Sam Martin at O’Leaver’s Jan. 29, 2016. He opens for Triathalon tonight at O’Leaver’s.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

We all talk about influential records we owned growing up or when we were gaining our critical footing, figuring out what we like and don’t like (that is, if you were able to form your own opinions without being brainwashed by radio or television, which very few people are). One of those records for me was the original motion picture soundtrack to the film Athens, GA – Inside Out. I bought the record from a cut-out bin having never heard of the movie but recognizing a few of the bands listed on the album sleeve, specifically R.E.M. and Pylon.

It was through that record, which was released in 1987, that I was introduced to The Squalls, Flat Duo Jets, Love Tractor, Time Toy, Bar-B-Que Killers and The Kilkenny Cats. But what I enjoyed most about the record was that it was recorded live at venues throughout Athens. You got a snap-shot of what the scene must have been like during its short-lived hey-day.

Live at DBA, Start Your Own Fucking Show Space (2016, Famous Class)

Nearly 30 years later, along comes the three-record set called Start Your Own Fucking Show Space, Live at DBA — or as it was more affectionately known, Death By Audio, a warehouse space in Williamsburg founded in 2007 by Oliver Ackermann of the band A Place to Bury Strangers. DBA hosted more than 1,800 shows before it was evicted by Vice Media in November 2014, effectively ending an era. But before it ended, DBA hosted a month of shows whose recordings make up this album.

Omaha music fans will recognize a lot of the included artists because they’ve also played at places around town like O’Leaver’s, 1% Productions spaces, Sweatshop, house shows or DIY spaces. Among the bands are Parquet Courts, Deerhoof, Pujol, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Screaming Females, Don Deacon, Ty Segall, Future Islands, Metz, Nots, Protomartyr, Jeff: The Brotherhood, Lightning Bolt, as well as some bands I didn’t recognize like Pampers, Shellshag, the Numerators, Downtown Boys, Coasting w/ Patty Conway, Natural Child, Sleepies and Grooms.

The album’s 26 tracks not only document DBA but also an underground indie-garage-noise scene that flourished in small venues throughout the past decade. Every song is a keeper and the massive vinyl set, released by Famous Class Records, is bound to be this generation’s Inside Out. Rating: Yes.

* *

BTW, I could see Live at O’Leaver’s releasing a similar album as Live at DBA. Get on it, Ian.

* *

Speaking of O’Leaver’s, tonight they have an epic show headlined by Eric in Outspace, with Sam Adam Martin and road band Triathalon — a wicked little indie R&B/surf-pop-flavored five piece from Savannah, GA., whose new EP, Cold Shower, comes out Sept. 16 on Broken Circles Records. $5, 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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

The new beer by Zipline with the essence of Cursive in every bottle…

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

And you thought Maha was the end of Omaha’s festival season. Tsk-tsk…

Yesterday a three-day festival was announced that will have everyone talking…. or drinking. Of course I’m talking about O’Leaversfest Sept. 23-25 at fabulous O’Leaver’s.

Among the festival’s highlights are performances by Cursive, Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship and Saddle Creek band Flowers Forever. Fronted by Derek Pressnall of Tilly and the Wall and Icky Blossoms, Flowers Forever hasn’t played live in a long time (years?). Is this a reunion or the start of FF’s second act? Find out on Sept. 23.

Actually, beyond just being three nights (okay, one night and two afternoons) of music, there’s nothing very festival-y about O’Leaversfest.

And actually, there are two more festivals coming up. You’ve got Femme Fest in Benson this Friday night. I’ll write more about that later this week.

And then there’s Lincoln Calling Oct. 6-8. The LC website is now live at lincolncalling.com. A couple weeks ago LC announced Eros & the Eschaton, Yes You Are and The Lawrence Arms’ Brendan Kelly have been added to the line-up. And while the website now lists who is playing where and on which day, the actual set times won’t be announced until Thursday — this is important for those of us who will be driving from Omaha to see these shows.

