Yes, I know this is old news, but there are still one or two people in the world who may not have heard it: On July 1, Ground Floor Guitar in the Blackstone District was robbed at gunpoint. Details of the incident are beyond harrowing. The thieves got away with cash and more than $20,000 in musical instruments.
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John Svatos, who runs the shop, is an icon of the local indie music scene whose bands include Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship and Healer. I can’t wrap my mind around why someone would rob a guitar shop, of all places. At least no one was hurt, though there will be scars we can’t see, the kind caused by having a gun shoved in your face.
Phil Schaffart, another member of the Omaha indie music family, set up a GoFundMe to help Svatos while the shop remains temporarily closed. You can donate here.
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I fell down a rabbit hole last night looking at different college music charts and came across the NACC — the North American College & Community Radio chart, based on weekly airplay from college and non-commercial radio stations in North America, or so the site tells me.
Back in the old days before social media, there used to be the College Music Journal and the CMJ Charts. Having your album make it onto the CMJ used to be a big deal. And then one day, CMJ disappeared (BTW, the once important New York City-based CMJ Music Festival still exists, sort of). Is NACC taking CMJ‘s place? No idea, though their site says they’ve been around for five years, and their chart looks… interesting. Most of what I expect to see is there, with Wilco taking the top spot. But where’s Big Thief? And what about Beach House? So yeah, I’m kind of scratching my head.
Right behind Wilco on the chart is a band called Cola, and their album Deep in View. Turns out Cola consists of former members of the band Ought (Ought broke up sometime ins 2021). Cola’s album was released by Fire Talk Records, but looks to be disto-ed by Rough Trade.
And lo and behold, Cola is playing at The Slowdown July 18.
What got me falling down this rabbit hole was a post by Little Brazil that pointed out that their new album, Just Leave, was No. 187 on the College Radio Charts 1000 (it was No. 332 this past week). I have never heard of College Radio Charts and there’s very little info online about the organization. Needless to say, their top 30 is different than NACC’s top 30. Still, congrats to Little Brazil!
The big question: Are college radio charts relevant in the steaming era?
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Tonight at Reverb Lounge, the dynamic duo of Pagan Athletes headlines a show that includes a couple bands I’m not familiar with: Captain Howdy and Thee Bots. $7, 8 p.m.
As much as some things change, some things never change. Like finding parking around The Admiral f.k.a. Sokol Auditorium.
I didn’t get down there Saturday night for the Bright Eyes concert until well after 9 p.m. and was thrown into a time warp circa the early 2000s, driving the same back streets I did back then, looking for a parking space. I remembered my ol’ standby about three blocks southwest of the auditorium. Wasn’t there a church there before? And where did this high-rise condo/apartment building come from?
Neighbors were out on their stoops, getting ready to watch street fireworks. “You going to the show?” a young lady said while her husband chatted up a neighbor across the street, a baby in his arms.
“Sure am.” I said.
“Well, have a good time!”
Ah, that South Omaha charm, it never fades.
The building’s exterior hadn’t changed at all. Security was out front on the sidewalk checking IDs for drinkers, and someone asked to see my Vax card (few if any wore masks in the audience). Once inside, I emptied my pockets and lifted my seed cap to a guy holding a scanning wand, wondering how long the line must have been an hour earlier.
Once past the stairway and into the actual hall and you’re met with what feels like a new facility. The biggest updates on first glance were the fresh coat of paint (gilded gold along the balcony and the stage crown) and the gorgeous, new enormous bar in the north end of the building where the gym used to be (Note: no Rolling Rock. I settled for an $8 Stella tallboy).
Bright Eyes at The Admiral Theater, July 2, 2022
Bright Eyes already was on stage when I entered. So the big question: How did the room sound? I’m no audiophile, but it sounded more balanced and less boomy than I remembered. The PA speakers are now flown from the ceiling, and there’s an enormous new soundboard. It sounded as good as any large performance venue in Omaha, heard through my earplugs because the high volume.
The first thing I noticed missing from stage — Mike Mogis. Turns out he got COVID and missed the show — a real bummer.
