by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I remain on the road, speaking at a Social Media conference in Philadelphia. All you SM wonks can follow along on Twitter at #CSMB2B. Or you could. The conference just ended, and I’m now cooling my heels at Philly International, which resembles a shopping mall more than an airport. I’m sitting in the food court next to Sbarro’s watching people carelessly toss away years of their lives eating the mucous-covered glop they call “pizza.”

Very unlikely that I’ll be home in time — or in the right state of mind — to enjoy tonight’s musical offerings. Chief among them is Night 2 of Lincoln Calling. For reasons known only to organizer Jeremy Buckley, the LC schedule isn’t at Lincolncalling.com, but rather at the Lincoln Calling Facebook page. It’s also below:

Wednesday, October 10 — $10 for a day pass (age restrictions may apply)

Bourbon Theatre
6 p.m. Homegrown Film Festival showcase https://www.facebook.com/groups/homegrownfilmfestival/
$3 all ages

8:30 p.m. Classes (Lincoln) http://facebook.com/classestheband
9:30 p.m. Minor Birds (Twain Harte, CA) http://minorbirds.bandcamp.com/
10:30 p.m. Gayle Skidmore (San Diego) http://www.facebook.com/GayleSkidmoreMusic\
11:30 p.m. Flashbulb Fires (Denver) https://www.facebook.com/pages/Flashbulb-Fires/111976458200
12:30 a.m. Orion Walsh (Lincoln) http://www.orionwalsh.com/
$5 for 21+, $7 for 18-20

Duffy’s Tavern
9 p.m. Good Show Great Show (Lincoln) http://goodshowgreatshow.com/
10 p.m. Tenderness Wilderness (Omaha) http://tendernesswilderness.bandcamp.com/
11 p.m. Hume (Baltimore) https://www.facebook.com/HUMENOW
12 a.m. Carrot Carrot (Lincoln)
$5 for 21+, $7 for 18-20

Zoo Bar
6 p.m. Jazzocracy (Lincoln) https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Jazzocracy/107272432624817
7 p.m. Emily Bass (Lincoln)
8 p.m. McCarthy Trenching (Omaha) https://www.facebook.com/mccarthytrenching
$3, 18+
9:30 p.m. Omni Arms (Lincoln) http://omniarms.bandcamp.com/
10:30 p.m. Touch People (Lincoln) https://www.facebook.com/pages/touch-people/129288513764265
11:30 p.m. THEMES (Portland, OR) http://www.themesmusic.com/

12:30 a.m. Dirty Talker (Lincoln) http://www.facebook.com/dirtytalkerdirtytalker
$5 for 21+

Black Market
7 p.m. Demos (Lincoln) http://facebook.com/demosrock
8 p.m. Domestica (Lincoln) http://domesticanebraska.bandcamp.com/
$5, all ages

Fat Toad

DJ Aim (Lincoln)
Christian Brabec (Lincoln)
No cover, 21+

Mix Barcade
Moeglie (Lincoln) https://www.facebook.com/moegliejunglebastard
Shark Week (Lincoln)
Bassthoven (Lincoln) https://www.facebook.com/bassthoven
No cover, 21+

* * *

If you don’t live in Lincoln or don’t feel like driving there, you’ve got a couple choice shows going on right in your back yard.

At The Waiting Room, it’s the return of Brother Ali. He’s grown quite a bit in popularity since I interviewed him in 2003. Opening is Blank Tape Beloved, Homeboy Sandman with DJ Sosa, & The Reminders. Unlucky $13, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, down at The Slowdown, it’s the return of Dr. Dog, with Cotton Jones. $15, 9 p.m.

* * *

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The Dodos at The Waiting Room, Oct. 6, 2012.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Did the Huskers bite into the draw for Saturday night’s Dodos show at The Waiting Room? Maybe. Probably. There were 70 people tops in the crowd when the band went on stage after 11.

I’m traveling today so I only have time for a brief review…

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Maus Haus at The Waiting Room, Oct. 6, 2012.

With a projection system that featured (at times) ’70s animation from Robert Abel (the guy who created those funky old Levi’s and 7up commercials — look him up on YouTube), Maus Haus played modern indie rock that while well performed, didn’t stand out as much as the films they were standing in front of. Two members switched between guitars and keyboards. I kept waiting for something to grab my attention, instead I got lost in the animation.

The Dodos were another story altogether. A drum-and-guitar duo, frontman/guitarist Meric Long played over on-the-fly loops controlled via pedals. I’ve never seen it done quite as well or effortlessly. Fantastic layer upon layer, performed by one of the best guitarists I’ve seen on TWR’s stage. Drummer Logan Kroeber, who apparently usually plays with only a limited kit, had a full setup Saturday night and used every inch of it.

