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.