Of Montreal at The Waiting Room, Nov. 2, 2013. The band plays at The Waiting Room Sunday night.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

It’s drop day for Conor Oberst’s solo album, Ruminations. In the old days, drop day meant when you could go out and buy a copy of the record. These days drop day means you can now listen to the new album on Spotify and the other streaming services.

Reviews of Oberst’s new album also have been dropping all week. The one everyone cares about — Pitchfork — went online Wednesday. Saddle Creek beat critic Ian Cohen gave the record a respectable 7.5 rating, saying it is “stunning for how utterly alone he sounds.”

Rolling Stone gave the album 3.5 stars. AV Club, B+. NME: 4 out of 5. All Music: 3 stars. Drowned in Sound: 9 out of 10. The Album of the Year composite score is 69. As a whole, the reviews have been positive, pointing out that it’s a stripped-down, personal record, which it is. I do like the record, but it’s not likely to be something I’ll be reaching for very often. These are very sing-songy efforts, which I guess means they sound like the chords came first and he merely sang lyrics over them in the most comfortable, obvious way. You will not be surprised by the musical direction of any song.

But that said, some of these songs will resonate more over time, especially combined with his overall songbook.  He now has the acoustic solo album out of his system. What will he do next?

* * *

Let’s look at the weekend. The only major show is Sunday. We’ll get to that.

Tonight Chemicals opens for CJ Mills at Reverb Lounge. If you haven’t caught a Chemicals set, you’re missing out. $7, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, Blue Bird headlines at fabulous O’Leaver’s with St. Paul band Communist Daughter and Satellite Junction. $7, 9 p.m.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) California garage rock veterans Ex-Cult (Goner, In the Red, Lollipop Records) headlines at Milk Run. Joining them are No Thanks and one one other TBA superstar. $10, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, at O’Leaver’s, Lodgings headlines Saturday night with Sean Pratt and Brazen Throat. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Also Saturday night, singer/songwriter Mitch Gettmann headlines at the Down Under Lounge, 3530 Leavenworth. Mike Saklar’s Sunless Trio also is on the bill, along with Disquieting Muses. No price listed, 9 p.m.

And Satchel Grande celebrates its 10 year anniversary at The Slowdown Saturday night. Rothsteen opens. $8, 9 p.m.

Then comes Sunday and this show at The Waiting Room:

Of Montreal plays at The Waiting Room Oct. 16.

Of Montreal has made Omaha a regular tour stop for well over a decade. If you’ve kept track of the band you know their early-days home-made theatrics have evolved into grandiose, eye-popping extravaganzas that can compete with Flaming Lips for over-the-top stage dominance. We’re talking lights, costumes, props and numerous stage extras (actors?) living out the songs in weird, wonderful ways. It’s a spectacular spectacle that David Bowie surely would have approved of.

The band returns supporting its latest album, Innocence Reaches (2016, Polyvinyl), that finds Kevin Barnes and Co. mining EDM territory but with quaint electronics and beats reminiscent of Pet Shop Boys. The thread that runs through it and all Of Montreal records is Barnes’ quirky melodies and trademark vocal croon that sounds like an alien computer singing lullabies to its robot children.

We caught up with Barnes and asked him to take our Ten Questions survey.

1. What is your favorite album?

Kevin Barnes: Lamentations by Moses Sumney

2. What is your least favorite song?
 


The National Anthem

3. What do you enjoy most about being in a band? 



Being wild and free.

4. What do you hate about being in a band? 



Practicing

5. What is your favorite substance (legal or illegal)? 



Glass

6. In what city or town do you love to perform? 



Santa Fe

7. What city or town did you have your worst gig (and why)? 



Eureka, California, It was Cinco de Mayo many years ago at a sports bar, no one knew who we were and everyone seemed  intensely stupid and openly hostile. One person spent most of our show standing in front of our bass player and giving her the middle finger.


8. How do you pay your bills? 



With money

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 become a sports writer and cover boxing matches for a newspaper. I’d hate to be the judge at any kind of food eating competition.

10. What are the stories you’ve heard about Omaha, Nebraska?



I’ve heard that it smells of manure and that it’s rich in precious jewels.

Of Montreal performs with Teen Sunday, Oct. 16, at The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St. Showtime is 9 p.m.; tickets are $20. For more information, go to onepercentproductions.com

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

* * *

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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Ceremony at The Sweatshop Gallery, July 11, 2015. The band plays Lincoln Calling Saturday night.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

It’s a Lincoln Calling weekend. You know the drill. Schedule and ticket info is at lincolncalling.com. If you’re planning on hitting the fest tonight and Saturday, you still save money with a $49 Festival Pass vs. the $29 day pass option. Just sayin’….

The hot bands to see tonight at LC: Everything at the Bourbon Theater (Eric in Outerspace, A Giant Dog, Twin Peaks and Real Estate); Eros & the Eschaton, Oquoa, White Mystery and Cloud Nothings at Duffy’s backlot; Bib at The Bay.

