Azure Ray recently opened a date for Bright Eyes. Now half of Azure Ray — Maria Taylor — has announced a new project with Mike Bloom (Jenny Lewis, Julian Casablancas) called HAHA. They dropped their first single yesterday on Taylor’s Flower Moon Records, and it features Elvis Costello drummer Pete Thomas. The track was mixed by Jonathan Low (The National, Taylor Swift). No word if there’s more to come, but if I had to guess…
In other new music news, Teenage Fanclub has a new album coming out Sept. 22 on Merge Records called Nothing Lasts Forever. The album’s first single, “Foreign Land,” dropped awhile ago, and is classic TF. The whole album is pretty good. Here’s hoping someone books them here in Omaha.
Yesterday 1% Productions announced An Evening with Yo La Tengo Sept. 29 at The Waiting Room. The show supports their new album, This Stupid World, which Pitchfork has crowned with a “Best New Music” designation and an 8.5 rating. Tickets go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. and are $32.
And so, it’s that time of year again, when Jason and his team roll out the big, fat money-printing machines that they keep in The Slowdown’s secret basement and begin cranking out the Benjamins.
That’s right, it’s College World Series time at The Slowdown. Well actually, it starts on Thursday, but The Slowdown has already begun setting up the tents and putting away the indie music to make way for the drunken rubes with the big wallets.
I remember a time back when The Slowdown first opened in 2007 when there was nothing in the NoDo area but the Slowdown compound. And then along came the ballpark, followed by hotels and bars and businesses and now The Slowdown is just another stop on the CWS bar crawl.
Glancing at their schedule, The Slowdown appears to have foregone the cover bands during CWS season, with DJs on the first weekend (including the impeccable Tyrone Storm Saturday night) and Satchel Grande on the 23rd.
We’ll miss you, Slowdown, but we know you’ll be back. specifically for Julia Jacklin July 25 and Youth Lagoon July 26.
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In the midst of the grunge era circa 1993 Counting Crows released August and Everything After, which was lauded by the then-significant Rolling Stone magazine and included a song named after our fair city. I will not lie – I bought that CD and sang along just like everyone else to “Round Here” and “Mr. Jones” and most of the other songs on the T Bone Burnett-produced hit album that sold 6 million copies.
Counting Crows would go on to release six more studio albums, but nothing new since 2014’s Somewhere Under Wonderland, which I’ve never heard.
Tonight you, too, can sing along with Counting Crows as they play a selection of their “greatest hits” at Steelhouse Omaha. Main floor tickets are still available for $75. Show starts at 7:30 p.m.
Other than the initial announcement, Outlandia Festival information has been sparse. Last Wednesday, Falconwood Park (where Outlandia is held) announced it created an Executive Director position and hired former Lincoln Calling executive director Shannon Claire.
“Claire brings 15+ years of event organizing and business management experience to the grounds and will focus on securing nationally renowned and emerging acts in hopes to produce more single-day live music events,” according to the press release. “In addition to entertainment, she will also concentrate on community outreach opportunities and managing the park’s public relations.”
Clair will work alongside Falconwood Park owner Brandon Miller, who said he wants to “grow the caliber of concerts we hold during the season.”
Clair said she wants to make Nebraska a viable destination for live music and national talent. “Nebraska is very much known as a flyover state, or a drive-thru state when it comes to artists touring,” she said. “Providing an opportunity for people to take in concerts closer to home, versus traveling to places like Denver, Chicago, or Minneapolis to see some of their favorite national acts, is the goal.”
Falconwood Park, which is located at 905 Allied Road in Bellevue, boasts three stages — two outdoor and one indoor — that range incapacity from 500 to 10,000 attendees, according to the release. Last weekend they hosted a handful of classic-rock cover bands, and upcoming gigs include “An Orchestral Rendition of Dr. Dre: 2001” on July 8. The Outlandia Festival is Aug. 11-12 and headlined by Lord Huron, Modest Mouse and Jimmy Eat World.
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Singer/songwriter Brad Hoshaw, who moved from Omaha to California a few years ago, announced last Thursday that he’s moving to Nashville.
