So why did Portland musician quickly, quickly cancel last night’s scheduled show at Reverb Lounge?
The whole episode was sort of a mystery. I noticed something was up when I went to double-check the show’s start time on the One Percent Productions website. The listing was gone. Did I get the date wrong (again)?
I checked the Facebook invitation, which confirmed the Sunday 8 p.m. start time. It didn’t mention a cancellation. I found the answer at Twitter in the form of a message from quickly quickly’s Graham Jonson):
“Hey U guys. Unfortunately we’ve decided to cancel the remaining 4 shows on this tour (Milwaukee, Chicago, Omaha, Denver). The reason you may ask? I have completely run out of money!
“This tour was entirely self funded which was a financial risk from the beginning but due to lower than expected ticket sales and overall cost of touring, it turned out to be way more expensive than I had bargained for lol. I am so sorry to the openers for these 4 shows and anybody who was planning on coming to see us play. We will be back and better! Thank you to my incredibly talented and supportive band members and our lovely tour manager leah for sticking with me through all this crazy shit.”
Big U.S. tours cancelling due to ticket sales is nothing new, but this might be the first time I’ve heard a small indie tour cancelling midway through due to lack of funds. Since almost all of them are “self-funded,” I’m surprised it doesn’t happen all the time, especially with the rising costs of gas, food, lodging and other tour expenses (as well as rising ticket prices – this was an $18 show). Is this the beginning of an unfortunate trend?
One of the biggest draws for last night’s show was the opening act — Carver Jones — another performer I’d never heard of prior to this gig, but whose YouTube videos caught my attention.
Turns out Jones actually lives in Omaha (or so I’m told), and today announced a new show at Reverb Lounge with his band, Carver Jones and the American Dreamers, for Dec. 22.
Expect some Halloween hangover tonight and this weekend at the clubs – Omaha loves its costumes… Certainly there will be costumes galore tonight in Benson during Benson First Friday (#BFF), that monthly event where local artists show what they’ve been working on in galleries and venues up and down Maple Street.
If you’re out doing the #BFF thing, stop by the Ming Toy Gallery, 6066 Maple Street, for The Jenowe Show, featuring the work of David, Jack and Julie Jenowe. The opening runs from 6 to 9 p.m. See you there.
Afterward, head on over to The Sydney for the stage debut of Dream Ghoul, the new project from Max Holmquist (Oquoa, The Great American Desert). Opening the show are Face and GoodView. $10, 9 p.m. (Sydney Time).
Speaking of costumes, there’s a costume party going on at fabulous O’Leaver’s tonight, along with performances by Frankie Chiaro, BB Sledge,Edward Spencer and Oh God Damn. $10, 9 p.m.
Saturday night Minnesota emo/pop-punk band Tiny Moving Parts headlines at The Slowdown. Joining them are Action/Adventure, Greywind and After Arizona. It’s a mini pop-punk fest and should make for a crowded front room show. $25, 8 p.m.
Also Saturday night, folk artist Mariee Siou headlines at Reverb Lounge. Donnie Coco opens at 8 p.m. $22.
The weekend’s biggest show is Sunday night at The Waiting Room: Oklahoma City indie-metal band Chat Pile is basking in the limelight these days. Their new album, Cool World, continues to get critical huzzahs from the likes of Paste (“The OKC noise rockers expand their sonic and subjective scope to prove just how desperate of a situation we’re all in” to The Needle Drop (“Cool World hits hard as fuck.”). Even Pitchfork said the album “paints a panoramic view of human suffering.” It is, indeed, heavy stuff, so bring your earplugs! Opening are LA black metal act Agriculture and Austin noise-rock band Porcelain. $27, 8 p.m.
Also Sunday night, Portland bedroom psychedelic soul act quickly, quickly (a.k.a. Graham Jonson) headlines at Reverb Lounge. His last LP, The Long and Short of It, was released on Ghostly International to somewhat critical acclaim. Get there early for singer/songwriter Carver Jones, who 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!
It’s Halloween night, but wasn’t all that last weekend at the bars? Who wants to wear a costume on a Thursday night (or any night)? With that in mind, costumes are optional at tonight’s shows, or at least they are for me as I head down to The Slowdown for Decatur, Georgia, soft-indie band Lunar Vacation.
