by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The weekend’s upon us, but first, a record review…

Mitch Gettman, Tilde (2023, self-released) — It’s hard not to look at this double-CD 20-song collection as anything less than a culmination of where the Omaha singer/songwriter has been heading since he began his musical journey more than a decade ago. Tilde is a mish-mash of styles, an audio resume, as if Gettman was trying to prove he can play anything your heart desires. He goes from somber piano ballad to Beatle-esque pop to shoe-gaze to Americana to indie to funk to hip-hop, and that’s all on the first CD. 

In fact, Gettman said he’s been working on Tilde since 2018, starting as a single-disc project that eventually expanded to single disc plus EP and then double album. Listeners would be hard-pressed to understand the rhyme or reason behind the song order. Gettman says disc 1 (the first 10 tracks, for those who will be downloading/listening via Bandcamp/Spotify) “is more akin to my past releases — singer-songwriter, alternative, indie rock-type stuff; while disc two is more experimental and suggests where I might be going from here on out as a musician and a songwriter.”

The line of demarkation between the two collections is faint. Disc 1 feels more like a song-o-matic pick-your-style conglomeration, but also contains some of his best work, including the epic rockers “Outside the Lines” and “Empire”; shoe-gaze killer “Must Be Killing Me,” the Wilco-esque “Still Hold On” and gorgeous keyboard-driven lovesong “Heroine.” But Disc 1 also includes various and sundry experiments in hip hop and funk as well as curious cover of The Carpernters’ “Sing.” 

DIsc 2 (tracks 11-20) are more cohesive as a collection, as Gettman leans into heavier territory with songs that range from psych to traditional rock to gorgeous, cinematic tracks (“Foraging in Torus,” “Atilla the Hun”) where he gives his musicians room to stretch atop the repetitive arcs. It’s hard not to play “spot the influence” as you go. The FM-ready “Daily Routine” and “Pitfalls Ahead!” are so reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac you wonder if it’s a tribute, while the softer indie tracks feels like a nod to Alex G and the rhythm-fueled stuff could be influenced by Tame Impala. 

It culminates in the final track, the 11+ minute “Goldie,” that shifts from a standard indie rock song with a funky bass line into something you might find on a Khruangbin album. Again, Gettman gives himself and his sidemen room to roam with great effect. The album is a showcase of Getmann’s musicianship as he handles guitar, bass, keys and an assortment of soundmakers throughout, with help from drummers Nate Van Fleet and Adam Stoltenberg, who are central to the album’s success, along with contributions from Paul Jensen, bass; Skye Junginger, tenor saxophone; Ryan Call, upright bass; and Blake Deforest, trumpet. Gettman and Stoltenberg get production credits and the whole thing was recorded at various Omaha and LA studios. 

As a whole, the record is something of a marvel and one of my favorite albums produced locally (or elsewhere) from the past year. The nature of modern music listening allows fans to pick and choose and make their own album out of 90-plus minutes of tracks that have no real central theme or concept (lyrically, Gettman sways between the usual lovesong stuff and reflections on the mundane nature of life – his life – Gettman is the everyman trying to get through his day, and the only thing keeping him going is that special someone – not groundbreaking stuff, but pop lyrics rarely are). I could whittle my choices down to a single, 12-song album but my choices would no doubt differ from yours.

With literally thousands of albums being dropped on Bandcamp every Friday, the odds Tilde will be “discovered” and heard by the audience it deserves is rather slim. When asked (in this day and age when anyone can record and release music online) why record labels are essential, I will point to this as an example. Had this album been released on any small or mid-sized indie label, it would at least get heard by critics, tastemakers and influencers. Self-released albums are doomed to be heard only by a friends-and-family audience. If that becomes the case with Tilde, it would be a shame.

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And you have a chance to hear Mitch Gettman and his band play songs of this marvelous album Saturday night at the release party at The Slowdown. Also on the bill is Matt Whipkey. Goodview opens the show at 8 p.m. in the front room. $12.

That same night, there’s a Speed! Nebraska showcase at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Lincoln super group Domestica tops a bill that includes Wagon Blasters, Bad Bad Men and Clarence Tilton. It says it starts at 8 p.m., but this is O’Leaver’s after all. Here’s hoping it starts late so I can swing by after the Gettman show. Oh yeah, it’s also free.