“I’ve accepted a job transfer to Nashville that’s going to unlock some incredible music career opportunities for me,” he wrote in a letter to his mailing list. “I genuinely believe that now is the perfect time for me to dive into Nashville’s vibrant music scene and discover where my music can take me.”
I’ve always believed that Hoshaw could make a go of it as a songwriter in Music City. Getting embedded into that work stream could be… challenging. No doubt he’ll be bringing copies of this two stellar albums, 2009’s Brad Hoshaw & the Seven Deadlies and 2021’s Living on a Sliver.
There’s a few “news” items to pass along, but they will have to wait until Monday because… it’s the weekend!
And once again, there are no national-touring indie shows on Omaha’s weekend calendar. Such is life. We’re a lonely species, we indie music lovers. Hey, we’ll always have the past two decades, right?
Tonight at art space Project Project, 1818 Vinton St., Las Cruxes headlines a show as part of the Vinton St. “Second Friday” series (Do they call it #VSF?). What version of Las Cruxes will perform tonight – the big band or the power trio? Find out. Also on the bill are Stolen Wolves and Grief Police, two bands I’m unfamiliar with. 7 p.m., $5 donations accepted.
That’s about it for Friday.
Tomorrow (Saturday) singer/songwriter Stathi headlines a gig at Pageturners Lounge with the bar’s chief capo Philip Schaffart. 8 p.m. and no cover.
Meanwhile, back in Benson, the prog power-duo of Griffin and Nathan Wolf —also known as Pagan Athletes — celebrates the release of their new album, Landlocked, at Reverb Lounge. I’ve listened to a few tracks and it’s an edgy, drums-and-synth-powered, throbbing, noise-rock head trip. Providing support is the also-synth-powered Jeff in Leather and Omaha rockers Garst. $10, 9 p.m.
Earlier in the day, Reverb is hosting the Omaha Girls Rock Headliner Showcase, where this year’s batch of students shows off their talent. These shows are always jam-packed… with parents. Still, a lot of fun and it’s free. 3 p.m.
Also Saturday, punk legends The Queers headline this year’s Punk Rock BBQ at The Waiting Room. This is an afternoon-to-evening, 10-band event that also includes Wyoming’s Teenage Bottlerocket and Minneapolis band Tightwire. See the full line-up and other particulars here. Starts at 4 p.m. $35.
And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a super-duper weekend…
A follow-up to yesterday’s post — The Blindspot is a new all-ages venue just getting off the ground located somewhere around 20th and St. Mary’s. Co-owned by Morgan Goldsberry and Cameron Leininger, the space has already hosted a “test run” show and has a hardcore show headlined by Zero Function slated for June 20.
Information about shows will be posted on their instagram stories ( @deadzeppelin and @whistletest ). Goldsberry says she’s been going to shows for nearly 12 years and looks at Blindspot as a way to give back to the DIY community. Like all local DIY shows, you’ll have to reach out to her or Leininger for the venue’s exact address. Watch for their flyers. I’ll also be hyping their indie shows when I’m aware of them, like the Pardoner show happening at Blindspot July 3.
It’s nice to see a new crop of promoters working with touring indie acts, promoters who are booking bands that they actually want to see.
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Speaking of shows, All Young Girls Are Machine Guns is headlining a show tonight at Pageturners Lounge with opener Indian Caves. It’s listed with a 7 p.m. start time and is free, though $10 donation is suggested.
So far it’s been a remarkably moribund year for touring indie rock shows in Omaha and it’s looking like that moribund-ity will only be continuing. There were no shows last weekend. There are no shows this weekend. If you’re an indie music fan, you’re probably starting to feel desperate.
That said, there was a parade of show announcements yesterday that highlight Omaha’s sparkling new mega venues. Wilco will play at The Astro Oct. 23 with Nina Nastasia. In fact The Astro – the new indoor/outdoor amphitheater under construction in La Vista – announced their “opening party” Sept. 7 will be headlined by funk band Here Come the Mummies. And, The Astro will also host the return of 311 Sept. 29.