Saturday night Duffy’s Backlot is the place to be — the whole line-up is red hot: No Thanks, Once a Pawn, Better Friend, Bien Fang, See Through Dresses, Screaming Females and, in my humble opinion, the best band of the festival, Ceremony. That said, you also have High Up and The Mynabirds at Bourbon; and Domestica, White Mystery and Anna McClellan at The Bay.

If you’re staying in Omaha this weekend, you’ve got options as well.

FLOCK opens at the Little Gallery tonight.

In Benson, it’s Benson First Friday, the 1st Annual Omaha Food Truck Rodeo and the Grand Opening of the new Little Gallery, which just happens to be the gallery operated by my wife, Teresa. The debut show is FLOCK by the folks at Min Day (the people who designed the new Blue Barn Theater, among other things). Read about it here. We’ll have free beer and wine and Halloween candy while the gallery is open from 6 to 9 p.m. The new Little Gallery is located in the ground floor of the Benson Masonic Lodge building right off Maple St. at 5901 Maple St. See you there.

Saturday night Omaha has a festival of its own — Farnam Fest. Located in the heart of the Blackstone District, the block party will include food (including Blackstone Meatball!), booze (Scriptown, bitches, along with Farnam House and Infusion) and music by Head of Femur, Those Far Out Arrows, Twinsmith, Conny Franko (M34N STR33T), AF Jungle Cat and The Diplomats of Solid Sound featuring the Diplomettes. Music starts at 4 p.m. and runs until 10:15, followed by Benson Soul Society Vs. Obvious Funk. Oh yeah, and it’s free.

The weekend closes out Sunday at Reverb…

Cymbals Eat Guitars plays Reverb Sunday night.

Staten Island band Cymbals Eat Guitars got its name from a Lou Reed quote about Velvet Underground’s sound, which is kinda ironic considering their new album, the sublime Pretty Years (2016, Barsuk), sounds nothing like VU.

Instead, the record, one of the best of the year so far, is like Jane’s Addiction mixed with Archers of Loaf and your favorite modern post-punk band. The Jane’s comparisons comes by way of frontman Joseph D’Agostino’s throaty growl that sounds like a possessed, angry Perry Farrell. The record was produced by indie wunderkind John Congleton (Suuns, Swans, Tim Kasher), who gives it a raw power not heard on their previous albums.

I sent the Ten Questions survey to the band, and bassist Matt Whipple took the bait.

What is your favorite album?

Cymbals Eat Guitars: Bowie’s Low or Springsteen Born in the USA

2. What is your least favorite song?

“Nobody’s Gonna Break My Stride” or whatever it’s called.

3. What do you enjoy most about being in a band?

The four of us in a room playing.

4. What do you hate about being in a band?

Making more money than I know what to do with.

5. What is your favorite substance (legal or illegal)?

Advil

6. In what city or town do you love to perform?

NYC

7. What city or town did you have your worst gig (and why)?

Paris is kind of a nightmare to drive a huge van around for gig logistics. Let’s go with Paris.

8. How do you pay your bills?

Day jobs.

9. What one profession other than music would you like to attempt; what one profession would you absolutely hate to do?

Interior design; stand-up comedy.

10. What are the stories you’ve heard about Omaha, Nebraska?

Probably something about Saddle Creek or Warren Buffett? Not much to be honest, despite having toured extensively with Cursive and See Through Dresses.

Cymbals Eat Guitars plays with Field Mouse and Wildhoney Sunday, Oct. 9, at Reverb Lounge. Tickets are $12; showtime is 9 p.m. For more information, go to onepercentproductions.com

Also Sunday night — or Sunday afternoon to be more precise — Anna McClellan headlines the weekly Sunday Social at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Also on the bill are Little Ripple and Chris Engles. This one starts at 5 p.m. and runs until 8, and will cost you $5 (and includes a taco bar!).

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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Mountain Goats at The Waiting Room, Sept. 30, 2016.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Another crushed, table-clearing night at The Waiting Room last Friday for The Mountain Goats — especially impressive when you consider it was a $25 ticket.

John Darnielle and company have been coming through Omaha literally for decades. Darnielle pointed that out from stage, reminiscing about first hearing a young, bombastic folkie named Simon Joyner when Joyner passed through Darnielle’s town. They exchanged information and eventually would record and release music together. In fact, I’m holding a copy of the Why You All So Thief 7-inch, a split between Joyner and The Mountain Goats that came out on Sing, Eunuchs! way back in 1994 (and which is still available from Simon’s grapefruitrecordclub.com website).

Darnielle played a couple songs which were either inspired by or recorded at the time of those Joyner sessions, recorded “with Simon just around the corner from the Antiquarium.” One of those songs was “Baboon,” played during the solo acoustic interlude in the center of his set. The rest of the night, Darnielle was accompanied by his band, including a dude on a jazzy tenor saxophone, playing songs from their latest album, an ode to professional wrestling called Beat the Champ (2015, Merge). Most were preceded by a funny story explaining the lore of the world of wresting and the characters that inhabit it.

I’ve been watching and listening to Darnielle for years and other than a few recent loungy additions, his story-telling song-writing style hasn’t changed. Every song is an introduction to a new character who is trying to do his or her damnedest just to get by. Simple, honest songs that no doubt have influenced a variety of bands from The Hold Steady to Decemberists.

