Hand Habits at Slowdown Jr., April 1, 2019.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Sara Beth Tomberlin — or just Tomberlin as she’s known professionally and Toblerone as I sometimes mistakenly call her — sat center-stage at Slowdown Jr. last night with an acoustic guitar balanced on her crossed legs and sang heart-breakingly sad personal-journey songs in a voice I can only describe as “angelic.” You’d expect someone who writes such painful lyrics to be church-mouse quiet between songs and mumble morose thank you’s but instead, Tomberlin was a natural crack-up, talking about the time she was on the Jimmy Kimmel show during a bomb threat and how long it takes to get to the nearest Target from her hometown (hour and a half).

Tomberlin at Slowdown Jr., April 1, 2019.

She sang songs off her Saddle Creek debut as well as a couple new ones that fell into the same solemn territory as the others.  She thanked the crowd for being so quiet — the audience of around 60 stood as if in a trance throughout, except for two younger audience members who did a modified grind dance to every sad song.

By contrast, Hand Habits was a veritable rock show. Playing as a trio with bass and drums, Meg Duffy led with an electric guitar that broke away a few too few times for soaring solos that would make Richard Thompson proud. Duffy’s guitar work was stellar and I wished they’d work more of those solos into the set.

Instead, the band played mostly by the numbers songs from their latest Saddle Creek release, Placeholder, which is an early runner for my 2019 top-albums list. On the record, Duffy’s voice sounds like it’s always in harmony with someone or some thing. Live, the drummer added gorgeous harmonies, but for the big single, “Can’t Calm Down,” Tomberlin came up to the stage for one of the night’s highlights.

I can’t quite put my finger on who Duffy reminds me of, and I suppose they’d appreciate that (I’ve yet to meet a musician who likes being compared to anyone). That said (haha) I was at times reminded of Aimee Mann, at least in terms of the way Duffy and company made the most out of simple compositions for maximum emotional impact.

Not surprisingly, both acts said they were happy to be playing home base for Saddle Creek Records, whose reps were sprinkled throughout the audience, proudly watching their latest signees knock them dead.

* * *

Huge show tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Laura Jane Grace of Against Me! is playing with her band, The Devouring Mothers. Advanced tickets to this show are long gone, but there may be a few available at the door for $22.50. The door is at 6:30, so if you’re interested, you’ll want to get in line well before than. The show starts at 7:30 with opening sets by Mercy Union and Control Top.

Also tonight, guitar virtuoso Rob Noyes performs at Reverb Lounge. Joining him are Jon Collin and our very own David Nance. $10, 9 p.m.

* * *

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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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Hand Habits plays tonight at Slowdown Jr.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

There’s a flood going on in Nebraska all right… a flood of great shows. Hope you got your sleep this weekend because you’re not getting any this week, because there’s a great show every night.

Starting tonight when Saddle Creek Records’ latest roster additions — Hand Habits and Tomberlin — play at Slowdown Jr. Headliner Hand Habits is the project of singer/songwriter/guitarist Meg Duffy, whose new album, Placeholder, was released on Saddle Creek earlier this year. The album is sneaky good, and heavier than you might expect. Duffy is also a member of Kevin Morby’s band, and has done studio work on guitar for a number of artists, including The War on Drugs.

Opening the show at 8 p.m. is another recent Saddle Creek addition, singer/songwriter Tomberlin. Her style is pretty much what you’d expect — quiet, withdrawn, personal acoustic confessions. You get both for a mere $10.

Also tonight, dreamy electronic trio Mansionaire (Glassnote Records) plays at Reverb Lounge with Beacon. $15, 8 p.m.

And then, take a look at what’s in store the rest of the week:

— Tuesday: Laura Jane Grace (Against Me) & The Devouring Mothers at O’Leaver’s
— Tuesday: Rob Noyes with Jon Collin and David Nance at Reverb
— Wednesday: Playboy Manbaby and The Candy Boys at Brothers
— Thursday: Telekinesis at Slowdown, Jr.
— Thursday: Bad Bad Men with In the Whale at O’Leaver’s
— Friday: Kero Kero Bonito at The Waiting Room
— Saturday: Twinsmith at Reverb
— Sunday: Gymshorts at Reverb

Holy smokes!