The five-piece, who apparently all live under one roof (according to the one-sheet), is touring in support of their latest, Everything Matters, Everything’s Fire (2024, Keeled Scales), which Stereogum called “a fuzzed-out, emotionally crushing beauty.” Definitely a fit for fans of bands like The Beths or Alvvays.
For the most part, the new record is by-the-numbers female-led indie rock but at times it exceeds those expectations, especially on the dreamy single “Fantasy,” which is one of the best tracks I’ve heard this year.
Two locals open tonight’s show in Slowdown’s frontroom — Settling Houses, who are new to me, and grungy shoe-gazers Western Haikus, who have been playing around quite a bit lately. BTW, there’s also a Portland band also called Western Haikus. Is this/are they the same band? Go to Slowdown tonight and ask! $25, 8 p.m.
Also tonight, Madison synth-pop diva Carrellee is playing at The Sydney in Benson. Her latest single, “Like a Ghost,” was produced with Brett Bullion (Low, Polica). Specter Poetics and Queer Nit Drag open at 9 p.m. (Sydney time). $10.
Finally, up the street at Reverb, D.C.-based electro-punk band VOSH headlines with Omaha metal-noise monsters Prolapse (Dave Goldberg!) and Zuneg & the Doom Chair. $13, 8 p.m.
Screw it: Go ahead and wear a costume tonight if you want! It’s Halloween!
I’m listening to my copy of For Against’s 1988 album In the Marshes this morning as I pass along this unfortunate news…
A GoFundMe campaign has been organized for For Against frontman/bassistJeff Runnings to support his battle with cancer. Jeff’s diagnosis of Stage 4 Cancer was a gut-punch for me and anyone who knows him and his husband, Sean. Donations of any size will directly fund Jeff’s medical expenses, support his daily care needs, and allow him and his family to focus on his recovery with less financial stress.
Click into the GFM and do what you can. No doubt it’ll be a tough fight, but we all know Jeff will beat this.
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The fine folks at Boing Boing – specifically LA-based writer/educator Lee Keeler — just published an interview with The Faint’s Todd Fink upon the 25-year anniversary of the release of Blank Wave Arcade.
Todd talks about the old days and how the record and their sound came about. He also passed along news that The Faint are planning a rerelease of Blank Wave Arcade that will include tracks from their infamous Blank Wave Arcade Remixes limited edition picture disc. Check out the interview here.
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Tonight at Ming Toy Gallery (6066 Maple St.) Michael Trenhaile’s new musical project, The Aphasias, is performing. Trenhaile is a local artist and lifelong musician, whose past projects include Body of Souls, Worm Trouble and most recently, The Doneofit. Those who attend this free event also will get a sneak peek at Friday night’s opening of The Jenowe Show. 6 p.m.
Alex Orange Drink, a.k.a. Alex Zarou Levine — best known as the singer/songwriter behind The So So Glos — last Friday dropped the single, “The Future’s a Riot,” on Conor Oberst’s new record label, Million Stars.
The track is his first solo music since 2021’s Everything Is Broken Maybe That’s OK LP. The song’s inspiring video features footage chronicling Levine’s 2023 diagnosis of Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma and writing and recording during his first week of treatment. Check it:
Levine has been super busy, having co-written seven songs on the new Bright Eyes album, Five Dice, All Threes, and adding guest vocals to BE track “Rainbow Overpass.”
The new Alex Orange Drink single is the second release on Million Stars following the release of The Felice Brothers’ full length, Valley of Abandoned Songs, this past June. In addition, Yayo Trujillo of Las Cruxes told me last week his band’s new album, which is currently being recorded at ARC Studios with Taylor Hollingsworth as producer, also will be released on Million Stars in the U.S. Las Cruxes’ past recordings were distributed by Sony Music Entertainment US LATIN.
Million Stars isn’t Oberst’s first foray in the music biz. He helped get Saddle Creek Records off the ground back in the ‘90s and also formed Team Love Records (Tilly and the Wall, High Up, Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins) with Nate Krenkel back in 2003.