This is the first year that Hear Nebraska is producing Lincoln Calling. HN also is involved in Beer Nebraska this year. The fund-raising event (proceeds going to HN), which takes place at Zipline Brewing Company in Lincoln Sept. 24, features performances by Cursive, Criteria, Universe Contest, Better Friend, as well as a Columbia vs Challenge reunion.

And as part of Beer Nebraska, Zipline is producing a special brew called Hoppy Hollow, which apparently tastes exactly like Cursive. Actually, according to HN, “Bursting and blooming with hop aroma and flavor, this session ale is an homage to Cursive’s album Happy Hollow, which was released 10 years ago this month.” Same great taste… Ticket and program info here…

* * *

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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

One of the Hi-Fi House sound systems. The private club was the subject of a Mike Kelly column in the Sunday World-Herald.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Yesterday the Omaha World-Herald got the exclusive interview with Kate Dussault about the mysterious Hi-Fi House on Farnam St. Columnist Mike Kelly wrote a lengthy piece that gave a broad overview of Hi-Fi and its services, though Kelly never really explained how it works — i.e., what exactly do members get for their membership fee, which runs from $300 per year for musicians to $1,000 per year for others —there was no breakdown of the different cost levels in the article. Many of the details — like how the house actually works — will likely come when their website gets updated (It’s live at www.hifi.house). and I’d love to get the answers via interview Kate as well.

The ultimate question that continues to bubble up after reading the column: Would you pay to be a member? What exactly do members receive? Time will tell, though I get the feeling that if Dussault pursues creating the country’s only vinyl archive (from the article: “There is no state-of-the-art, playable vinyl-record library anywhere,” she said, “and we have a chance to make Omaha home of the first.”), that 501(c)(3) status could be an eventuality, and that income would also come from sponsorships, grants and large donations. When asked how she’d fund the library in the article, “Kate Dussault smiles and says she has financial sources.” Mysterious!

Or maybe Hi-Fi won’t be a non-profit. What little is known about the model is similar to the Omaha Press Club (OPC), where working press paid one price for membership, “civilians” paid another, and so on. I remember when I was fresh out of UNO’s journalism school the OPC was considered a very exclusive thing. That’s where all the local reporters supposedly hung out. It felt elite. Of course I was never able to afford the membership fee, so I never felt comfortable going to events there, even when I was invited.

When I began freelance writing for downtown businesses — Union Pacific, ConAgra, Creighton, etc. — I learned that corporate memberships were what helped float OPC’s boat. Something changed with tax laws and membership fees no longer were considered business expenses (and tax deductible) and businesses quit paying their employees’ membership dues, and that impacted OPC.

Anyway…. OPC offered an exclusive place to meet for journalists (and corporate communicators); Hi-Fi House appears to offer a similar refuge for musicians? Though I wonder how many will be able to afford $300 a year when they no longer are making money from selling their recordings (Thanks, Internet) and are finding that rising costs are making touring difficult or impossible. Whenever I talk to bands they’re just trying to scratch together enough money for their next recording. I assume Hi-Fi will provide a lot of benefits for musicians that weren’t outlined in Kelly’s story.

To me, the concept of a national vinyl archive is interesting. While the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has extensive audio archives (check out the listing here), I’m not sure if it has a straight-forward vinyl collection. Hi-Fi could corner the market here, though they’d need more than a house, more like a massive Raiders of the Lost Ark-style warehouse to contain even a fraction of all the records that have been produced over the years, especially if their collection will be inclusive of all genres and not just rock. Very exciting.

To me, the performance and interview aspects of Hi Fi are the most enticing parts. I’ve heard nothing but accolades about the recent Tommy Stinson interview and performance.  No doubt Hi-Fi could have easily sold high-dollar tickets to that Stinson program. But instead, well, membership has its privileges.

Anyway, read Kelly’s write up here and also read my initial take on Hi-Fi house from this past April.

* * *

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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Ladyfinger at O’Leaver’s Aug. 1, 2015. The band plays O’Leaver’s again tonight…

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The answer to yesterday’s #TBT photo was Death Cab for Cutie at Sokol Underground in May 2000. Lots of people got it right. More #TBT trivia coming soon…

There are quite a few local shows this weekend. Here’s the highlights:

A birthday celebration tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s (for Francis) features a performance by the one and only Ladyfinger. How long has it been since we’ve seen these guys on stage? (Uh, judging from the above photo, about a year?). Not sure exactly at what time tonight Ladyfinger will be playing, but it’ll be after 9:30. $5 gets you in.

