A scene from the 2023 Outlandia Festival.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

While we wait for a Maha Festival announcement, the fine folks at the Outlandia Festival have announced the dates for their 2024 festival — Aug. 9-10, again at Falconwood Park in Bellevue. No other info was provided, though I suspect a line-up announcement is imminent. I’ve got a funny feeling that this is Outlandia’s year to dominate the local festival season… 

Not much for touring indie rock shows again this weekend. Things take a turn for the better next week. 

Tonight at The Astro in La Vista, Boston funk band Lettuce headlines. They’ve self-released most of their bouncy instrumental albums. Nigel Hall opens with a DJ set at 8 p.m. $35-$65.

Also tonight, local singer/songwriter Ebba Rose headlines at Reverb Lounge with The Pickles of Dill and Nick Lytle. 8 p.m. $15.

And Lincoln Exposed 2024 continues. The sched is below. Tickets are $12 per night or $35 for an all access pass that gets you into everything all weekend. You can buy them online here or in person at the Bourbon Theater.

LINCOLN EXPOSED 2024
Friday

ZOO BAR (21+)
5-5:40 – Corson Branch Buzzard Club
6-6:40 – Scott Severin & Stateleigh Holmes 
7-7:40 – Dirty Talker
8-8:40 – LaPerm
9-9:40 – Crack Mountain
10-10:40 – Red Cities
11-11:40 – The Killigans
12-12:40 – The Midland Band

DUFFY’S TAVERN (21+)
6:40 – 7:20 – Mudpuddles
7:40 – 8:20 – The Allendales
8:40 – 9:20 – FAHR
9:40 – 10:20 – The Bottle Tops
10:40 – 11:20 – Dip Tet
11:40 – 12:20 – Ro Hempel Band

BOURBON THEATRE (ALL AGES)
6:20 – 7 – quiet2quiet
7:20 – 8 – The Other Side Of Now
8:20 – 9 – Sweats
9:20 – 10 – Accidentology
10:20 – 11- The Wildwoods 
11:20 – 12 – Universe Contest

1867 BAR (21+)
5:40 – 6:20 – Will Hutchinson Trio
6:40 – 7:20 – Blondo
7:40 – 8:20 – Witherpoint 
8:40 – 9:20 – Ghost Town Radio
9:40 – 10:20 – Guilt Vacation
10:40 – 11:20 – Wagon
11:40 – 12:20 – Night Push 
12:40 – 1:20 – Means To An End

Saturday

ZOO BAR (21+)
5 – 5:40 – 23rd Vibration
6 – 6:40 – In the Pocket featuring Nebraska Jr. 
7 – 7:40 – Scallywags 
8 – 8:40 – Cobras
9 – 9:40 – The NitroBats
10 – 10:40 – Fall Break
11 – 11:40 – Emily Bass and the Near Miracle
12 – 12:40 – Mad Dog and the 20/20s
1 -1:40 – Black Ophanim

DUFFY’S TAVERN (21+)
6:40 – 7:20 – Powerful Science 
7:40 – 8:20 – Aage Birch
8:40 – 9:20 – Ghostlike
9:40 – 10:20 – Head of Femur
10:40 – 11:20 – The Obscurants
11:40 – 12:20 – The Machete Archive
12:40 – 1:20 – Wicked Bones

BOURBON THEATRE (ALL AGES)
6:20 – 7 – Orion Walsh & the Rambling Hearts
7:20 – 8 – The JV Allstars
8:20 – 9 – Vera Devorah 
9:20 – 10 – Estrogen Projection 
10:20 – 11 – Verse and the Vices 
11:20 – 12 – Dark Oceanz Live

1867 BAR (21+)
5:40 – 6:20 – Floating Opera
6:40 – 7:20 – ((ECHO))
7:40 – 8:20 – The Credentials 
8:40 – 9:20 – Letters From Friends
9:40 – 10:20 – Cuddlebone 
10:40 – 11:20 – Parking Lot Party
11:40 – 12:20 – Dudes Gone Rude
12:40 – 1:20 – Wick O’ Rya

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 © 2024 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan,Lazy-i.com

Tonight is the kick-off of the 19th annual Lincoln Exposed festival – four nights of live local music hosted on four Lincoln stages. The event’s full schedule is below, and I admit knowing only a handful of the more than 100 bands taking part. I’ve bolded the acts I would go out of my way to check out… if I was going to the festival.

