Cleveland’s Cloud Nothings, who headlines tonight at Reverb Lounge, is the product of singer/songwriter Dylan Baldi, who started the band as a solo project in 2009 while at Case Western Reserve University. What began as a lark became a career, as he was quickly signed to DC-based Carpark Records, who released the band’s self-titled debut in 2011.
Since then, Cloud Nothings has recorded seven albums, the last, Final Summer, was released this past April by Pure Noise Records. Pop Matters called it a “master class in Indie Rock,” and Pitchfork gave it a respectable 7.5 rating. It has all the trappings of classic indie, from the jangle-riff guitars to the chugging rhythm section, very reminiscent of acts like Superchunk, who no doubt, was an influence.
Dylan took part in a Ten Questions interview back in 2018 when they first visited Omaha. Asked if he was able to make a living off his music, he said, “Yeah we’ve been strictly musicians for about six years now. It’s the biggest luxury. Gives me lots of time to make sure I’m making the best music I can. It took us three years of touring and working together for basically zero dollars. But luckily it resulted in an album that people liked in 2012, so since then we’ve been doing okay.“ Check out the rest of the answers right here.
Playing tonight with Cloud Nothings are Michigan rockers Idle Ray and Tender Grease. The show starts at 8:30; tickets are $26.
About an hour before I left to attend the roast of John Heaston last Friday night where he was to be honored by the Omaha Press Club with the 178th “Face on the Barroom Floor,” I received word from a friend that John had passed away earlier that morning.
To say I was shocked is an understatement. A real gut punch. I questioned whether or not they should go forward with the ceremony since many people would, like me, still be reeling. But in the end, it was the right decision as the roast turned out to be a fitting tribute to John and everything he’s done for the city and not just his work as publisher of The Reader, which is where we had our relationship.
John’s brother, Ben, kept the crowd laughing as the roast’s emcee.
John’s brother, Ben, was the emcee and provided a lot of spicy quips about his big brother and the crazy, irresponsible things he did in his youth. His Creighton brother, Steve Hudson, echoed those stories with his own, while Leo Louis of the Malcolm X Foundation talked about John’s amusing early efforts to become part of the North Omaha community. Anne Schlachter spoke of John’s ability to talk people into taking part in his plans and ideas, no matter how crazy they were.
I, too, fell for John’s persuasiveness shortly after he began publishing The Reader back in ’94. Unlike many folks who credit John for their first writing breaks, I already had been writing for a regional music publication – The Note out of Lawrence, Kansas – for a number of years as one of their primary Omaha correspondents. I wasn’t interested in writing for The Reader… until The Note went belly up later in the ‘90s. I already had a full-time job at Union Pacific; my music reporting had more to do with acquiring free CDs and getting into rock shows. When John heard about The Note’s demise, I got the call, and he eventually talked me into becoming a freelance contributor and eventually a columnist.
That was about 25 years ago. John always did what the best publishers and editors do: He backed me up, even when he didn’t agree with what I was writing, for better or worse. As the years wore on, it became obvious the internet would kill print publications. We all watched as the state of print journalism declined, but throughout the years, John kept hoisting the banner for print against all odds. The paper eventually went from a weekly to a monthly, and I think the only reason John finally stopped the presses with the September 2023 issue was because of his illness.
If you want to read a complete history of the paper, it’s online right here, along with the rest of the content, at The Reader website, thanks to John’s hustle in his final year to reach a deal with Nebraska Public Media, who acquired The Reader and El Perico and not only will host the archive but will begin publishing new content under The Reader banner.
The last time I spoke to John we reviewed edits to the Nebraska Public Media/Reader acquisition press release. He was clearly relieved the deal had been signed; his baby was now in good hands. But like always, we also dished on other topics, people we knew, music biz stuff, publications and the future, which we both thought we’d see together. He was a visionary, an optimist, a believer that the good guys and gals will always win in the end. He was a friend of mine, and I’m going to miss him.
Asheville 5-piece Wednesday, who plays tonight at Slowdown, was one of the dominant bands in indie rock last year with the release of Rat Saw God (Dead Oceans), a collection of story songs that keenly encapsulate North Carolina trailer-park life in tones of Southern shoegaze.
You couldn’t switch on Sirius XMU on your car satellite radio last year without hearing the album’s single, “Quarry.” That was fallowed by “Chosen to Deserve” and the booming “Hot Rotten Grass Smell.” Frontwoman Karly Hartzman has a voice reminiscent of Big Thief’s Adrianne Lenker, though the band’s sound is closer to acts like Momma and Horsegirl.