* * *

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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM) unveiled the nominees for its 2019 indie music-celebrating Libera Awards and Saddle Creek Records has been nominated as Label of the Year (Medium).

Creek’s competition in the category is Bloodshot, Mom + Pop, Partisan and Yep Roc. Last year Dead Oceans won in the “big” label category, which was for imprints with more than six employees. The org has since revamped its categorization and added a “medium”-sized company category.

Last year Big Thief’s Capacity was among the nominees for Album of the Year and Best American Roots and Folk Album. The album was released by Saddle Creek in 2017.

The Libera Awards will take place in New York City June 20, the culmination of A2IM’s “Indie Week.”

* * *

Onto the weekend…

Emo is still a thing, even in the UK. Tonight Ipswitch emo rockers Basement headline at Slowdown Jr. Joining them are Salt Creek and Dear Neighbor. $18, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, Des Moines folk-rock act The Nadas returns to The Waiting Room. Matt Whipkey and Wasted Highway open the show at 9 p.m. $25.

There’s also a benefit show tonight at The Brothers Lounge for Jordan Jmal Maly. Performing are Iowa City’s Dryad, Houma and Bed Rest. $5, 9 p.m. with all proceeds going to Jordan.

Tomorrow night, Detroit electronic duo ADULT. headlines at Slowdown Jr. The husband-and-wife team Adam Lee Miller and Nicola Kuperus have been doing their style of synth rock since ’96. Their latest full-length, 2018’s This Behavior

, was released on DIAS Records. Cult Play and HXXS open at 9 p.m. $15.

And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend.

* * *

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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Austin Lucas plays tonight at The Waiting Room.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Back in the ’90s and early ’00s, when asked about “alt country” a lot of people identified the genre with acts like KD Lang or Uncle Tupelo/Wilco. For me, Centro-matic was my alt-country go-to. I’ve listened to the band’s 2000 album All the Falsest Hearts Can Try (Idol Records) a few hundred times. Will Johnson’s scratchy voice is as distinctive as anyone’s in indie.

Bloomington’s Austin Lucas, who plays tonight at The Waiting Room, reminds me of Johnson. Lucas’ style is more country than alt, and leans even more toward folk, especially on his 2018 album Immortal Americans (Cornelius Chapel Records). The album was co-produced by Lucas and Will Johnson and recorded/engineered by the legendary Steve Albini. Really good stuff.

Lucas is joined by Gerald Lee, Jr., who you know from Filter Kings and a dozen other great bands. Lee will be doing an acoustic set that should fit well next to Austin’s music. 8 p.m., $12.

Speaking of Will Johnson, he’s playing a living room show April 8 here in Omaha, and 20 tickets are still available. More info, including tickets, here.

It’s a busy Wednesday.

The fine folks at fabulous O’Leaver’s are hosting Ft. Collins indie band Slow Caves, who just released their debut, Falling, on Old Flame Records. Ojai and Orca Welles open at 9 p.m. $7.

Finally, Charleston, SC, band The Artisanals are playing at Reverb Lounge tonight. They have kind of a ’70s Laurel Canyon folk rock sound. B. Baldwin opens at 8 p.m. $5.

* * *

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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Wild Powwers plays tonight at O’Leaver’s. Photo by Kelly O’Neil.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

When I launched the Ten Questions survey waaay back in 2016 it was a lazy-man’s way to cover touring bands that also gave readers comparative information in a consistent format. Seattle’s Wild Powwers, who are playing tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s, was the first band to take the Ten Questions plunge, and for that, I’m forever grateful. You can read their 2016 Ten Questions interview right here. Among the highlights:

1. What is your favorite album?

Lupe: Exile on Main St
Lara: The Man Who Sold The World
Jojo: Right now I’m listening the most to Dilly Dally’s Sore

2. What is your least favorite song?

“Hotel California” and anything by Mackelmore

Check out a track from their latest album, Skin:

Opening the show is Dead on Dust and The Natural States. $7, 9 p.m.

