in case I forget to say it later, Happy Thanksgiving. If you live in the Omaha metro area, good luck. Sounds like it’s going to be Ice Station Zebra around here come tomorrow afternoon. Keep your fingers crossed that your power doesn’t go out and your turkey doesn’t catch cold.

Alright, so enough about the holidays. Friday is Black Friday and the folks at our area record stores are hoping to Make BF a BFD™.

Before you venture out into the ice, make sure you review the official Black Friday Record Store Day list, right here: http://www.recordstoreday.com/SpecialReleases I’ve been told that Homer’s and Drastic Plastic are stocking up on the majority (if not all) of these titles. There are literally crates of records piling up in their back rooms waiting to be released to the public at 10 a.m. Friday.

Mike Fratt, Homer’s general manager, said in addition to those Black Friday titles, Homer’s will have dozens of 2015 releases on CD at $9.99, “like Elle King, Father John Misty, Beach House, Disclosure, etc. We also have a couple dozen 2015 CD releases at $6.99, like Weeknd, Ryan Adams, Dr Dre, Nathaniel Rateliff, etc.”

And in addition, Homer’s will have a large new vinyl sale at 25% to 40% off, more than a thousand titles, “and, of course, we have Adele on CD at $9.99, vinyl at $24.99.” Adele! And if you’re shopping for the perfect Christmas present for the special someone who just discovered the joy of vinyl, Homer’s has “a dozen used turntables in stock and new ones, too, starting at $129.99.”

I asked Homer’s employee (and Milk Run proprietor) Chris Aponick to pick a few must-haves from the BF list, and he spit out The Eazy E Christmas 7-inch, the new Pujol single, and “the Neil Finn/Paul Kelly split thing, but I’m sure nobody else is after that.” WRONG Mr. Aponick. I love Paul Kelly.

Meanwhile, across the street at Drastic Plastic, DP dude (and For Against musician) Jeff Runnings tells me, “We’re having hot coffee and Drastic fudge brownies for those braving the possibly shitty weather—and we’re bringing in absolutely EVERYthing for BF.”

Yeah, but what our your picks, Jeff? “My picks?  The brilliant first Buzzcocks album on orange; the delicious dbl ‘best of’ LP Ciao! by Lush on translucent red, and the B-52’s “live” from 1979.”

How can we live without those? WE CAN’T!

Which brings us to Almost Music in Benson. Proprietor Brad Smith says, “I will have a ton of new stock, including Black Friday Record Store Day exclusives from Ty Segall, T Rex, The Sonics box set, etc.”

Brad’s Picks? “Definitely The Sonics’ 50 box set, and The Revolutionaries’ Revolutionaries Sounds Vol. 2 LP.”

So what are my picks? Well in addition to those mentioned above, I’m eyeing that Jesus and Mary Chain Barbed Wire Kisses on double blood-red vinyl, Gang of Four Songs of the Free LP on blue/purple/yellow splatter vinyl, and maybe even that Earth, Wind and Fire Greatest Hits Vol. 1, unless I can find a clean used copy (Can you believe I don’t have an EW&F album?)…

Like I said, all three stores — Homer’s, Drastic Plastic, and Almost Music — open at 10 a.m. Friday morning. Happy hunting.

* * *

No doubt the bars will be packed tonight as they always are the day before Thanksgiving, regardless of any live music. Clubs like to book cover bands during the holidays, and there are plenty of those going ’round.

That said, Reverb has some original rock happening tonight. See Through Dresses headlines, with Lawrence singer/songwriter La Guerre. $7, 9 p.m.

Also tonight is the Canned in Benson Songwriter Showcase at The Barley Street Tavern. Scheduled performers include Reagan Roeder, Edward Spencer, Kait Berreckman, Travis Sing, Gerald Lee, Jr., Joe Watson, John Klemmensen, Nick Carl, Vern Fergesen, Korey Anderson, Rebecca Lowry and Matt Cox. Food and cash donations to benefit the Food Bank For The Heartland will be collected at the door. Starts at 8.

Tomorrow night is basically a black hole for live music except for one exciting show: Team Love recording artist Miwi La Lupa is headlining at festive O’Leaver’s Thanksgiving night. Joining him is CJ Mills and Landon Hedges of Little Brazil and Desaparecidos fame. $5, 9 p.m.

Then along comes the weekend, which is rather packed. I’ll provide an update on Friday. Gobble-gobble….

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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.