You may recognize Wednesday guitarist MJ Lenderman, who’s had a pretty successful solo career, signing to Anti- records after the release of his second album, Boat Songs. Lenderman has played on albums by Indigo De Souza and Waxahatchee.
This show has been on the radar since it was announced late last year. Draag, who I wrote about yesterday, opens the show in Slowdown’s main room at 8 p.m. $25.
Lean back into a 30+ minute documentary about Wednesday…
Eric Bachmann is tonight at Ming Toy. I mention this because there’s one ticket left out of the 40 originally made available. I’d love to see this (possibly) inaugural show sell out.
You could be that lucky person who snags the final ticket. It’s $25 and available only from the Undertow website, right here, where all the information about the show is available. There are NO tickets available at the door. The location is Ming Toy Gallery, 6066 Maple Street, right next door to Legend Comics and Coffee in downtown Benson. Doors at 7, show at 8 with no opening acts. I’m excited and a little bit nervous, but isn’t that the recipe for every success?
I’ll let you know how it went tomorrow.
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Also tonight on this busy Memorial Day, Kansas City slowcore trio Flooding plays at Reverb Lounge. Fronted by guitarist/vocalist Rose Brown, the band’s music gives a nod to Bedhead’s somber guitar jangle before inevitably exploding into sound. Opening for Flooding are Omaha noise-punk bands Western Haikus and Size Queen. 8 p.m., $12.
It’s a freaking log-jam of great shows tonight (Friday).
Top of my list is an old-school combination – Lincoln power-punk trio Domestica and Gary Dean Davis’ tractor-punk sensations Wagon Blasters at The Sydney in Benson. Who remembers when Mercy Rule and Frontier Trust played shows together in Omaha and Lincoln back in the mid-‘90s? Well it should be just like that except completely different. Both are opening for Glenn Antonucci’s alt-country-rock band The Broke Loose (think midwestern Centro-matic). $10, 9 p.m. Bring your earplugs…
Meanwhile, down at Grapefruit Records in the Old Market (1125 Jackson St.), Memphis post-punk trio Optic Sink plays an in-store show with local heroes David Nance and Mowed Sound. Fronted by Natalie Hoffman (NOTS) with Ben Bauermeister (Magic Kids) and Keith Cooper (Jack Oblivion & The Sheiks), Optic Sink is a synth-heavy First Wave-style dance-punk riot whose latest, Glass Blocks, was released last September by Feel It Records (Their 2020 debut was released by Goner). David Nance and Co. should be red-hot, having been on the road supporting their Third Man Records full-length debut. DJ Justis Brokenrope kicks things off at 7:45 p.m. $15.
Also tonight… did you know that The Jewell in the Capital District just reopened? Well it did, and in addition to jazz, the new Jewell is supporting local acts of all genres. F’r example, tonight the have The Matt Whipkey Duo (which features guitarist Mike Friedman). It’s a free show and starts at 7:30.
Sunday night, Oakland, California, noise-punk trio Facet headlines at Reverb Lounge. Clearly inspired by ‘90s acts like Unwound and Unsane, their sound is hard, angular, post-hardcore. Joining them on the bill is Omaha noise band Living Conditions and post-punk monsters Leafblower, who kicks things off at 8 p.m. $10.
Just a head’s up – we’re down to five tickets remaining for Monday’s Eric Bachmann show at Ming Toy Gallery. Snag one while you can from The Undertow Website. More info about that show is right here. I also may or may not have an interview with Bachmann going up on the site tomorrow – it depends on if he gets in touch with me today.
And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend!
The funny part is there weren’t a lot of tickets to begin with…
Of the 40 tickets, only 8 remain available for next Monday’s (May 27 – Memorial Day) solo performance by Eric Bachmann (Crooked Fingers, Archers of Loaf, solo genius) at Ming Toy Gallery, 6066 Maple St., the art gallery owned and operated by my wife, Teresa, and me.
This show will be a first for us at Ming Toy and if it goes well, we’ll try to do more via Undertow. I would love to see you there!
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You’ll notice I’ve stopped whining about all the nationally touring indie bands and musicians who no longer come through Omaha. I wrote a long piece marking the one-year anniversary of Steelhouse Omaha and how I got Omaha Performing Arts’ non-profit mission all wrong. But didn’t post it. What would be the point?
Instead, I’m looking for opportunities to help bring the bands I love here, to put Omaha back on indie touring maps. I’m not sure what that entails and am open to suggestions. This Ming Toy/Undertow concert is part of that effort.
