by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Florist is a Brooklyn-based quartet fronted by singer/songwriter Emily Sprague with Felix Walworth, Rick Spataro and Jonnie Baker. They call their sound “minimalist folk,” though it’s more like acoustic singer/songwriter fare in the same vein as Adrianne Lenker’s solo work (i.e., it’s more mellow than Big Thief). 

Actually, songs like “Have Heaven,” off the new album, Jellyfish (2025, Double Double Whammy), are reminiscent of Suzanne Vega’s first album (but ultimately sounds like something off Lenker’s Bright Future). 

Funny thing, Florist has been around longer than Big Thief. Their first EP, We Have Been This Way Forever, was self-released in 2013 and they’ve been on DDW since 2015’s Holdly. Their two previous albums, the self-titled 2022 release and 2019’s Emily Alone, both received the coveted “Best New Album” designation from Pitchfork. If you knew, you knew; and something tells me Lenker knew.

Jellyfish couldn’t be any prettier, and will make for a quiet, intimate Saturday night at Reverb Lounge.

Joining Florist is label-mate and fellow New Yorker Allegra Krieger, whose last album was Art of the Unseen Infinity Machine (2024, Double Double Whammy). According to her website, Krieger “…writes songs, bad checks, love letters, and poorly formatted emails and trusts that terrible things can have extraordinary outcomes.” It’s a return engagement for Krieger, who opened for Katy Kirby back in February 2024. $20, 8 p.m. See you there…

What else is happening this weekend? Glad you asked.

It’ll be a late night tonight (Friday) at The Sydney in Benson as Jeff in Leather headlines a bill that includes Cult Play, Ladie Muerte and X-ID. Starts at 9 p.m. $15. 

Tomorrow night (Saturday), there’s a free show at O’Leaver’s with Frankie Chairo, Watson & Co. and Katie Kasher (who I’m told will be playing with a full band). 9 p.m. start time. 

Sunday night Carver Jones & The American Dreamers return to Reverb Lounge. No opener is listed, so it could just be Carver. $15, 8 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 © 2025 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.