While the crowd was definitely into the set — a few even moved to the beat on the floor — Mountain Goats isn’t exactly a dance band, and is now reaching a level of popularity where a sit-down concert at a formal theater might make sense. Imagine them at The Orpheum…

Oh Pep! at The Waiting Room, Sept. 30, 2016.

Opening act Oh Pep! drew upon gorgeous melodies and frontwoman Olivia Hally’s remarkable voice for a memorable set of music from their debut album, Stadium Cake, which they said took seven years to make. While Hally handled the acoustic guitar parts, the “Pep” part of Oh Pep! —  Pepita Emmerichs — switched between mandolin and violin while adding gorgeous harmonies. This is a band to keep an eye on.

Oh Pep! closed out the set with help from Mountain Goats, who joined them on stage for a rousing version of the band’s first single, “Doctor Doctor.”

* * *

Larkin Poe opens for Elvis Costello tomorrow night at The Holland.

Talk about your sweet opening gigs, Atlanta sister act Larkin Poe will have a hard time finding a better tour mate than the legendary Elvis Costello, who they open for Oct. 4 at the Holland Performing Arts Center.

The band, fronted by Rebecca and Megan Lovell, started out as the Lovell Sisters with their sister, Jessica, an act that ran its course in 2009. In their new iteration, the sisters have definitely gone electric, playing a southern-fried style of rock that sounds like heavy Alison Krauss meets Iris Dement.

Here’s how the sisters tackled the Ten Questions gauntlet:

What is your favorite album?

Megan: Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd.

Rebecca: Living with the Law, Chris Whitley.

What is your least favorite song?

“This Is The Song That Never Ends”

What do you enjoy most about being in a band?

Megan: Playing music for a living! The opportunity to get up onstage and share a connection with people of all shapes and sizes. It’s amazing to see so many different parts of the world.

Rebecca: Creative freedom. The art of singing and songwriting has been around since the dawn of enlightened man; to be able to carry on that tradition and walk the righteous way of rock’n’roll is an incredibly satisfying way to live.

What do you hate about being in a band?

Megan: You have to say goodbye to your home and loved ones far too often.

Rebecca: The temptation to be highly critical of yourself as an artist. All the time.

What is your favorite substance (legal or illegal)?

Megan: Cheddar flavored popcorn. It should be illegal.

Rebecca: Patchouli oil.

In what city or town do you love to perform?

We played a sold out show in London at the Borderline a few months ago – having ticket scalpers working the sidewalks out front of the club, for our show, was a rush. We appreciate the support our British fans have shown us.

What city or town did you have your worst gig (and why)?

The worst gigs we’ve ever played are the gigs that we didn’t get to play. We’ve only had to cancel a few shows due to illness, but canceling a show is the worst thing of all.

How do you pay your bills?

We’re proud to be full-time musicians. We pay our bills by being ’21st century artists’… In short: we do just about anything and everything to bring in the dough – touring, recording, writing, you name it.

What one profession other than music would you like to attempt; what one profession would you absolutely hate to do?

Megan: I’d be a professional stunt double. I’d hate to work in a slaughterhouse.

Rebecca: I’d be a crystal-gazing clairvoyant. I’d hate to be a competitive eater.

What are the stories you’ve heard about Omaha, Nebraska?

We’ve made our own stories in Omaha with native son, Conor Oberst. We’ve spent a couple pleasant nights at his place, Pageturners Lounge, listening to friends perform or playing songs of our own!

Larkin Poe opens for Elvis Costello Tuesday, Oct. 4, at the Holland Performing Arts Center, 13th & Douglas Streets. Tickets range from $46.25 to $126.25. Showtime is 7 p.m. For more information, go to ticketomaha.com

* * *

Tonight, Mark Kozelek makes his first appearance ever at Slowdown Jr., and if I’m not mistaken, first time ever in Omaha. He’s played the last two Sun Kil Moon shows at Vega in Lincoln. Tonight’s show is listed as “An Evening with Mark Kozelek,” with no opener. I’m curious how this will deviate from a SKM show and the set he performed Sept. 26 as Sun Kil Moon in Denmark, which you can read here. I can tell you it’ll be a heavy experience for those who attend. I saw Kozelek as SKM perform in a church at SXSW a few years ago, and it was a long, dark evening that I’ll never forget. $23, 9 p.m. See you there…

* * *

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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Flowers Forever at O’Leaversfest, Sept. 23, 2016.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Another O’Leaversfest has come and gone. Alas, I was only able to take part in Day 1, last Friday night, and only for the closing band. If the rest of the weekend was as well attended as Day 1, organizers may want to consider adding a camping option for the festival — let all those out-of-towners pitch their tents in the volleyball courts.

