by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I told you to jump on it if you wanted VIPs — Outlandia Festival’s 2-Day VIP tickets sold out in a matter of hours, as did the Friday night 1-Day VIP tickets for The National. And just this morning, the Saturday VIPs for Wilco also sold out.

I’m still trying to figure out where exactly they’ll stage this event on the Falconwood compound (or locate the parking, for that matter), and so are a few other people I know who are going to the event. The map reveal will be as big as the lineup reveal!

BTW, all the Maha Festival VIPS are still available.

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There’s a fantastic show tonight at The Sydney in Benson. Athens band Blunt Bangs boasts a lineup that includes Reggie Youngblood (Black Kids) on guitar and vocals, Christian “Smokey” DeRoeck (Woods, Deep State, Meneguar, Little Gold) on guitar and vocals, and Cash Carter (Tracy Shedd, The Cadets) on drums. Their latest album, Proper Smoker (2021, Big Hassle Records) was recorded at Chase Park Transduction in Athens and is a scorching collection of indie power-pop influenced by the likes of early Teenage Fanclub and Superchunk.

Opening the show is our own indie power-pop combo, Ojai. And there’s a mystery about the second band on the bill. The 1% Productions website says a new band, Ah Ensemble, are on the bill — a band that consists of members of And How. The future of And How appears to be in doubt, if you followed the band on Instagram (an account that has since been taken down). Meanwhile, the Facebook event listing for this show has Hussies in that opening spot. I guess you’ll find out tonight.

This is a 3-band bill with a 9 p.m. start time, which unfortunately takes me out of the game on a Tuesday night. The Sydney appears to be the only music venue booking three-band shows with 9 p.m. start times on weeknights. My biggest concern is that Blunt Bangs will learn what the term “getting Omaha’d” means… $10.

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Add eight more bands to the Petfest line-up for their Aug. 13 festival in Benson. Newly announced:

Nowhere
David Nance
No Thanks
Better Friend
Glow
Ruby Block
Bug Heaven
Thirst Things First

They join already announced:

Amulets
Cat Piss
Universe Contest
Ghost Foot
Mike Schlesinger
Problems

And there’s more to come. Petfest tickets go on sale Friday, April 2.

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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 © 2022 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Turns out someone from Gary Numan’s team got COVID, which is why Thursday’s show was postponed. In a message, Numan said he hopes to reschedule sometime toward the end of summer. Here’s hoping safe passage through illness.

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Tickets to the Outlandia and Maha music festivals both went on sale today at 10 a.m. If you want VIP tix to either event, you better buy them now.

Yesterday, @OutlandiaFest on Twitter replied to one of my tweets at @tim_mcmahan (come on by!) that “The ‘land adjacent’ was purchased by Falconwood and will now be home to the new, improved and vastly larger Falconwood. Maybe they need to rebrand to Falconwood Mega Park. Just wanted to clarify it most certainly is still Falconwood Park.”

The additional property is the Salvation Army Gene Eppley Camp, which Falconwood shared a border with on two sides. I’m still curious where the stage will be, and the parking. Organizer Marc Leibowitz (of 1% Productions) said in the OWH article that there would be thousands of parking spots available. I’ll try to swing by the park this weekend and see what I can see…

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As of this morning before I went to work, Petfest had announced six bands so far for their Aug. 13 festival in Benson:

Amulets
Cat Piss
Universe Contest
Ghost Foot
Mike Schlesinger
Problems

More to come. Amulets is an ambient/noise project by Portland’s Randall Taylor. Haunting. Petfest tickets go on sale Friday, April 2.

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Tonight at Reverb Lounge it’s Omaha indie band Lodgings. I’ve seen these folks a few times at O’Leaver’s (who, more than ever, appear to be out of the live music business. Come on, O’Leaver’s, book some shows). Joining Lodgings tonight is GLOW and southern-fried rockers Lightning Stills (Craig Fort and Co.). $8, 9 p.m.

Is the new normal 9 p.m. shows on weekends and 8 p.m. start times during the week (except, apparently, at The Sydney)? Well, it’s better than 10 p.m. start times.

That’s it. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Let me leave you with the just-released single by Nathan Ma, “She’s WIld” mixed by Young Guv. 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 © 2022 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

As you already know if you were going, the Gary Numan show slated for tonight at The Waiting Room is postponed.