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Omaha post-punk band Bokr Tov also dropped a new single last week, “(You Too Can Have) A Body Like Mine,” via Bandcamp. It’s a prelude to the band’s next full length, The Way a Tree Shakes, which is due Nov. 16. Nate Van Fleet of See Through Dresses produced the recording, and also produced the new LP by Seattle band Funhouse (featuring post-Omaha star, Carl Miller), called Invasive Species.
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You might remember singer/songwriter Max Holmquist from his work with Oquoa and The Great American Desert. His new project, Dream Ghoul, just dropped its first single, “Qualitative Blue, 1991.” The track was produced by Jim Schroeder (Mesa Buoy, David Nance Band, Rosali, UUVVWWZ), who worked on the album, which is slated to come out this December.
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There’s no Omaha connection to this new Mogwai video, which dropped this morning. I included it just because it features the band’s dogs (and Manhattan). Mogwai also announced their next album, The Bad Fire, will be released Jan. 24 on Temporary Residence Ltd., as well as a massive world tour next year, whose closes pass to Omaha will be the ol’ Minneapolis/Denver/Chicago twist in April…
Here’s the latest list of touring indie shows coming to Omaha through February. Your eyes do not deceive you – there currently are no shows scheduled for December. Let me know if I missed something…
Oct. 31 – Lunar Vacation @ The Slowdown\
Nov. 3 – Chat Pile @ The Waiting Room
Nov. 3 – quickly, quickly @ Reverb
Nov. 7 – Pedro the Lion (w/City and Colour) @ The Admiral
Nov. 8 – The Ivory Claws @ The Sydney
Nov. 10 – The Sufrajettes @ Reverb
Nov. 11 – Dusk @ Reverb
Nov. 12 – Modest Mouse @ Steelhouse
Nov. 12 – The Rev. Horton Heat @ Waiting Room
Nov. 13 – Sorry Mom @ Reverb
Nov. 29 – VIAL @ Reverb
Feb. 5 – Guster @ The Admiral
Feb. 6 — Real Estate @ The Waiting Room
Feb. 24 — Molchat Doma @ Steelhouse
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Last minute show announcement: Chicago post-punk band Edging is playing tonight at The Tavern with Trees with Eyes, Las Cruxes and a special set by Darren Keen. Darren said Edging has opened for Amyl and the Sniffers and Lambrini Girls, who count them as fans. The Tavern is located in the heart of downtown at 514 So. 10th Street. 9:30 start time, donations suggestioned.
Prior to last Friday’s Porches show I knew very little about the band other than the brief research and listening needed to write the preview earlier that morning. I spent a few hours with their last couple albums, wherein I found their latest, Shirt, more to my liking than the previous album, if only because it was, well, less focused. Even then, frontmat/singer/songwriter Aaron Maine’s scratchy voice – augmented by electronics or autotune (or something) – often came off as meandering and twee.
What Porches presented to a crowd of around 50 Friday night at Reverb Lounge was completely different. Playing as a traditional four-piece (two guitars, bass and drums – no synths in sight), Maine and his cohorts reinvented themselves into a modern slacker-indie rock band, revving up Porches’ bedroom songs into rock anthems.
No longer tied to an auto-tuner or electronic effects (or if there was a pedal doing something, I couldn’t tell), Maine’s usual gravel whisper shifted into a full-blown growl. The comparison musically and vocally is possibly Car Seat Headrest, with Maine sounding like an adult Will Toledo if Will had grown up listening to Kurt Cobain (which he probably did).
The 16-song set (plus a three-song encore) was highlighted by rock versions of songs off the latest album (including opener “Rag,” “Joker” and “Bread Believer,”) but also drew from older material (a ripping version of “Range Rover” from 2020’s Ricky Music and crowd requested “Underwater” from 2016’s Pool were set highlights).
A live recording of Friday night’s set definitely would be on heavy rotation in my earbuds/VW car stereo if one existed. I had a similar pleasant-surprise experience when Spirit of the Beehive played at Slowdown a few years ago. That band’s albums are hard-to-swallow audio experiments to my ears, but live, they transformed into a rock-hard indie band unrecognizable from their recordings. More of that, please.
