by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

While undoubtedly indie in nature, MJ Lenderman and his band, The Wind, really have embraced the whole classic rock persona. On stage last night at The Waiting Room they looked like they could have walked right off the back cover of a ’70s-era rock album by your choice of Laurel Canyon superstar. Why, that guy on rhythm guitar looks like he was in Buffalo Springfield! That guy on keyboards and maracas, didn’t he play with Den Felder? 

All six musicians were super talented, and I like just about all of Lenderman’s songs, especially off his new album, Manning Fireworks, which will go down as one of the best of 2024. There’s an honesty to his personal lyrics as they lean back on a layer of subtle rock that’s just shy of alt-country (thanks, in part, to that pedal steel, played by a guy who looks like he could have been in the Flying Burrito Brothers). 

Lenderman and his band rifled through their hits, and as I stood back by the bar, a guy I know leaned over and yelled, “I thought they’d be more lively than this.”

I responded, “Have you ever heard their albums?”

Lenderman’s music is best enjoyed while driving on a long road trip, the kind of music you can get lost in and sing along to (after you’ve heard it a few times). But on stage it was kind of dull. Ocassionally Lenderman would go into a feedback-driven accoutrement at the end of a song (that went on too long). In a way, he reminded me of Tom Petty, a guy whose music I love, but, live, bores the piss out of me. Or maybe I’m just jaded after last week’s Fountaines D.C. show…

That said, the near-capacity crowd soaked it in, with many up by the stage singing along. But the further back you went, the chattier the crowd became, with people having full-blown conversations back by the bar (actually, I saw a couple women carrying on about their day right up front, yelling at each other over the band). 

Much more lively was opening act Ryan Davis and the Roadhouse Band. I arrived late, not feeling in the mood for a set of southern or “blues” rock, and ended up kicking myself for it, because Davis and his band had more in common with acts like Silver Jews. 

Davis closed out his set with a killer version of the opening track from his 2023 album, Dancing on the Edge, called “Free from the Guillotine,” which I’m listening to right now; an album I’ll likely be listening to all weekend long…

Onto the weekend (and it’s a non-Husker weekend at that!).

Tonight on Slowdown’s big stage Provo folk-rockers The National Parks headlines. The band has grown its fanbase over the years; they’re on the road supporting their latest, Wild Spirit, another album of hand-clap-stomp folk (I’m sure there’s another name for the genre). Elias Hix opens at 8 pm. $25.

Also tonight, ’70s-style heavy-metal punkers Psychotic Reaction plays at The Sydney. Local electronic act Benjamin Gear X opens at 8 p.m. (and remember, this is The Sydney, where 8 usually means 9… or 10). $10.

As mentioned, the Huskers have a by-week, which makes for good timing for Farnam Fest. Running from 3 to 11 p.m. in the parking lot behind Scriptown in the Blackstone District, the live music line-up is:

• – 4 p.m. – Minne Lussa
• – 5:30 p.m. – Velvet Velvet
• – 7 p.m. – Cowgirl Eastern
• – 8:30 p.m. – Clarence Tilton
• – 10 p.m. – DJ Herricane Cole

$10 entry this year; with food trucks and booze, etc. 

Saturday night, Reverb Lounge is hosting garage-rock trio The Red Pears. Hailing from El Monte, California, that band calls their sound “Latin-tinged” and I guess I can hear that, though they have more in common with The Strokes, at least to my ears. They’ve played Coachella a couple time and are a good get for the tiny Reverb stage. Ultra Q + The High Curbs open at 8 p.m. $25.

Also Saturday night, The Sydney is hosting a 4-band bill headlined by Jeff in Leather with Ex-Lover, Public Circuit and Pagan Athletes. $15, 9 p.m. 

And (surprise!) there’s a show at fabulous O’Leaver’s Saturday night — metal band Living Conditions with FACE and Spurney’s Hawk. This one’s free and starts at 9 p.m. 

Finally, Sunday night it’s back to The Sydney (man, they’re booking a lot of shows!) for darkwave performer Dancing Plague. $12, 9 p.m. 

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 © 2024 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.