Fuzz at The Waiting Room, Nov. 21, 2015.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The last time Ty Segall came through town there was maybe 50 people at the show. Last Saturday night The Waiting Room was packed for his return in the guise of his heavy metal psych-rock trio Fuzz. Not sure what happened between that first Fuzz album and his second, but things have certainly blown up.

Walter at The Waiting Room, Nov. 21, 2015.

Right before Fuzz, fellow So Cal garage rockers Walter played a set of refined psych metal. Refined in that these guys were as tight as any touring blues or jazz band. Frontman Patrick Noland was an absolute beast on his left-handed Fender electric, effortlessly playing riffs and fills like the second coming of Stevie Ray Vaughan but with his own special brand of sass.

But like any great power trio, no one piece is stronger than the next. Bassist Misha Lindes was rock solid and drummer Ross Chait put on a clinic, right down to a Whiplash-quality drum solo toward the end of their set.

I went home afterward and downloaded Get Well Soon, the trio’s latest (available from the Bandcamp link below this entry). Great record but nowhere near as precise or powerful as what was heard on stage. It’s as if these So Cal garage bands go out of their way to make their recordings sound dirty, which I guess is exactly what they do, but in this case it merely blurred the lines when they should remain laser sharp. I left a fan.

Next came Fuzz. Before I go on, let me point out how much time went into their (and Walter’s) pre-set soundcheck, much more than most touring indie acts who walk up to their instruments, play a couple notes and give a thumbs up. Segall and Co. were meticulous, spending at least 10 minutes adjusting different things in their monitors, their mics, etc. And as ironic as it seems considering this is a heavy-metal garage band, it made perfect sense. They we’re going for a specific sound that required everything be just right to sound authentic.

More Fuzz.

In the end, the Fuzz’s futzing was worth it. The Waiting Room once again proved Saturday to be the best sounding rock concert room in Omaha. Fuzz blazed right out of the starting gate, blowing out a style of rock with a simple formula centered around Chad Ubovich’s rugged, bluesy bass lines made all the more majestic by Ubovich’s bronze face paint — he looked like a golden tin man beneath a shoulder-length shag. Despite guitarist/vocalist Charlie Moothart’s solid riffs or Segall’s blazing stickwork, it was those bass lines that mattered most with these songs.

From an old-school perspective I was reminded of Sabbath, Deep Purple and Robin Trower; modern-day comparisons include John Dwyer and the dreaded Jack White, two long-time garage-rock veterans who you must acknowledge whether (certainly in White’s case) you admit  liking their music or not.

By mid-set much head-banging ensued; there was even a small mosh pit in front of the stage and a few folks tried crowd-surfing. If there’s a downside to Fuzz music it’s that it all sounds very similar, especially when songs evolve into extended heavy-metal jams. But who gives a shit when you’re lost in the moment (or in the pit)?

* * *

Thanksgiving week is always slow music-wise and this year is no different. There’s virtually nothing going on until See Through Dresses return to Reverb Lounge Wednesday night with La Guerre, and then Miwi La Lupa and Landon Hedges Thanksgiving night at fabulous O’Leaver’s. I guess it makes it that much easier to catch up with the relatives…

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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.

Ty Segall at Sokol Underground, Feb. 10, 2013. His other band, Fuzz, plays at The Waiting Room Saturday night.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

We knew this f***ing weather had to arrive eventually, right? It was only a matter of time.

No doubt crappy weather will hamper this weekend’s musical festivities, of which there are many. Dig out your winter coat and your ice scraper and give one (or two) of these a shot.

Tonight at The New BLK at 1213 Jones St. it’s the Bigger than Beef Book Party. The event is essentially a book launch and signing for the book Omaha Food: Bigger Than Beef (The History Press/Arcadia Publishing, 2015) by Omaha’s very own Rachel Grace. I have not seen or read the book, but I’m making a guess that it focuses on Omaha food, something we’re all familiar with.

But even if you can’t read (which means you’re probably not reading this) you’ll want to drop in on this free event because the always unpredictable garage band Worried Mothers is playing, along with Dojorok and Black Jonny Quest. Plus free food (from Noli’s and Kitchen Table) and free booze from Brickway Brewery. Reception at 7 p.m., music at 8.

Also tonight, The Derby Birds headline at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Also on the fight card are Wichita band The Travel Guide and The Brigadiers. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Tomorrow night garage-rock kingpin Ty Segall returns to The Waiting Room in the guise of his psychedelic/stoner/garage band Fuzz. Their latest album, Fuzz II, came out last month on mighty In The Red Records. This will be a noise dreadnought. Opening is Walter and local heroes Sucettes. $12 today/$14 tomorrow, 9 p.m.

