Sam Martin at O’Leaver’s Jan. 29, 2016. He plays tonight at Brothers Lounge.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

On the heels of Josh Hoyer’s performances on tee-vee show The Voice, Omaha singer/songwriter Jocelyn will be featured this Friday night on CBS’s Undercover Boss. The show takes CEOs, disguises them and then films them as they try to blend in with the grunts who do the actual work at their companies. The results are usually “heartbreaking” but more likely disturbing, as the CEO comes to some ground-breaking realization about his business’s sweatshop conditions before hosing off and returning to the C Suite.

Friday’s show is a “special celebrity edition” of Undercover Boss featuring one-time Hootie & The Blowfish frontman now “country music superstar” (and Dan Patrick Show regular) Darius Rucker, who apparently goes in disguise as a talent agent in Austin. His disguise is pretty spot on, though I couldn’t identify Rucker in or out of costume.

I’ve seen the clip (since yanked from YouTube) of Jocelyn nailing the audition. So what happens next? You’ll just have to wait until Friday, May 12, 7 p.m. CT on CBS to find out. Here’s hoping something comes of this much-needed exposure. Jocelyn is a talented singer who has been performing on Omaha stages (primarily at the Sidedoor Lounge stage) for a few years and deserves a break.

* *

Speaking of television, Conor Oberst is slated to perform tonight on The Late Late Show with James Corden. Maybe he’ll do a surprise duet with fellow guest Betty White. Better yet, maybe he’ll do a sequel to “When the President Talks to God”…

* *

Nashville indie-pop band Those Manic Seas, whose new album Telegenic came out last month, plays at Brothers Lounge tonight with Sam Adam Martin and Razors. $5, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, Chicago punk band FUFS plays at Milk Run tonight with the mighty BIB, No Thanks and Roach. $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 © 2017 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

VOTE!

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Another election day, another reason to vote. If you live in Omaha, go to the polls. I’m not going to tell you who to vote for, just vote.

* * *

Who is Sam Smith? What is Whisperer? There’s not much about the performer online, other than Smith (who performs as Whisperer) is from Seattle. And, of course, there’s his Bandcamp page. I’m kind of digging what I’m hearing, which has an acoustic Neil Young/Jackson Browne ’70s vibe. Anyway, Smith plays tonight at The Sidney with local heroes Mike Schlessinger and Sean Pratt. $5, 9 p.m.

Also tonight SoCal punk band The Bombpops (Fat Wreck Chords) plays at Lookout Lounge with Russian Girlfriends, Alpha 5 and The Boner Killerz. $10, 8 p.m.

Finally, tonight at The Waiting Room it’s The Orbiting Human Circus featuring The Music Tapes. According to TWR website, “This evening commemorates the release of The Orbiting Human Circus (of the Air), a fictional narrative podcast created by Julian Koster (Neutral Milk Hotel) and presented by the creators of Welcome to Night Vale (one of the most downloaded podcasts of all time).” I still don’t know what it is.

“Founded by Koster and Robbie Cucchiaro, the Music Tapes, seminal members of the beloved Elephant 6 Collective, are known for creating unique and extraordinary live events.” I’m lost. $15, 8 p.m.

Also Leif Vollebekk and David Nance at The Slowdown. $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 © 2017 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

McCarthy Trenching at Reverb Lounge, Jan. 17, 2015. The band plays Saturday night at 1200 Club in the Holland Performing Arts Center.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Last night Lincoln Calling announced the “first wave” of its 2017 lineup. Charles Bradley, who had been booked to play last year’s LC but had to cancel due to illness, is back as promised. Joining him is 2015 indie breakout act Angel Olsen, Best Coast and Charli XCX. Those are the headliners, for now.

The highlight of next-tier artists includes Wand, Frankie Cosmos, Navy Gangs and Future Punx. Not a bad start, eh? You can see the full first-wave list at lincolncalling.com. Festival runs Sept. 29-30 at eight venues scattered throughout downtown Lincoln.  Three-day passes are on sale now for $59. If you don’t plan on driving to Lincoln for three days, you’ll be able to pick up one-day passes in early August, but the pricing for those hasn’t been announced yet.

Who else will LC announce? We’ll have to wait and see.

* * *

So what’s happening back here in Omaha?

First off, it’s Benson First Friday again, and to help celebrate Sean Pratt & The Sweats are playing a set at The Sydney. The free set begins at 10 p.m.

Also, before you head to The Sydney, stop in at The Little Gallery, which is right across the street in the bottom of the Masonic Lodge building. Tonight’s featured artist is Jim Pattavina. We’ll be open from 6 to 9 p.m. Beer, wine, etc. More info here.