Lincoln has at least two multi-venue festivals — this and Lincoln Calling, which brings in a handful of poplar national touring acts as well as a gaggle of locals. It takes place in the fall, and has for years. I’m told this year it’ll be happening in the spring – stay tuned.

Which brings up the burning question: Why doesn’t Omaha host something like this? The old-timers will remember there have been attempts at multi-day Omaha festivals in the past, but all eventually petered out. With at least seven potential stages (The Waiting Room, Reverb Lounge, The Sydney, Brokedown Palace, the Benson Theater, Hardy’s Coffee, The Petshop) and even more bars that could also host bands — all within walking distance of each other — Benson would be an obvious choice to host a similar music festival.

But Benson isn’t the only game in town. The Blackstone District, Little Italy, Dundee, the Capitol District, heck, even the Old Market, all could accommodate a multi-venue music festival. And yet, Omaha has nothing. So why hasn’t it happened? Maybe it’s because Omaha doesn’t have a college population like UNL or because there is no individual organizer willing to do all the footwork needed to pull it off. But the most likely reason: It’s not a big money-maker for the venues that would have to be involved.

This is where the good folks who put on The Maha Music Festival could naturally step up, a perfect chance to expand their fan base and show support for the local music scene. Ah, but methinks Maha has its hands full figuring out what it’s going to do for their own 2024 Festival. Last year, Maha announced their full 2023 line-up on Feb. 22, which is just a couple weeks away. Will we be getting the 2024 line-up announcement soon?

Anyway, here’s the Lincoln Exposed 2024 schedule. Tickets are $12 per night or $35 for an all-access pass that gets you into everything all weekend. You can buy them online here or in person at the Bourbon Theater.

LINCOLN EXPOSED 2024
Wednesday
ZOO BAR (21+)
5 – 5:40 – Saving Fiona
6 – 6:40 – Peace, Love & Strychnine
7 – 7:40 – The Said Mantics
8 – 8:40 – Vibe Check 
9 – 9:40 – A Ferocious Jungle Cat
10 – 10:40 – M Shah
11 – 11:40 – Amolador

DUFFY’S TAVERN (21+)
6:40 – 7:20 – Prairie Psycho
7:40 – 8:20 – OTOS
8:40 – 9:20 – Slow, Pioneers
9:40 – 10:20 – Dude Won’t Die
10:40 – 11:20 – Josh Hoyer and Soul Colossal
1:40 – 12:20 – jdreams the alien + WINTERPOOR

BOURBON THEATRE (ALL AGES)
6:20 – 7 – Hosting Monsters
7:20 – 8 – Domestica 
8:20 – 9 – Leaves Brown
9:20 – 10 – Loose Change
10:20 – 11 – Cyphen
11:20 – 12 – Chasing Supernovas

1867 BAR (21+)
6:40 – 7:20 – Neon Zoo
7:40 – 8:20 – Hot Dealers
8:40 – 9:20 – ImAsh 
9:40 – 10:20 – Sitra Achra
10:40 – 11:20 – Das Dat
11:40 – 12:20 – Frailin Hearts

Thursday

ZOO BAR (21+)
5 – 5:40 – Comfy
6 – 6:40 – Church of Blues 
7 – 7:40 – All Knowing McGill
8 – 8:40 – Mustache`
9 – 9:40 – Beyond Bananas
10 – 10:40 – The Fatal E’s
11 – 11:40 – Head Change

DUFFY’S TAVERN (21+)
6:40 – 7:20 – All Star City Blues Band
7:40 – 8:20 – Root Marm Chicken Farm Jug Band
8:40 – 9:20 – Love & Gumption
9:40 – 10:20 – Lee Bowes and the Jupiter Rings
10:40 – 11:20 – F.A.C.E.
11:40 – 12:20 – Fascinus Rex