* * *

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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Better Oblivion Community Center at The Slowdown, March 21, 2019.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Last night’s Conor Oberst/Phoebe Bridgers Better Oblivion Community Center (BOCC) gig at The Slowdown was a packed affair; a crowd that in many ways resembled your typical album release show where fans mix with proud parents and family members. The difference being that BOCC is probably the most successful project Conor Oberst has launched since Bright Eyes. Whereas Desaparecidos, Monsters of Folk and Mystic Valley Band all produced some good tunes, they always felt like bro-fueled good-time side projects, creative diversions between Bright Eyes and/or Conor Oberst solo projects.

BOCC holds a bit of that essence as well. You can’t help but think Oberst and Bridgers just like hanging around each other and said, “Let’s do a band, that way we can tour together,” then set out to combine their varied styles of songwriting. Sharp-eared fans will recognize the Bridgers’ portions — all her music has a similar cascading harmonic style, like watching snow fall — and Oberst’s sing-song folk harmonies, which have become less varied musically over the past few years.

Most of the time they mesh well and take advantage of their contrasting vocal styles. Bridgers’ voice couldn’t be more light-as-air angelic; Oberst couldn’t sound more guttural and down-to-earth. It can be a brittle mixture, especially live when Bridgers is trying to harmonize with a guy whose voice sounds two octaves lower than hers. At times, its very charming; at other times, you just want one or the other to shut-up and let the other handle it.

An example is BOCC’s cover of Bright Eyes’ “Lua.” Bridgers led off the song alone, her high, thin voice added a new layer of loneliness to an already forlorn song. When Oberst came in on the second verse it felt like putting on an old pair of well-worn shoes, and I just wanted him to carry on the rest of the way (which he mainly did).

“Lua” was never written to be a duet. The songs on the BOCC album presumably were, or at least were written together.  The rough edges become less abrasive after multiple album listenings, but are still very obvious live on stage, for better or worse.

The set covered most, if not all, of the new album as well as renditions of a number of Bridgers and Oberst solo songs, and a cover of The Replacements’ “Can’t Hardly Wait,” with Oberst rippingly handling the leads and our own Patrick Newberry handling the trumpet. It was a highlight, along with a fantastic version of Bridgers’ “Would You Rather,” which is a perfect melding of their styles.

Oberst and Bridgers played guitars all night, with Christian Lee Hutson adding some tasty leads and keyboards. Missing was the soaring Nick Zinner guitar lines (Zinner of Yeah Yeah Yeahs fame, is one of the best axe-bearers in the business), but the combo still was plenty ferocious.

The between-song patter brought up only one controversy, at least for Omahans. I don’t know anything about Phoebe Bridgers except her music. And though I’ve been writing and interviewing Oberst for more than two decades, I don’t really know anything about him, either, except his music.

So when the two of them combined to make comments like “This one’s written about our home town, Los Angeles,” I don’t know if they’re speaking proudly of good ol’ El Lay or are taking a jab at 311, which Bridgers seemed to do when she sarcastically said her favorite Omaha band is 311. Nor do I care, because Oberst has lived all over the country for the past two decades, and as far as I know, still owns a mansion in Fairacreas, whether he actually sleeps there or not. Still, Nebraskans are proud of his heritage (We have so little else to point to on a national level). A few in the crowd booed the first time Oberst/Bridgers mentioned LA as their hometown. The second time, they cheered.

* * *

A few interesting shows this weekend…

Tonight Black Moth Super Rainbow headlines at The Waiting Room — trippy psych/experimental synth stuff. Opening are Stever Hauschild and High Tides. $17, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, Brazen Throats opens a show at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Consisting of guitarist/vocalist Rich Higgins (Sideshow), bassist Rob Rothe (13 County) and drummer Paul Engelhard (For Against), it’s like a ’90s-’00s Lincoln supergroup. They’re up first, followed by Minne Lussa and headliner Satellite Junction. $5, 9 p.m.

Saturday night at O’Leaver’s Fort Collins art-rock band Safekeeper headlines. Bach Mai and Death Cow open at 10 p.m. $5.

Sunday night Liz Cooper and the Stampede (Sleepyhead Records) headlines at Reverb Lounge. Sean Pratt opens at 8 p.m. $14.

And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend.

