Soccer Mommy at The Waiting Room, Aug. 8, 2023.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

If Phoebe Bridgers is truly the “saddest factory,” then Soccer Mommy is the queen of mid-tempo bummers. Playing to a crowded but far from sold out Waiting Room last night, Soccer Mommy a.k.a. singer/songwriter Sophie Allison and her band, pulled out one mid-tempo bummer after another, and it was sadly, sweetly satisfying. 

Allison’s band was first rate – two guitarists (one pulling double-duty on keyboards) and a killer rhythm section, they were at their best when everything shimmered in a shoe-gaze haze. At the center of it all was Allison’s sweet, clear, hang-dog vocals that made every song sound like the morning after. She even turned Sheryl Crow’s feel-good summer pop-song “Soak Up the Sun,” into her very own bummer anthem. 

The set list pulled heavily from her latest album, Sometimes, Forever, but included plenty from her catalog, from “Circle the Drain” to the stark “Darkness Forever,” where the band was given room to stretch out. Toward the back half of the set, Allison dispatched the band for a solo rendition of early chestnut, “Still Clean,” that placed a spotlight squarely on that sweet voice, that yes, was reminiscent of Sheryl Crow, though much more forlorn. 

The night’s best moments came during the two-song encore, where the band ripped into her biggest hit, “Your Dog,” that finally got the crowd moving. It was followed by rocker “Don’t Ask Me,” which cast shades of early Bettie Serveert — pure ‘90s indie rock.  Leaving the hits for the encore is probably the oldest trick in the rock ‘n’ roll handbook, but I couldn’t help but wonder how different the evening would have gone if they started their set with these two rippers.

Pool Kids at The Waiting Room, Aug. 8, 2023.

Opening band Pool Kids was the first female-fronted emo band I’ve seen in a long time (and by “emo,” I mean the more recent Fall Out Boy/Thursday/”emo night” version). Fronted by vocalist Christine Goodwyne, the band leaned more into alt-rock than indie, thanks to her high-flying rock delivery. Say what you will, but the crowd looked like they were having a lot more fun during Pool Kids’ set…

 . 0 0 0 . 

Austin’s Temple of Angels just released their debut full-length, Endless Pursuit, last month on Run for Cover Records (Runnner, Young Guv). The record is a collection of chiming, dreamy rock songs that sound like a cross between The Church, trippy Cure and The Sundays, with a nod to The Chameleons, who they reference on their one-sheet. 

The band plays tonight at Reverb Lounge with one of my favorite locally connected acts, Nathan Ma Band. Unfortunately, there are two more bands on tonight’s bill — The Dirts and Western Haikus — which makes this a four-band bill on a school night – come on, guys. Starts at 8 p.m., $17. Worth it if you don’t have a job to go into the next morning.

* * *

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

Well, look what we have here – a touring indie show tonight at The Waiting Room! 

It’s the return of Nashville’s Soccer Mommy a.k.a. Sophia Regina Allison and her band. She’s part of indie’s latest wave that just happens to be dominated by women singer/songwriters, such as Snail Mail, Japanese Breakfast, Mitski, boygenius artists (Phoebe, Julian Baker, Lucy Dacus), Tomberlin, Big Thief, Indigo De Souza, Blondshell, the list is endless. 

Her latest LP is 2022’s Sometimes, Forever (Loma Vista Records); her breakthrough was 2020’s Color Theory, released just before the country was enveloped by Covid-19, and for many it ended up being their “Covid album” thanks to singles like “Circle the Drain” and “Yellow is the Color of Her Eyes.” They just recorded a cover of Sheryl Crow’s “Soak up the Sun,” which you’ll likely hear tonight toward the end of her set.

Ironically, Soccer Mommy’s Nov. 7, 2021 show was my first show back to The Waiting Room after the pandemic. The band has made Omaha a regular tour stop, playing at Reverb back in September 2017 and October 2018 (when Sophia succumbed to Lazy-i’s Ten Questions treatment (which, btw, is coming back soon)). 

Opening act, Tallahassee’s Pool Kids, are a natural compliment to Soccer Mommy based on their 2022 self-titled debut on Skeletal Lightning. They have a new EP, POOL, released at the end of June. 8 p.m., $40.