Frontman Conor Oberst was his usual shambolic self, doing his new, weird solo dance during “Dance and Sing,” that looked forced and unnatural. You know what they say, dance like no one is looking. And that’s exactly what he did.
Showing high energy to the point of being jittery, Oberst’s voice was a bit frayed, especially on the more energetic numbers. He was backed by a small orchestra and a band that included MiWi La Lupa on multiple instruments, amazing drummer Jon Theodore (Queens of the Stone Age, ex-The Mars Volta), and Nate Walcott, who played the Paul Shaffer role as the pseudo bandleader giving cues from across the stage.
The 2022 version of Bright Eyes includes Oberst performing a number of songs with only microphone in hand — not behind a piano or a guitar. That freed him to do his wonky dancing and odd hand gestures, running to and fro across the stage. Oberst was at his best seated at a piano or playing guitar, more relaxed and more natural. In fact, as big and bombastic as this version of Bright Eyes is, I’d prefer to see the band stripped back down to Mike, Nate, Conor, MiWi and that drummer, just like the good ol’ days.
You can see the full set list below, which for the most part followed what he’s been playing on tour (with a couple order changes). The highlight was a modernized version of “Neely O’Hara” pushed forward by a very cool electric guitar counter melody. It was followed by a stripped-down version of “First Day of My Life” that had the crowd singing along.
I’ve been going to Bright Eyes concerts for 25 years, and this was one of the more downcast set lists I can remember — lots of slower, darker songs. On stage Oberst acknowledged his ongoing pessimism/sarcasm, and punctuated it with his usual between-song political rants, which we’ve all heard before and all agree with.
He strayed from politics only a few times. Once reminiscing about living in the apartment house on 40th and Farnam nicknamed the Jerk Store back in ’98 and ’99 (and where I first interviewed him while Joe Knapp practiced music somewhere upstairs). The other was toward the end of the set where he acknowledged the new Admiral. “I’ve played here a thousand times,” he said. “I wouldn’t call what I’m feeling ‘deja vu’ as much as ‘The Twilight Zone.’”
The band stuck to their usual three-song encore and then the lights went up and I could see the Admiral a bit better.
The Admiral Theater looking from the balcony toward the new bar area, July 2, 2022.
The floor was the same as I remembered, as was the chandelier. With everyone filing out the security guard let me see the balcony — maybe the biggest improvement of the entire remodel. It’s completely different, with a new built-out bar that runs along the building’s east wall and windows, and is amazing. It’s like a small club separated yet open to the balcony. The actual balcony wings were the same, though now you can see into the backstage area (maybe you always could?).
Gorgeous new Admiral balcony bar. Notice the windows in back, which are the building’s front windows. July 2, 2022.
Balcony tickets were $75 vs. the $45 general admission. Definitely worth the splurge for the right band. I’m not sure Bright Eyes fits the bill. That said, I’ve never been a fan of watching performances from the balcony. It’s too isolated, too separated from what’s going on down on the floor.
Which brings up one more big improvement at The Admiral. Friday’s show was crowded — probably a sell out. In years’ past, shows like that at Sokol Auditorium would have been a test to endure the heat and humidity. The Admiral’s HVAC did yeoman’s duty, keeping the place relatively cool and air well-circulated — which is even more important considering how COVID is beginning to spike again in Douglas County.
Jim Johnson and Marc Leibowitz — the masterminds behind the renovation — looked like a couple proud papas. They should be proud. They’ve created a jewel of a live performance space and saved a piece of Omaha history in the process. And they did it the old-fashioned way — as part of a team of investors who put their own money on the table along with their sweat and blood. That takes enormous courage after what this city — and this country — has been through. I have no doubt the gamble will pay off.
Check out their shiny new website. Looking at their calendar, I see more Admiral in my future. On my radar: Sunny Day Real Estate Sept. 14, Kurt Vile and the Violators Oct. 20 and Godspeed You! Black Emperor Nov. 4., which, by then, will mean trudging through snow drifts to get back to our car.