* * *

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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

The laminate for 1994’s Flatlander Festival.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I hold onto festival laminates. I don’t know why, especially since I don’t have many (Other than Maha and SXSW years ago, I avoid festivals). I found this one while digging through stuff recently, and it has a connection to The Reader‘s 25th anniversary, which is being celebrated this month in print.

If I remember correctly, John Heaston and The Reader (or what would become The Reader) was responsible for this festival, which was held at Sharky’s on around 77th and Cass St., a club that became the new Music Box and which has long been razed and replaced with a 24-Hour Fitness (or whatever they’re calling that monstrosity).

Sharky’s had a railroad business car attached to the west side of the building, and I believe that The Reader had its offices in that rail car for a brief period around when this festival took place. I can’t remember who played the fest, though I think Cactus Nerve Thang was on the bill. Was anyone else there?

* * *

Tonight is the big Better Oblivion Community Center a.k.a. Conor Oberst/Phoebe Bridgers show at The Slowdown.

This show sold out very quickly, within a few days. It was discovered that scalpers bought a large block of tickets, which showed up on sites like stubhub.com. As days passed, those tickets dropped in price. I’ve heard they were as low as $8 at one point — quite a discount compared to the $25 face value.

No doubt ticket scalping has become a problem in some parts of the country where shows sell out and then tickets become available overnight in the after-market for twice or more the face value. That wasn’t the case here, and one wonders if the scalpers got soaked this time. This morning I saw a ticket for under $20 for tonight’s show.

There is no moral to this story. One could argue that in this case, everyone won — the venue sold out a show immediately and fans who understood the after-market situation could buy tickets for well under face value. Which begs the question: Are you better off buying tickets the day they become available or waiting a few days to see how prices shake out?

For example, folks who bought tickets to last year’s Jack White show at The Baxter on the first day paid way more than they needed to, as tickets became available for a fraction of face value due to poor demand. On the other hand, had the show sold out and if there was serious demand, those who waited would have had to pay a premium for seats.

Anyway…

If you’re going to the show tonight, get there early. Opening act Christian Lee Hutson is someone worth catching. He plays in BOCC and has written with Phoebe Bridgers in the past. His latest song, “Northsiders,” has a definite Elliott Smith vibe that leaves you wanting more. The other opener, Lala Lala, is pretty awesome as well.

Doors are 7 p.m., the show starts at 8 p.m. If you want to catch Hutson, get there early because no doubt there will be a line to get in. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the opening band from the sidewalk outside of Slowdown because of the lines (which are slow due to the whole under-age look-up scenario).

* * *

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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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The music calendar in the May 6, 1997, issue of The Reader.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The Reader is celebrating 25 years in its March issue, on newsstands now. I was assigned to write a brief history of the music scene over the past 25 years, which just went online today.

As the story’s intro explains, the piece focuses on Nebraska’s indie scene from the perspective of my coverage over the past 25 years, and hence, is in no way comprehensive. BJ has a piece that focuses on Omaha’s blues history, and Houston Wiltsey has a piece from his perspective as a newer (two years?) music reporter.

Anyway, check it out

. It’s a fun, and rather brief, read considering the ground that needed to be covered.

* * *

Tonight Omaha garage rock giants Lupines return to fabulous O’Leaver’s. Joining them are Bismark, ND band The Shaky Calls, who describe their sound as low-fi rock ‘n’ roll — that’s a pretty apt description based on this Bandcamp recording. Putter & Co. open at 9 p.m. $5.

* * *

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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

The Faint, Egowerk (2019, Saddle Creek)

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The Faint’s new album Egowerk (2019, Saddle Creek) came out last Friday and the reviews are already coming in.

AllMusic.com, the longest-running online music reviews website (and about the best place to find data about a disc, along with Discogs), gave the record 3 1/2 stars. Their conclusion:

“Todd Fink has never been a particularly emotive singer, but his detached croon and dystopian lyrics lend a verisimilitude to the retro feel of the 11-track set. Simultaneously laconic and engaged, his presence — like the LP itself — feels spectral; the last being standing amidst an empty room filled only with decibels and discarded glow-sticks and wrist-bands.”

OK then.

