by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

If you’re looking for me tonight, I’ll be on my porch eyeing the crowds as they pass by my home on the way to Memorial Park, a beer by my side, a shotgun across my lap… 

I’ve been watching the weather the past few days, wondering if the city would cancel the event. The stage is all set up, and it seems unlikely unless there’s lightning in the vicinity. So, enjoy Melissa Etheridge in the park. Just stay off my lawn. 

Kidding. But not really. But yeah. I saw Etheridge in concert way back in the early ‘90s as part of a double-headline bill with Matthew Sweet, again, playing in a park, this time in Philadelphia. No doubt fans are in for a good show. Etheridge goes on at 8:30 following Herman’s Hermits w/Peter Noone. Fireworks at 10 p.m.

The rest of the calendar is looking pretty light. There’s nothing happening tonight or tomorrow night, unless you like wrestling or Taylor Swift. Slowdown has no shows at all this weekend.

Sunday night is Fleet Foxes at Steelhouse Omaha. Their last release was 2021’s A Very Lonely Solstice, stripped down versions of older songs. 2020’s Shore I believe was the last original studio album and included the single “Can I Believe You.” The show kicks off at 8 p.m. with a set by Uwade (full name Uwade Akhere), who you might remember from her contributions to FF’s Shore album. She’s got a number of singles out but is yet to release an LP. Main floor tickets are still available for $35. Will there be giveaways leading up to Sunday? Watch your socials…

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Also Sunday night is a sneaky good show at Reverb Lounge featuring a handful of bands I’m just discovering thanks to this show. 

Glare is a Texas-based self-proclaimed shoegaze act whose most current releases are on Sunday Drive Records. Their newer stuff is warm, shimmering and gauzy, while their older stuff leans toward post-Grunge ‘90s alt rock. Here’s hoping for a set of the new stuff. Co-headliner, Portland’s Alien Boy (yes, a Wipers reference), is guitarist / songwriter Sonia Weber and drummer Derek McNeil, with a rotating cast of Portland support players. Their music is released on Tiny Engines, and is very indie, very poppy, very hooky, very fun. The Dirts and Glassblower also are on this 4-band bill.  $18, 8 p.m. 

And down the street at The Sydney in Benson Sunday night, Denton four-piece Pearl Earl headlines. Captain Howdy opens at 9 p.m. $12.

And 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 © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.