I saw a grand total of zero bands this weekend. Zero, as in none. I wanted to see music, but there just wasn’t anything going on except karaoke and tribute acts. Hopefully that’ll change in the coming weeks, though the list of just-announced shows in the One Percent monthly e-mail seems to indicate that we’re only going to get about one “important” out-of-town show per week moving forward. Sure, there’s always the usual CD release parties and the plethora of local-band showcases around Benson, but only a few nationals stood out on the list of just-scheduled gigs, including One EskimO (June 21), Maps & Atlases (July 7), Rogue Wave (July 18), and Tokyo Police Club (Aug. 1). In the “already announced” category is Blitzen Trapper next Monday, The Mountain Goats July 13, Deerhoof and (in a separate show) Mates of State June 25, The Hold Steady July 6, MAHA Festival July 24, Miniature Tigers Aug. 5, and The Black Keys Aug. 9. Missing from the list is that DEVO show that was rumored all over town and even posted on the Anchor Inn website (but never announced on the One Percent site) — that show is in limbo as far as anyone knows.

One other show 1% announced today:  The next MAHA festival play-in round June 24 at The Waiting Room. Those competing for a spot on the festival’s small stage are The Matt Cox Band, Midwest Dilemma, Honey & Darling, Tim Wildsmith and Landing On The Moon. Seeing as I’m 0 for 1 in the predictions department (I predicted Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship would win the last battle of the bands at Slowdown, while generic rockers Betsy Wells took the prize), let me add to my abysmal average by saying that had I a vote to  cast, it would go to either Honey & Darling or Landing on the Moon, but that Tim Wildsmith will win the contest. Place your bets…

Speaking of MAHA, the organization posted a comment on Facebook the other day implying that The Faint’s performance at their festival would be the band’s last: “Given the most recent post on their Facebook page, fans of The Faint

had better savor the performance at MAHA,” it said. The comment is in reference to Depressed Buttons, who I talked about in this blog back in April (here, to be exact). The new “band” (their terminology) features Clark Baechle, Todd Fink and Jacob Thiele, and has been busy building a blog — located at depressedbuttons.com — and putting tracks online at a soundcloud page, located here (They’ve also got a Twitter page, here). It’s electronic, it’s DJ, it’s remixing, it’s a party. I’m not sure that it’ll be anything beyond their version of Daft Punk (Will there be helmets?). Does Depressed Buttons spell the end of The Faint? I’m doubtful, even though Dapose is working on projects of his own and Joel Petersen is busy at Enamel Studios. Time will tell.

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Just as it was announced, lala.com closed its online doors for good yesterday, offering credit for iTunes to those with a balance on their lala account. All those awesome lala imbeds on reviews sites like Pitchfork have disappeared. Now we wait to see what Apple decides to do with the service. There was a rumor that they intended to use lala as a base for offering iTunes “in the cloud,” but now I’m hearing that might not happen due to ongoing contract/rights negotiations/disputes with various record labels. It would be a drag if Apple bought the service only to shut it down.

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Cass Brostad, Blue Sharks and Matt Cox are performing at tonight’s Pizza Review event at The Waiting Room. $10 gets you all the pizza you want from 20 different pizza vendors, with proceeds going to the food bank. It starts at 6 p.m.

Also tonight, Philly punk band The Menzingers play at Slowdown Jr. with Cheap Girls, La Casa Bombas and Speak Easy. 8 p.m., $10.

If you’re looking for Column 272, it was a rehash of a couple blog entries from last week, intro-ed by this comment:

My apologies for the brevity of this week’s installment. The Reader moved back its deadlines three days due to a printer scheduling issue that has something to do with the production of 11 issues of Neighborhood News — the shopper that arrives in your mailbox periodically. The Reader produces Neighborhood News along with El Perico and the Spanish Language phonebook and a handful of other secret projects that only publisher John Heaston knows about. You didn’t know this? That’s because like every other newspaper, The Reader does a lousy job of reporting on itself. But it’s opportunities like Neighborhood News and the Spanish language publications that keep this weekly afloat during tough economic times and an era when Omaha’s news stands are crowded with four competing “alternative weeklies”: The Reader, The City Weekly, Shout! Weekly and Go! (The Omaha World-Herald‘s stab at a weekly, but it doesn’t count because it lacks horoscopes, “News of the Weird” and ads for 1-900 porn services).