On warm evenings like Friday, it’s become more and more common for the majority of the crowd to be out in the new beer garden, and that was certainly the case, all basking in the glow of Tyrone Storm’s deft DJ skills. So crowded and hectic was it that I escaped to the old front beer garden, where only a few people sat around and smoked and waited for the band to play. Old-school O’Leaver’s… for the beautiful people…

Flowers Forever drew everyone back inside. In the old days, Flowers Forever was Derek Pressnall and whoever joined him on stage (but with a couple regulars). Friday was the same thing, with original member Craig Dee on drums. Third original member. Chris Senseney, was not in the house (or at least I didn’t see him). The other five slots were filled with a few familiar faces, including Annie Dilocker on keyboards and Sarah Bohling of Icky Blossoms on bass.

The set kicked off with an rousing version of “American Dream” off the 2008 debut (and as far as I know, the only Flowers Forever album released) and barrelled through a number of other songs off the album including “Black Pope” and “Strange Fruit.” I’d forgotten how much I liked the record when it came out. To me it always felt like an outsider coming into the cloistered Nebraska scene and creating his own, new thing from the bits and pieces that resonated with him. The outsider being Pressnall, the bits and pieces being the more upbeat moments from Bright Eyes’ early 2000s offerings.

Of the unknown players on stage, a standout was the lead guitarist, a young guy who absolutely shredded throughout the set. The next day Craig Dee told me the guy was Cubby Phillips, who, upon further research, I discovered is a jazz dude who won the Outstanding Soloist Award at the 2013 Great Planes Jazz Festival. Head-spinning skills, he has. (Update: Dereck Higgins just pointed out that he’s the guitarist in Chemicals).

I never found out what inspired this Flowers Forever “reunion,” though I must say the music has aged well. I’m told this wasn’t just a one-shot, and I’d certainly pay to see them again, though reunion bands have a way of fading if they don’t augment their past with something new. Pressnall now has Icky Blossoms as a creative outlet these days, and for him, maybe that’s enough…

* * *

Jackie Greene plays at Slowdown Jr. Tuesday, Sept. 27.

Roots / American singer-songwriter Jackie Greene is known as a musician’s musician, having played with a ton of people over the years, including as a member of the last iteration of Black Crowes and with Joan Osborne in Trigger Hippy. His latest album, Back to Birth (2015, Yep Roc), was produced by Los Lobos member Steve Berlin, and will appeal to Black Crowes fans or anyone who enjoys dense, guitar-infused American Trad rock.

I sent Greene the ol’ Ten Questions and this is what he had to say:

1. What is your favorite album?

Exile On Main Street

2. What is your least favorite song?

“Lovin Cup”

3. What do you enjoy most about being in a band?

Spooning the merch girl.

4. What do you hate about being in a band?

Spooning the bass player.

5. What is your favorite substance (legal or illegal)?

Chipotle-flavored anything.

6. In what city or town do you love to perform?

Osaka, Japan.  A distant second would be Perth.

7. What city or town did you have your worst gig (and why)?

Somewhere in rural South Dakota.  It was winter and the gear froze.

8. How do you pay your bills?

Online, generally.

9. What one profession other than music would you like to attempt; what one profession would you absolutely hate to do?

Someday, I’d like to open my own typewriter repair shop.  We’d only service post-war American-made machines. We’d have limited hours. I probably wouldn’t like to do anything involving a nail salon.

10. What are the stories you’ve heard about Omaha, Nebraska?

I have a friend from Omaha.  I’ve heard lots of stories.  Most of them good.

Jackie Greene plays with The Cordovas Tuesday, Sept. 27, at Slowdown Jr.,  729 No. 14th St. Tickets are $18 Adv./$20 DOS. Showtime is 8 p.m. For more information, go to theslowdown.com

* * *

It’s a night of emo rock at Milk Run this evening. Headlining is Omaha’s own Super Ghost, whereas the traveling band is Minnesota act Weathered. Altura and Medlock open. 9 p.m. $5.

* * *

Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Mild High Club plays Reverb Lounge tomorrow night (9/21). Photo by Jamie Wdziekonski.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Talk about your bands whose name perfectly suits their sound, Mild High Club takes the cake. We’re talking smooth, jazzy, indie-fied Yacht Rock from a band with roots in both Chicago and Los Angeles. Skiptracing, their new album on Stones Throw Records, would fit in heavy rotation with any run-of-the-mill ’70s AM rock radio.

The band says the album’s story arc is that of a “private investigator attempting to trace the steps of the sound and the spirit of American music.” One assumes it’s a story that takes place in LA, dressed in polyester, behind the wheel of a tan Chevy Nova, and airing right after The Rockford Files.

I sent Mild High Club the Ten Questions survey. The band’s founder, Alexander Brettin, took the bait:

1. What is your favorite album?

Alexander Brettin: I can’t narrow it down to one currently it’s The Nightfly by Don Fagen.

2. What is your least favorite song?

“Happy” by Farrell.

3. What do you enjoy most about being in a band?

Kicking out the jams, learning, seeing the world, freedom.

4. What do you hate about being in a band?

Witting in the passenger seat of the van gives me anxiety.

5. What is your favorite substance (legal or illegal)? favorite substance?

Jazz harmonies

6. In what city or town do you love to perform?

Omaha, baby

7. What city or town did you have your worst gig (and why)?

Pasadena – didn’t have the full band, struggled through a living room set.