Here’s the setlist from the July 2 Bright Eyes show at The Admiral:
Dance and Sing Lover I Don’t Have to Love Bowl of Oranges Mariana Trench Old Soul Song (for the New World Order) One and Done Falling Out of Love at This Volume No One Would Riot for Less Haile Selassie Persona non grata Tilt-a-Whirl Stairwell Song Neely O’Hara First Day of My Life The Calendar Hung Itself Comet Song
Encore: Ladder Song I Believe in Symmetry One for You, One for Me
The long wait is over this Saturday as The Admiral — f.k.a. Sokol Auditorium — finally opens its doors, and for Bright Eyes no less. This, after months of “construction delays” have forced at least a dozen shows to be rescheduled or moved to other venues. I have to believe the 1% guys (and the Mammoth folks and other investors) are relieved to finally be open for business.
So, strange story about Saturday night’s Bright Eyes show — earlier this week I announced that it was sold out, because it was marked “sold out” on the 1% website and on the etix site. Then suddenly a day or so ago, it’s no longer sold out. No idea what the deal was.
I also noticed that both Saturday and Sunday nights are “Masks required unless eating or drinking” shows, as well as No Vax No Entry. Maybe it was on there before and I didn’t notice it. So if you’re going this weekend, be vaxed or get tested and be able to prove it, and bring your mask (though for the life of me, I have no idea how they’ll enforce the mask mandate — just wear one anyway). Tickets are $45 or $75 for “Premiere Balcony” seats. I’m told the balcony is completely renovated, and the original plans were to have a separate bar in the balcony. Hurray for the Riff Raff kicks things off at 8 p.m.
OK, so what about tonight (Friday)?
Digital Leather is playing tonight at The Sydney as part of Drag Night at The Sydney. There’s two listings for this show — one says it’s an amateur drag night (Hit ‘em w/yr catwalk), and the other is DL’s listing (+ drag night), which says they go on at 11. $5. Grab your wig and heels and come on down.
Also tonight, the Slowdown is back at it after harvesting (millions?) of CWS dollars the past couple weekends. Well, the tents are gone and the bands are back. Tonight it’s LA alt-rock band Liily with Catcher and our very own Infinite Video. $18, 8 p.m.
Over at The Berkley, 1901 Leavenworth St., new local four-piece Indian Caves (Dan Krueger, Joe Ranne, Kyle Moeller and Leslie Wells) headlines tonight with Saltwater Sanctuary and ol’ favorites Midwest Dilemma (acoustic). $5. 8 p.m.
Tomorrow night (Saturday) there’s a sort of “secret show” at fabulous O’Leaver’s. The listing says Secret Serenade w/Cookie Mug. No idea who these bands really are, but the show is free so the only thing you’re risking is your time. Plus, it’s nearly impossible to have anything but a good time at O’Leaver’s. Show starts at 9 p.m.
Finally, Pageturners Lounge is hosing a folk-poet quartet called The Snarlin Yarns Saturday night. Opening is one of Omaha’s best kept music secrets, Mike Schlesinger. This is a free show and it starts at 8 p.m.
And that’s all I got for this long July 4 weekend. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a bang-up time.
The folks at the Maha Music Festival today announced a pretty drastic line-up change for their upcoming festival. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever has been added to the Saturday program. The Australian band scored big with their 2018 release, Hope Downs (Sub Pop), which made it on a lot of critic’s “best of” list. Their latest, Endless Rooms (2022, Sub Pop) is a return to form, garnering 7.3 on the Pitchfork meter.
Meanwhile, 4AD artist Bartees Strange has dropped off the Maha bill. I was looking forward to seeing Bartees and his band, as Farm to Table is one of the more surprising releases so far this year. But never fear, Bartees Strange has been rescheduled to play at The Slowdown Dec. 15.
So, a wash? Rolling Blackouts probably has a bigger following and might sell more tickets, whereas Bartees is more cutting edge and lesser-known. So, advantage Maha… probably. I have no idea how well festival tickets have been moving. We’re a month out and they have yet to sell out their limited VIP tickets, whereas Outlandia sold out all their VIP tickets some time ago. Apples and oranges I know, but still….
One other Maha schedule change – Saddle Creek Records act Indigo De Souza has been moved from Saturday to Friday night. See the full schedule here, and buy tickets while you’re at it.
A reminder: Tonight’s Helmet show at The Waiting Room is POSTPONED. I think COVID had something to do with it.