Saturday is busy. Saturday afternoon is the Little Bo Backyard Bash – the 3rd annual Little Bohemia Bash on the corner of 13th and William in the Dundee Bank parking lot. This year includes live music, art, activities, food trucks, beer, cocktails and many other surprises. All proceeds go to the Little Bohemia Business Association. Among the live music is Dave Nance Band (7 p.m. set time), Uh Oh (6 p.m.) and the Polka Police. It’s free (I think). More info here.

What about tonight? The only thing on the radar is a weird little show at Reverb featuring Nashville indie band Safari Room. The band’s frontman, Alec Koukoi, reached out to say he grew up in Omaha. Joining him is Bad Self Portraits. Sazcha opens this show at 8 p.m. $18.

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 © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Not Dip Tet but a photo I found on their Facebook page.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

No indie shows this weekend. Is this the Cornhusker effect? No, it’s been pretty much like this all year. Should have gone to the Diners show on Wednesday night, eh. Like I said, when you have a chance to go to a touring indie show — any touring indie show — do it. You never know when the next one will be coming through…

That said, there is one show happening tonight…. at Bodega’s Alley in Lincoln.

Dip Tet is a noise-rock trio that consists of Lance Fiedler (F.A.C.E., Halfwit, Gripping), Mike Keeling (Ideal Cleaners, Wondermonds) and Dan Jenkins (Ideal Cleaners, Halfwit, Gripping).

Jenkins reached out earlier this week, saying the band has been together for a little over a year after the dissolution of Gripping. Their first show was in July 2022, and tonight is only their 7th show — a tape release show for their self-titled debut album. 

Joining Dip Tet is Lincoln old school rockers Dirty Talker and The Credentials. Show starts at 9 p.m. at Bodega’s Alley, 1418 O St. in Lincoln. No price listed, so who knows, maybe it’s free (but I doubt it). 

I typically don’t list Lincoln shows, but hey, it’s the only show in the state this weekend, except for this one at The Slowdown tonight…

The Buttertones are headlining at Slowdown, Jr. These guys used to tour with The Rev. Horton Heat on occasion. According to Wiki, members of the band were connected to the Burger Records sex misconduct scandal of 2020, which led to half of the band splitting. They have a new line-up as of 2022. Tucson duo New Misphoria are touring with them and may be worth the price of admission alone. 8 p.m., $20.  

That’s all I got. Unless I’m missing something, like your show. If so, 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 © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

The view from my picnic table at Union Pool in Williamsburg…

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Rarely is there anything going on music-wise over the Labor Day weekend in New York City. The usual Lower East Side venues were no exception this year, but after checking a local gig website, I discovered a show at Union Pool, a  venue located in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. With an afternoon to kill, we took the L train over the East River and found a very different landscape than the towering canyons that had surrounded us the past few days. 

Located across from an elevated freeway overpass, Union Pool sits on the corner down the street from a series of low-rise buildings with old-school retail businesses like barber shops, natural food stores and the ubiquitous pot shops that have popped up throughout NYC (and especially Manhattan). Just like how barber shops all have punny names (A Cut Above, Head Office, Heirloom, etc.) these pot dispensaries are destined to be plagued with a similar nomenclature (Magic Puff, Higher Empire, Day Dream, etc.). 

Pot is legal in NYC and the smell of ditch weed is everywhere, much more prominent than cigarette smoke ever seemed to be. People light up walking down the street, in parks, anywhere outdoors and certainly at Union Pool — a former pool supply store (no actual pool or pool tables). The interior had a nice bar and a closed-off (this day) stage area, while their patio reminded me of O’Leaver’s — about the same size but with a permanent taco truck parked on blocks inside its fence. We hung out and drank beers across from the pseudo outdoor stage where band gear sat untouched for the next hour while DJ Rottweiler did his set.