* * *

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.

Turnstile Friday night at the 2023 Maha Music Festival.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The folks behind the Maha Music Festival released attendance numbers yesterday, showing a slight increase over last year’s numbers. Last weekend, “more than 12,000 people helped Maha Festival say goodbye to its longtime home” at Aksarben Village.

That’s a little over a 4% increase over 2023’s Maha Festival attendance. The increase was due to a sizable jump in Friday night attendance – 4,900 people were on hand last Friday night when Turnstile headlined vs. 4,100 on Friday night last year for Car Seat Headrest. Saturday attendance of 7,100 for headliner Big Thief was a drop from the 7,400 in attendance on Saturday last year for Beach House. 

These numbers include more than 800 volunteers. Maha also said a quarter of attendees traveled from out of state this year.  As info, Maha drew 6,400 in 2021 for their one-day, Covid-shorted festival. 

The festival is currently conducting an attendee survey, which you can take here as they begin to do it all over again for the two-day festival to be held down at the Riverfront next year, July 26 and 27, 2024.

. 0 0 0 . 

OK, so what about this weekend?

Tonight it’s all about Benson, where Benson First Friday (#BFF) will be in full effect. Maple Street will be alive with art as businesses throughout the district feature new openings by local artists. If you’re out and about, drop in at Ming Toy Gallery, 6066 Maple St. (right next to Au Courant) where artist Michael Trenhaile opens his show entitled “Hoodlums, Thieves and Dead People & Other Events.” He’s brought his guitar and amp, so expect a couple tunes as well. The show runs from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight. See you there.

Also tonight, The Sydney in Benson celebrates BFF with a red hot show headlined by Bug Heaven with Lodgings and Breakers. $10, 9 p.m. 

Saturday, get a sneak peak at Falconwood Park prior to Outlandia by attending GRRRL Camp, a one-day festival featuring 16 female-fronted alt rock and hip hop acts and performers including Boulder’s The Velveteers, Omaha acts Ione and Ebba Rose, and Lincoln’s Freakabout. All gender identifications are invited (that means dudes, too). This is kind of like FemmeFest from years gone by, only it’s held at a camp grounds. It starts at 1 p.m. and tickets are $45. More info here.

Also tomorrow night (Saturday), The Sydney in Benson has Moon 17 with Jeff in Leather and XID. $10, 9 p.m. 

And Saturday night at fabulous O’Leaver’s, Las Cruxes is among the bands celebrating Silas Poppy’s birthday. Joining them are Tiananmen Squares and The Content. 9 p.m., no cover listed.

And finally, it’s Bandcamp Friday again. If you’ve been mulling over buying some new music (or some old music), Bandcamp is waiving their fees today so all proceeds will go to the artist. Among those celebrating is Simon Joyner, who is releasing a new vinyl-only LP, This Is Where the Ocean Begins, a collection of old singles reinterpreted by Fred Lonberg Holm, Michael Krassner and Joyner as a trio, limited to 230 copies, with money generated used to help cover travel costs for his fall tour. Check it out here.

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 © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Liam Bauman plays tonight at Pageturners Lounge.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The annual Petfest festival is two weeks from this Saturday, Aug. 19, at Petshop Gallery in Benson, 2729 No. 62nd Street (in the back). It again features the year’s best line-up of local bands all in one day-long event. 

Yesterday, organizers dropped the show schedule, which bounces between an outside stage and an inside stage located in their back garage area, which opens to the same outdoor area. It’s sort of like a mini amphitheater!

Here’s the schedule:

Outside Stage:

• 2:00-2:20 Ojai
• 2:50-3:10 Dereck Higgins
• 3:40-4:00 Mike Schlesinger
• 4:30-4:50 Living Conditions
• 5:25-5:50 Little Brazil
• 6:50-7:15 Head Of Femur
• 7:50-8:15 FACE
• 8:50-9:20 Universe Contest
• 10:00-10:30- CHEW

Inside Stage:

• 2:25-2:45 Pagan Athletes
• 3:15- 3:35 XID
• 4:05-4:25 Specter Poetics
• 4:55-5:20 Thirst Things First
• 5:55-6:20 Cat Piss
• 6:30-6:45 NOWHERE
• 7:20-7:45 Machete Archive 
• 8:20-8:45 Child of Night
• 9:25-9:55 Jeff In Leather 
• 10:35-11:00 BIB
• 11:00-Midnight DJ SCHERRITAIVO

There also will be drag performances throughout the day between sets. Advance tickets are $30 and are available online here, or pay $40 day of show. 