I will, however, continue to point out when amazing bands are coming through nearby cities (Kansas City, the Twin Cities, Chicago, Denver) for those with the means to travel. I get dozens of tour announcements daily in my email. For example, PJ Harvey is playing at St. Paul’s Palace Theater Oct. 2.
Life’s too short to complain about what we don’t have in Omaha. Embrace what we do, and seek out what we do not elsewhere, because it will never be 2001-2015 here again.
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Speaking of shows, ‘90s LA punkers Social Distortion are playing at The Astro tonight. Their 1990 debut album was a staple in my youth (who remembers “Story of My Life” and “Ball and Chain”?). I lost track of them after the ’92 follow-up, Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell, but hey, they’re still kicking, releasing Mommy’s Little Monster last year on Concord Records. Joining them tonight is up-punk band The Love Bombs. This is an early show – 6:30 p.m. – and GA standing tickets are $40.
The Sydney in Benson recently started to rev up its show calendar. They have rock shows every night this weekend, starting tonight with modern-day grunge band Museum of Light, straight from Seattle. If you were into the heavy grunge sound of the ‘90s, you’re in for a treat. Opening is our very own Healer, who brings the heavy on its own sonic terms. $10, 9 p.m.
Then tomorrow night (Saturday) at The Sydney, long-time Omaha rock band Vago celebrates both an album release show and their “final” show (according to the Sydney website). Singer/songwriter Jeremy Mercy open at 8 p.m. $10.
Meanwhile, across town at fabulous O’Leaver’s, Iowa City singer/songwriter Samuel Locke Ward headlines Saturday night. SLW has a long and storied career that includes performances with and alongside such acts as Violent Femmes, Mike Watt, Jad Fair, Joe Jack Talcum and local hero Simon Joyner. SLW released 2023’s Happy Hearts, a collaboration with Jad Fair, released on Kill Rock Stars. Opening this show is the debut of A/C Drips, a new local combo that includes Sean Pratt and Megan Siebe. This one is FREE and starts at 9 p.m.
Finally Sunday night, Aussie punkers The Chats headlines in The Slowdown’s main room. Hailing from Sunshine Coast, the trio of Eamon Sandwith, Matt Boggis and Josh Hardy sound clearly influenced by the likes of Iggy Pop, Buzzcocks, The Ramones, you know the drill. The band records on their own Bargain Bin Records, which is actually a boutique label under the Universal umbrella, which explain why they get a half million monthly listeners on Spotify. Their latest is 2022’s Get Fucked (how very punk indeed).
Also on the bill is Brooklyn’s Dirty Fences, whose last full-length was 2017’s Goodbye Love (Greenway Records). Influences: Redd Kross, The MC5 and Johnny Thunders, their new stuff sounds more rock than punk. Opening the fun at 7 p.m. (early show!) is Charlotte, NC’s Paint Fumes. Their latest, 2023’s Real Romance, was released on Dig! Records. All this for a mere $30. Can you think of a better way to spend your Sunday night?
One last show: The Sydney is rounding out its weekend with a metal show featuring Cali noise band CNTS. Omaha noisemakers Nowhere and Oregon’s The Kronkmen also are on the bill. 9 p.m. $10.
And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend!
After Conor Oberst wrapped up his bi-coastal “Conor and friends” residencies speculation began as to what’s next for Mr. Oberst. His musical output used to run in cycles between Bright Eyes, solo work, Desaparecidos and other projects (Monsters of Folk, Better Oblivion Community Center, etc.). Well, a couple clues sprung up in the past few days.
First, there was a casting call on the official Bright Eyes Instagram account for volunteers to appear in a Bright Eyes video, apparently to be shot in or around Omaha on May 23 and 23. The posted graphic included three sets of dice and faux casino lights, which leads one to believe they’ll be shooting it somewhere over on the boats (our local slang for the Council Bluffs casinos).
You had to be 19 or older (or with a legal guardian) and also sign an NDA. Well, as quickly as the offer went up, the offer was closed due to having received enough “entries.” Of course, people speculated that this is a pre-cursor to a new Bright Eyes release, but I suspect it may have something to do with a rerelease of older material. Time will tell.
And then this past Tuesday a press release went out announcing the release of a 15th anniversary reissue of the Monsters of Folk debut album. Monsters of Folk consisted of Oberst, Jim James, M. Ward and Mike Mogis.
First released in 2009, the rerelease includes the original 15-song album joined by five additional studio tracks from a previously unreleased 2012 session featuring “Fifth Monster” Will Johnson (Centro-matic).
From the press release: “Those five tracks – which include ‘Disappeared’ and the moody folk epic, ‘Museum Guard’ – were initially meant to accompany a dystopic sci-fi film based on a screenplay penned by Oberst, a project that was eventually shelved.”