Also Saturday night, The Lupines return to O’Leaver’s. Joining them will be KC band Berwanger and Des Moines’ North of Grand. It’s a tri-city rumble! $7, 9:30 p.m.

Finally, down at Slowdown Jr., Flight Metaphor celebrates the release of their self-titled debut CD. Joining them are Rock Paper Dynamite, Through the Stone and Pelican Rodeo. $8 today, $10 tomorrow. Starts at 9.

That’s what I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a frigid 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 © 2015 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Rendition of the Benson Theatre, revealed last night.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Based on the presentations made last night at PS Collective and a quick walk-through of the building, the Benson Theatre could become another impressive option for rock shows.

The organization behind the renovation of the theater, located next door to the Pizza Shop in Benson, reviewed blueprints of the facility, artist mock-ups of the floor plan and played a virtual-tour video that showed how the theater will look once it’s open.

Rendering of the interior of Benson Theatre, on display last night inside Benson Theatre.

With a capacity of around 225, tiered seating and booths as well as room on the floor in front of the stage, the theater reminded me of a smaller version of the Rococo in Lincoln. And despite plans for having a full performance calendar, the theater will have some capacity for other programming; one would assume that would include rock shows.

But any grand opening is likely years away. Organizers say that so far the non-profit has raised half of the $2.5 million budget that would cover all construction expenses plus six months of operating costs. Among the list of supporters were some big names, including Conor Oberst and Alexander Payne.

How long will it take them to raise the other half of the needed cash? Who knows. Organizers said construction wouldn’t begin until their goal amount is raised. Find out more about the Benson Theater project (and get involved) at bensontheatre.org.

* * *

Tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s Chicago band Bellum Boca headlines. The band recently played with Cursive. Bed Rest opens. $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.

Mark Kozelek at Central Presbyterian Church during SXSW March 15, 2014. Kozelek plays tonight at Vega in Lincoln

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Another wave of live recordings just hit the Live at O’Leaver’s servers. Check out the tracks below. I’m told things really blew up after Stereogram wrote about the website last month. Wide the wave…

Check out the awesome Giant Claw tracks here.

* * *

Classic ’90s Chicago act My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult headlines tonight at The Waiting Room. They’ve been called electronic-industrial-disco-rock, which I guess is pretty much spot on. Ruby Block opens. 9 p.m., $15.

Also tonight, Mark Kozelek returns to Vega in Lincoln. I’m sure there’s a very good reason why Kozelek has passed over Omaha for Lincoln the last two times through Nebraska, preventing me from seeing him perform. As I’ve said before, his set during SXSW 2014 was a highlight, where he played most of the songs off the amazing Sun Kil Moon album Benji. Expect songs off the latest SKM album, the rather verbose Universal Themes. $20, 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 © 2015 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Crooked Fingers at Frank, SXSW, March 16, 2012. The band announced a forthcoming reissue of their first two albums.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Sleepy Monday after a sleepy weekend. I’ll use my time today to share some email/press release stuff that just hit the in-box.

— Our old friend Eric Bachmann today announced that Merge will reissue the first two full-length Crooked Fingers albums Jan. 29. We’re talking Crooked Fingers’ 2000 self-titled debut (featuring a swan on the cover) on vinyl with six bonus tracks, and 2001’s Bring on the Snakes, also on vinyl plus bonus demos of each track. Wonder if a tour will be announced?

— Today Press Here PR announced that Eleanor Friedberger has a new album coming out called New View on Frenchkiss Jan. 22 and is headed out on a tour, whose dates include a Feb. 27 gig at Reverb. She’s pretty fantastic in concert, so this will be one you’ll want to put on your calendar. Check out the first single from the new album, below:

— Kind of old news but interesting nonetheless: ’90s chamber-folk band Tindersticks has a new album coming out Jan. 22 on City Slang called The Waiting Room. I lost track of these guys a decade ago, but the memory of their ’93 debut album still haunts me. They’ve put out a record as recent as 2013, which flew completely under my radar. Based on this first track from the album,  their sound hasn’t changed much in 22 years.

— BTW, I’m currently absorbing new releases by Drakes Hotel, Anna McClellan and Flight Metaphor, among others, and will report back with reviews in the near future. With fewer shows going on these days, I’ll have more room in Lazy-i to do album reviews. Keep watching.