Side note: This also was one of the loudest shows I’ve seen at Reverb – my Apple Watch sound meter kept going off, warning me of high dBs. Happy I had my earplugs…
Tonight (Friday) there’s a sort of reunion of classic ’00s-era indie act Mal Madrigal at Pageturners lounge. Stephen Bartolomei and Mike Saklar, two of the band’s original members, have worked up 12 Mal Madrigal songs for tonight’s set. Will they do my favorite, “A Broken Window”? Headlining tonight is Wedding, a new project by Anna Schulte that includes Bokr Tov’s Colby Jenkins on bass, and Zachary Roland on percussion. Wedding will be recording at ARC next month with Nate Van Fleet (See Through Dresses) behind the knobs. Poet Alina Nguyen also is on the bill. 9 p.m. Donations encouraged.
How about a night at the theater?
Tonight I’ll be checking out Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, the new production at the Benson Theatre. I think it’s a musical? I’m not sure, but apparently the play’s music and lyrics are by John Mellencamp based on a book by Stephen King. This is the last weekend for the show. Tix are $25, 7 p.m. curtain.
On to Saturday…
This week’s big touring indie show is Porches at Reverb Lounge. It’s a project by New Yorker Aaron Maine, whose latest album, Shirt, was released on Domino in September to mildly positive reviews. Maine went out of his way to rough things up this time and it’s a welcome improvement over the borderline emo-pop of his previous album, All Day Gentle Hold! (2021, Domino). Dreamy New Yorker sweet93 (very Mazzy Star) opens at 8 p.m. $30, 8 p.m.
Meanwhile across town, fabulous O’Leaver’s is hosting their big Halloween show Saturday night headlined by tractor punk mavericks Wagon Blasters with In Tongues and Frankie Chiaro. Costume are “highly recommended!” This $10 party starts at 9 p.m.
Back in Benson Saturday night, Chicago musical comedy duo Griefcat headlines at The Sydney. Music Connection described them this way: “Super hilarious lyrics coupled with very nice music and great vocals is a recipe for success.” You be the judge. $10, and no opener for this early 6 p.m. show.
Are these early shows going to become a thing? Sunday’s Bazile Mills show at Reverb Lounge starts at 5 p.m. with a set by Straight2Munich. $12.
Anyway, that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend!
Bright Eyes’ frontman and Omaha native son Conor Oberst blitzed the indie music media yesterday with news that he’s recovered from his reported “vocal problems” that forced the band off the road a few weeks ago.
In a video posted on the @brighteyesofficial Instagram account, Oberst, wearing a Tracks Lounge T-shirt (world class chicken!), thanks people who “reached out,” said he’s “feeling a lot better” and that the band plans to resume touring in 2025 “if all goes well as planned.” Still no date for a rescheduled Steelhouse Omaha show, but something tells me that’s pending…
On the cusp of the release of her fourth studio album, yesterday Anna McClellan dropped a video for the single “Omaha,” described as “a complex tribute to her Nebraska roots.”
“Omaha is smoking cigarettes and drinking beers on the porch until 4 am any day of the week,” mused when asked about the song. “Omaha, at least to me, is being so completely known and utterly lonely. Omaha is driving around. It’s a beautiful thing really.”
The track, written during her move to Los Angeles, concludes with the line: “Wilting ‘til I rot / Is it me or is it Omaha?” One must look inside for the answer to that question. See if you can spot your favorite Omaha hangout in the video. McClellan’s Electric Bouquet LP drops tomorrow via Father/Daughter Records.
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Doug Kiser of seminal Omaha punk band fromanhole has a new band, Housewares, that’s making their stage debut Nov. 16 at The Sydney.
In addition to Doug on bass, the band is rounded out by a lot of familiar faces (to those of us who went to shows in the ’00s): Doug’s brother, Daryl Kiser (also ex-fromanhole) on guitar, Jason Koba of Thunder Power on drums, Scott Klemmensen of Reset on vocals, and Andy LaChance on keyboards.
Says Kiser about the band: “It’s melodic, probably technical, with elements of post whatever, jazz, blues and maybe some country. There is a lot of counting, that’s for sure.” We’ll see about that Nov. 16!