The Outlandia Festival at Falconwood Park is Aug. 11 and 12, and unless it’s hidden somewhere on their website, they’ve yet to announce their show schedule/set times. No doubt it’ll drop any day now, though we already know Lord Huron will headline Friday night and Modest Mouse headlines Saturday night. 

I stand corrected. Looks like Outlandia posted the schedule on their Instagram earlier this week. Here it is:

. 0 0 0 .

Tonight at Pageturners Lounge Nashville singer/songwriter Liam Bauman performs with our very own Ben Eisenberger. He counts Eliott Smith and Phoebe Bridgers among his influences (he reminds me of Phoebe sideman Christian Lee Hutson). Really good stuff. Ben Eisenberger is no slouch, either. Not sure who goes on first, but the show starts at 8 p.m. and although it’s free they’re suggesting a $10 donation (Come on, give it up!). 

* * *

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

New releases and singles were announced over the past few days by a handful of touring indie bands who have included Omaha on their upcoming tours. Let us celebrate each.

On top of the list is Sextile, the LA-based electro / No Wave trio will be playing at The Waiting Room Oct. 19. The last time I saw these folks they were playing a set at Blackstone Meatball during a Farnam Fest back in 2017. Their new album, Push, is out Sept. 15 on Sacred Bones Records, and is, as the kids say, fire. 

Phoenix act Diners a.k.a. Blue Broderick, is playing Reverb Lounge Sept. 6. Their new album, Domino, comes out Aug. 18 on Bar/None Records. Here’s the first single:

Speedy Ortiz is back and always seems to remember poor little Omaha when she’s putting together her tour stops, and this time ‘round is no exception. Frontwoman Sadie Dupuis and her posse will be playing The Slowdown with Spacemoth Nov. 17. Yesterday they dropped the first single from their next album, Rabbit Rabbit, which comes out Sept. 1 on Wax Nine Records. Check it:

Durham, NC’s Hiss Golden Messenger is the project of M.C. Taylor. The singer/songwriter’s style leans on Americana and Country. Their new album, Jump for Joy, comes out on Merge Aug. 25, and the band is slated to play The Waiting Room Dec. 1. 

Finally, it’s old news for sure but Wilco is returning to Omaha, playing at the new Astro Theater Oct. 23. The band announced their new album, Cousin, will drop Sept. 29 on dBpm Records. Check out the first single, “Evicted,” that dropped yesterday.

* * *

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

Channel 7 is calling it “impact” weather and the National Weather Service has issued a heat warning – what can I say, it’s gonna be hot as hell tonight at the Maha Music Festival. The saving grace could be the expected overnight storms that will cool things off for Saturday (as long as those storms don’t knock down the stage equipment!).

Full run downs on both days including schedules, band descriptions and music samples, were posted earlier this week: Friday’s line-up; Saturday’s line-up. 

Maha knows they’ve got to deal with the weather and are setting up hydration wagons, misters and cooling stations, and the comedy tent is air conditioned if you want some post-set relief. 

That said, a hot, steamy night will only enhance Turnstile’s set… if folks show up for it. 

More info about the Maha Festival including tickets ($70 per day), are at mahafestival.com. See you there.

. 0 0 0 . 

OK, so you’re not going to Maha. What are your options for the weekend?

Tonight in the air conditioned confines of The Sydney in Benson, it’s Omaha’s tractor-punk heroes Wagon Blasters (now here’s a band that’s been sorely missing from the Maha Festival stage). Joining them tonight are bands In Tongues and Josiah and the Messiahs. I’m not familiar with either band, but found this Bandcamp listing for Josiah a.k.a. Josiah Hazel. $10, 9 p.m. 