Long has a high, young voice that would be right at home singing Vampire Weekend songs instead of their more intricate, angular indie rock that bordered on post punk. You might even call it “proggy.” I couldn’t tell you what he was singing about, but he sounded good. The band was at its best when Long simply leaned back and fragged his guitar, sending brightly colored sound flares into the crowd. Probably the fullest two-piece I’ve ever heard.  Too bad there were so few people on hand to see it, but I have a feeling it’s going to be this way through the balance of football season.

* * *

It’s a virtual battle of the rock shows tonight. Which will you choose?

Down at Slowdown it’s the return of Beach House. Last time they were here they were nothing less than sonically amazing. Opening is Poor Moon. $20. 8 p.m. start.

Meanwhile, over at The Waiting Room, it’s indie darlings First Aid Kit, whose last album was produced by Mike Mogis and featured a tune with Conor Oberst. Opening is Dylan LeBlanc. $15, 9 p.m. If I were in town, I’d probably go to this one.

Also tonight, a very special show at The Side Door Lounge featuring Simon Joyner and The Ghosts, Noah Sterba and out Brooklyn band Woods. $5, 8:30 p.m. Actually, I’d probably go to this one, too. Hell, go to all three!

* * *

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Big music weekend. Let’s go!

Tonight at The Slowdown it’s the return of Saddle Creek prodigal sons Two Gallants. If you haven’t heard their new CD, The Bloom and the Blight (ATO), which Lazy-i called “the best of their careers,” do yourself a favor. With PAPA and The Dead Ships. $15, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile tonight at The Waiting Room it’s Mike Watt + The Missing Men. If you don’t know who Mike Watt is, well, I don’t know what to tell you. Start by checking out his website, hootpage.com, or just run out and buy yourself a copy of Minutemen’s Double Nickels on the Dime. Opening is LITE. $10, 9 p.m.

But that’s not all. Tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s, McCarthy Trenching celebrates the release of its new Slumberparty Records release Plays The Piano. Also on the bill are Sam Martin (Capgun Coup) and Anna McClellan. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Tomorrow night it’s back to The Waiting Room for indie/psych/rock duo The Dodos (Frenchkiss Records) with SF four-piece Maus Haus. $12, 9 p.m.

Also tomorrow night, Philly-based indie band Hop Along plays at The Sandbox with Places We Slept, Seadrill, Arms Aloft and The Fucking Party. $7, 9 p.m.

Finally along comes Sunday and the Rainy Road Records release show at The Barley Street Tavern for new ones by Baby Tears and Worried Mothers. As the invite says: “We will start off the party at 6 p.m. with free grilled hotdogs and other goodies (while supplies last) and bands will get started around 7 p.m. (so all you old geezers can get to bed at reasonable hour)

.” Think he’s talking about me? Also on the bill are Lenguas Largas and Peace of Shit. $5!

And finally, finally, Sunday night at O’Leaver’s it’s the return of System + Station. No word on the openers…yet. $5, 9:30 p.m.

* * *

Hospitality at Slowdown Jr., Oct. 3, 2012.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The presidential debate was still on the club’s big screen when I arrived at around 9:15. I guess it was the socially responsible thing to do, though there’s little doubt who most people performing on stage and in the audience will be voting for in November. About 20 people sat around and flipped through their smart phones, waiting for the debate to end, which it did at 9:30. Moments later, Teen walked on stage and said, “Hi, we’re Teen.”

The all-female 4-piece (guitar, bass, drums, keys) from Brooklyn, USA, plays a distinctly indie-style of VU-influenced rock that at times borders on shoegaze, though it’s not quite as droning and atonal as your run-o’-the-mill shoegaze (and ratchets up the tunefulness with strong vocal melodies from frontwoman Katherine Leiberson (ex-Here We Go Magic)). What it shares with shoegaze, however, is a knack for drawn-out cool sequences that repeat themselves, especially toward the tail-end of songs. It’s kind of jammy, though there’s no jamming going on, just tight, repeated riffs.

TEEN at Slowdown Jr., Oct. 3, 2012.

Hospitality’s set was plagued with a myriad of technical issues. Lead singer Amber Papini broke a guitar string on the first song, and then effectively cursed the rest of their set by saying, “I guess it’s bad luck.” Two songs later the input jack broke on the bass. Then the lead guitarist began having problem with his microphone. “That’s okay, I don’t sing much anyway,” he said.

Despite all these handicaps, the band roared through a fantastic set, raising the intensity of the songs on their debut album to an edgier, more angular level. Hospitality songs seem to come in two flavors — mild and wild. The mild stuff are straight-forward pop songs; but the wild stuff boils over on breakneck guitar riffs that are infectiously groovy. More “wild,” please. I planned on staying for only a few minutes of Hospitality but got drawn in well past my bedtime. Now all they need to do is capture the edge of their live show on their records.