I generally don’t pay much attention to DJ sets but was unable to ignore this one as it consisted of punk and post-punk songs I’ve never heard before by a variety of acts both American and European — all pretty awesome. I Shazam-ed most of the set, though for every two songs Shazam found one remained elusive. Among the ones it could identify:

• – The Scabs, Leave Me Alone
• – Fuzzbox, Love is a Slug
• – Glueams, 365
• – M.A.Z.E., Spread the Germicide
• – U Skripcu, Nove Godine
• – The Bombettes, Amsterdam
• – Joachim Witt, Goldener Reiter
• – Chin-Chin, Stop! You’re Crying
• – Alkalino, Hungry Eyes
• – Ian Dury, Wake Up and Make Love With Me
• – Tee Vee Repairman, Bad Taste
• – Via Talas, Sama
• – Kollaa Kestaa, Kirjoituksia Kellarista
• – Jawoll, Rendezvous
• – Novecento, The Only One

Whether its O’Leaver’s or Union Pool, hipsters are pretty much the same, although while all the dudes wore the usual band-T-shirt-and-jeans combo, a number of women were dressed as if they stepped right out of CBGB’s circa 1977. Very hip indeed. As the afternoon wore on and the place got crowded, the scene became more varied and there was even a few folks older then us eating tacos by the outdoor bar. If I lived in Williamsburg, Union Pool would definitely be a regular haunt. 

Success performing in the patio at Union Pool, Sept. 3, 2023.

We stuck around to catch the the first five or six songs from opening act, Success. I was expecting them to sound like their debut EP, First Edition, from 2021, but instead they played a straight-up hardcore set, which is always fun for about 10 minutes.

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Anyways, we’re back. And the music just keeps on coming…

Tonight at Reverb Lounge, LA act Diners, a.k.a. Blue Broderick, headlines. She’s on the road in support of her 10-song LP Domino, released last month via BarNone Records. The album was recorded by power-pop producer Mo Troper and it indeed sports that classic ’70s style. Also on the bill is Compressed and our very own BB Sledge. $15, 8 p.m.

Also tonight, Winnipeg noise rock trio Tunic headlines at The Slowdown. They call their sound “atonal punk. feedback laden filth.” To me they sound like a proggy version of Protomartyr with lots of yelling, weird chords and time changes. Joining them tonight is The Radical Sabbatical and our very own Healer. $15, 8 p.m. 

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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 © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

It’s that time of year again. Lazy-i will be on hiatus tomorrow and this weekend as we take in the sights and sounds of New York City (and yes, there is one show we may attend — Poison Ruin and Success at Union Pool Sunday. If I go, I’ll do a write-up). 

Slim pickings show-wise this weekend. There’s a barn burner tonight at Pageturners where Dan Brennan’s rock project Healer plays with Fontenelle. No cover but a $10 donation is suggested. Starts at 8 p.m. 

Nothing on tap for Friday night except #BFF, the monthly art festival in Benson. You know what to do. Ming Toy Gallery will be open tomorrow evening until 9 p.m. Come in and see the genius works of Michael Trenhaile! 

Saturday night Minne Lussa headlines at The Sydney in Benson. Joining them are Lincoln band The Obscurants. Fronted by Eric May with Shawn Williams, Jon Ruff, Danny Carraher and Chris Maly. We’re talking classic Lincoln indie along the lines of Rainer Maria. The band will be heading to ARC this November to record new material. Rounding out the show is fellow Lincoln band Her Flyaway Manner. This is gonna be a corker! $6, 9 p.m. 

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 © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Cannons at The Slowdown, Aug. 29, 2023.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Last night’s Cannons show was officially the weirdest crowd I’ve seen at The Slowdown. They fit no specific demographic or style – a strange combination of parents you’d see at a Little League baseball game combined with late-30s club people in resortwear or sequined pants. Alongside them, folks dressed like accountants and teachers. Here walked a young woman with what looked like a fashion-forward walking cane, passing a blond in a gold lamé crop top standing next to five guys dressed in identical black T-shirts loudly talking about bad TV shows. Lots of “Untucked” dressed shirts and slightly overstyled women who thought they were in for a night of dancing that would never happen on that overcrowded dance floor. 

New Constellations at The Slowdown, Aug. 29, 2023.

New Constellations frontwoman Harlee Case was commanding the audience when I arrived, at times sounding like a cross between Kim Carnes and Angel Olson fronting an indie pop band that was much less “dance-y” than what’s heard on their latest single. 

