Ted Stevens Unknown Project at Reverb Lounge, Jan. 15, 2015. Ted’s playing at O’Leaver’s tonight.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

This may be the year I return to SXSW. Two Omaha bands already have been invited to the Austin party in March: High Up and Closeness. No surprise, really, considering they’re probably the best indie bands going from ’round these parts. To the best of my knowledge, both bands are still without a label, which could all change after the festival.

Looking at the first wave of artists invited to SXSW, a few others stood out: The Drums, Joan of Arc, our old friends Minus the Bear and Thigh Master from Australia, which is in the early running for best band name at SXSW 2017. Read the whole list here.

The deciding factor regarding my participation may be if Saddle Creek hosts a showcase this year. They skipped last year, but the label has a rather rich new stable of artists  — Sam Evian, Big Thief, Hop Along — not to mention comp reissues for The Faint and Bright Eyes. Todd Fink will be in Austin for Closeness; imagine what a Faint show would be like at SXSW…

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The Saddle Creek Shop is having a big clearance sale this week. It’s an effort to make room for “an exciting new business.” They’re keeping the name of that new business on the down low (I’ve got a feeling something big is brewing).

In the mean time, the store has 40% or more off non-Saddle Creek vinyl stock. That’s quite a discount. I’m surprised Homer’s or Almost Music didn’t sweep in, make an offer and take the whole thing off their hands and resell it at a profit. Well, their loss is your gain. The shop is open daily through Friday until 6.

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Maria Taylor, In the Next Life (2016, Flower Moon)

Maria Taylor released the first single off her upcoming album, a song called “If Only,”  via Stereogram this morning. Her old pal Conor Oberst provides guest vocals. Taylor’s new album, In the Next Life, comes out Dec. 9 on her own Flower Moon Records.

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Tonight, Alkaline Trio’s Dan Andriano brings his solo set to O’Leaver’s. You read about Dan here yesterday. Opening the show is our very own Ted Stevens, along with Dan P (of MU330) and Derek Grant (of Alkaline Trio). $12, 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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.