Meanwhile tonight down the street in the air conditioned confines of The Waiting Room Lincoln electro-leather-dude Plack Blague headlines a show with Omaha living legend Solid Goldberg – the one-man project of Dave Goldberg. If you have not seen SG, do yourself a favor. Ex Lover opens the show at 9 p.m. $10.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) the action as in the air-conditioned confines of fabulous O’Leaver’s where Violenteer is headlining. The project by the Cotton brothers (both on bass) added a vocalist recently — Steve Tulipana, the KC guy you might remember from noise rock bands Season to Risk and Roman Numerals. The addition has changed everything (see review). Joining them are Aircraft Grade, an instrumental noise-rock duo from Omaha celebrating a record release, and noise project The Fatal E’s. This is a free show (yay!) and starts at 9 p.m.

And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a red hot 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 © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The unique thing about this year’s Saturday Maha Music Festival line-up is that I might actually stick around for the headliner. 

A quick look at the Saturday schedule:

• 2 p.m. – Gates Open
• 2:30 p.m. – Ebba Rose
• 3 p.m. Nebraska Writers Collective Youth Poets
• 3:15 p.m. – Garst
• 3:45 p.m. – Omaha Girls Rock
• 4 p.m. – M34n Str33t
• 4:30 p.m. – Say She She
• 5:15 p.m. – Black Belt Eagle Scout
• 6 p.m. – Terry Presume
• 7 p.m. – The Beths
• 8 p.m. – Peach Pit
• 9:30 p.m. – Big Thief

Ebba Rose and Garst, two local up-and-coming acts, have the dreaded opening spots, likely even more dreadful this year if the heatwave continues. I’ve not seen Ebba Rose perform and heard only bits of her recently released album. Garst is more of a straight ahead rock band than an indie act.

The real fireworks begin at 4 p.m. with M34n Str33t. This is a return engagement for the hip-hop ensemble fronted by Connie Franko and produced by Haunted Gauntlet, who played Maha back in 2014. Always entertaining, they’re one of the most under appreciated Nebraska acts that light up the stage whenever they perform.

Disco funk trio Say She She was an unknown when announced for this year’s Maha line-up. They’re still very much under the radar. Who knows if that’ll change. They’re playing 7th St. Entry tonight in Minneapolis in support of their new album, Astral Plane (Karma Chief  / Colemine Records). Disco dancing at 4:30 in the afternoon? Why not. 

Black Belt Eagle Scout, another emerging artist, happens to be on our hometown label, Saddle Creek Records. They released her most recent LP, The Land, the Water, the Sky, back in February to critical huzzahs. Fronted by Portland singer/songwriter Katherine Paul, her style has been compared to Mazzy Star, and I can see that at times, though she has a more somber, spiritual approach versus Mazzy’s laid-back sexiness. BBES played a rather subdued set to a small crowd at Reverb back in September 2018. 

Nashville rapper Terry Presume has been recording since he was 13 growing up in Naples. FL. His latest single is “Loner,” released last year on Big Ass Kids Records. I know virtually nothing about Presume so this will be a music discovery moment for yours truly.

The festival’s main line-up begins at 7 with The Beths. The New Zealand quartet is on the upper tier of touring indie acts thanks to the popularity of last year’s LP, Experts in a Dying Field (Carpark Records), and their breakout album, 2018’s Future Me Hates Me, whose title track got played endlessly on XMU. Their sound epitomizes female-fronted college rock with influences dating back to acts like Blake Babies / Juliana Hatfield, which they very much remind me of. I caught their packed performance at Slowdown Jr. in July 2019 and loved it. 

Vancouver band Peach Pit, fronted by guitarist/vocalist Neil Smith, is more of a major label rock act (they’re on Columbia) that had a peak moment back in 2018 with LP Being So Normal. Judging by their Spotify numbers, they’re as popular as the headliner, but I rarely hear their music. They have a kind of laidback style, which will hopefully compliment the festival’s laidback headliner. 

Finally, there’s Big Thief. They just headlined Pitchforkfest last weekend – it doesn’t get any more indie than that. Maha typically has a something either over-the-top or a pop-level act as a headliner. Last year it was Beach House, the year before, Khruangbin, then Covid and before that, Lizzo. I generally watch a couple songs from the headliner then hit the road. Depending on what they roll out on the main stage, however, I may stick around for the full set Saturday night. 