That was the only show tonight on my radar.
Saturday night, it’s back to fabulous O’Leaver’s for Nate Bergman and Megan Siebe. Based out to D.C., Bergman just got off the road with Cursive and Appleseed Cast. His new album, Metaphysical Change, was released by Velocity Records and has a real traditional rock sound. Omaha singer/songwriter Megan Siebe, who has worked with local heavy hitters including Cursive, Simon Joyner and Tim Kasher to name just three, has a new album out on Grapefruit Records called Swaying Steady that’s a real beaut! You get both artists for the low, low price of FREE. Starts early at 7 p.m.
Also Saturday night, electronic project Cult Play headlines at The Sydney in Benson. Joining Cult Play is Problems (a.k.a. Darren Keen of The Show is The Rainbow) and Money Marcs. $8, 10 p.m.
Sunday night, Cincinnati’s Motherfolk headlines at Reverb Lounge. Minneapolis band Durry opens at 8 p.m. $18.
And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend.
I was a bit under the weather yesterday and as a result, I didn’t update the blog yesterday, and as a result, I didn’t hype last night’s Cat Piss show at Reverb (or the Man Man show at The Waiting Room).
So, apologies to Cat Piss’ Sam Lipsett, who reached out specifically about this show. Wish I would have been there.
But, let it be known, Cat Piss is releasing their debut album, Cat Piss Rides Again, this Friday on Boise, Idaho label Mishap Records, and the two singles I’ve heard are like an homage to the ‘90s Nebraska punk sound (i.e., bands like Mousetrap, Cellophane Ceiling and Sideshow come to mind).
Cat Piss is Casey Plucinski on guitar/vocals, Nathan Wolf on drums/vocals and Lipsett on bass/vocals. The new album was recorded by Ben Brodin and mastered by Carl Saff. Get ready for this one.
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Tonight is the big Neko Case show at The Waiting Room. This show was originally slated for the new Admiral Theater (the former Sokol Auditorium), but was moved due to construction delays pushing back the venue’s opening. If you follow The Admiral on Facebook than you’ve seen the recent photos that show the project is coming along, and all indications are that the theater will be open for the July 2-3 Bright Eyes shows.
Anyway, tonight’s show is being marketed as “An Evening with Neko Case” which I guess means there’s no opening act. The June 17 set list for Case’s Portland show indicates it’s going to include from her career-spanning retrospective album, Wild Creatures.
Head’s up, in addition to being a No Vax No Entry show, Neko is requesting that everyone wear a mask. I have no idea how masking will be enforced (or if it will), but bring one and wear it out of courtesy for the artist. 8 p.m. $41.
Dave Dondero at The Concert for Equality, 7/31/10. He plays tonight at Pagerurner’s Lounge.
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by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com
Singer/songwriter David Dondero’s goes back to the early Saddle Creek Records days as he’s been cited by Conor Oberst as one of his primary influences, specifically referencing Dondero’s work with his ’90s-era band Sunbrain, which released albums on Grass Records (which released records from a number of Omaha bands, including Commander Venus, Mousetrap and Cactus Nerve Thang). Dondero’s latest release is 2020’s The Filter Bubble Blues. Joining him tonight at Pageturners Lounge is local legend Craig Dee on drums for a few numbers. This free show starts at 9 p.m.
T’was a busy weekend. If you’re looking for the review of the Whipkey/America concert, it was published yesterday, here.
The weekend kicked off with David Nance Band at Reverb Lounge… actually, Nance said he doesn’t want to use that name anymore. I’m not sure if he’s kidding or not, but (maybe) look out for a new band name sometime in the near future.
The gig celebrated the release of his new album, Pulverized & Slightly Peaced, which came out last Friday on Philly label Petty Bunco Records. That said, the performance went well beyond that album’s material, with Nance and Co. playing songs from a number of past records.
The set’s highlight was an amazing version of “Credit Line,” which appears in a more deconstructed, low-fi version on the new record. The version performed Friday night was absolutely killer, and is begging (or I’m begging) to be properly recorded and released. The heart of the sound was the band’s rhythm section, consisting of drummer Kevin Donahue and bassist Dereck Higgins, but the soul came from Nance trading punches with fellow guitarist Jim Schroeder.