8. How do you pay your bills?

With cash

9. What one profession other than music would you like to attempt; what one profession would you absolutely hate to do?

Would attempt working as a budtender; would hate to be a garbage man.

10. What are the stories you’ve heard about Omaha, Nebraska?

Actually, I’ve never heard a story about Omaha!

Mild High Club plays with Fullbloods and Ojai Wednesday, Sept. 21 at Reverb Lounge, Tickets are $10 Adv/$12 DOS. Show starts at 9 p.m. For more information, go to onepercentproductions.com.

* * *

Speaking of Reverb Lounge, the club is hosting a rock show tonight with post-punk/hip-hop band Show Me The Body (Universal). Opening is our own post-core hip-hop artist, Conny Franko (M34N STR33T), and Jocko. $8, 9 p.m.

* * *

Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Gringo Star plays at O’Leaver’s tonight…

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Atlanta 4-piece Gringo Star is keeping alive the sound their grand-parents adored — ’50s and ’60 rock ‘n’ roll.

“Our grandad started out in radio in the ’40s and ’50s in Columbus, GA.,” said Nick Furgiueles, who started Gringo Star with his brother, Peter, in 2007. “He was a huge promoter of R&B back when it was still super segregated, and he was playing black music and putting on shows with Little Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Sam Cooke & the Soul Stirrers, a lot of Gospel shows. So we grew up hearing all these stories, listening to all this music. Our grandfather was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame posthumously. And my grandma — all her photo albums are like Jackie Wilson shirtless backstage, hanging out.”

The sounds of those AM gems reverberate in Gringo Star’s modern take on classic rock infused in surf, garage, doo-wap and psychedelic. The band’s been playing around with indie brethren like The Black Angels, Wavves and Best Coast for years, then at SXSW they caught the attention of Nevado Music execs who put out their new album, The Sides and In Between, just last week. Hear the band play it live tonight at O’Leaver’s.

I sent the Gringos the ol’ Ten Questions survey and Nick was kind enough to fill it out.

1. What is your favorite album?

Nick Furgiueles: David Bowie- Ziggy Stardust

2. What is your least favorite song?

Everything by Fleetwood Mac

3. What do you enjoy most about being in a band?

Doing interviews

4. What do you hate about being in a band?

Doing interviews

5. What is your favorite substance (legal or illegal)?

The jalapeño.

6. In what city or town do you love to perform?

Bacup, England

7. What city or town did you have your worst gig (and why)?

Savannah, GA, we recently played a daytime show that was outside and it was no cooler than 108.  And the stage was in the sun.

8. How do you pay your bills?

Usually I write a check.

9. What one profession other than music would you like to attempt; what one profession would you absolutely hate to do?

I always wanted to be a professional baseball player, but I’d hate to be a police man, having to constantly ticket and leech off the public to maintain the war machine.

10. What are the stories you’ve heard about Omaha, Nebraska?

In 1879 the trial of Standing Bear v. Crook was held at Fort Omaha. During the trial General Crook testified on behalf of Standing Bear, leading the court to recognize American Indians as persons. This was the first time this occurred in a U.S. Federal Court.

Gringo Star joins Hussies and Eklectica tonight at O’Leaver’s, 1322 So. Saddle Creek Rd. Entry is $8, show starts at 9 p.m. For more information, go to liveatoleavers.com.

* * *

Hey, remember that festival that took place a few weeks ago called Maha? Well, I went to it and wrote this long-ish review for everyone’s favorite arts and music alternative monthly, The Reader. And now that review is finally online. No, this isn’t Throwback Thursday, and yet here I am, asking you to step into the Wayback Machine and read my thoughts and ruminations about Nebraska’s premiere one-day indie music festival. Of course if you prefer the analog version, you can pick up the latest issue of The Reader, which is on news racks ’round town.

* * *

Better Friend at The Sydney during Benson First Friday Femme Fest, Sept. 2, 2015.

Speaking of festivals, I swung by Benson First Friday Femme Fest last week for a drop in on Lincoln band Better Friend at The Sydney (seein’ as they came highly recommended by a certain executive at Hear Nebraska). Fronted by vocalist Meghan Munyon the band cranked out a rough but lively set of dark rock they describe as punk on their Facebook page, though I think leans more toward mid ’90s-era emo (as opposed to, say, ’80s-era emo — there is a distinction (at least in my book)). Munyon is a howler in a sort of Thalia Zedek vein, and when one of her guitarists adds a layer of scream/screech vocals, the emo turns to screamo. The crowd of around 30 seemed into it, and there’s  a lot of buzz about these folks, though I think we’re just seeing where they’re starting off. Where they go next, well, now that could be very intriguing…

As for Femme Fest, there’s little doubt that the annual event (in its second year) has surely become “a thing” that will continue for years to come.

* * *

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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

PLEASURES plays at O’Leaver’s Saturday night…

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

A lot of weird stuff happens in Florida. There was that time a Florida strip club offered free flu shots. Or the time the guy sprinkled his fiancee’s ashes at a LensCrafters causing the Sarasota Police to evacuate the mall. Or the time the guy tried to pay for a beer with an alligator. Or the time the guy died after getting stuck in his girlfriend’s cat door. All true (I found them on Buzzfeed).