Bands and venues have little to complain about when it comes to media coverage, now that there are four weeklies tripping over each other to report on the music scene. My column deadline is pulled back again this week, to tomorrow… anyone got any column ideas?

Anyway…

According to this Spinner.com article, Conor Oberst has joined Sound Strike, a boycott of the state of Arizona by a handful of artists including Kanye West, Sonic Youth, Massive Attack, Michael Moore and Rage Against the Machines’ Zack de La Rocha. The boycott “aims to fight the Arizona law — named SB1070 — which requires a person’s immigration status to be determined if he or she is thought to be undocumented.” It’s a crazy, angry law that hopefully will get repealed or overturned by the courts. The folks at The Phoenix New Times

have pulled together a benefit comp CD called Line in the Sand that features a track by, among others, Andrew Jackson Jihad. Proceeds go to human rights and humanitarian organizations Puente and No More Deaths. Find out more about the comp here.

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Thunder Power is celebrating the release of its first-ever vinyl outing tonight at The Waiting Room. The album is a 10-inch split EP with Toledo band The 1959 Hat. Co. (who they met on tour) called Hearts Intersect, released by Slumber Party Records. It’s the first in a series of collaborative splits being released by the label. Thunder Power’s three songs are tight, simple, indie rock tracks that would fit in with the lighter side of Belle & Sebastian. The first track, “Heartifact,” already has received a shout-out from Under the Radar (here). The split marks the fourth EP by Thunder Power, who are in the process of writing an entirely new set of songs for a forthcoming LP (their first). Also on the bill is The Mynabirds (currently riding a wave of publicity with the release of their Saddle Creek debut) and Fort Worth band The Burning Hotels. $7, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, Travelling Mercies and Ragged Company are playing with Kris Lager at The Barley Street Tavern. $5, 9 p.m. I feel a drunk coming on with this one…

Also tonight at The Brothers Lounge (who seems to be doing a lot of shows lately), it’s the amazing Vampire Hands with Daughters of the Sun and Perry H. Matthews. $5, 9 p.m.

Karl Houfek of It’s True wrote to let us know that Seattle singer/songwriter Rocky Votolato (Barsuk) will be playing a living room show at the house he shares with Adam Hawkins on Saturday, July 17. Their house hosted Pedro the Lion’s David Bazan last year. Tickets go on sale today at 3 p.m. at http://www.undertowtickets.com/product/rocky-votolato-living-room-show-omaha-ne-july-17

. Get yours while you can; seating is definitely limited. “For the record, we don’t make one damn cent off the deal…simply the enjoyment of hosting a pretty outstanding artist,” Houfek said. Simon Joyner currently is on a similar house show tour. Is this the new winning business model for singer/songwriters?

* * *

Steve Bartolomei sent out a message from his new home in Manhattan, where he recently relocated shortly after last December’s release show for From the Fingers of Trees LP

. “In the week between the release show and my departure, Mal Madrigal recorded a new full-length record at Mike Mogis’ incredible ARC studios in Omaha, NE,” Bartolomei said. “The album came in a fury of writing and recording prompted by the deadline of my relocating. It still needs to be mixed, but the band and I are excited to share it with you.”
No doubt the new album will be released on Bocca Lupo Records, the new label cooperative Bartolomei is spearheading. This week the label is releasing Before the Toast and Tea’s Methods of the Mad. BTAT is a project of longtime Mal Madrigal collaborator Ben Brodin. The album features contributions from Orenda Fink (Azure Ray), who lends harmonies alongside Jake Bellows (Neva Dinova).

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The Waiting Room is hosting a punk show tonight with Council Bluffs hardcore band Ties, Gordon Shumway and Lightning Bug. $5, 9 p.m. And right down the street at PS Collective Well Aimed Arrows is playing a set with a handful of bands I’ve never heard of: Conflict Between, Peace and Space and Crash Davey, $5, 8 p.m.