This was also one of the most crowded Slowdown main room shows in recent memory — even my secret spot near the fire doors at stage left was taken by couples with arms draped over each other. One couple feverishly made out standing in front of the stairs.

I pushed through the crowd to get a spot on the floor between sets and was immediately asked to move by a skinny young guy with a shadow mustache dressed as if for his Confirmation. “I’m saving this spot for Beyonce,” he said, making a hoop with his arms in front of him. 

Beyonce? She’s here tonight? 

“No,” he yelled over the music. “Fiancé. My fiancé.” I nodded, held up my hand in a peace gesture and pushed my way back up to the top aisle and through the crowd to the back by the pool tables where a steady stream of club goers walked in an out to the patio. The between-set music was a combination of Avril Lavigne, Steve Monite and late-’90s Cher. When Tina Turner got her turn, the crowd rose with the chorus — “What’s Love Got to Do With it?”

I realized pretty quickly this wasn’t going to be my scene. Early in the evening, someone I knew spotted me standing in the back and asked what I was doing there. “This is the last show I expected to see you at.”

I shot him a look. “Don’t be absurd. I like modern dance music as much as the next guy.” Which was true. I do like well-produced dance music from artists like Tei Shi, Your Smith, Charli XCX and La Roux, which Cannons music sort of reminds me of — well-made, catchy. And here was Cannons tonight – a live, 4-piece band playing dance music – bass, drums, guitar/synth and vocals that sounded almost too good to be true. 

I walked up to the back end of the crowd that had pushed its way to the bar – the closest I’d get to the stage for the rest of the night. Every song sounded like an ‘80s dance anthem. A few girls in the crowd sang along while wiggling their arms over their head as the band played their hit, “Bad Dream.” 

The sound mix was too bright for this style of music, which actually sounded better with earplugs. Front woman Michelle Joy announced this was their Heartbeat Highway tour, their upcoming fourth album, which has yet to be released. Among the new songs unveiled last night, “Can You Feel My Heart?,” which was straight out of an ‘80s homecoming dance but with a groovy Delfonics-style twist to the chorus. All of which might explain the older audience, although I have no idea where they could have heard this band before, other than on Netflix – but how many bands have you discovered from Netflix?

In typical Omaha fashion, this mish-mash crowd of Soviet-era disco dancers, Jersey Shore extras and elderly hipsters stood motionless throughout the set, staring at Joy as she gyrated across the stage one hand in the air, the other holding her microphone, while the band stood rock solid in the background. I thought how great this music would sound in a darkly lit club filled with folks grooving to the beat, but how it lost something in an overcrowded venue filled with people who were either too crowded or too afraid to move.

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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 © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Cannons play tonight at The Slowdown.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Los Angeles vibe-dance trio Cannons’s key to success has been having its songs used in a variety of cable TV shows. The band has been digitally self-releasing EPs and LPs  since 2014. But they didn’t catch fire until the track “Fire for You” was used on the Netflix series Never Have I Ever. Since then, their songs have shown up in a number of TV shows, including HBO’s Ballers, Kendall and Kylie Jenner’s Topshop and Fox/Neflix series Lucifer among others. 

All of that led to a deal with Columbia Records, who released 2022’s Fever Dream. They describe their music as sounding like “a Cliff Martinez’s accompanied by Stevie Nicks.” Very synth heavy, good beats, and front woman Michelle Joy has a great voice (but she’s no Stevie Nicks). Taken together, it sounds like ‘80s FM synth rock, retro and well made. 

Cannons headlines tonight at The Slowdown with Portland synth-rock-dance duo New Constellations and Austin synth-rock-dance duo Jane Leo. This is a main room gig, starts at 8 p.m. and is SOLD OUT.

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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 © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Wagon Blasters at Reverb Lounge, Aug. 25, 2023.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

My evening at Bad Bad Men’s album release show at Reverb Lounge Friday night was successful in all but actually seeing Bad Bad Men perform. It’s starting to become one of those things — at least for 4-band bills — where I’m either going to go early and catch the openers or arrive late and catch the headliners. Having seen Bad Bad Men perform many times and as recently as a few months ago, I opted for the former vs. the latter, as I haven’t seen Wagon Blasters play in awhile. So apologies to John Wolf and his crew, who no doubt killed it, based on the chatter I’ve seen online. Pick up your copy of their new albu, Messed Up, online right here.