BOURBON THEATRE (ALL AGES)
6:20 – 7 – Sputnik Kaputnik 
7:20 – 8 – The Hangin’ Cowboys
8:20 – 9 – Jet Set
9:20 – 10 – Hold Your Breath
10:20 – 11 – Ivory Daze
11:20 – 12 – Swaul Pope

1867 BAR (21+)
5:40 – 6:20 – Mothawk
6:40 – 7:20 – Tupelo Springfield
7:40 – 8:20 – Cornerstone Dub
8:40 – 9:20 – Gollie G
9:40 – 10:20 – After Arizona
10:40 – 11:20 – Bull Face 
11:40 – 12:20 – Blowing Chunks

Friday

ZOO BAR (21+)
5-5:40 – Corson Branch Buzzard Club
6-6:40 – Scott Severin & Stateleigh Holmes 
7-7:40 – Dirty Talker
8-8:40 – LaPerm
9-9:40 – Crack Mountain
10-10:40 – Red Cities
11-11:40 – The Killigans
12-12:40 – The Midland Band

DUFFY’S TAVERN (21+)
6:40 – 7:20 – Mudpuddles
7:40 – 8:20 – The Allendales
8:40 – 9:20 – FAHR
9:40 – 10:20 – The Bottle Tops
10:40 – 11:20 – Dip Tet
11:40 – 12:20 – Ro Hempel Band

BOURBON THEATRE (ALL AGES)
6:20 – 7 – quiet2quiet
7:20 – 8 – The Other Side Of Now
8:20 – 9 – Sweats
9:20 – 10 – Accidentology
10:20 – 11- The Wildwoods 
11:20 – 12 – Universe Contest

1867 BAR (21+)
5:40 – 6:20 – Will Hutchinson Trio
6:40 – 7:20 – Blondo
7:40 – 8:20 – Witherpoint 
8:40 – 9:20 – Ghost Town Radio
9:40 – 10:20 – Guilt Vacation
10:40 – 11:20 – Wagon
11:40 – 12:20 – Night Push 
12:40 – 1:20 – Means To An End

Saturday

ZOO BAR (21+)
5 – 5:40 – 23rd Vibration
6 – 6:40 – In the Pocket featuring Nebraska Jr. 
7 – 7:40 – Scallywags 
8 – 8:40 – Cobras
9 – 9:40 – The NitroBats
10 – 10:40 – Fall Break
11 – 11:40 – Emily Bass and the Near Miracle
12 – 12:40 – Mad Dog and the 20/20s
1 -1:40 – Black Ophanim

DUFFY’S TAVERN (21+)
6:40 – 7:20 – Powerful Science 
7:40 – 8:20 – Aage Birch
8:40 – 9:20 – Ghostlike
9:40 – 10:20 – Head of Femur
10:40 – 11:20 – The Obscurants
11:40 – 12:20 – The Machete Archive
12:40 – 1:20 – Wicked Bones

BOURBON THEATRE (ALL AGES)
6:20 – 7 – Orion Walsh & the Rambling Hearts
7:20 – 8 – The JV Allstars
8:20 – 9 – Vera Devorah 
9:20 – 10 – Estrogen Projection 
10:20 – 11 – Verse and the Vices 
11:20 – 12 – Dark Oceanz Live

1867 BAR (21+)
5:40 – 6:20 – Floating Opera
6:40 – 7:20 – ((ECHO))
7:40 – 8:20 – The Credentials 
8:40 – 9:20 – Letters From Friends
9:40 – 10:20 – Cuddlebone 
10:40 – 11:20 – Parking Lot Party
11:40 – 12:20 – Dudes Gone Rude
12:40 – 1:20 – Wick O’ Rya

* * *

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 © 2024 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

The art of Mari Dailey opens at Ming Toy Gallery tonight as part of Benson First Friday.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Happy Groundhog Day. Our weekend music calendar is like very much like the movie Groundhog Day, in that every year around this time there are no touring indie bands coming through town. And this year is no exception.