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Speaking of new songs, Lincoln act Vempire released a cover of The Ramones’ “Pet Sematary” last Friday. The single is the first from their upcoming EP, Fumes, slated to drop on Halloween. Check it:
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Here’s the latest list of touring indie shows coming to Omaha through February (just so I could include the just-announced Real Estate show (We have to have something to look forward to)). This list gets shorter and shorter…
How does The Astro in La Vista — the city’s newest large-scale concert hall — compare to Steelhouse Omaha, the downtown music venue that is The Astro’s direct competition? Let’s start at the beginning…
We didn’t get to The Astro for last night’s Psychedelic Furs/Jesus and Mary Chain (JAMC) show until about a quarter to 8, knowing we would likely miss all of opening act Frankie Rose. Despite entering “La Vista City Centre” through the wrong entrance, we managed to find the parking garage and navigate the electronic-only payment system (just $5!), where we found a spot on the third floor.
The garage was a five-minute walk to the venue, whose “Astro” signage was turned off — maybe it’s already broken, which would be a shame since it just opened this past December.
Security and drink wristbands were handled outside the venue, and this is where we hit our first speed bump. Having not read the venue’s “fine print,” we discovered too late that they only allow purses measuring 4.5 inches by 6.5 inches. Teresa’s purse was 6.51 inches wide, barely over the limit but enough for security to tell her to take it back to the car (without asking to look inside for a concealed bomb or hidden shiv). Welp, security is security, and Teresa hoofed it back across City Centre. I waited outside, next to three or four other people whose spouses also had been turned back.
Ah, but once she returned, we got right in. You enter on the balcony level, so we were immediately directed to a stairway that led to the main floor (there must have been an elevator somewhere, though we never saw it). Down, down, down we went through the Astro’s concrete esophagus that opened to the venues bright, glistening bowels.
The best way to describe The Astro: It kind of feels like a giant-sized Slowdown. Whereas Steelhouse is long and somewhat narrow, Astro is stubby and wide, with a huge tiered main floor surrounded by a walkway. Drink bars are located on either side and in back (the back bar was closed). Everywhere you looked, it was shiny and new with the space dominated by the enormous, eye-popping stage.
From in front of the stage looking toward the Astro’s balcony.The Close Encounters of the Third Kind Astro stage.The Astro’s Q*Bert floor tiles near the back bar.Booze. The Astro has plenty. See above for prices. Odd that there are no oz in the beer list. My Modelo was a tall boy, whereas Teresa’s Fairy Nectar was 12 oz. Astro is cashless and the POS system worked great.The Astro’s soundboard area, minus the drunk lady.
We had “table tickets,” whatever that meant. Did they include chairs? They did – big, white high stools. We were led to our table, where one of Astro’s ushers quickly gave us a second wristband. Look, you can’t beat these seats if you don’t want to stand for three hours. They only cost a few bucks more than general admission, but are cheaper than balcony seats (We were never allowed upstairs, so I can’t vouch for the balcony, but it looked cushy up there). We must have been close to an exit, because cigarette (and pot) smoke wafted through all evening.
Sight lines from our seats were nothing less than spectacular, but the sight lines throughout the entire concert hall were pretty great. Maybe because only about 1,000 people were in attendance, but getting around was easy.
The Jesus and Mary Chain at The Astro, Oct. 22, 2024.
And so, the show itself. Like I said we missed the opener, who must have went on at the stroke of 7 p.m. The Jesus and Mary Chain hit the stage at 8 and played most of the set without front lights, so they were mostly shadows against back lighting. I guess the Reid brothers don’t want people to see their wrinkles.
When I saw JAMC at SXSW a decade ago, the feedback-fueled set was intense, loud and frenetic, at times chaotic and threatening to cause a riot in the packed outdoor venue (The Belmont). Last night’s JAMC set was the opposite – the band rifled through the same set list they played the night before in St. Louis, barely stopping between songs, while the crowd stood and watched, motionless. It had all the energy of an industry mixer.
To the uninitiated, all JAMC songs kind of sound the same, and three or four tunes into their set folks seemed to return to their conversations, albeit at louder volumes — a very chatty crowd. Sound-wise, the mix seemed “boomy,” and when Reid said something to the audience between songs it was nothing but booming echo. Still, the actual songs’ vocals were pretty good and cut through the mud.