Noah's Ark Was a Spaceship at The Slowdown, May 24, 2010.

How big was the draw at last night’s MAHA showcase at Slowdown? Well, the parking lot was full, and for a big-stage show the room didn’t feel empty. My guestimate would be that 150 people were in the house at any given time. Not bad for a Monday night. I arrived too late to see the band that I would have voted for if I had voted — Dim Light played first at around 8 p.m. I caught most of Betsy Wells’ set. I’d never seen the band before, and hadn’t even heard of them before this show was announced (even though I’m told they’ve played at The Waiting Room before). They’re a young four-piece with two guitars who someone told me sounded like Arcade Fire, which, of course, they sound nothing like. Instead, Betsy Wells was a conglomeration of influences that no one in the band probably has heard of before. Two people in the crowd referenced The Feelies. One person told me they reminded her of Blitzen Trapper. Someone outside on the patio compared them to U2 and Neil Young (uh, no). I think if you listened to them long enough you’d hear whatever band you wanted to hear in their music.  In other words, they sound like everyone — and no one. They’re a talented indie-pop band with a big-stage sound, but with songs that simply don’t stand out. Generic? Maybe. I think there’s something there, but it just ain’t “there” yet.

Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship added some stage spice in the form of a formal ball gown worn by lead guy Andrew Ancona Gustafson. Seems like everyone compares Noah to Sonic Youth, but to me, they sound like Seattle circa 1992 or one of the heavier, artier bands on Athens Ga. – Inside Out. Gustafson is a great lead singer who will take them far if he can tap into his undiscovered vocal range — and if they ever get “discovered.” They’ve got a new album coming out shortly (or so they said from stage).

Last up was Flight Metaphor, but I didn’t stick around. About an hour after the show ended, the MAHA organizers announced that Betsy Wells had won the ad hoc battle of the bands and would be invited to play the small stage at the MAHA Music Festival. Did the crowd — and conversely, the MAHA organizers — make the right choice? Find out for yourself July 24.

* * *

Tonight at The Brothers Lounge it’s The Lepers CD release party with Bazooka Shootout and Kyle Harvey. $5, 9 p.m.

Catching up on some “news” after being out of town all week on bizness…

The MAHA Music Festival folks announced last Tuesday that Ben Kweller and local boys It’s True will round out the “TD Ameritrade” main stage line-up, and that Saddle Creek’s newest band, The Mynabirds, have been added to the Kum & Go small stage line-up, along with Satchel Grande and the winner of this coming Monday night’s talent show at The Slowdown as well as the winner of another talent contest to be held in Benson next month.

Kweller, a 28-year-old singer/songwriter, toured with Ben Folds and Ben Lee (who remembers him other than Jim Minge?) in 1993.  His C&W-inspired 2008 album Changing Horses

(ATO Records) peaked at No. 92 on the Billboard charts, which means, yes, he’s significantly under the radar for a national act and as such is a perfect fit for this festival, whose headliners also include Spoon, Old 97’s, The Faint and Superchunk. Will the addition of Kweller help sell more tickets? I would guess maybe 500, which is significant considering a successful festival is the sum of the all its parts.

It’s True, who has a new album and has played around Omaha a lot this year, was an insignificant addition from a sales perspective (but not from a fun perspective). “We decided that It’s True! was better than any other band we were looking at getting, so why not just book them,” said festival organizer Tre Brashear in an e-mail. “If our other five main stage artists (+ Satchel + Mynabirds) can’t sell enough tickets, then we’ve got problems that a sixth ‘smaller’ main stage band from somewhere else wasn’t going to solve. Plus, we think it would be cool to give them the opportunity to play in front of Mac (MacCaughan) and Laura (Ballance, both from Superchunk and the proprietors of indie powerhouse record label Merge Records). Plus, we just like them.”

You can’t argue with that logic. Now look for MAHA posters to start popping up around town.