But one of the stranger things out of Florida “in a good way” is PLEASURES. The Sarasota four-piece describes their sound as “sex music for robots” and “psychedelic/synthwave fagcore.” Cool blog Creative Loafing called them “demented surgeons on a quest to create some kind of new sonic Frankenstein” when they awarded them “Best Sci-Fi Psychedelia” in the annual Best of the Bay awards.

I’d describe them as “psych-fueled late-night dream-rock” and “the perfect soundtrack for any John Carpenter hero-epic,” especially songs off their new album Fucked Up Dreams Come True, like “Man Is a God in Ruins,” which just sounds cool and weird. But there’s a lot of weird stuff that happens in Florida.

We gave PLEASURES singer/guitarist Katherine Kelly the Ten Questions treatment. Here’s her answers.

1. What is your favorite album?

Katherine Kelly: 13 Songs by Fugazi

2. What is your least favorite song?

Pachebel’s Canon

3. What do you enjoy most about being in a band?

Touring.

4. What do you hate about being in a band?

Dealing with people’s perceptions of people who are in bands.

5. What is your favorite substance (legal or illegal)?

My girlfriend’s hair.

6. In what city or town do you love to perform?

Raleigh/Charlotte NC; great scene!

7. What city or town did you have your worst gig (and why)?

Toss up between NY and Los Angeles. Because ehh who cares?

8. How do you pay your bills?

Serving tables, painting and contracting work, and the band.

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 novelist or an elder care companion. I’d hate to manage a restaurant.

10. What are the stories you’ve heard about Omaha, Nebraska?

1, Conor Oberst is a hologram. 2, They like their breakfast burritos “Omaha style” – cream cheese on the tortilla.

PLEASURES plays with Universe Contest and ben Eisenberger Saturday, Aug. 6, at O’Leaver’s, 1322 So. Saddle Creek Rd. Showtime is 9:30 p.m., entry fee is $5. For more information, go to liveatoleavers.com.

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I guess it’s about time to say it: Looks like it’s going to be another O’Leaver’s weekend.

I’ve mentioned PLEASURES at fabulous O’Leaver’s tomorrow night. Tonight (Friday), O’Leaver’s brings the sludge when Ocean Black opens for Elkhorn’s doom rock duo Black Velvet. Hand Painted Police Car kicks things off at 9:30. This one’s just $5.

Also tonight at Slowdown, Conny Franko (a.k.a. Conchance of M34n Str33t a.k.a. Brenton Gomez) celebrates the release of his debut album La Maga, a recording inspired by the heroine in Julio Cortazar’s novel Hopscotch. Also on the bill are Stylo Tha Don, Ichiban Hashface, Cool Drug Music and Dojorok. $10, 9 p.m.

Saturday night, The Brothers is hosting Minneapolis psych/garage rock band Narco States. Opening is Lupines and Huge Fucking Waves. $5, 9 p.m. (but they never start that early at The Brothers).

Other than that PLEASURES show at O’Leaver’s Saturday, that’s it for the balance of the weekend. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section.

Have a great one…

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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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Deerhoof returns to The Waiting Room Aug. 4.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

San Francisco experimental rock band Deerhoof are known as much for their live shows as their quirky, jittery, inventive music. On stage the four-piece is an explosion of music that fuses rock, jazz, prog and noise into one throbbing, powerful sound. Frontwoman/basist Satomi Matsuzaki is a wound-up rock ‘n’ roll cheerleader, jumping and kicking and chirping in a language that sounds like a fusion of Japanese and English. It is, indeed, a sight to behold.

While the band’s idiosyncratic art-tortured albums can be a challenge to navigate, their latest, The Magic (2016, Polyvinyl) comes as close as they’ve ever dared to something resembling traditional rock. Nestled among the Eno-esque rhythms are some of the best holy-shit power-chord riffs I’ve heard from a rock band since Superchunk. Over the course of 15 tracks, the band can go from high-energy Sonic Youth grind (“Dispossessor”) to throbbing, blue-light art lounge (a cover of “I Don’t Want to Set the World on Fire”). The Magic is a career high-water mark.

With the band returns to The Waiting Room Thursday, Aug. 4, I caught up with Satomi Matsuzaki with a Ten Questions survey. Here you go:

1. What is your favorite album?

Satomi Matsuzaki: The Magic by Deerhoof

2. What is your least favorite song?

“Hotel California” by Eagles

3. What do you enjoy most about being in a band?

Making music with Deerhoof.

4. What do you hate about being in a band?

Long flights when we go on tour.

5. What is your favorite substance (legal or illegal)?’

Barley tea and dried squid.

6. In what city or town do you love top perform?

Everywhere we go.

7. What city or town did you have your worst gig (and why)?

If there was any, I already erased that memory from my brain. I wanna stay positive and keep going forward. I learn from mistakes and just move on.

8. How do you pay your bills?

Usually bank wire through my phone bill payment app.

9. What one profession other than music would you like to attempt; what one profession would you absolutely hate to do?

My profession is music and I prefer not to do other work. I won’t hate any job though if I decide to do whatever to live.