Ojai is hosting a CD release show for the sophomore LP On the Mend at fabulous O’Leaver’s (which I have to believe will have their back beer garden open). Joining them are Pleiades & the Bear and Kristen Taylor. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Over at The Brothers Lounge, it’s the debut of FiFi NoNo, a band that features a slew of familiar faces: Mike Zimmerman (DWNR and Flesh Eating Skin Disease) on guitar, Ben Eisenberger (Hussies) guitar, Josh Javorsky (DWNR) on bass, Jay Jacobson (Timecat and Relentless Approach) on drums, and Blake Kostszewa (Shrinks) on vocals. Check out their first recordings below. Also on the bill are Austin bands Vampyre and Oozer. $5, 9 p.m.

Saturday night it’s all about the big High Up / McCarthy Trenching gig at 1200 Club in the Holland Performing Arts Center. 8 p.m. $20.

Finally Sunday is the start of the 2017 Boat Cruise concert series brought to you by Perpetual Nerves. The kick-off event features indie rock gods Pile along with Universe Contest and Gnarwhal.

The boat, The River City Star, is docked at 151 Freedom Park Rd. The timeline:

6 p.m. – gates
7 p.m. – boat access
8 to 11 p.m. – boat cruise

Tickets are $17 Adv/$20 day of event. I went to one of these last year and it was a blast. I’m surprised this hasn’t sold out, actually. More information here.

And 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 © 2017 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Wilder Maker, “New Streets” b/w “Only Child” (2017, Saddle Creek)

First of all, I’m a sucker for record clubs. I belonged to the Sub Pop Singles club for years; I joined Matador’s record club for a short while, and now Saddle Creek is doing its version of a record club with its Document series, and so far, they’re two for two.

Says Saddle Creek: “The Document Series is comprised of an exclusive record featuring unreleased music from artists outside of Saddle Creek’s roster, along with a specially curated zine highlighting the artist’s hometown / music scene.”

Brooklyn five-piece Wilder Maker has been around since 2012. Led by Gabriel Birnbaum, this is solid, tuneful songwriting (as you’ll hear when you listen to the  track, below). Call it pop indie, it has more in common with ’70s FM rock than anything on Sirius XMU, where it’s bound to get some airplay.

They’re apparently pals with Sam Evian, who recorded the tracks at his Figure 8 studio, which might explain the Saddle Creek connection, as Evian released his last album on Saddle Creek last year.

As is probably the intent, after buying the preorder, I checked out Wilder Maker’s last release, 2015’s Everyday Crimes Against Objects of Desire, Vol. III on Bandcamp, a sleepy six-song EP which bears little resemblance to the Saddle Creek single but is interesting in its own (perhaps too) laid-back way.

In addition to being more upbeat than the EP, the single features Katie Von Schleicher on lead vocals rather than Birnmaum’s growl-y voice. And so, Saddle Creek can add another to their list of strong female-fronted releases that includes Hop Along and break-out act Big Thief.

I’m kind of liking this one-at-a time (actually two-at-a-time) approach to physical releases. Would I like a full-length by Wilder Maker? Sure, if all the tracks were this good. I’m not sure if singles make economic sense for the label or the band (these singles clubs have a way of evaporating over time) but for me, good things come in small packages, sometimes.

* * *

I have seen the initial line-up announcement for this year’s Lincoln Calling festival, which is slated for Sept. 28-30. You will be seeing it, too, sometime today, whenever Hear Nebraska decides to release it (probably any moment now). It is impressive. There are at least four Maha-quality headliners and a plethora of second-tier indie stars. Keep your eyes peeled to lincolncalling.com. Or just watch your social media feeds…

* * *

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 © 2017 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Tim Kasher and his band plays The Waiting Room May 12.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The May issue of The Reader, which I’m not certain has hit the racks yet, includes a feature/column focused on Tim Kasher, his new album No Resolution, and more specifically, his new record label, 15 Passenger, which he operates with Cursive bro’s Matt Maginn and Ted Stevens.

The story answers questions I posed about the label back in January, specifically why create a new label, how did you acquire the Cursive masters from Saddle Creek, will The Good Life be involved in the new label, and more. Kasher also talks his film No Resolution and how he hopes to screen it in the future.

Don’t want to scrounge around looking for a printed copy of The Reader? You can read the whole article online right here.

Kasher did the interview via phone while he was in Omaha rehearsing for the tour that brings him to The Waiting Room May 12. You should get tickets to this one while you can.