I checked out the website for First Avenue — the famous venue in Minneapolis (you remember Purple Rain) to see if they had any details since Numan postponed his show there last night. But no more details than we have already from our 1% site — it’ll be rescheduled, hold onto your ticket, etc. Someone from 1% posted that someone on Team Numan is sick, and I heard that he lost his voice performing two nights ago in Chicago (no idea if that’s true).

I made the mistake of clicking on First Avenue’s calendar of upcoming events. First Avenue not only books the iconic club but also its 7th St. Entry stage, Palace Theatre, The Fitzgerald Theater, Fine Line and Turf Club. All are listed on the calendar.

There literally is at least one indie show, and in many cases multiple indie rock shows, every night of the week. Every touring indie band you can think of shows up on that calendar. Don’t look unless you want to get very depressed at what’s passing us by down here in NOmaha.

But as I’ve said before: If Omaha got all their shows — great shows every night of the week — there’s no way I could attend them and remain employed. Or alive. The good news is that with the addition of Admiral, Astro, Steelhouse and whatever else is on the horizon we don’t know about, our calendars will begin to look a lot more like First Avenue’s.

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Tickets to the Outlandia Festival go on sale tomorrow. Here’s a prediction: Single-day VIP tickets for Friday night (headlined by The National) will sell out almost immediately. In fact, all the VIP tickets will go fast. The price is right at $199 for one-day VIPs and $340 for 2-day VIPs. In addition to getting your own viewing area, your own bar and (maybe most important of all) your own bathrooms, VIP tickets come with free parking.

In fact, VIP tickets are the smart way to go for the Maha Festival as well. Tickets go on sale tomorrow (Friday) at 10 a.m.

One last prediction: Friday Outlandia GA tickets will sell out quicker than Saturday GA tickets.

One area of confusion that arose concerning Outlandia: The Omaha World-Herald yesterday published this article about the festivals. From the article: “At 160 acres, the land adjacent to Falconwood Park was ideal for the new festival, Leibowitz said, because it is large enough to accommodate a large number of attendees.” The land adjacent? I thought Outlandia was being held at Falconwood Park. This makes me wonder where exactly the festival is taking place if it’s “adjacent to” Falconwood Park. More to come….

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One last thing, Maha Festival band Sudan Archives have a new track out that made it on the Spotify All New Indie playlist called “Home Maker.” It’s a Pitchfork “Best New Track” selection as well. Check it out below. Just a little service to help out those folks who are saying “who are these bands playing at Maha this year…”

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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 © 2022 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Year in and year out, Lazy-i and The Reader had developed a “Top 20” list of the area’s best bands. It was the product of a lot of back-and-forth among the various music beat writers at The Reader, hosted over drinks at a local bar. I was one of the indie music voices. That tradition slowly faded over the years really because The Reader’s music staff became smaller and smaller.

Yesterday on Facebook, a couple readers posted comments that suggested I wasn’t keeping up with the young bands coming up in the local indie scene, which got me digging around online for the last “Top 20” list. Neither The Reader nor Lazy-i had published one since before the pandemic (the 2019 list). With that in mind, here’s my current list of the top local indie bands. Note: I said “Indie” bands, not country acts, not pop bands, not metal, R&B or traditional rock bands, not cover bands, etc. There is a difference. And as I’ve pointed out time and again, Lazy-i covers the local and national indie music scene.

These are the survivors, these are the ones who made it through the other side of COVID. These are bands I know for one reason or another still exist post-pandemic. There are bands not listed here that I’m unsure are still performing. There are also bands not listed I haven’t heard before. Regardless, if we had one of those Top-20 list discussions, this is the list I’d bring to the table. I’m sure I’m missing someone, so let me know.

Lodgings
No Thanks
James Schroeder
Megan Siebe
McCarthy Trenching
Sean Pratt
Problems
Nowhere
Scott Scholtz
David Nance Group
And How
Twinsmith
The Brigadiers
Steady Wells
BIB
Those Far Out Arrows
Las Cruxes
See Through Dresses
Jack McLaughlin
Relax, It’s Science
Magu
Win/Win
The Sunks
Ojai
Nathan Ma
Solid Goldberg
Uh Oh
Leafblower
Lightning Stills
Stathi
Anna McClellan
Ethan Jones
Matt Whipkey
Dereck Higgins
Bokr Tov
Wagon Blasters
The Lupines
Mere Shadows
Simon Joyner
Jeff Runnings
Clarence Tilton
Cat Piss
Matthew Sweet
Bug Heaven
Universe Contest
Josh Hoyer
Domestica
Glow in the Dark
Digital Leather
Benny Leather
Pagan Athletes
Bad Bad Men
Stephen Sheehan
Ben Eisenberger
Big Nope
Dirt House
Oquoa
Eric in Outerspace
Hussies
Mike Schlesinger
Mitch Gettman
Little Brazil
Conor Oberst
Criteria
Flight School