Nathan Ma and the Guitars at Reverb Lounge, June 17, 2022.
Among the night’s openers was Nathan Ma and the Guitars. I’m a fan of Ma’s music, especially his recent singles (here’s hoping he’s pulling them together for a proper album).
Backed by a stellar ensemble that included Tom May on guitar, Jon Cobb on bass, Billy Lieberman on percussion and Colin Duckworth on pedal steel, Ma writes and sings music that lies somewhere between country barroom and ’60s baroque, Flying Burrito Brothers meets The Byrds, with multiple guitar lines weaving in and out of dreamy, mid-tempo melodies sung in Ma’s soft, sweet mew (which, at times, got lost in the mix).
Lieberman’s minimal percussion (mostly bongos) and Duckworth’s warm, layered pedal steel really set the tone, but when all the guitars got into a meticulous groove, it was mesmerizing.
This was one of the largest crowds I’ve seen at Reverb since the pandemic, btw…
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It’s a busy week of touring shows, so get your Red Bull ready:
— it’s David Dondero and Craig Dee at Pageturners.
— Wednesday, Man Man at The Waiting Room.
— Thursday, Neko Case at The Waiting Room.
— Friday, Helmet at The Waiting Room. This one has been postponed.
Go take a look! This is what replaced the Top 20 list this year, and why not? Because all these bands deserve to be in a Top 20 for surviving the pandemic…
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Now, let’s get to the weekend…
Tonight at Reverb Lounge David Nance Band celebrates the release of their new album, Pulverized and Slightly Peaced. Recorded in early 2017, the album, available on vinyl, is a collection of home-recorded originals that were spit-shined to become the album Peaced & Slightly Pulverized, that was released a few years ago by Trouble in Mind Records.
From the Bandcamp description of the new album: “Conceived and recorded within a single work week, with our blue-collar Nance setting up all the microphones, playing all the instruments, and riding all the faders, Pulverized & Slightly Peaced contains all the elements that we at Petty Bunco admire in music: the tried and true Rn’R instruments lovingly misused to create a vital ragged sound dripping with personality and verve.”
So, an album of demoes? Outtakes? I actually don’t know because I’m only now listening to it this morning. The album includes a 20-minute version of “Amethyst,” which I assume will take up most of (if not all) of side 2. Check it out and order the record here. Performing with Nance and his band is the amazing Nathan Ma and the Guitars, and opener Kyle Jessen. 9 p.m., $10.
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Also tonight, there’s a punk rock show at The Sydney with Nowhere, Living Conditions and a “Special Guest.” Who could it be? Go and find out! 10 p.m. $10.
Tomorrow night (Saturday), indie alt-country acts Cactus Blossoms headlines at Reverb Lounge with Esther Rose, another twanger whose music is released on respected indie label Father/Daughter Records. I got a strange feeling that this will be one of those shows where you say in a few years that you saw these bands on the tiny Reverb stage before they were big. $20, 8 p.m.
And here’s some bonus coverage: Local singer/songwriter Matt Whipkey will be opening for legacy FM radio freedom-rock band America at The Holland Performing Arts Center Saturday night. This is the first time Matt has played the Holland stage, where he’ll be accompanied by his old wingman Scott Gaeta for the performance.
When checking out this show, I tapped through America’s catalog on Spotify. I thought their only hit was “Horse with No Name,” but America actually has, like, a dozen hits, including one of my all-time FM radio faves, “Daisy Jane.” 7 p.m., tix range from $39 to $99.
That’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend!
Comments Off on ‘Top indie bands’ (in The Reader); David Nance Band, Nathan Ma tonight; Cactus Blossoms, Esther Rose, America, Matt Whipkey (at the Holland) Saturday…
Tonight at The Sydney in Benson, Nashville’s Thelma and the Sleaze headline. The band is “an all-female, queer, southern-rock and roll band” according to Spotify. Their latest, 2020’s Sacred as Hell, was released by DryerBaby Records. Lincoln’s Universe Contest and our very own Pagan Athletes open at 8 p.m. $15!
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