That said, it’ll be unseasonably warm this weekend, including tonight, which is Benson First Friday (#BFF) – when the galleries and businesses up and down Maple Street feature art by our talented local artists. If you’re out and about, drop in at Ming Toy Gallery, 6066 Maple Street (right next to Legends Comics) and check out the opening reception for Mari Dailey. The evening will also feature spoken word performances by four poets including Todd (The Toddfather) Robinson starting at 7 p.m. And it’s also our one-year anniversary at this space, so… cake! The opening runs from 6 to 9 p.m. See you there!

Today also is Bandcamp Friday. That means proceeds from all purchases made today go directly to the artists, as Bandcamp doesn’t take a cut on purchases made today (and in many cases, neither do participating record labels). So go to Bandcamp and support musicians!

Among them, TIT. I’ve been wondering what Digital Leather’s Shawn Foree has been up to lately, and now we know. TIT is the project by Foree and Bobby Hussy (The Hussy, Wristwatch). Today they announced their debut, out April 5 on No Coast Records. According to the Bandcamp page, this one is 10 years in the making and includes a special guest appearance from Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes) handling lead vocals on one track. Preorder the album today to pass along those Bandcamp bucks.

While you’re at it, might as well preorder the self-titled debut by by David Nance and Mowed Sound, which comes out Feb. 9 on Jack White’s Third Man Records. 

Show-wise, tomorrow night Mike Saklar’s band The Sun-Less Trio plays at fabulous O’Leaver’s. It’s part of a three-band bill that also includes mysterious headliner The Radical Sabbatical. White Wolf T-Shirt opens the show at 9 p.m. And guess what? It’s free.

Also Saturday night, Des Moines alt-folk-rock band The Nadas is playing at The Waiting Room. To their credit, the band has been coming through Omaha literally for decades. They were named among The Best College Bands You’ve Never Heard of by Playboy in 2001, or “the Creed era” as it’s known in the alternative rock world. Emma Butterworth (no doubt a relation to Nadas’ frontman Mike Butterworth) opens the show at 8 p.m. $30. 

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 © 2024 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Brooklyn’s MX Lonely play tonight at Blindspot.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Blindspot, the all-ages venue located at 619 So. 20th St., apparently hosted BIB’s tour kick-off show last night, based on some online footage from the socials. Secret show? I didn’t see it listed on the Blindspot Instagram page. But that’s the way it can be with these DIY spaces. The fact that Blindspot is even putting their address on flyers now is a massive step forward.

Tonight, Blindspot welcomes in February with Brooklyn indie band MX Lonely, whose sound has been described as a combination of shoe-gaze and grunge. Shoe-grunge?  Grunge-gazers?  Hey, let’s nix it the labels, shall we?

They’re on the road supporting the upcoming release of their Spit EP on Boston label Candlepin Records, which, according to Brooklyn Vegan (who no doubt got the info from a one-sheet), is a follow-up to their 2022 LP Cadonia. The latest single, “Too Many Pwr Chords,” comes with a video that is a cautionary tale about jogging with your bandmates.

Opening the show tonight is Omaha underground buzz bands Western Haikus and Cupholder. This is a nice get by Blindspot, which more often hosts metal and hardcore shows. $10, 7:30 p.m. Will this ripe old indie hipster infiltrate this youth-targeted DIY space tonight? Maybe…. 

This is last touring indie show for a couple weeks, so get it in or regret not going… Here’s the latest touring-indie-band Omaha calendar:

•  Feb. 1 – MX Lonely at Blindspot
• — Feb. 16 – David Nance and Mowed Sound LP release at Reverb
• — Feb. 17 – Matthew Sweet at Waiting Room
• — Feb. 19 – Yo La Tengo at Waiting Room 
• — Feb. 24 – Porno for Pyros at The Astro
• — Feb. 29 – Katy Kirby at Reverb
• — March 6 – Jenny Lewis at The Admiral
• — March 18 – Color Green at Reverb
• — March 22 – Sun June, Wild Pink at Reverb
• — April 14 – Twin Tribes at Reverb
• — April 20 – Rosali at O’Leaver’s
• — April 24 – Sheer Mag at Reverb 

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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 © 2024 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.