* * *

Tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s it’s Team Love Records artist iji. Opening is Crypt Kid and Ebony Goddess Wanted. $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.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Walking into Reverb at just after 9:30 the show still wasn’t sold out, but it was close. Only a few tickets remained, and they likely got sold before Low took the stage at 10 p.m. So yes, it was a sold-out show (probably). And easily the most crowded show I’ve attended at Reverb.

Once through the sound-room door I was met by a dense crowd watching as opening singer/songwriter Andy Shauf was seated performing his set with an acoustic guitar. His singing style was a cross between Elliott Smith and a hearing-impaired Russian sailor. At first I thought Shauf was singing in a different language, until I listened more closely and picked out a few familiar words in English, words like “love” and “death.”

Still, I figured Shauf must be a visitor in our country, until he spoke between songs with a clear North American accent, which quickly disappeared as he began his next song, returning again to his affected, foreign, nasal croon. His songs were pretty, and I’ll be checking out Shauf’s recordings later (hopefully they’re in English).

Low came on right at 10 — Alan Sparhawk standing with guitar stage right, bassist Steve Garrington stage left seated behind a keyboard, and Mimi Parker seated behind a trap set. Sparhawk and Parker have aged only a little since the last time I saw them play, about 10 years ago at Sokol Underground. Their pitch-perfect intertwining vocals still carry the same amount of heart-break and dread as they ever did.

The set-list was identical to what they played at First Ave. the night before (where they kicked off this leg of their current tour). “Monkey” from The Great Destroyer was an early set highlight, only surpassed by a dark, ominous version of “Pissing” (also off Great Destroyer) that built from Low’s usual quiet stance to a crashing sonic nightmare that ended with Sparhawk screaming into his guitar pushed overhead against his face. Intense.

The majority of the set consisted of songs from new album Ones and Sixes (Sub Pop, 2015), including a rich take on album favorite “Lies.” The new stuff sits seamlessly with the old stuff. Over the course of two decades Low has added more noise, more guitar, even pop-fueled moments (How else to describe the uptempo rock of “Part of Me,” also off the new album?), but ultimately retained their patented “slowcore” style — stripped down, simple, stark and at times beautifully dreadful.

The only deviation from the First Ave. set was the encore. After a crashing version of “Landslide” (also from the new album), the band left the stage and came back for a two-song encore (instead of four the night prior) that included a gorgeous take on “Sunflower” (from Things We Lost in the Fire) and favorite “When I Go Deaf.”

Startling stuff, enhanced by the fact that it was performed in such a small space. Maybe too small, as I spent the evening crushed against one of Reverb’s new drink rails that are mounted along the stage-left wall, forced to shift from one foot to the other to see around a fat-headed dude standing in front me. Whattaya gonna do? Last night also was the first time that I noticed noise bleed coming from The Waiting Room, where Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers were playing — a steady thump-thump-thump that cut into the silent moments of Low’s set. Sparhawk and Co. struck back as only they could — with the full force of their instruments during the encore, leaving me wondering if the poor saps at the Clyne show were getting a taste of what we were hearing…

* * *

After a couple solid shows this week, we’re left with a pretty quiet weekend.

Tonight Stardeath and White Dwarfs headlines at The Sydney. The four-piece psych-rock band from Norman, Oklahoma, includes none other than Wayne Coyne’s nephew Dennis Coyne on lead vox. Surf-rockers Sub-Vectors open. $10, 9 p.m.

Also tonight State Disco headlines at Reverb Lounge with AZP and Rothsteen. $10, 9 p.m. BTW, Reverb now hosts all-ages shows, if you didn’t know (I didn’t until last night).

Meanwhile, at fabulous O’Leaver’s, it’s Fitness 000010, featuring Bus Gas, Big Slur and Ridgelines. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) it’s back to O’Leaver’s for Christopher the Conquered, with Bazile Mills and Tenenbaums. $7, 9:30 p.m.

Also worth mentioning for you musicians , Hear Nebraska is hosting a free workshop called Protect Yourself and Your Music: Legal Advice for Musicians, Saturday afternoon from 1 to 2:15 p.m at the TipTop Building. U of N Law students will talk and take questions about such things as copyright law, licensing, contracts, streaming services, performance rights, in other words, all the things you should know if you’re going to be a working musician. If friggin’ free, so go! More info here.

Finally, indie-folk singer/songwriter Mason Jennings headlines at The Slowdown Sunday night. S. Carey opens. $27 Adv/$30 DOS. Starts at 8 p.m

And O’Leaver’s ends the weekend with Fort Collins dream-pop band Sound of Ceres, along with The Sunks, Chalant and Little Ripple Sunday night at 9. $7.