During the set I got up and took a stroll to check out the sound and sight lines, making my way back to the soundboard in the back center of the floor. While a couple dudes did their thing lit up by the enormous soundboard, I noticed what I thought was a gaffer lying on his stomach with his arms outstretched working on wiring at the back of the sound area. “Good on you, bub, get in there and fix whatever’s broken,” I thought.
But when the guy rolled to his side I discovered it was actually a lady apparently passed out, her red hair soaking in a puddle of ooze. One of the sound guys noticed at the same time and took off, and within seconds a dozen cops and first-aid people surrounded the lady, who by then had come to, and I assume was rushed off to the “chill-out tent” or wherever they take people to recover. Ah, rock concerts.
JAMC wrapped up their set with no encore (neither band is playing encores on this tour), the lights came up and the stage guys immediately went into action for the switch over. The between-set drone soundtrack was indistinguishable rumble noise.
Psychedelic Furs at The Astro, Oct. 22, 2024.
Like JAMC, The Psychedelic Furs played the same set as they had the previous night in St. Louis. Frontman Richard Butler was in perfect voice, strolling the stage, leaning into the two young guitarists or his brother, Tim, playing bass. Again, the mix felt boomy, but the vocals were spot on and the zombie-like, mostly middle-aged crowd seemed to appreciate the hit-filled set.
The band wrapped up with the hit “Heaven,” and again rushed off the stage sans encore. The lights came up, we headed back up those stairs and were immediately ushered out of the building. What about band merch? I want my $50 T-shirt! I never saw a merch booth and didn’t try to get back in find it.
Final stages: Exiting the parking garage was a breeze. Organizers must have put a lot of thought into avoiding logjams – in and out and on your way. City Centre itself at night was desolate. While there were a few businesses aglow (a pub/restaurant, for example), we passed a lot of unoccupied buildings. One brightly lit interior exposed mounds of dirt and naked cinderblocks.
So, back to the original question: Which is better: Astro or Steelhouse? Hands down I’d rather see a show at The Astro. Its smaller size makes for a more intimate experience while still providing a big, impressive stage with great sight lines and seating options. Sound wise, it’s hard to compare the two especially based on these bands. The Astro had a boomy, auditorium sound vs. Steelhouse’s bright, shimmery hall quality. More research is needed.
Unfortunately, based on both venues’ previous bookings, that isn’t likely to happen. This was the first (and only) show booked at Astro that attracted my attention. Let’s face it, indie music geeks are neither venues’ target audience.
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Speaking of indie geeks…
Tonight at The Slowdown, Brit-award winning singer/songwriter Kate Nash headlines. Her most recent album, 9 Sad Symphonies, was released this past summer by Kill Rock Stars. Her “breakthrough” was 2010’s My Best Friend Is You (Fiction Records), that Pitchfork called “thrillingly schizophrenic.” New Hampshire act Revenge Wife and Kill Rock Stars label mate Joh Chase open the show at 8 p.m. This one’s in the main room, I assume because Nash also starred in the Netflix lady wrasslin’ series GLOW, where she played “Rhonda “Britannica” Richardson. Sorry I missed that one. $30.
Tonight marks my first visit to the new Astro Theater in La Vista.
The venue actually opened last December, but tonight’s show – headlined by The Psychedelic Furs and The Jesus and Mary Chain — is the first concert that caught my attention enough to buy a pair of tickets.
I can’t imagine shedding any shrewd, technicolor observations on either band’s performance. Instead, look for detailed reporting and an assessment of “my Astro experience” in tomorrow’s blog (with photos!).
Looking over last night’s set lists from both bands’ gigs at the Stifel Theatre in St. Louis (here’s Psych Furs, here’s JAMC), expect a mostly “greatest hits” set, especially from the Furs. JAMC don’t have nearly as many popular/well-known songs, and are kind of a weird choice for this tour. A lot of the Furs’ fans are going to get bored and anxious waiting for their heroes. That said, I saw JAMC over a decade ago at South By Southwest and they were intense.
Frankie Rose opens tonight’s show at 7 p.m. Her claim to fame is as a member of the bands Vivian Girls, Crystal Stills and most recently Dum Dum Girls. Her latest album, Love as Projection, was released by Slumberland Records in 2023.
Tickets are still available, ranging in price from $59 to $99. See you there…
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