This is also a list I’ll reference when asked by out-of-towners (as I sometimes am) what bands are worth checking out in the area and/or adding to their gig when they come to town…

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One of the most anticipated shows of the year is tonight at The Slowdown. Yves Tumor headlines with dance maven Doss. I believe this show has been rescheduled a number of times since before the pandemic and now it’s happening. 8 p.m. start time, $30.

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Little Brazil just dropped another track from their forthcoming LP Just Leave (out June 3) called “Station.” Check it below, and pre-order the album from Max Trax Records.

Bright Eyes continues to release songs from their companion series that accompanies their most recent set of reissues. This time it’s a cover of Elliott Smith’s “St. Ides Heaven,” that sounds nothing like the original and includes vocals from Conor’s pal Phoebe Bridgers. The track comes from Letting Off the Happiness: A Companion EP, out May 27 on Dead Oceans.

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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 © 2022 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

As we all know by now, Outlandia Festival announced their line-up yesterday, and it’s easily the biggest drawing ticket of any local festival in recent memory.

Wilco, The National, Band of Horses, Silversun Pickups, The Breeders, Local Natives, Real Estate are the top “gets,” and each is a big draw by themselves. The price point of $79 single day / $149 2-day is a bargain (but don’t forget the $25 parking fee (or $15 if you’re willing to take a shuttle)). I don’t know what Falconwood Park’s capacity is, but even without knowing, I have to believe this will sell out. Tickets go on sale this Friday, and the festival is Aug. 12 and 13.

Meanwhile, today The Maha folks announced its line-up for their festival July 29 and 30 at Stinson Park in Aksarben Village. The headliner is Beach House, who currently has the No. 1 album on the college radio charts (It already topped the Billboard rock and alt charts), with Car Seat Headrest returning to headline the Friday night lineup. Filling in the gaps are Princess Nokia, PUP, Indigo De Souza, Sudan Archives, Bartees Strange, Geese and Sweeping Promises. Tickets are $35 for Friday night, $65 for Saturday, and $85 for the two-day event. Parking is free.

In a cage match where ticket sales are the key to victory, Outlandia will win hands down. But there’s one problem with Outlandia’s line-up, for me anyway: There’s not a single band I want to see. Everyone is ga-ga about The National, which to me is like the (comedian) Steven Wright of indie bands. Droll, very droll. I’ve seen Wilco before (Zzzzz), and I was at Aksarben Coliseum when The Breeders opened for Nirvana 30 years ago, and that was a snooze.

Outlandia’s history has direct ties with the Maha Festival. Three dudes who originally put together Maha are involved, and I guess that partially explains the line-up. Those guys all worship Wilco and have wanted to book them at Maha as long as I can remember. The knock against Outlandia: It’s old white-guy music, Dad Rock. Maybe so, but Dad Rock sells, baby, especial in this market.

As for Maha, well, I’m not a big Beach House fan, either. I’ve seen them live at TWR, and they bored me to tears. But, I love Indigo, Car Seat and PUP, and am intrigued by Geese, Bartees and Sweeping Promises. Actually, I’m intrigued by the entire line-up except Beach House, but I’ve never liked Maha’s headliners. This year’s Maha Fest is like a SXSW showcase sponsored by Pitchfork. Of the bands booked, only Beach House, PUP and Car Seat Headrest could fill The Waiting Room. The rest (except for maybe Princess Nokia and Sudan Archives, who I know nothing about) would be hard-pressed to sell out Reverb. Compared to Outlandia, Maha’s line-up is more youth-targeted, diverse and likely to sell poorly in a market that doesn’t have a real college radio station. But that’s always been the case.

Outlandia only has two local bands on the bill, Clarence Tilton and Masonjixx. Maha has six local acts, but still manages to miss the mark when it comes to capturing what’s going on in local indie music scene. Only Spanish-language punk band Las Cruxes fits that bill.