Big Thief’s latest, the double-LP, Dragon New Warm Mountian I Believe in You (2022, 4AD), is chock full o’ good songs in a variety of styles. It all comes down to how they present it. And while they may be a big deal in the indie world, I’m not sure many people at Stinson Park will know who they are. 

Anyway, tickets at mahafestival.com. 

And a reminder – there will be no foodtrucks on the festival grounds this year, so be prepared to dine at one of Aksarben’s many fine restraurants before or during the festival. Maha is promising an easy in-and-out process to facilitate your dining needs. And while there’s no food at Maha (except for VIPs), there will be plenty of booze available. 

This is the last year for Stinson before Maha heads downtown to the riverfront. Here’s hoping it goes off with a bang. 

* * *

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

They’ll be a time when the Maha Festival and related events will extend over an entire week. We’re not there yet, but after Maha moves downtown to the Riverfront next year, I wouldn’t be surprised if you begin seeing weeklong Maha-related events popping up in an effort to both expand the festival and provide some extra options for those traveling to Omaha. Speculation is all that is. 

This year’s Maha will be a great festival/concert, however, it’s going to be hot as hell. I’m reminded of this debacle from 20 years ago, and I’m sure Maha organizers are getting a bit nervous when the heat index is forecast to be above 100 on Friday.

Friday, btw, could end up being the biggest draw of the weekend, thanks to Turnstile and Alvvays. Here’s a look at Friday’s schedule:

Friday 

• 4 p.m. – Gates Open
• 4:30 p.m. – BIB
• 5:15 p.m. – Hakim
• 6 p.m. – Icky Blossoms
• 7 p.m. – Ekkstacy
• 8 p.m. – Alvvays
• 9:30 p.m. – Turnstile

The festival’s most incendiary band just happens to be the first up. BIB is an Omaha-based national touring hardcore act that will leave the Maha crowd (if there is a crowd there at 4 p.m.) scratching their heads wondering what the hell just happened. Their last full-length, Deluxe, was released on Maryland’s Pop Wig Records. Touring has made them a known quantity throughout the country. Had I been in charge of the festival’s programming, I would have put them on right before Turnstile instead of a time where they’ll likely be playing mostly to volunteers and vendors. 

Hakim is another local, this time from Lincoln. I know virtually nothing about Hakim and couldn’t find his music in Spotify, but did find it on good o’ Bandcamp, which has his 2020 album, The Magnificent Obsession, released on Corn Coast Co. Check it below. 

Then comes Icky Blossoms, perhaps the most surprising “get” for this year’s Maha. The band hasn’t released anything since 2015’s Mask (Saddle Creek Records), but captured some exposure last year (or was it the year before?) when one of their songs, “Sex to the Devil,” was the soundtrack for a runway show in Paris. 

The band’s origins go back to the aught years when frontman Derek Pressnall was in a little tap-dancing sensation called Tilly and the Wall that stormed the country (including late-night TV). Tilly was a cute ensemble, some might say a novelty, but there was more to it than that (a Tilly reunion would have been a real hoot!).

After Tilly, Pressnall would go on to form Flowers Forever, a more straightforward indie band that recorded on Team Love – Conor Oberst’s offshoot label that also had released the Tilly debut. Then in 2011 Pressnall formed Flowers Forever with Nik Fackler and Sarah Bohling, releasing their self-titled debut the following year on Saddle Creek Records. Of the three Pressnall projects, Icky is musically my favorite though it never seemed to grab the attention Tilly gained back in the day – a time when anything associated with Saddle Creek indie headline fodder. 

I haven’t heard much about this reunion except there’s a lot of excitement for it.

Ekkstacy is another surprise booking this year. It’s a one-man producer-type project whose song, “I Walk This Earth All By Myself,” became a hit a couple years ago and is still played on Sirius XMU – the all indie satellite radio station. His latest album, Misery, was released last November and is more of the same stuff inspired by The Cure, Flock of Seagulls, New Order and so on. 

Then comes the first of what really are duo headliners for the evening. 

Alvvays played Maha back in 2015, and since then the band has only gotten bigger thanks to their 2022 album, Blue Rev, which made it on a lot of critic’s year-end favorites’ list (including mine). 