Lets get to this weekend…

Our Fox is playing tonight at The Barley Street Tavern with McCarthy Trenching, Love of Everything and probably one other band. According to Our Fox’s Ryan Fox, “Love of Everything is Bobby Burg (who plays in a bunch of Chicago bands including Make Believe and Joan of Arc), and his wife, Elisse. They’re doing a Daytrotter session and stopping here as part of a brief midwest tour.” Their record label is cleverly (if not confusingly) called Record Label.

Fox added that “Ben Brodin (drummer in Our Fox, guitarist in The Mynabirds, drummer/guitarist/etc in McCarthy Trenching, Mal Madrigal, etc.) recorded an LP, Methods of the Mad, under the moniker Before the Toast and Tea, which was released on Bocca Lupo Recordings (which was started by Steve Bartolomei). He’ll probably have a few records on hand to sell as well.” $5, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, Landing on the Moon is opening for the Jes Winter Band at The Waiting Room, along with Lonely Estates and Rock Paper Dynamite. $7, 9 p.m.

And the band that win’s today’s award for “best name,” Peace of Shit, is playing at O’Leaver’s with Watching the Trainwreck and Forbidden Tigers. $5, 9 p.m.

Saturday night’s marquee show is Criteria at The Waiting Room with Ladyfinger and Masses. So who’s Masses? Even Criteria’s Stephen Pedersen didn’t know. Thankfully, Masses member Eric Nyffeler emailed to say that the band is from Lincoln and “this is only the second or third time we’ve played in Omaha, so not a lot of people know who we are.” The few tracks that I’ve heard from the band are instrumental and are brazenly mathy and bombastic. Masses members are Jon Augustine, Shane Brandt, Mike Vandenberg and Nyffeler. $8, 9 p.m. This one will be crowded.

Also Saturday night, The Beat Seekers (Keith from The Fonzarellies) are playing at Slowdown Jr. with Scott Severin and the Milton Burlesque and Whipkey/Zimmerman. $8, 9 p.m.

I have nothing for you from this past weekend as family stuff kept me from going to any of the shows, including the two early-evening Benson showcases (at Jake’s and TWR). If you were there and you want to share, post your review either at the end of this blog entry or on the webboard

, which continues to get action despite this new blog design.

There are two shows going on tonight, neither of which I’ll be able to attend, but that shouldn’t stop you. At The Waiting Room it’s Mono, a Tokyo-based experimental instrumental rock band (i.e. ambient guitar-driven roar) that records on Temporary Residence Ltd. Their last album, Hymn to the Immortal Wind

, was recorded by the legendary Steve Albini. Opening is The Twilight Sad. $13, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, over at O’Leaver’s, So-So Sailors have a last-minute just-announced gig with Jake Bellows and Before the Toast and Tea. You can read my review of So-So Sailors debut performance at Slowdown Jr. here. The band is anchored by Chris Machmuller (Ladyfinger) on vocals and piano, Dan McCarthy (McCarthy Trenching) on Wurlitzer, Alex McManus (The Bruces) on guitar, Brendan Greene-Walsh (O’Leaver’s) on bass and Dan Kemp on drums. $5, 9 p.m.

And later this week at Lazy-i look for interviews with Criteria and The Lepers… See you then.

The hot show tonight is at all-ages club The Hole, 712 So. 16th St. (formerly the Diamond Bar). Cave rock sensations Box Elders are headlining a show with Perry H. Matthew and No Bueno. It starts early (as all their shows do) at 7 p.m., cover is $6. And there’s No Booze! Afterward, head up to The Brothers, because that Hole show is the only thing on the radar tonight. Hey, there’s always the goon-rock festival over at Westfair featuring Godsmack.

Tomorrow starts off early with Jake’s “Cuz We Can” block party, hosted (apparently) outside of Jake’s in Benson. There’s no actual details as to how this showcase is going to work. Are they blocking off the street? I guess we’ll have to find out tomorrow. The line-up of local acts is top-drawer: Satchel Grande, UUVVWWZ, Brad Hoshaw & The Seven Deadlies, Matt Cox Band, Gooses, Awkwords, Conchance and Dim Light. It’s a benefit, so your $6 will go toward the ongoing publication of the Found in Benson ‘zine. Show starts at 5 p.m. and runs to 11.