A dystopic sci-fi film written by Conor? I would have loved to have seen that. And they could have shot it over on the boats and saved money on building dystopian-looking sets.
The album drops June 14 on ATO Records and can be preordered here. Check out the Springsteen-esque newly release track, “Disappeared,” below.
A Monsters of Folk tour to accompany this release would be pretty cool. So would new MofF material. Ah, but I’d still rather see that sci-fi movie. Come on, Conor!…
Tonight, LA-based indie band Local Natives headlines at The Admiral. They’ve been around nearly 20 years recording first for FrenchKiss and now for Loma Vista Records (since 2016). Who remembers their sold-out show at The Waiting Room in 2010? Were they going to be the next Arcade Fire? Not quite, but they haven’t done bad for themselves. Uwade, just in town last June opening for Fleet Foxes at Steelhouse Omaha, opens tonight at 8 p.m. $40.
Speaking of shows, One Percent Productions just announced the return of punk band X to The Waiting Room July 7, which got me thinking about the rest of the upcoming touring indie calendar. Here’s what I got through the summer months. Who am I missing?
Hey it’s been awhile since we did the Lazy-i Ten Question survey, but it’s back!
Horse Jumper of Love is the name of a Boston indie rock trio came out of the box clearly influenced by ‘90s shoegaze acts like My Bloody Valentine. The band released its debut self-titled album in 2016 on Gawk Records but was quickly signed to sturdy mid-tier indie label Run For Cover Records for the 2019 follow-up, So Divine.
Their last full-length, Heartbreak Rules (2023, Run for Cover), was a shift toward more traditional indie, complete with acoustic guitars and pedal steel. Pitchforkgave the record a 7.1 rating, saying “At the band’s live shows, audience members sway side-to-side, caught in a state of hypnosis; Horse Jumper of Love cast a similar ambiance here.”
Judge Pitchfork’s accuracy this Sunday night when Horse Jumper of Love headlines at The Sydney in Benson. This show was originally slated for DIY space The Blindspot but (I guess) was moved (as it’s listed on The Sydney calendar page).
We gave the band the ol’ Ten Questions treatment and here’s what they had to say:
1. What is your favorite album?
Horse Jumper of Love: Old Ramon – Red House Painters
2. What is your least favorite song?
That song that goes “Because I’m Happy” by Pharrell
3. What do you enjoy most about being in a band?
Going around, doing things, meeting new people, staying busy, having an outlet, eating
4. What do you hate about being in a band?
Being judged by the audience
5. What is your favorite substance (legal or illegal)?
Chamomile tea, knocks me out every time
6. In what city or town do you love to perform (and why)?
Dublin Ireland and Glasgow Scotland. Nice People!
7. What city or town did you have your worst gig (and why)?
Any city where there is a merch-cut narc at the venue. It breaks our spirits!
8. Are you able to support yourself through your music? If so, how long did it take to get there; if not, how do you pay your bills?
No. We’ve worked many service jobs. We’ve been Pizza men, dog walkers, temps, construction workers, prep chefs, dishwashers, sold plasma etc
9. What one profession other than music would you like to attempt; what one profession would you absolutely hate to do?
I’d like to be a gardener, mail man, or a mechanic. I’d hate to be a test subject or a yuppie
10. What stories have you heard about Omaha, Nebraska?
There once was a ghost in Omaha He rode on an old beat up Yamaha With bugs in his head He loved being dead and his favorite song was Van Halen’s “Panama”
Horse Jumper of Love Plays with The Dirts and Western Haikus Sunday, May 12, at The Sydney in Benson. Showtime is 8 p.m., $15.
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So what else is going on this weekend?
Well, tonight amazing 2000s-era dance rock act CSS is doing a DJ set at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Who remembers “Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death from Above” or “Music is My Hot, Hot Sex”? Sure, we all do. This is bound to be an all night dance party, especially with WERDISBOND providing the opening DJ set. Buying advance tickets ($15) is highly recommended. Show starts at 8 p.m.
Sunday night is a log-jam of shows.
There’s the aforementioned Horse Jumper of Love show at The Sydney.
Meanwhile, down at The Slowdown, jazz great Kamasi Washington returns to the main room. Surprised this hasn’t sold out yet. $37, 8 p.m.
Also Sunday afternoon, PROBLEMS (a.k.a. Darren Keen) is celebrating the release of Enter the Annals, out today on The Record Machine records. Joining him on the bill are Flesh Produce, Geno Beach and DJ Beetlebitch. This one starts at 2 p.m. – a matinee! — and is $15.
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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