But the big push Friday night will be for Turnstile, a band whose current momentum may drive ticket sales above the Saturday’s levels. Turnstile’s music is described as “melodic hardcore,” though it bleeds into alternative metal territory. Big grooves, power beats, hyperactive rhythms and a frontman who can actually sing instead of just grunt/scream. This is one of those bands that gets a crowd bouncing. Their 2021 album Glow On (Roadrunner) not only was a Pitchfork “best new music” honoree but was also nominated for three Grammys. 

It should be a hot, sweaty good time. Tickets still available at mahafestival.com. Tomorrow I’ll cover the Saturday line-up.

. 0 0 0 . 

Tonight at Slowdown is a band that would have been a nice fit for this year’s Maha Festival.  On his new album, Heavy Is a Junkyard (2023, Fat Possum) Youth Lagoon, a.k.a.Trevor Powers, turned his songwriting back on himself after suffering a vicious health scare. The record’s style is obviously more personal, and as a result, much more interesting than his earlier stuff. Up-and-coming singer/songwriter Nina Keith opens at 8 p.m. $25.

* * *

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.

Julia Jacklin plays tonight at The Slowdown

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

A quick note about tonight’s show at The Slowdown…

Polyvinyl artist Julia Jacklin’ last album, 2022’s Pre Pleasure, received a tasty 7.4 from Pitchfork, but it’s her 2019 album, Crushing, that made the biggest splash thanks to the single “Pressure to Party.” She’s got a sweet, laid-back style that’s less tortured than the stuff you hear from Phoebe’s Saddest Factory crew. Check out MarQ Manner’s interview with Jacklin at The Reader website. Opener Macie Stewart is described as “experimental indie pop,” and has worked with the likes of SZA and Chance the Rapper. This main room show starts at 8 and will run you $27.

* * *

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

Hey, we have one touring indie act this weekend! And lots of local shows. Has anyone noticed Steelhouse only has one concert booked for the month of August (and it’s a fricken WASP concert)? WTF?

Anyway, let’s get positive, people.

We’ve had a ringside seat as Lomelda a.k.a. singer/songwriter Hannah Read, has gone from a touring opening act for Hovvdy at Reverb before the pandemic to a national indie star with more than a million monthly listeners on Spotify, touring with Magnetic Fields and opening a sold-out Death Cab for Cutie show like she did earlier this year at The Admiral. Now she’s back in Omaha on a solo tour. Her last full-length was 2020’s Hannah, released on Double Double Whammy Records. She’s released a number of singles since then and no doubt has another full-length waiting in the wings. Tonight she plays at The Sydney in Benson with Omaha’s own Anna McClellan.  9 p.m., $15.

Also tonight, just down the street at Reverb Lounge, Lodgings headlines a show with The Sun-Less Trio. I’m not sure why SLT isn’t the headliner as the band, headed by local guitar-playing icon Mike Sakler, is celebrating the release of their new album, The Vanishing. 

Says the Bandcamp page about The Vanishing: “Sessions. were primarily hashed out to 2-track live in the December of 2022. Additional vocals and sounds in Spring of ‘23. Thread those tape machines holding on by a thread. Any perceived anomalies are in fact present, tape hiss, wow, flutter, dropouts. Strange panning and phasing.” The final product is collection from Saklar keynoted by his haunted guitar tone and vocals. The trio is Saklar, drummer Marc Phillips, and bass player Cricket Kirk. Hard rock band Living Conditions opens the show at 8 p.m. $10.

Also tonight, San Diego surf-rock band The Frights headline at The Slowdown. Their latest, Gallows Humor, was released earlier this month on Here Lies Music, but they’ve also released material on Epitaph and Dangerbird in the past. Emo band Sad Park opens at 8 p.m. $25. 

Tomorrow night (Saturday), local indie band Bach Mai is celebrating an album release show at Reverb Lounge. I’m not sure which album (they don’t say on their invites), but assume it’s for their 6-song EP Good Try, which came out in early May (but isn’t in Bandcamp, so…). Or maybe it’s something else? Also on the bill is Uh Oh and Ghostlike. The music begins at 8 p.m. $10. 

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 © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.