That’s where Petfest comes in. The tiny festival hosted behind Petshop Gallery in Benson just happens to be the same day as Outlandia this year — Aug. 13 — and the ticket price is about the same as Outlandia’s parking fee. Hands down, Petfest has the best local line-up of any festival or concert. Having seen this year’s line-up, I can tell you that will be true again. But this year, it’ll also have a few national touring acts, too. Because of Outlandia’s surprise announcement yesterday, Petfest has decided to slow-drip announcing their line-up over the next couple of weeks.

So who will be the big winner? In my opinion, all of them will be. Because as I said before, Outlandia targets a different audience than Maha (or Petfest). As a wise man told me, the kids will be at Maha, and their dads will be at Outlandia.

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Tonight at The Waiting Room, Cassandra Jenkins opens for Andy Shauf. Her 2021 album, An Overview of Phenomenal Nature, was on my 2021 year-end best-of list. Andy Shauf’s latest, The Neon Skyline, is out on ANTI- records. 8:30, $20.

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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 © 2022 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The last time Philly indie rock band Grocer came through Omaha last August I tagged them for a quick interview about touring during COVID, with the Delta variant about to come down like a hammer.

Drummer Cody Nelson put some wisdom to the situation: “We’re in a new place every night. If we can make sure we’re surrounded by as few potential carriers as possible that increases the chances of us being healthy and being able to continue our tour. If the venue takes the lead, it’s more comfortable for us to show up and be safe.” You can read the full article at The Reader website, here.

Looks like they survived, as the band is returning to The Sydney in Benson tonight, for a tough-as-nails Monday gig. Their style very much is in the early Pixies tradition, angular and cool riding high on the bass line and backbeat drums, while guitarist Emily Daly shreds feedback-drenched leads filtered through a muffled effects pedal.

Since last time, the band recorded a 9-track LP, Numbers Game, that’s slated for release May 6, and just released the first track, “Pick A Way.”

We caught up with Grocer again, but this time subjected them to the Ten Questions treatment. Here’s what they had to say:

What is your favorite album?

Danielle Lovier: My most listened to album is Shadow of Your Smile by Astrud Gilberto.

Nick Rahn: Bitte Orca – Dirty Projectors

Cody Nelson: Commit This to Memory by Motion City Soundtrack

Emily Daly: Sister by Sonic Youth

What is your least favorite song?

Cody: Don’t know if I have one, but I really don’t like Du Hast

Emily: Baby Shark

What do you enjoy most about being in a band?

Cody: Pass…JK it’s the most meaningful form of social/creative connection I’ve personally ever found. 

Emily: The camaraderie of hanging out with fellow weirdos with the same impossible goals

D&N: Touring!

What do you hate about being in a band?

Danielle: Making a decision on where the four of us should eat a meal while on tour.

Nick: Self Promotion

What is your favorite substance (legal or illegal)?

Cody: Legal: Coffee, Illegal: Don’t worry about it 😉

Danielle: LSD lol

In what city or town do you love to perform?

Danielle: I think Omaha actually is pretty high up on the list for us, as well as Atlanta & Charleston.

Emily: Chicago/El Paso

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

Nick: Phoenix, too many reasons

Cody: Definitely Philadelphia, haha

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?

Nick: No, I also freelance as an audio engineer and a handyman.

Danielle: Not quite there yet. I make planters.

Cody: Certainly not (yet), I’m also a professional poker player.

Emily: Nope!

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

Emily: I would love to teach, which I’ve done before, but unfortunately doesn’t pay a living wage. I would be useless at anything involving math. 

Cody: I would like to try being a therapist/psychologist, would hard pass any other sort of medical/legal field.

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

Danielle: We heard that there’s a recording studio in Omaha, where the sound engineer actually wrote ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ and gave it to Boys II Men, from which Mariah Carey stole it and said sound engineer was never credited.

Nick: Just the one story about the corn husker who saw Conor Oberst at a Runza.

Grocer plays tonight with Bad Self Portraits and Bach Mai at The Sydney in Benson, 5918 Maple St. Show time is not listed, but it probably starts at 8 p.m. $12.

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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 © 2022 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Turns out the “SafeSpace” that I thought was playing at Reverb last night (see here) was not the SafeSpace that played at Reverb last night. Again, a suggestion: You want people to hear your music or find out about you? Create an online presence about your band (Facebook, Bandcamp, Twitter). Apparently “Ione,” who performed last night as SafeSpace, doesn’t care about such things, though she does have an Instagram presence, which is probably the last place I’d look for show information. Like I said, maybe she wants to remain anonymous?