10. What are the stories you’ve heard about Omaha, Nebraska?

I have been there before. It’s located in the middle of USA and The Waiting Room is a great venue! They have a laundromat in backstage and that helps me a lot on tour!

Deerhoof plays with Blank Spell and Thick Paint Thursday, Aug. 4, at The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St. Showtime is 9 p.m., tickets are $15. For more information, go to onepercentproductions.com.

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How did you spend last winter? If you’re like me, you wasted those cold January days watching TV and wishing for spring to return.

Conor Oberst, Ruminations (2016, Nonesuch)

Conor Oberst spent his winter writing a new album called Ruminations, which drops Oct. 14 on Nonesuch Records.

Said Oberst about his winter in Omaha last year: “I wasn’t expecting to write a record. I honestly wasn’t expecting to do much of anything. Winter in Omaha can have a paralyzing effect on a person but in this case it worked in my favor. I was just staying up late every night playing piano and watching the snow pile up outside the window. Next thing I knew I had burned through all the firewood in the garage and had more than enough songs for a record. I recorded them quick to get them down but then it just felt right to leave them alone.”

Over the span of 48 hours, Oberst recorded Runinations at ARC Studios with engineer Ben Brodin. According to Oberst’s publicist, the tracks don’t have the multi-layered instrumentation of the most recent Bright Eyes and solo albums: This is Oberst alone with his guitar, piano and harmonica; a sort of throw-back to his earliest recordings, but with modern lyrics.

Pre-orders are under way at the Nonesuch website. The tour kicks off in Grand Island Aug. 18. and some locals are opening some dates, such as MiWi La Lupa, Anna McClellan, and on Nov. 23 Simon Joyner will open when Oberst plays solo at Carnagie Hall in NYC. That should be a show for the ages.

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Sam Evian, Premium (2016, Saddle Creek)

Saddle Creek Records also announced today that the debut release by newest roster addition Sam Evian, entitled Premium, will drop Sept 30. Sam Evian is Brooklyn’s Sam Owens of band Celestial Shore. You read about his signing in Lazy-i here.

According to the publicist, the album’s nine songs “reflect the casual, relaxed atmosphere Sam created for himself at Brooklyn’s Figure 8 Studio.” Among the players on Premium are Austin Vaughn on drums (Here We Go Magic, Luke Temple), Brian Betancourt on bass (Hospitality, Here We Go Magic, Luke Temple), Michael Coleman on keys (Figure 8’s studio manager), Dan Iead on pedal steel (Cass McCombs), vocalists Cassandra Jenkins and Hannah Cohen, Shahzad Ismaily, Eddie Barbash (the saxophonist on the Colbert show) and Steve Marion (aka Delicate Steve).

Pre-orders are, of course, under way at Saddle Creek’s online store.

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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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

The Jayhawks play at The Slowdown Sunday night.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Minneapolis indie folk-rock band The Jayhawks have a history of sorts with Omaha. They’ve been touring through our fair city literally for decades, culminating in a spot on the Maha Music Festival last year — a victory lap of sorts for local fans who remember the band playing to small crowds during the early days.

The band is the product of the mid-80s Twin Cities music scene, releasing their first album in 1986 followed by their Twin/Tone Records debut, Blue Earth, in 1989. They broke in a big way in ’92 with Hollywood Town Hall (American Recordings). Viewed by many as their masterpiece,  the album would have sounded right at home on a ’70s rock radio station, thanks to its laid-back, afternoon melodies.

Often described as an “alt country” band, their sound, especially on their latest album, Paging Mr. Proust (2016, Thirty Tigers), has more in common with acts like Big Star, Pete Yorn, Crosby Stills & Nash and local alt rocker Matthew Sweet. Produced by R.E.M.’s Peter Buck, the new record finds Gary Louris reuniting with the band’s late-’90s line-up.

We tossed our Ten Questions survey to the Jayhawks and bass player Marc Perlman took up the reins.

1. What is your favorite album?


Marc Perlman: Big Star, #1 Record

2. What is your least favorite song?

“Kokomo,” Beach Boys

3. What do you enjoy most about being in a band?

The music (when it’s working).

4. What do you hate about being in a band?

Washing Gary’s socks.

5. What is your favorite substance (legal or illegal)?

Chocolate covered raisins

6. In what city or town do you love to perform?

Utrecht

7. What city or town did you have your worst gig (and why)?

Utrecht (but it wasn’t my fault)

8. How do you pay your bills?

By the grace of G-d

9. What one profession other than music would you like to attempt; what one profession would you absolutely hate to do?

Professional hand model; the guy who has to clean the dressing rooms after a Jayhawks show.

10. What are the stories you’ve heard about Omaha, Nebraska?

In 1986 the Jayhawks played in front of 6 people at Howard Street Tavern… Matthew Sweet and Conor Oberst sponsor and play in a sand volleyball league at O’Leavers (their team is called the “The Power Poppers”)… the dressing room at Sokol Auditorium is haunted… it’s easy to get lost driving from Omaha to Lincoln…

The Jayhawks play with Fernando Viciconte Sunday, July 31, at The Slowdown, 729 No. 14th St. Tickets are $25 Adv., $40 for balcony seating. Showtime is 8 p.m. For more information, go to theslowdown.com.