That’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great 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 © 2015 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Low, filmed last week on Later with Jools Holland.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Is it a surprise or just a sad reflection of the current state of our indie music scene that tonight’s Low concert at tiny Reverb Lounge has yet to sell out (at least not at the time of this writing)? I bought my tickets the moment the show was announced, assuming that it would sell out in, oh, a few days. But here we are on the day of the show and it’s still not sold out. How can that be possible?

Here are five good reasons why you should go to tonight’s Low show at Reverb:

1. They’re Living Legends — The Duluth trio is one of the best, most influential indie bands of all time (Sigur Ros, Pinback, Cat Power are among those whose sound can be traced back to them). They invented a style of rock that emphasizes the emptiness between notes, with slow, deliberate tempos and hushed, spare melodies. The result is intense and darkly dramatic, both chilling and heartbreaking, but yes, they also rock. Hard. Frontman/guitarist Alan Sparhawk knows how to shred a guitar like no other.

2. Their new album rocks. Ones and Sixes (Sub Pop, 2015) is another classic collection of songs that epitomizes Low’s simple, dramatic style. Pitchfork gave it a 7.8, and compared it to one of their all-time classics, The Great Destroyer (Sub Pop, 2005). It is, indeed, gorgeous. For long-time fans, the biggest difference on this new album is the addition of electronics — sometimes just static, sometimes merely tones — that add another layer to their music’s dark sheen.

The breakdown by album of last night’s setlist performed at First Ave.

3. The set list will be epic —  Check out the setlist from last night’s show at First Ave. No doubt we’ll get something similar tonight. In addition to being front-loaded with songs off Ones and Sixes, Low played songs from six of their classic albums.

4.  The Venue — This is happening within the intimate confines of Reverb Lounge, a room that holds slightly over 100 people but has one of the city’s best sound systems. You will be engulfed by this band’s amazing music and close enough to see the love sparks between Sparhawk and his wife and band co-vocalist Mimi Parker.

5. They are absolutely amazing live — I’ve seen this band three or four times, and can guarantee that those who are in attendance tonight are in for a concert they likely will remember for the rest of their lives. No doubt it will land on your list of “shows of the year’ for 2015.

I wouldn’t be surprised if this show sells out eventually. Get your tickets now before it does. $20. Andy Shauf opens at 9 p.m. Don’t miss it.

* * *

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.

Dilly Dally at Reverb Lounge, Nov. 7, 2015.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

More proof that a high rating from Pitchfork doesn’t necessarily equate to big crowds, PF darlings Dilly Dally played to a grateful crowd of around 50 Saturday night at Reverb Lounge. The band’s latest album, Sore, scored a massive 8.0 on the Pitchfork meter which doesn’t matter if no one’s heard your music.

Dilly Dally front woman Katie Monks channeled Courtney Love’s gravel-growl throughout the 45-minute set that included a lot of songs off that new album. But maybe more than Courtney, Monks reminded me of a younger version of Thalia Zedak of bands Come and Live Skull, but playing music that isn’t nearly as stark an desolate as either of those bands. Dilly Dally’s sound is a hybrid of ’90s post-punk mixed with some modern-day touches. The song “Get To You,” for example, carried a funky-grungy bassline that was pure Breeders territory.

Monks sounded younger on stage than what we hear on the record, probably because she looked like a teenager on stage wearing a sideways ball cap covered in bedazzle-bling. After seeing the songs performed live, I love the record even more.

It dawned on me that Monks is among a galaxy of young women punk performers who are making the biggest mark on indie these days. Why haven’t we seen a modern-day punk Lilith Fair featuring Dilly Dally, Bully, Hop Along, Savages, Speedy Ortiz, Courtney Barnett, Sleater-Kinney, etc.? Or maybe it’s time we got away from organizing gender-specific festivals.

* * *

A couple big shows happening on a Monday night (more proof that we’re not the destination, we’re the drive-through on the way home).

Pure Bathing Culture sans drummer at The Waiting Room Nov. 5, 2014. The band plays tonight at Reverb.

Top of the list is Portland band Pure Bathing Culture at Reverb Lounge. I’ve seen this band on three separate occasions and have been underwhelmed three times, but maybe it’s a personal thing, as people who were in the same audiences raved about the band’s performance. Opening is fellow Portlanders Wild Ones (Topshelf Records). $12, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, over at fabulous O’Leaver’s, NYC band BOYTOY hits the stage. They’re on the road supporting a new EP called Grackle. Also on the bill are Bien Fang and The Morbs. $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.