OK, so I was initially disappointed that it wasn’t the Chicago SafeSpace I was hoping for. That said, this one was pretty good. Performing as a two-piece — Ione backed by a guitarist — (she said she used to have a full band but is apparently between bands), she played through about 20 minutes of singer/songwriter fare that had a similar feel as Seward’s Andrea von Kampen, though Ione’s songs were more mature (and she has a better voice). Of note was the second tune on the set list, where said guitarist played a counter-melody before and after the main verses, that really sent me. Good stuff. I’m told she’s either from Omaha (She’s played Pageturners before, as evidenced by her Instagram) or Sioux City.

Squirrel Flower came on at 9 with a full band and sounded great, playing songs off her last full length. Frontwoman Ella Williams’ creatively used one of those recorder/repeater pedals throughout the set to either augment her guitar or provide layered harmonies. It’s always a cool effect, always interesting to watch the artist build the “backing track” live.

Last night was a reasonable draw for a Reverb show. Maybe 60? I love these 8 p.m. 2-band bills. You can get your music in and still enjoy more of the evening afterward. And Reverb is quickly becoming thee go-to venue for small touring indie acts.

The Sydney could be the next best thing (both clubs are connected to 1% Productions). I’d love to hit tonight’s show at The Sydney, but it doesn’t start until 9 and is a three-band bill. Headliner Child of Night is from Brooklyn by way of Columbus. Profit Prison is from Italy and Cult Play is from right here. $10, 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 © 2022 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

It’s a loaded weekend full of under-the-radar bands. Not only haven’t I heard of most of these folks, finding information online about them is super-challenging. You’d think if you were going to head out on tour, that you’d have either a well-established website or Facebook page to explain who/what your band is all about…

Anyway…

Tonight, Newcastle, Australia indie-pop band Vacations plays at Reverb Lounge. Forever in Bloom came out in 2020 on Human Sounds Records, which has a roster of acts none of whom I’ve heard of. Very punchy jump-jangle rock in a Jetpacks vein (or what I remember WWPJ to sound like). KC band Kid Computer opens at 8 p.m. $15. This is a No Vax No Entry show so bring yer stuff.

Tomorrow night it’s the Squirrel Flower show at Reverb I mentioned earlier this week (Is Reverb becoming thee destination for small indie rock shows?). Opening is fellow Chicago band SafeSpace, or at least I think it is. There’s about a dozen “Safe Space” pages in FB and online. The band that owns this one, below, hasn’t released an album since 2018, but I hope it is these guys because this song is pretty awesome. $15, 8 p.m. This one also is a No Vax No Entry show, so bring your stuff to get in.

Meanwhile, down at Slowdown Jr., Saturday night, Austin-based laid-back indie band Summer Salt headlines a show with Brooklyn’s Renata Zeiguer and Chicago’s Kate Stephenson. 8 p.m., $25.

Sunday night, Columbus electronic/post-punk band Child of Night (Play Alone Records) headlines at The Sydney. Their latest, The Walls at Dawn, is a deep-beat blacklist dance-fueled gothy collection that’s sneaky good. Profit Prison from Bolognia, Italy (on Avant! Records) and Omaha’s Cult Play also are on the bill. 9 p.m., $10. It’s a shame this is a late show on a Sunday night…

Also Sunday night, Pagan Athletes opens for Garst at Slowdown Jr.. Social Cinema also is on the bill. $10. 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 © 2022 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I’m known by some for my predictions. Here’s one for you: This time next year, Thick Paint will be in Austin performing at South By Southwest. That is, if they ever get around to recording and releasing a proper album.

Rumors have been bandied about for years about which record label this band will end up on (one hot take had Saddle Creek Records in the mix). Yet, here we are so many years into their existence and still no formal label release, though there was a digital self-release that came out in 2019 that doesn’t sound anything like they do today.

Thick Paint just released a two-song single last Friday, “Zaddy Mountain” b/w “Infographic Rain” (linked below this review), that does sound like the band I heard last night at a packed Reverb Lounge. While there were a lot of vintage references heard in their music, no modern band sounds quite like them.

These days Thick Paint has a distinctively proggy style that’s a throwback to early ’80s Robert Fripp-fueled King Crimson, complete with repetitive, asymmetric, layered guitar lines that are both percussive and trance-inducing. At the same time, there’s a weird combination of traditional ‘70s rock structures mixed with avant-garde, almost Beefheart-ian sounds. Add Graham Ulicny’s unique, high-end vocal delivery that ranges somewhere between Geddy Lee and Supertramp’s Rick Davies (and at other times, seemingly channeling Infidels-era Dylan on the more traditional stuff) and you’ve got something special.