Over at Reverb Lounge Omaha’s top southern-friend C&W band Clarence Tilton headlines. Bucka Ruse opens. Put on your cowboy hat and mosey on down. $7, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, Brooklyn garage-punk band Gymshorts (Burger Records) plays at Milk Run with The Ridgways. $7, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile over at the Down Under Lounge (with the Sidedoor Stage), Lincoln band Commander Kilroy plays with Faded. No idea if there’s a cover. Show starts at 9.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) Omaha Under the Radar founder Amanda Deboer has an in-store at Almost Music in the Blackstone District. Joining Amanda is Kyle Jessen, Ridgelines and Big Slur (Dan Scheuerman of Deleted Scenes). $5, 7 p.m.

Also tomorrow night O’Leaver’s welcomes Relax, It’s Science along with the Big Al Band (headliner) and Army of 2600. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Saturday is also Dundee Day, which means bands will be playing on a stage set up on Underwood sometime after 4 p.m. I have no idea what the line-up is, though it rarely features indie bands. Man, do I miss Dario Day, which used to be held in conjunction with Dundee Day, and featured cool bands and great beer. Come on, Dario, bring it back…

That’s it for the weekend. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great one…

* * *

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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

For this week’s Throwback Thursday special, guess the band in the above photo, along with the venue and approximate date. Here’s a hint: These out-of-towners have played here about a dozen times since, including at a rather majestic downtown venue… Put your guesses in the comments section.

The only show worth mentioning tonight is local surf-rock band The Sub-Vectors are playing down at Slowdown Jr. Joining them are The Regulation and The Fat Timmys. $7, 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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Kait Berreckman, center, during a recent First Friday performance at Brad’s Corner in Benson. Berreckman celebrates the release of her debut album tonight at O’Leaver’s.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Let me be the last to the party to tell you about the new Faint video for “Skylab 1979.” I’m just now watching it for the first time over my lunch hour. Pretty cool. Directed by band members Todd Fink and Graham Ulicny. The song, taken from the upcoming CAPSULE: 1999-2016 collection (via Saddle Creek) sounds like classic Faint, which means it’ll blend right into the compilation. Check it out below:

* * *

Wouldn’t you know it, on the Monday after Maha One Percent Productions announces that festival standout Car Seat Headrest will be playing The Waiting Room Nov. 2. For $15, I’ll be there. Wonder what other Maha festival performers will be coming through town again soon…

* * *

Kinda busy night tonight show-wise…

Tonight at The Brothers lounge Kevin Seconds of the hardcore band 7 Seconds headlines with Steve Soto of The Adolescents and The Broke Loose. $10, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, over at The Waiting Room Ace Frehley (formerly of KISS, though does anyone ever really leave that band?) headlines with SIMO. $40, 8 p.m.

And down at fabulous O’Leaver’s (where I’m sure there was a river just outside their door last night) Kait Berreckman celebrates the release of her debut album Battle Scenes. Joining her are Soul Tree and Tara Vaughan. $5, 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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

The crowd with hands in the air, as directed by Vince Staples during Saturday’s Maha Music Festival.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I’ve written a lengthy review of Saturday’s Maha Music Festival, but it won’t appear until the September issue of The Reader comes out in a couple weeks. Boo!

That said, here’s the CliffsNotes version: The weather was great, the park was wet, and the music for the most part was pretty good. Favorite bands of the day were (no surprise) Car Seat Headrest, Diet Cig (actually a huge surprise considering how poor their Slowdown set was a few months back) and Grimes. Diarrhea Planet also was a surprise, as I’ve never been a fan of their records.

All the locals I saw were good, but especially See Through Dresses. Matthew Sweet sounded shit-loads better than he did at 1200 Club a year or so ago (but how could he not considering how poor the sound was that night?). That said, he played too long. Someone should have told him he wasn’t the headliner.