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Tonight at Stir Cove it’s the return of indie rock band M83. The band is on the road supporting their new album, Junk (2016, Mute), which was a shift in direction to a more dance-oriented sound than heard on their earlier albums. Opening is NYC-based duo Sofi Tukker. $35, 8 p.m.

Also tonight, the might Pro Magnum headlines at Pageturners Lounge. How will such a loud band translate to such a delicate setting? Find out. Leafblower opens. The free show starts at 9:30.

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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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

A screen-cap from the film “Loveil” by Annalibera.The band plays at Milk Run tonight…

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Annalibera is a project fronted by Nebraska ex-pat now Des Moines resident Anna Gebhardt. She’s been performing since 2012, but made her first indelible mark on the music world with 2015’s Nevermind I Love You, a dense, soaring 8-song collection of chiming, beautiful indie rock songs you absolutely must seek out (It’s on Spotify, btw).

In a change of direction, Gebhardt followed the album with ambient/noise/experimental cassette called Loveil (Warm Gospel Records) that included a 26-minute companion film shot at her family farm in Nebraska. Available on YouTube or at annaliberamusic.com the art film is haunting in a Warhol-ian sort of way. Gebhardt will be joined by drummer David Hurlin for the July 25 Milk Run show performing songs from Loveil, along with new material.

I caught up with Gebhardt and gave her the Ten Questions treatment:

1. What is your favorite album? 

Anna Gebhardt: To answer this question I go by what album I’ve listened to the most times so it’s between Loveless or Heaven or Las Vegas.

2. What is your least favorite song? 

Kid Rock “Picture,” that song makes me want to crawl out of my skin, always has.

3. What do you enjoy most about being in a band? 

The usual stuff, making music, touring, it’s fun.

4. What do you hate about being in a band? 

Juggling everyone’s schedules, all the marketing and emailing.

5. What is your favorite substance (legal or illegal)? 

Water. So versatile.

6. In what city or town do you love top perform?

Not sure I’ve toured enough for this question. Always great shows in Nashville and Chicago. Recently been thinking about a great one in Gorzow Wielkepolski (Poland), but so far I’ve only played there once. A lot of times those smaller towns make for a magical show (if you go on a weekend).

7. What city or town did you have your worst gig (and why)? 

That’s a toss up between Columbus, OH, or Paris. Long story.

8. How do you pay your bills?

With money, unfortunately. (Freelance writing and teaching piano/voice lessons. Occasionally I am employed to be a backup singer! Can’t pay the bills singing in Des Moines, IA, though).

9. What one profession other than music would you like to attempt; what one profession would you absolutely hate to do? 

I would like to study visual art. I would hate to be in business, law or politics – those are not me. I would feel like an actress every day in my suit.

10. What are the stories you’ve heard about Omaha, Nebraska?

Omaha Nebraska wasn’t good enough for me / always thought i was the roaming kind / with a pocket full of dreams and my one shirt on my back / I left there lookin’ for something to find/ Omaha you’ve been weighing heavy on my mind/ Guess I never really left at all/ I’m turning all those roads I walked around the other way / And coming back for you Omaha (When it’s late and people are passing the guitar around I sometimes play this song, one of my favorites!).

Annalibera performs with Devin Frank Vanishing Blues Band, Sean Pratt & the Sweats and Mike Schlesinger Monday, July 25, at Milk Run, 1907 Leavenworth. Tickets are $7, showtime is 9 p.m. For more information, go to facebook.com/widmestproductionsllc

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Some of the For Against relics at Friday night’s This is Jeff Runnings program at Hi-Fi House. Photo by Stephen Sheehan.

Friday night Hi Fi House hosted an appreciation of the music of Jeff Runnings — former frontman of the seminal ’80s-’90s band For Against — as part of HFH’s new “This is…” series. I was asked the day prior to the event to conduct the interview with Jeff alongside Stephen Sheehan, former frontman of ’80s Omaha ambient-rock band Digital Sex. It turned out to be a quite a night.

Runnings brought a rather sizable archive of For Against recordings, posters and other relics that spanned the band’s career. The interview traced the history of the band, with Runnings filling in a lot of blanks along the way. Sheehan provided insightful questions taken from the vantage point of someone who lived in the rock ‘n’ roll trenches alongside them.

The entire interview was videotaped with professional-looking gear (and technicians). I have no idea when or where this video will be made available. The interview was followed by a “listening” of Running’s new solo album, Primitives and Smalls, released earlier this year by Saint Marie Records.

A bit of news that surfaced during the interview — Saint Marie is planning on reissuing four more For Against albums: Aperture (1993) and Mason’s California Lunch Room (1995), both originally released on Rainbow Quartz Records; Shelf Life (1997) released on World Domination, and 2002’s Coalesced, released by Minneapolis label Words on Music. No word on the exact timing of these releases, but they’ll likely drop sometime early next year. There’s even whispers of a possible For Against reunion (but only for Europe).

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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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.