Club note: Slowdown Jr. added a new velvet floor-to-ceiling side curtain to their small stage, cutting off the sight lines from stage left (toward the patio exit, the pool table, etc.). The curtain, which was being used to hide band gear, appears to be retractable. It’s an odd addition, though it does do a good job “framing” the stage…

* * *

This week’s column is a look at the iPhone 5, or more accurately a look at why having an iPhone — or any smartphone — makes life a little easier for us loners. You can read it in this week’s issue of The Reader, or online right here

.

* * *
Tuesday night’s Desaparecidos performance on Last Call w/Carson Daly went online yesterday. You can view the clips via the links below:

“MariKKKopa”: http://videobam.com/pzUXf#.UG2xBL0i3fc.email

“Backsell”: http://videobam.com/DWJuU#.UG2xF16_T68.email

* * *

They’re calling it “Occustock 2.” The event, hosted by Occupy Omaha tonight at Slowdown Jr., features Capgun Coup, Quantum Method and 3rd & Delaware as well as handful of comedians. Proceeds generated from the $10 tickets will go toward funding Occupy Omaha’s expenses, such as printing and supplies and food for Occupy Omaha’s food day, according to theslowdown.com. Show starts at 8 p.m.

* * *

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I haven’t watched Last Call With Carson Daly in years. Seems like the last time I watched it, the 1/2-hour program sported a late-night chat show format. The new format is a collection of filmed segments, and is a vast improvement. It looks better, it’s better edited, and it takes the rather lifeless Daly out of embarrassing live interview situations.

All of this is an aside to the fact that Desaparecidos “performed” last night on Last Call, though it was really just a broadcast of the band’s recent gig at The Troubadour in Los Angeles. There they were on stage belting out their new 7-inch single, “MariKKKopa,” and its B-side, “Backsell.” Ol’ Carson didn’t bother to give the backstory behind the single, merely stating that Conor has been heralded as his generation’s Bob Dylan and that Desa was an Omaha “supergroup,” which was both accurate and amusing.

The performance itself, which has yet to be uploaded to Hulu, was your typical Desa frenzy and sounded quite good, though Conor’s voice was shot on “Backsell.”

I don’t remember Desa playing on a nationally televised late night TV show back in the band’s formative years. Again, it helps build the band’s momentum, but toward what, I do not know…

* * *

Speaking of late-night chat show appearances, Morrissey is on Jimmy Fallon tonight.

* * *

Tonight at Slowdown Jr. it’s Brooklyn indie band Hospitality. The band is on the road supporting its self-titled debut release, which came out this past January on Merge Records. Opening is fellow Brooklyn band TEEN. The all-female combo features Teeny Lieberson, formerly of Here We Go Magic. Their debut full length, In Limbo, was released last month by Carpark Records and is a keeper. $10, 9 p.m. See you there.

* * *

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

A few follow-ups to yesterday’s blog entry:

— Turns out The Millions used to play in Omaha all the time, most notably at the long-gone Sharkey’s (which became The Music Box which was torn down to make room for a 24 Hour Fitness). Alas, those shows somehow flew under my radar, though I often frequented Sharkey’s.

— That Titus Andronicus show Nov. 21 is being held at Sokol Underground, not The Sandbox. Also on the bill Ceremony, Slut River and Gordon.

— Kevin Coffey has another report on the closing of The Antiquarium in the Omaha World-Herald, which you can read here. The key bit of information:

(Co-owner Joseph) Tingley and Brian Byrd would like to reopen the store after clearing their debt and if they can find a new location with lower rent.

“We want to reopen at some point,” Tingley said.

Maybe you guys can find cheap digs in Benson? It could use a record store.

* * *

Desaparecidos is slated to perform tonight on Last Call with Carson Daly on NBC. Also scheduled on the telecast: Brother Ali and The Iran Job. Check your local listings and set your DVR/Tivo.

* * *

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Antiquarium Records, 417 So. 13th St.

The Antiquarium announced yesterday via its Facebook page that it’s closing its doors.

“Well this is a little out of left field but the store is closing,” said the Facebook post. “Hopefully we will be reopening at some point but our debt has got a little out of control and we just can’t go on anymore for the time being.”

These are hard times for record stores, let alone one that caters to vinyl lovers, local music and underground bands. The shop’s legacy goes back decades when it was operated by the late, great Dave Sink and is arguably one of our music scene’s most influential businesses. The legacy was underscored in the remembrances written upon Dave’s passing last January (read them here).

“Of course there is a sale as well,” the Facebook entry continues. “All CDs are a buck a piece. All dollar records are a quarter. Everything else is 50% off. Come get killer deals and say goodbye.”

How long until all the record stores are gone?