Pitchfork was more pointed and, at the same time, more complimentary, giving the album a middling 6.5 rating. Their conclusion:

“Toward the end of Egowerk the songs grow thinner and more obvious in their ’80s references. Gary Numan synths flutter over the four-on-the-floor electro-funk of ‘Young & Realistic,’ the album’s most faithful callback of the Danse Macabre days, while ‘Automaton’ robot dances the record to the finish line with no particular ambition to awe. A little bit of the Faint goes a long way, but as long as there’s technological angst — and it’s impossible to imagine a time when there won’t be — there’s always going to some life left in this sound.”

Pitchfork has never been big fans of the Faint. Egowerk is the highest-rated Faint record at Pitchfork since Dance Macabre scored a massive 7.8 way back in 2001.

More to come.

* * *

Virtuoso guitarist Dick Dale passed away over the weekend at the age of 81. Dale made Nebraska a regular tour stop in the latter years of his career. I got the chance to interview him way back in ’98 and he was as boisterous with his words as he was with his guitar.

Here, he recounts being approached by Quentin Tarantino about the use of his masterpiece, “Misirlou,” in the classic Pulp Fiction:

“Quentin makes movies from the energy of songs. He said, ‘I’m one of your biggest fans.’ He said, ‘Misirlou is a masterpiece. I would love to have your permission to make a movie that will be a masterpiece that will complement the masterpiece of Misirlou.’ I knew when he did Reservoir Dogs and the shit he had to go through that he was no bullshitter. I’m a very good judge of character.”

And here is as good an epitaph as you’ll likely find. From the article:

“I don’t play pyrotechnic scales. I play about frustration, patience, anger. Music is an extension of my soul. If you go to a Dick Dale concert you’ll see skinheads, tattoos, androgynous people, tribes of all the lands, college professors… That’s where typical musicians fail — they try to show off and play more technical to impress other musicians. But I’m playing for the people who are working for $3.50 an hour, the carpenters, the ditch diggers, the grass-roots people.”

RIP, Mr. Dale.

* * *

Tonight, D.C. slacker rockers BRNDA play at The Brothers Lounge. The four-piece has a pretty cool Pavement-esque indie pop sound. Dig. Opening is our very own Thick Paint, who will be rolling out some new tunes as they kick off a tour with Delicate Steve, who ain’t playing tonight. Who is playing tonight is Nathan Ma Band. All this for a mere $5. 9 p.m.

Check out the new Thick Paint track! Hey Graham, who’s putting out the new record?

* * *

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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Dicey Riley at The Dubliner March 17, 2018. They return to The Dubliner Sunday night for St. Patrick’s Day.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Did you see that Cursive is slated to play at Winchester Bar & Grill May 25? The bar, which is owned by a number of folks including the dudes in Cursive, is doing karaoke and cover bands these days. As far as I can tell, this will be their first indie-style rock show, and will also include mewithoutout and The Appleseed Caste. And it being the last show on the Cursive tour, expect something special…

Anyway, that’s fine, but what’s happening this weekend?

Well, I have zero shows on my radar tonight. Might be a good time to head over to The Brothers or O’Leaver’s and watch some NCAA action.

Tomorrow night (Saturday), LA indie band Mt. Joy plays at The Waiting Room. They’ve got a laid-back style that lies somewhere between yacht rock and Americana. Their self-titled debut came out last year on Dualtone Records. Tulsa’s Wilderado opens at 9 p.m. $15.

Also Saturday night, there’s a five-band skate-punk show at Dr. Jack’s Drinkery, 3012 No. 102nd St., headlined by Pkew Pkew Pkew with On Holiday, Motel Martyr, Liar Wire and Speedball Summer. $12, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday night, Reverb Lounge is hosting LA indie-pop trio Twin XL, with Bokr Tov and Field Club. $10, 8 p.m.

And, lest I forget to mention it, Sunday is St. Patrick’s Day, which means you’ll find me down at The Dubliner listening to Dicey Riley (ex-Turfmen) from 2 to 6 p.m. and then from 7 to 11 p.m.  $5. Save a Guinness for me, won’t you?

That’s all I got this weekend. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend.

* * *

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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.