As for Wagon Blasters, Gary Dean Davis and company continue to perform with the same energy as any GDD project dating back to Frontier Trust. Gary is a timeless, non-aging entity, which I guess makes him a god (a rock god?). He bounced high on the tiny Reverb stage, belting out classic Wagon Blasters songs, sometimes with cowbell, others times with mouth harp, always with a big voice and the best stage persona of anyone ‘round these parts. 

While Wagon Blasters have an amazing rhythm section, the band’s secret sauce is Mr. Will Thornton on guitar – no one plays quite like him and no band has ever matched the twang-meets-punk sound that defines “Tractor Punk.” It’s the combo of Thornton’s ringing style and Gary’s auctioneer bark that drives this massive Case harvester through fields of rolling rock (OK, that is sort of a beer reference). The only quibble about Friday’s performance is that Reverb’s stage may be too small for Gary’s bounding leaps, which one time landed him smack dab into the bass-drum mic set-up (Crunch!).

Those Far Out Arrows at Reverb Lounge, Aug. 25. 2023.

Those Far Out Arrows continue to evolve their garage psych-rock sound, kicking back on grooves that could go on forever (if I had my way). Fronted by the Keelan-White brothers of Ben and Evan on guitar and vocals, the band is one of my favorites for getting lost in their chugging rhythms and hypnotic ax work. Their last release was 2020’s Fill Yer Cup, which means they’re due for a new release. Come on, boys, let get it going!

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Last week Saddle Creek Records released a remix of Neva Dinova’s “Something’s Out There” — the band’s first new music in a decade — by The Faint’s Todd Fink. It’s a trip. Check it out:

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Tonight you’ve got a rare Monday night five-band show at a place called Razor Wire Productions, located at 1808 Vinton Street. Headlined by Las Cruxes, the line-up includes Sacramento band Santohs, Peach Paw, Good View and Grief Police. Ben Eisenberger kicks things off at 7 p.m. It’s BYOB and it’s $5 (suggested donation).

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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 © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Bad Bad Men celebrate their vinyl album release tonight at Reverb Lounge.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

No touring indie shows this weekend, but a couple local album release gigs worth your attention: 

Tonight at Reverb Lounge it’s the album release show for the debut album from Bad Bad Men. The power trio consists of Omaha rock ’n’ roll legends Chris Siebken on drums, Jerry Hug on bass and frontman/guitarist John Wolf.  The album, Messed Up, is a 10-song scorcher that recalls the gritty, bluesy punk style Wolf brought to classic ‘90s-‘00s act Bad Luck Charm, sung with his distinctive snarl/growl that will have you breaking bottles and starting fights. Siebken and Hug are so tight they sound like they’re attached at the hip, while Wolf’s guitar flies high above it all. 

Recorded over two days at ARC Studios with Adam Roberts, it’s the first new release on Speed! Nebraska Records in recent memory. As a result, the album release show is a pseudo showcase, as label executive Gary Dean Davis’ own band, Wagon Blasters, will kick off the evening. Also on this crowded bill are Omaha garage rock titans Those Far Out Arrows and Pagan Athletes — the prog-noise duo of Griffin and Nathan Wolf, who are, yesss, The Sons of John Wolf (now there’s a band name for you)(Waitaminit, does that make Bad Bad Men “dad rock”?). 

You get all four bands for a mere $12. I expect this show to sell out, so you may want to buy your tickets in advance. You will also want to buy the limited-edition vinyl, which will be on hand at the show but is also available for order online. The fun starts at 8 p.m. Need more info? Check out MarQ Manner’s interview with Bad Bad Men at The Reader website. 

Then tomorrow night (Saturday) it’s the vinyl release show for R.A.F.’s No Salvation album, which was released this past July. The punk band’s line-up is Paul Moerke, Tim Cox, Dereck Higgins, Dan Stewart and Kelley RAF. At least one of the band’s members is traveling in for this special one-off gig. Also on the bill are punk band Cordial Spew and “2 special guests,” according to the flyer. $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 © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Rig 1, a.k.a. Desaparecidos’ Ian McElroy, has a new single and album coming…

by Tim McMahan,Lazy-i.com

Desaparecidos keyboardist Ian McElroy’s hip-hop project, Rig 1, released a new single yesterday, “Kindest Brother.” The track comes from his upcoming album, Separation Illusion, which drops Nov. 3 on Maria Taylor’s Flower Moon Records. The song was written by McElroy and Neva Dinova frontman Jake Bellows.