The Astro’s already announced shows by Dropkick Murphys (Oct. 5), American Idol performers Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken (Oct. 28), Kenny Wayne Shepherd (Sept. 24), Beth Hart (Sept. 16), Ancient Aliens Live (Sept. 21), Goo Goo Dolls (Sept. 23), Gaslight Anthem (Sept. 30) and what appears to be their inaugural show, Rick Springfield and The Hooters (Aug. 30).
That’s a hugs spate of shows that would seem to appeal to a very broad audience – which is what a facility of this size demands.
Meanwhile, Astro’s main competition – Steelhouse Omaha – had a few announcements of their own yesterday, not the least of which was alt-rock band Queens of the Stone Age with opener Viagra Boys Sept. 19, along with two days/nights of bachelorette party bro comedian Matt Rife for seated shows Nov. 4 and 5.
There were no touring indie rock show announcements yesterday. Well, except one.
San Francisco post-punk band Pardoner saw the release of their debut album, Uncontrollable Salvation, on tiny indie label Father/Daughter Records in 2017 before being signed to classic indie label Bar / None Records, where they’ve released 2021’s Came Down Different. Their most recent release is a a three-song single, “Rosemary’s Gone,” that dropped yesterday. Their new album, Peace Loving People, drops on Bar/None June 23.
The band has been compared to acts ranging from Polvo to Dinosaur Jr. They kind of remind me of early Pavement, Pile, early Parquet Courts – you get the drift, gritty DIY-style post-punk with a heart of gold.
Anyway, yesterday I received an email from their publicist at Grandstand saying Pardoner is playing in Omaha as part of a tour that includes gigs at Empty Bottle, Replay Lounge, Hi Dive, Turf Club, the usual list of national indie rock clubs. The Omaha gig will be at American Legion July 3.
OK, there are a number of American Legion Halls, which one? I asked the publicist, who said the show has now been moved to The Blindspot, “a new all ages diy spot” located around 20th and St. Mary’s. A quick Google Maps search indicates that this is probably a house show, but the publicist wasn’t sure as he hadn’t booked the tour.
So, maybe the show’s happening. I’ve seen no other info about it, never heard of The Blind Spot, don’t know who’s actually putting it on, etc. And it got me thinking: Is this how it’s going to be from now on? This is the kind of band that a few years ago would be playing a 1% venue or Slowdown Jr. or The Brothers or O’Leaver’s or somewhere you and I recognize.
This explosion in 700+ capacity venues is great for Omaha and fans of middle-of-the-road alt rock and/or bands whose heyday was two decades ago, but for those of us who love young, up-and-coming indie acts — the kind of acts that Omaha’s music scene thrived on in the early 2000s up ’til the pandemic — things ain’t looking so good.
I have no idea if Pardoner’s booker (who I’m trying to get in touch with) offered this show to any of the local show promoters, or if s/he even knows who those promoters are these days. But I’m starting to wonder if Omaha is becoming a blind spot (pun intended) for touring indie acts like Pardoner. Time will tell, but a glance at the local show calendars is not terribly hopeful.
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One of those young up-and-coming bands that played Omaha countless times in the early 2000s was Death Cab for Cutie. It seems like they were gigging down at Sokol Underground a couple times a year to crowds of fewer than 200 when their first albums were being released on Barsuk Records (We Have the Facts… is still a high water mark).
Welp, Death Cab is back and they’re playing a long sold-out gig at The Admiral tonight. If the show follows the path of last night’s gig at Riverside Theater in Milwaukee (setlist here), expect a 20-song collection of tunes that span their entire career but is heavy on songs from their most recent albums. Lomelda opens at 8 p.m. and like I said, it’s SOLD OUT.
Looks like we’re in for a very quiet weekend. No shows at The Slowdown; 1% properties also have no touring indie shows this weekend.
That said, it is the first Friday of the month which means it’s Benson First Friday. Get yourself to Benson tonight and enjoy a huge selection of local art up and down Maple Street, including at Ming Toy Gallery, 6606 Maple, where Omaha artist Amy Haney will have an opening for “Don’t Let the Name Deceive You,” a collection of new works derived from old concepts. We’re open from 6 to 9 p.m. and there’s booze and treats available. Come say hi. BFF is starting to have a real festival feel to it. Check it out tonight.