* * *

The Meat Puppets with Mike Watt are headlining tonight at The Waiting Room. According to TWR website, the band could “revisit the folk and singer-song writer nuggets Curt put out in 2005 on his solo masterpiece, Snow, as well as similarly veined tracks from Rat Farm (‘Sometimes Blue’).” The Jom + Terry Show opens. According to Wiki, Jom + Terry “was the backup band led by American punk legend Mike Watt (formerly of The Minutemen and Firehose) for tours of the USA and Canada in 2001 and 2002. The band, in addition to Watt on vocals and bass, included Tom Watson (Slovenly, Red Krayola) on guitar and vocals and Jerry Trebotic on drums.” $20, 8 p.m.

Also tonight….

Is it me or is The Brothers Lounge turning into a regular go-to spot for live music? In the past, Omaha’s most famous bar (with the best jukebox) hosted a live rock show maybe once a month, if that. These days they’re doing shows almost weekly. And anyone who knows the bar’s owners knows they know how to put on a rock show.

You would be wise to follow The Brothers Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/brothersloungeomaha/) to keep up on their many events, like the one tonight.

Tonight The Brothers hosts Omaha’s hardest working noise/garage rock band, David Nance Group. Also on the bill are a couple Los Angeles bands, psych-rock act Olga and dirge band Dimples. $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 © 2017 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

A couple tracks from upcoming albums dropped yesterday.

Twinsmith announced their next album, Stay Cool, comes out on Saddle Creek Records July 14. Produced by Graham Ulicny (Reptar, The Faint), the band is down to a trio these days, at least based on their publicity photos. They’ve got a date scheduled at The Waiting Room June 21. Here’s the first track:

Matthew Sweet also dropped the first track off his upcoming double album Tomorrow Forever via Stereogum. Sounds like classic Sweet-flavored power pop. The old boy has two nights booked at The Waiting Room July 8 and 9. The new album hits the streets June 16 via Sweet‘s own newly launched Honeycomb Hideout label.

* * *

Tonight at The Waiting Room it’s the return of Brother Ali. You read his Ten Questions interview last week right here. Opening are Sa-Roc, Last Word and Sol Messiah. Tix are $18, show starts at 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 © 2017 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Soulful Live Trio at Omaha Lounge, April 29, 2017.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The plan was to go see The Lupines Saturday night at Brothers Lounge. But instead, on a lark, Teresa and I decided to drop in at The Omaha Lounge for a drink.

For the last couple weeks I’d been bombarded with ads in Facebook from this place, which is located right next to Pickleman’s downtown at 1505 Farnam. Their website boasted live jazz and blues in an historic building, and a drink menu that included something called an “Uncle Pete,” which is a sly marketing homage to Union Pacific, along with other drinks named after old Omaha businesses.

The place was as described — an old storefront on the ground level of the Baxter Building, with all the original woodwork, ceiling tile, art deco lighting fixtures and a vintage bar that stretched along most of the length of the room.

Very tasteful. However, whoever took over the place decided to replace the furniture with giant, boxy, clumsy, pleather-covered chairs  so wide they bump into each other and crowd into the aisles — just awful furniture that probably cost the new owners a ton and, unfortunately, should be dumped immediately and replaced with standard club chairs and tables.

The lounge doesn’t have a stage. Instead, performers play near the entrance where a PA has been placed next to a grand piano. Saturday night’s entertainment was provided by The Soulful Live Trio, a combo that included a piano player, saxophonist and vocalist who performed covers ranging from “Just the Way You Are” to “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay,” accompanied by pre-recorded rhythm tracks. The singer was first class, and quite a lounge lizard on the microphone.

As good as his vocals were, the most intense moments came when the sax and pianist went full-on jazz and ripped through a few standards, showcasing their talent. I’m not a jazz guy, but anyone would enjoy these guys, especially after a couple drinks. I ordered the aforementioned Uncle Pete, which was the lounge’s version of a Mai Tai — delicious… and potent. Teresa ordered something called The Paper, which was a classic chocolate martini. Lounge drinks at lounge prices — two rounds put me back $40.

Table service was excellent, though I felt sorry for the waiter who struggled to get around those giant pleather chairs. By the time we left shortly after 10 the bar was mostly filled with a crowd there to hear the music and take in the vibe (including actor John Beasley, who sat up by the band). Needless to say, by the time I got back home those Mai Tai’s took their toll. Next time, Lupines…

* * *

It’s a busy Monday night.

Tonight Charly Bliss returns to Reverb Lounge. The indie act’s new album, Guppy, was just released on Barsuk. Joining them is another band about to launch a new album, our very own See Through Dresses, who began pre-sale for Horse of the Other World last week at Tiny Engines. $10, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, Eklund/Higgins 30 Days, a new project by Greg Eklund, former drummer of Everclear, and Omaha legend Dereck Higgins, debuts at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Opening is Rouge Moon, Chalant and Phil Kolbo. 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 © 2017 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.