The track will be released as a double A-sided 7-inch b/w “Real Hot Boy,” a track that features Maria Taylor, Mike Bloom and Josh Rawson (Felice Brothers). In fact, the album’s credits is a “who’s who” of early century Omaha Indie music glitterati and includes Todd Fink and Clark Baechle of The Faint, Nik Freitas, Blake Sennet of Rilo Kiley and Kirby James Fairchild (Granddaddy, Modest Mouse). 

To me, McElroy’s Rig 1 delivery has always been more like spoken word over trip-hop rhythms rather than straight up hip hop, like listening to slam poetry to a beat track. Check it:

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Tonight at Pageturners Lounge in Dundee indie trio Ojai headlines. The band consists of singer/songwriter Michael Hulstein with Micah Renner on bass and Tanner Rogerson on drums. Sounding like a pop-rock version of Wilco meets Harry Nilsson, they just played the opening slot at Petfest 2023 (and are probably still recovering from heat stroke).

Joining Ojai is touring singer/songwriter Al Oleander — on the road supporting her debut album, Easy Crier, a record who’s backing band included members of The Felice Brothers. Something called Stick With It opened at 8 p.m. No cover, but a $10 donation is suggested. 

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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 © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Tim Heidecker plays The Admiral tonight.

by Tim McMahan. Lazy-i.com

Other than yesterday’s news about The Astro’s delays in opening, it’s been pretty quiet news-wise.

Yesterday, Omaha Performing Arts announced Liz Phair will be performing her debut album, 1993’s Exile in Guyville, in its entirety in honor of the 30th anniversary of its release on Matador Records. It is definitely among my top-20 all-time favorite records.

However, the performance, Dec. 5, is happening at The Holland Performing Arts Center, which means it’s a sit-down show. This, after O-pa opened the $100 million+ Steelhouse Omaha general admission standing-room rock palace. No doubt Phair and/or her people were involved in the venue choice, perhaps as a money grab, who knows. It’s a shame. Holland is great, but not for rock concerts. Last time I saw Liz Phair was the show she played nearly 20 years ago (Dec. 8, 2005, to be exact) at Sokol Auditorium that commemorated 1% Production’s 500th show.

Unlike her fall tour where Blondshell opened, this one has Kate Bollinger in the opening slot. Tickets likely go on sale Friday… 

A few other shows worth mentioning recently announced:

• If you missed The Good Life at Outlandia, good news – they’re playing Reverb Lounge Oct. 6. This is their Album of the Year tour, so it’ll be a special night, and considering the size of Reverb, will no doubt sell out despite the $29 ticket price (with fees). 
• – And “An Evening with The Church” has been announced for Oct. 9 at The Waiting Room. Always a good show. Tickets are $37 (with fees). 
• – Red-hot Omaha punk band BIB is the headliner for this year’s Farnam Fest Oct. 14. The rest of the line-up includes Bad Self Portraits, David Nance Band, M34N STR33T and The Real Zebos. Quite a lineup for just $10. 
• – Not sure I mentioned this before but Speedy Ortiz is playing The Slowdown with Space Moth Nov. 17. Tickets are $20.48 (with fees).
• – In case you missed it, that Sept. 20 Yo La Tengo show at The Waiting Room has been postposed due to drummer/vocalist Georgia Hubley’s knee surgery (Hey, we’re all getting older). No new date has been announce as of yet. 

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Tonight comedienne / rock star Tim Heidecker is performing at The Astro. The show will feature one set of comedy followed by a  second set of Heidecker’s original music. I’ve not heard his comedy act before, but I’ve listened to his recent album, High School (2022) and it’s a big-melody throwback album that’s kind of a cross between upbeat Wilco and Jimmy Buffett and has received a lot of love from Pitchfork and Paste. 

This is a seated show, apparently, and the lowest priced tickets are around $50 (with fees). Starts at 8 p.m. 

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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 © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.