Protomartyr at 2014’s South by Southwest Festival. The band plays tonight at The Waiting Room.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

After a rather dead week for shows, we got back-to-back hummers tonight and Saturday.

Tonight at The Waiting Room is a double-bill featuring Protomartyr and Preoccupations. Protomartyr has been through Omaha a few times, including a couple gigs at The Slowdown. The Detroit-based punk band is fronted by Joe Casey, a guy who looks like an insurance salesman complete with a sensible haircut and full-on business attire but who has a singing style akin to Husker-era Mould or The Fall’s Mark E. Smith. Deadpan anger, straight-faced disgust, like an upset father with anger-management issues and a back-up band that is pure Gang of Four post punk. Alone worth the price of admission.

Preoccupations — the artist formerly known as Viet Cong — is another post-punk rock act. Their latest is New Material (2018, Jagjaguwar), whose opener “Espionage,” sounds like ‘80s Gary Numan synth rock crossed with Interpol. On the other hand, “Antidote” is Eno-esque modern and dissonant while “Solace” sounds like re-imagined New Order. You’re gonna love it.

Opening act, Rattle, is a U.K. double-drum duo. The fun starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $17.

While you’re in Benson, take in some visual art because it’s Benson First Friday (#BFF), which includes (as always) a reception at The Little Gallery.  Tonight’s opening is the 4th annual “Little Show,” wherein artists show works 12″ x 12″ or smaller priced under $100. Artists include: Kitty Brougham, Rhonda Bruggerman, Amanda Caillau, Vivian Caniglia, Debbie Cunningham, Rachel Cunningham, Rachel Droppers, Emily Jordan, Linda Hatfield, Keri Hedrick, Robert Kenny, Courtney Kenny Porto, Shawnequa Linder, Debbie Martin, Christina Nelson, Sophie Newell, Ricky Powell Jr., Cindy Rae, Jean Regan, Erik Rincon, Fredy Rincon, Jill Rizzo, Torrey Smith, Jen Solberg, Susan Stevens, Trudy Swanson, Tyler Swain, Kate Swinarski, Brian Tait, Katie Temple, Melvin Usher, Holly Vander, Lynda Vik, Brian Wetjen, and Haley Whitesel.

Come on buy and have a beer on me. Reception runs from 6 to 9 p.m. The Little Gallery is at 5901 Maple Street, in the east bay of the Masonic Lodge building. See you there.

Also part of #BFF is tonight’s show at The Sydney headlined by Lincoln’s Laughing Falcon with The Natural States, and Bogusman. 10 p.m., $5.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) it’s back to The Sydney for Middle Kids. You read their Ten Questions interview right here (and if you didn’t, get to it!). Joining them is NYC duo The Shacks (Big Crown Records). 9 p.m. Tickets are $13 today, $15 DOS. This one could be a crush mob!

Also Saturday night is the annual Toy Drive for Pine Ridge concert at The Waiting Room and Reverb Lounge. The lineup is particularly good this year, with your host Lash LaRue & Hired Guns, Matt Whipkey, A Late Fall, 24 Hour Cardlock, Wagon Blasters, BandRanch Outlaws and Scott Severin. Admission is $10 per venue or a new toy ($15 for both venues or two toys). All benefit the Toy Drive for Pine Ridge’s toy delivery and heating fund for the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. 8 p.m.

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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Middle Kids play at The Sydney in Benson Saturday, Dec. 8.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Middle Kids’ debut LP, Lost Friends (Domino, 2018) is one of the funnest, hookiest, prettiest records of the year. I point to the band’s Australian roots (they’re from Sydney) for their music’s sheer golden-sun tunefulness, because in my experience, those Aussies know their way around a beautiful melody (And as Exhibits A, B and C I give you Courtney Barnett, Tame Impala and Wolfmother, all past winners of Australia’s highly coveted Triple J award for album of the year, just like Middle Kids was this year).

The trio’s origins go back to 2014 when frontwoman Hannah Joy met bassist Tim Fitz through mutual friends and began making beautiful music together, both the kind you listen to and otherwise (as in they’re married now). Drummer Harry Day filled out the combo on their self-titled EP in 2017. 

The follow-up full-length, Lost Friends, is a buoyant ride of anthemic indie rock that shuffles and shimmers in a style that fits right alongside acts like Alvvays, First Aid Kit and Oh Pep! — bands that aren’t afraid to put melody above all else. 

I caught up with Middle Kids’ Tim Fitz and gave him the Ten Questions treatment. Here’s what he had to say: 

1. What is your favorite album?

Middle Kids’ Tim Fitz: Pretzel Logic by Steely Dan

2. What is your least favorite song?

“Aja” by Steely Dan

3. What do you enjoy most about being in a band?

The joy and community that comes with mutual experience and creation.

4. What do you hate about being in a band?

Continually trying to work with others and love them is a terribly painful blow to the ego.

5. What is your favorite substance (legal or illegal)?

Cheetos

6. In what city or town do you love to perform?

Too many! Philadelphia comes to mind. Also played a great show once at Stubbs BBQ in that great Texan city known as Austin.

7. What city or town did you have your worst gig (and why)?

Had a terrible gig in Portland once that involved a sound guy who was definitely affected by some substances, to the point where he didn’t know how to get any sound out of the speakers. They called in another guy to help, who was also out of his mind, and together they drunk drove that sound-desk for the duration of the show.

8. Are you able to support yourself through your music? If so, how long did it take to get there; if not, how do you pay your bills?

We all do a few things in music, a few little fingers in a few pies. We get by with a little help from our friends. It took a while but once you get that first Porsche you never look back. You gotta diversify, hustle and follow your gut. You gotta buy low and sell high. That’s how we do it anyway.

9. What one profession other than music would you like to attempt; what one profession would you absolutely hate to do?

We would love to open a Boulangerie in Paris. We would hate to run a Lawn Mower Shop.

10. What are the stories you’ve heard about Omaha, Nebraska?

We hear that the people are good souls. We’ve heard their skies are cold and gray but their hearts are warm and their eyes are bright.

Middle Kids plays with The Shacks Saturday, Dec. 8, at The Sydney, 5918 Maple St. Tickets are $13 Adv./$15 DOS. Showtime is 9 p.m. For more information, go to onepercentproductions.com.

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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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.