by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

It’s Halloween night, but wasn’t all that last weekend at the bars? Who wants to wear a costume on a Thursday night (or any night)? With that in mind, costumes are optional at tonight’s shows, or at least they are for me as I head down to The Slowdown for Decatur, Georgia, soft-indie band Lunar Vacation.

The five-piece, who apparently all live under one roof (according to the one-sheet), is touring in support of their latest, Everything Matters, Everything’s Fire (2024, Keeled Scales), which Stereogum called “a fuzzed-out, emotionally crushing beauty.” Definitely a fit for fans of bands like The Beths or Alvvays.

For the most part, the new record is by-the-numbers female-led indie rock but at times it exceeds those expectations, especially on the dreamy single “Fantasy,” which is one of the best tracks I’ve heard this year. 

Two locals open tonight’s show in Slowdown’s frontroom — Settling Houses, who are new to me, and grungy shoe-gazers Western Haikus, who have been playing around quite a bit lately. BTW, there’s also a Portland band also called Western Haikus. Is this/are they the same band? Go to Slowdown tonight and ask! $25, 8 p.m. 

Also tonight, Madison synth-pop diva Carrellee is playing at The Sydney in Benson. Her latest single, “Like a Ghost,” was produced with Brett Bullion (Low, Polica). Specter Poetics and Queer Nit Drag open at 9 p.m. (Sydney time). $10. 

Finally, up the street at Reverb, D.C.-based electro-punk band VOSH headlines with Omaha metal-noise monsters Prolapse (Dave Goldberg!) and Zuneg & the Doom Chair. $13, 8 p.m. 

Screw it: Go ahead and wear a costume tonight if you want! It’s Halloween!

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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.