Also tomorrow starting early, and also in Benson, is the Liquid Courage 10 Year Anniversary Party at The Waiting Room, whose two chief proprietors, ironically, lack a single tattoo (as far as we know). The free show features The Mercurys, Cover Me Badd and headliners The Filter Kings. Show starts at 6 p.m. and according to the 1% website, “food and beverages will be provided while supplies last.” Better get there early.

Also tomorrow night, Ragged Company is slated to play at The Barley Street with Western Electric. $5, 9 p.m.

And Sunday Simon Joyner is playing a house show at 4507 So. 15th St., start time is 8 p.m.

The Show Is the Rainbow mastermind Darren Keen e-mailed me a link to a soundcloud page where he’s hosting demos recorded of his new band, High Art. The page is here. High Art is Keen on guitar/vocals, Jim Schroeder (UUVVWWZ) on drums/vocals, Saber Blazek on bass (Machete Archive — yes, that guy) and Josh Miller, keyboards, vocals (Columbia Vs. Challenger).

Keen calls the music Post Elfman Experimental Japenese Punk. It’s spazzy and outrageous; sonically challenging and kind of weird, just like Keen.  I asked him what inspired the music other than drugs. “High Art isn’t just a drug refrence,” he said. “My MAIN influence here is THE GUITAR. I really miss playing guitar and I hadn’t written much music on guitar lately (except Darren Keen stuff, which is all so nice and pretty). I just wanted to play in a guitar rock band that didn’t sound like butt rock or garage rock and was still super complex and musical. And weed! but not all of us even smoke weed so seriously, that’s not like our MAIN jam.”

Muscial influences include XTC, Danny Elfman / Oingo Boingo, Sparks, Nina Hagen, Deerhoof and NOFX. So what’s Keen & Co. going to do with these songs? “We are going to record a full length in September and release it early next year. This recording will be distributed online and via CDRs.” Check out High Art when they play at The Waiting Room June 3.

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Tonight at The Waiting Room, Minneapolis multi-instrumental artist Dosh performs with White Hinterland and This Is My Condition. Dosh is a one-man outfit who uses an array of technology to create arty soundscapes. His albums are released on SF label Anticon (Anathallo, Tobacco). $10, 9 p.m.

Interpol announced on its website

yesterday that founding member, bassist Carlos Dengler (a.k.a. Carlos D), has left the band. The parting, apparently, was amicable.

I had the great pleasure of interviewing Carlos back in January 2003, just as Interpol was beginning to explode (read that interview here). The story was written in support of the band’s one and only Omaha appearance — a sold-out show at Sokol Underground that took place during a blizzard. Those who made it through the snow that night saw one of the best shows ever hosted at that smoky dungeon (My review of that show also is still online, right here). Since then, Interpol has released two more albums, the last one — 2007’s Our Love to Admire — peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard charts. But for my money, they never achieved the creative or artistic peak reached with 2002’s Turn on the Bright Lights, and they probably never will again.

* * *

Tonight at Slowdown Jr., it’s the long-awaited return of Matt Pond PA (which you read about here). I saw Matt and Co. at SXSW this year, and if this band is half as good as that one, well, we’re all in for a memorable show. Opening is Bobby Long. Show starts at 9 and is $12. Go!

* * *

Tomorrow: 24 CD reviews in one column…

Tonight at The Waiting Room, Austin garage-punk band Harlem takes the stage. The trio is out on the road supporting their just-released Matador debut Hippies. The Reader‘s Chris Aponick interviewed the boys in the latest issue, or you can read it online right here.

Harlem isn’t the only trio playing at TWR tonight. Digital Leather opens the show… as a three-piece. I guess a couple of the guys aren’t available tonight, so expect to see and hear the band in a different light. Show starts at 9 p.m. (I double-checked) and cover is $8.