Jay Farrar Trio was fine. Kind of boring, actually. Vince Staples did not resonate with me, but I don’t like that style of tuneless hyper-rap (but the crowd sure did). The Joy Formidable were technically on point playing forgettable songs.

Who am I missing? Oh yeah, the headliner. I made it through three Passion Pit songs before heading out. They weren’t awful, they just weren’t that interesting. But as I say in the review, I’ve never stuck around for the full set of Maha’s closing band.

Anyway, read the whole review when it comes out long after you’ve forgotten this year’s festival. It’ll be like Groundhog Day for those of you who went (Yes, I miss the days when The Reader was a weekly…). In the meantime, here are some photos taken at Saturday’s show…

Diet Cig drew a surprisingly large crowd for playing so early in the day.

See Through Dresses are always solid.

Jay Farrar Trio were the first ones on the big Weitz Stage Saturday.

Diarrhea Planet and their four guitarists. Loud. Fun.

Warren Buffett sings an a capella version of “Feelings” during Maha. It was… touching. (Just kidding, don’t sue me, Warren).

Car Seat Headrest gave my favorite performance of the festival.

Matthew Sweet on the Javlin Stage.

Grimes and one of her crazy dancers.

Passion Pit peering through the smoky haze.

* * *

Tonight Kanine Records act Hockey Dad headlines at Slowdown Jr. with Muuy Biien and Fun Runner. $12, 8 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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The crowd gets into Atmosphere at The Maha Music Festival, 8/15/15. This year’s festival happens tomorrow.

In my Reader write-up I mentioned Car Seat Headrest as the band I’m most excited to see play at this year’s Maha Music Festival, which (of course) is tomorrow at Aksarben Village. The band’s new album, Teens of Denial (2016, Matador), is far and away my favorite record so far this year. A double-album, every one of the 12 tracks is a keeper, which makes it a throw-back  to an era when albums (not just songs) mattered, and so did the words.

Considering the over-riding theme — a young man’s struggle with depression, paranoia, anger, lonesomeness, and a world filled with ennui — I guess you could call it a concept album. Car Seat Headrest (one of the worst band names anyone could dream up) is mostly singer/songwriter Will Toledo, a 24-year-old dude from Leesburg, Virginia, now residing in Seattle. Chris Lombardi at Matador Records signed him in 2015 conceivably after hearing the best bits of the 12 albums he released on Bandcamp. It’s a story that kind of reminds me of how Matador signed Liz Phair after hearing her Girly Songs demos.

Car Seat Headrest, Teens of Denial (2016, Matador)

The band’s debut, Teens of Style, came out in 2015; but its Teens of Denial that represents the first solid, cohesive release by Toledo. Sonically, the album is an amalgamation of 90’s-era indie, but most beholden to Pavement and Stephen Malkmus. A song like, say, “Destroyed By Hippie Powers,” sounds like a tuneful out-take from Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain sung by a doped up Ray Davies of The Kinks. If you’re a fan of any of those classic ’90s releases on Matador or Homestead or Grass you’ll be right at home here.

Thematically, Toledo paints a grey portrait of a nerdy white dude trying to fit into a hipster world filled with drugs and assholes where he doesn’t (think he) belong(s). It’s personal confessions taken from a movie John Hughes would have directed had he survived until the 2010s, with lyrical clarity matched only by Westerberg (or our very own Conor Oberst). Each song has at least one deviously clever line (and more). Some of my faves:

“Fill in the Blank” — You have no right to be depressed / You haven’t tried hard enough to like it.

“Vincent” — If I’m being honest with myself / I haven’t been honest with myself.

“Destroyed by Hippies” — It’s more than you bargained for / But it’s less than what you paid for.

“(Joe Gets Kicked Out of School for Using) Drugs with Friends (But Says This Isn’t a Problem” — Drugs are better, drugs are better with / Friends are better, friends are better with drugs.

“Not What I Needed” — I’ve been waiting all my life for some real good porn / Something with meaning, something fulfilling / I’d like to make my shame count for something.