One music show on the radar this weekend is singer/songwriter Theadoore, a quiet acoustic performer, kind of like Suzanne Vega on valium. Also on the bill is Omaha self-claimed “experimental pop band” Sgt. Leisure, singer/songwriter Ben Eisenberger and Goodview. 8 p.m., $10.
Also Saturday night, Garst and Bad Self Portraits are supporting the album release show for Omaha alt rock band Fox Paw at The Waiting Room. $12, 8 p.m.
And: Saturday is Benson Beerfest. Parts of west Benson along Maple will be blocked off from 2:30 to 6 p.m. “For the price of one ticket, you can enjoy unlimited pours of all your favorite brews, making this festival an unbeatable deal.” Admission is $45.
That’s it, folks. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend.
On a throw-back Thursday it’s probably a good idea to look back on some recent history. It was on this day in 2020 that our “esteemed” governor announced that bars and lounges could reopen, effectively ending the COVID-19 pandemic.
Just kidding. Ricketts’ June 1 proclamation, while making it OK for bars to reopen, meant little to music venues because of the onerous and necessary restrictions placed on venues, as outlined in this Lazy-i article from May 23, 2020. From that article:
(The Slowdown’s) Jason Kulbel says bars can open just like restaurants with a 50 percent capacity, though all must be seated at tables and can only move around when going to the restroom or ordering food/drinks.
The Slowdown would fall under the “Venues” category — that means 25 percent capacity, with 6-foot spacing between groups. “Groups” and “tables” are interchangeable terms for argument’s sake. So for a 600-capacity rock show at The Slowdown, the current capacity allowed by COVID rules is 150. Again, groups have to be separated by six feet, which will have to be defined somehow by the venue with tape on the floors or something.
Where it gets real tricky: bathroom capacity is three at a time. Expect 6-foot distancing while waiting in line for your booze. And when the show is over, there has to be staggered exiting, which will be just plain weird.
And remember, everyone is wearing masks the entire time. How is the venue going to enforce all these rules?
“All of the above equals 300% of the staff with a max potential of 25% of the business, for us AND the band,” Jason said.
Of course maybe the biggest challenge is just getting people comfortable going to shows amidst all the above regulations and general fear of COVID. Like I said yesterday, I would definitely go to a show under these conditions (especially if I could sit at a table and get table service). But based on comments I’ve heard online and elsewhere, I’m the minority.
He said Slowdown isn’t planning to reopen June 1. Look for an opening later in the month of June at the earliest.
Jason would push that date back almost a year, instead hosting their first show in April 2021, whereas The Waiting Room’s first big show was Crash Test Dummies in March 2021. If you look on the sidewalk outside The Slowdown, you can still see the symbols spray-painted on the sidewalk marking where people should stand in line to remain safely separated.
It was a f___ing weird time, folks, but like that spray painted sidewalk, it’s already starting to fade from memory, which is why we have to remind ourselves every once in a while what we went through. The lucky among us were only inconvenienced; the not-so-lucky died.
Happy Thursday!
Tonight at Reverb Lounge, Mississippi electronic noise band MSPAINT headlines. As described in Stereogum, the four-piece “developed a surging, seismic, but curiously meditative future-punk style that sounds like a glitch storm avalanche swallowing a SimCity 2000 skyline. Their instrumental tones are modeled on the warbling, gated fuzz of fax machines and the dial-up sounds of their 1990s childhoods.”
Lots of yell-vocals and synth tones. Borders on hardcore. Could be a moshpit (but I doubt it). Opening is Omaha’s own synth-master, Jeff in Leather, and XID. $12, 8 p.m.
Also tonight…. I generally don’t write about Lincoln shows, but one of my faves is playing at The Royal Grove — electro-clash-dance maven Peaches a.k.a. Merrill Nisker, whose 2009 album, I Feel Cream (XL Records) is still a regular in my running mix. Opening is Nebraska beat-master PROBLEMS a.k.a. Darren Keen, who I’m told may not be a one-man act tonight. 8 p.m., $30, definitely worth the drive.
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