That’s a lot to take in, but it all works. And if the music was released on an album, I’d buy it. But it isn’t, and who knows when it will ever be. One assumes those two new tracks are part of a larger session, recorded at Enamel Studios here in Omaha and mixed at world-famous Chase Park Transduction in Athens, GA, by former Reptar member Ryan Engleberger (Reptar is Ulicny’s old band, too). Some record label needs to get the horn with these folks and sign them so my prediction will come true.

By the way, the scheduled show opener, And How, was a no show, which we figured out after waiting 20 minutes for their set to start. Super disappointing. I stuck around for a couple Masonjixx songs, but had to go to work early this morning, so…

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It’s St. Patrick’s Day and what could be more traditionally Irish than to go to The Sydney in Benson tonight for hardcore punk band BIB. The band is kicking off a lengthy tour that eventually will take them to a date playing the world-famous St. Vitus Bar in Brooklyn. But you can see them here tonight for a mere $10. Glow opens at 10 p.m. No doubt green beer will be served.

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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 © 2022 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Chicago by way of Boston’s Squirrel Flower a.k.a. Ella Williams has been writing and recording indie folk music since 2015, but broke through the waves with 2020’s I Was Born Swimming (Polyvinyl) that Paste Magazine called a record “you’ll want to sink into, like a warm bath or maybe a 4 p.m. ocean that’s been baking in the hot sun all day.”

She followed it up with Planet (i) (Polyvinyl, 2021), of which Allmusic said, “Themes of personal, meteorological, and environmental disaster scud like silver clouds over the album’s panoramic arrangements in a tenuous, but pleasingly textural way.” In fact, the record’s one-sheet called it “a love letter to disaster in every form imaginable. Tornadoes, flooding, gaslighting assholes, cars on fire—these songs fully embrace a planet in ruin.”

Sound depressing? Yeah, it can be. But most of Planet (i) is acoustic-riff indie rock that fits alongside acts like Cassandra Jenkins or Tomberlin at their quieter moments. It’s a pretty record that feels like a long, contemplative road trip, dusty and afternoon-sun lit, lost along an empty Highway 30.

Expect to hear tracks off this one when she rolls into Reverb Saturday night, as well as songs off her just release follow-up EP, Planet (Polyvinyl), which consists of outtakes from the Planet (i) sessions and a cover of Bjork’s “Unravel.”

We caught up with Williams and asked her the Ten Questions. Here’s her rather minimal responses:

What is your favorite album?

Squirrel Flower’s Ella Williams: Nebraska by Springsteen 😉

What is your least favorite song?

Happy Birthday

What do you enjoy most about being in a band?

Playing music with them 

What do you hate about being in a band?

Literally nothing !

What is your favorite substance (legal or illegal)?

Bagel with cream cheese

In what city or town do you love to perform?

Chicago! Where I live right now. 

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

I’ve never had a bad gig but one time I played in Sioux City, Iowa, and we got caught in the craziest rain storm ever. Full rivers flowing on the street while we were loading out.

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?

I have very low living costs and teach and work catering/restaurant gigs from time to time. It took a long time to get to the point of only needing a bit of side work here and there.

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

I worked as a carpenter’s assistant for a bit, which I really loved. Would like to go into carpentry maybe. I would hate to be in finance or be a coder. 

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

Mainly just nice tales from my friend Paige, who grew up on a goat farm outside of Omaha! Can’t wait to play in Omaha. 

Squirrel Flower plays with Tenci Saturday, March 19, at Reverb Lounge. Tickets are $15, showtime is 8 p.m. This is a No Vax No Entry show, so bring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test.

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Omaha band And How released a new track off a forthcoming album with no set release date (that I know of). Produced/recorded by Ian Aeillo, who gave me the tip, the song was recorded at the old Enamel Studios (and I’m sure there’s a good story behind that). When we’ll hear more tracks from these sessions is a mystery, as I’m told frontman Ryan Menchaca has his hands full with this project and touring with Thick Paint. Fingers crossed that both bands play at this year’s Petfest…

Speaking of which, tonight And How plays with Thick Paint and Masonjixx (headliner) at Reverb Lounge. $15, 8 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 © 2022 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.