“Drunk Drivers / Killer Whales” — We are not a proud race / It’s not a race at all / We’re just trying, I’m just trying to get home.

“1937 State Park” — I didn’t want you to hear / That shame in my voice / My pain is my own.

“Cosmic Hero” — And of course I’m alright with death / But do why you talk about it so goddamn much?

“The Ballad of the Costa Concordia” — How was I supposed to remember to grab my backpack after I set it down to play basketball?

“Connect the Dots (The Saga of Frank Sinatra)” — Little boy says I’ll touch the heart of the nation / Little boy says I’ll punch the heart of everyone.

“Joe Goes to School” — I’m a tourist attraction / Biking down Dog Street.

There’s more lines and better ones and they all sound better in context and surrounded by power chords and blister-fast drums (at least during the upbeat ones). If you listen to the album with the lyric sheet, as I did, you’ll walk away a bit befuddled, a bit depressed and sorry for young Toledo who (probably) doesn’t have anything in his life that deserves your pity. There is a semblance of hope that underlines the overall experience, a realization that this character, this kid is smart enough to figure it all out on his own.

It’s a great album with a message about depression that fits well with Maha’s overarching mental health theme this year. Who knows if it’ll translate live on the Maha stage. I’ve seen a lot of bands who know how to write great songs and record terrific albums that wind up being dead-boring live.  We’ll see tomorrow.

Those going to tomorrow’s festival, everything you’d want to know about Maha is available right here at the Hear Nebraska website. You can, of course, also go to the Maha website for details. GA tickets are $55 today. I think they go up DOS. And Maha still has VIP tickets available for $185, which is a steal if you like most of the bands.

* * *

Diet Cig at The Slowdown, May 3, 2016. The band plays the Maha Festival afterparty at Reverb Lounge tomorrow night.

Maha isn’t the only thing going on this weekend.

Tonight at Reverb Lounge Relax, It’s Science headlines a show that includes Wagonblasters (Gary Dean Davis’ latest and greatest) and Pyrate. $5, 9 p.m.

Around the corner at The Waiting Room, Chemicals (amazing prog-jazz-rock band featuring some of Omaha’s best talent) opens for Funk Trek. Chemicals on this big stage could be something else. $5, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, over at fabulous O’Leaver’s, Your Friend headlines a big show also featuring Chicago’s The Dan Ryan, Briner and Sam Adam Martin. $7, 9:30 p.m.

Tomorrow night is usually dedicated to Maha after parties, but this year there’s only one, at Reverb with See Through Dresses, Bien Fang, Anna McClellan and (just announced this morning) “special guest” Diet Cig. There had been rumors or rumblings that Car Seat Headrest was the special guest, but apparently not. The free afterparty show starts at 10 p.m. Last year’s O’Leaver’s afterparty featured a set by Speedy Ortiz that eclipsed their set at Maha (and which you can hear right here).

That’s all I got. See you at Aksarben tomorrow, and 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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Pro-Magnum at O’Leaver’s, March 9, 2013. The band celebrates the release of a new 7-inch tonight at O’Leaver’s.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Following up on yesterday’s blog entry about the demolition of the Omaha Civic Auditorium, it brings up the question: Why doesn’t Omaha get arena shows like it used to, or at least any good arena shows?

In fact, the term “Nomaha” has become a thing lately — the word signifies another fantastic tour that has been announced with no Omaha date, i.e., Nomaha. In the old days, back in the ’70s and ’80s, Omaha was known as a rock town and was a recognized tour stop for most arena-rock tours. Styx, Van Halen, Aerosmith, Yes, Boston all those classic rock bands they now play on Z-92 played at the Civic Auditorium. There’s a reason why Grand Funk name-checked Omaha in “We’re an American Band.”

When was the last time you saw a good concert at CenturyLink? The most recent arena rock show that comes to mind was that Ozzy Osborne tour kick-off. No one plays CenturyLink except shiny, crappy children’s acts like Bieber and Taylor Swift, pick-up truck country stars or has-been legacy acts. If you want to see a “larger-drawing” quality modern rock band, you’re very likely going to have to drive to Kansas City, Denver or Minneapolis because they rarely stop in Omaha any more.

Part of it is a change in rock music styles — music just ain’t the same as it was 30 years ago and probably never will be again. That said, there are plenty of arena acts still out there I’d like to see. Off the top of my head: LCD Sound System, Arcade Fire, Radiohead, Beck, Tame Impala, add your favorite to the list. A quick check shows that through the balance of the year CenturyLink has two concerts scheduled: Jimmy Buffett and Def Leppard. That’s it.

So why, when it comes to arena shows, has Omaha become fly-over (or drive-by) country? I haven’t a clue. Could it be that MECA doesn’t know what its doing? Could it be the cost and/or hassle associated with CenturyLink? Could it be the prominence of the festival circuit cuts down on available dates? Could it be that Omaha simply can’t draw a crowd large enough to justify booking these high-dollar ticket acts?

Look, we’re lucky we get the small- and mid-sized indie shows we do get, thanks to 1% Productions and Perpetual Nerves. And some larger shows do make it to Stir Cove and Sumter. I guess I’m just nostalgic about the old Civic Auditorium days…

* * *

Speaking of arena-quality rock bands, tonight an act that would have been right at home at the Civic Auditorium is taking the stage at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Of course I’m talking about Pro-Magnum, who tonight celebrates the release of their new single, “Desinfectar” b/w “Black Iron Tongue” (which you can hear and buy digitally right here). Also on the bill is Des Moines psych-metal band Druids (described as being influenced by metal behemoths such as Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and Mastodon). Local doom rockers Super Moon opens. $5, 9:30 p.m. Pick up  the vinyl while you can.

* * *

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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Demolition has begun on the Civic Auditorium…

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

That headline may sound a bit over-dramatic, but the first place I saw a rock concert was the Omaha Civic Auditorium.

It was 1977 or ’78, the band was Kansas, who was on the road supporting their LP, Point of Know Return, which came out in ’77. I was 13 and had just moved with my family from Omaha to Ft. Calhoun. My new pal Scott Humphrey had gotten his hands on comp tickets from his dad. I have no idea how we got down there or how we got home, but I remember how cool it was going to a rock show.

Kansas wouldn’t have been my first choice — I didn’t have any of their records — but, come on, who didn’t like “Carry On Wayward Son” at the time? Bad-ass. Like all shows at the Civic back then, all seats were General Admission. We got there early, waited in line, and chanted “Open the Fucking Door!” just like everyone else. We pushed through the gates and got seats on the first tier along stage left. Down below on the floor hippies sat in circles and passed around doobies or threw Frisbees in the foggy smoke.

I don’t remember an opener, just the lights dropping and Kansas taking the stage, surrounded by curtains of green laser lights — the first time I’d seen real live lasers! I was surprised at the sound level — ear-splitting but awesome. And the band was on point. This was an era when arena prog-rock bands like Kansas, Yes and Genesis ruled FM radio. Afterward, I ended up buying a couple Kansas albums (and still listen to their 1978 live album, Two For the Show, which sort of documents that tour that came through Omaha).

Over the next few years I went to a lot of shows at the Civic — Journey, Styx, The Cars, Van Halen among them — and always had a great time. The first time I drank beer was before a Pink Floyd laser-light show at the Civic (It was Old Style, btw, and it sucked). The last concert I attended at the Civic was Prince, sometime in the ’90s. I never saw a bad show at the Civic, and by far preferred seeing bands play there rather than at CenturyLink, which has been nothing but a disappointment from day one.

And now come the bulldozers. I suppose it was time. If the city or MECA wasn’t going to book the place (and they certainly could have — a 9,000-seat arena has its advantages) then they might as well tear it down.  We’ve got The Baxter now, and the one in Ralston. And arena rock has sort of died away, for me anyway. I’d much rather see a band at O’Leaver’s or a 1% club than at an arena. Still, like any part of your past, it hurts to see it go…

* * *

We’re in a mini-drought show-wise, which I guess is fine considering the Maha Festival is this Saturday…

* * *

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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.