BTW, an Oct. 19 benefit concert at The Sandbox is being organized by Black Heart Booking to help the store’s proprietors pay down their debt. Bands who want to get involved should email blackheartbook@hotmail.com.

* * *

Speaking of The Sandbox, it just announced that Titus Andronicus is scheduled to play there Nov. 21. It’s a Slowburn Production. Now let’s see if they can keep from moving the gig to another venue…

* * *

The Millions, sometime in the ’90s.

Seminal Lincoln post-punk indie band The Millions, who disappeared around 1995, announced via its Facebook page that it’s reuniting for a show Dec. 1 at The Bourbon Theater. The reunited Millions will feature original members Lori Allison, Harry Dingman III and Marty Amsler. Drummer Brandon McKenzie will take over drums from original drummer Greg Hill, who isn’t participating in the reunion.

“The band is playing this one time only show to celebrate the release of Poison Fish, a 21-song CD of rare and unreleased recordings from the earliest days of the band,” says the announcement.

I have to admit being only peripherally familiar with The Millions back in the day since it seems like they rarely played in Omaha. In fact, I ordered a used copy of their first release, M Is for Millions, last night from Amazon.com for $1.99 after watching a video of the single “Sometimes” on YouTube.

* * *

Thumbing through my copy of the Sunday New York Times Magazine what did my wandering eyes should appear but a feature on Desaparecidos. The story, online right here, reported nothing we haven’t already read in other articles. The biggest news was the fact that the NYT Mag printed the article at all considering that Desa has no current plans for either a new album or additional touring. Seems like Desa is getting more press now than it did a decade ago. Will it be enough to coax Conor into doing more Desa shows?

* * *

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 © 2012 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

The Wombats at The Slowdown, Sept. 27, 2012.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

My take on The Wombats: In a lot of ways they’re just a meat-and-potatoes powerpop trio, solid in all respects. The problem is that their music just isn’t terribly interesting. Certainly it’s not unique in any way. But maybe that’s why it’s so appealing to the 200+ youngsters who crowded the main floor at Slowdown last night.

Wombats play straight-forward freewheeling power-ballad love songs without a hint of angst, irony or despair. And when you’re 19 and living in Midwest suburbia consuming a healthy diet of reality television with pop stars manufactured on gameshows like The Voice, how much angst, irony and despair do you really need (or want)?

It isn’t that much different than when I was their age. We listened to Van Halen to forget about the rest of the world and live vicariously through David Lee Roth’s crotch conquests — that was what mattered. It seems like the rise of self-obsessed confession rock didn’t come until much later, and even then, it was never very popular. The audience for Van Halen is exponentially larger than the audience for Morrissey or The Cure. You can draw your on conclusions as to why.

But I digress. Wombats reminded me of Weezer, albeit a form of Weezer sung with a cockney accent and completely devoid of irony, self-depreciation, self-consciousness or self-doubt. Instead, it was sing-along anthems about girlfriends, and there’s nothing wrong that, though when it isn’t done with at least a sliver of something different it quickly becomes boring, the kind of music that’s very easy to ignore. Harmless.

As I was watching the girls scream when the lead guy bent down to touch their hands I wondered if angst will ever return to fashion with the Glee generation. How stupid of me. We all know that all it takes is a broken heart.

* * *

After a busy week, it looks like a light weekend for shows.

Tonight at O’Leaver’s ’80s flavored post-punk band Deadwave headlines a show with Lincoln miscreants Plack Blague. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, down at Slowdown Jr. Slowdown’s big room, All Young Girls Are Machine Guns celebrates the release of a new CD with Laura Burhenn of The Mynabirds and Field Club. $8, 9 p.m.

I got nothing for Saturday. If you have any suggestions, leave them in the comments area. Have a good weekend!

* * *

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I typically don’t run my Reader column in this here blog because it typically doesn’t focus on music (and this is a music blog after all). Sure, I add a line of hype about the column on Thursdays, but then I simply link to it. Well, this week I can’t find the column online at thereader.com. So because of that, and because the focus this week is on music, I’ve included it below. As always, you can also read it in print in The Reader.

Over the Edge: Of Sound Mind (and Opinion)
CD Reviews, YTD 2012

This week’s column is a return to my old indie music criticism schtick. Because I still listen to music — lots of it — and have more than 20 years’ experience writing about it, which I think gives my critical analysis a modicum of relevance.

Or maybe not.

The role of the music critic has become somewhat (mostly) marginalized. Anyone interested in modern music with the available income to purchase it also has access to Spotify or one of the other music streaming services that makes (most) new music available with the flick of a finger from their iPhone/Android/computer-powered listening device.

In other words, if you want to know if the latest buzz band is worth listening to you no longer have to risk your hard-earned ducats and make a blind purchase like in the old days. Now all you have to do is listen to it online. That means the critic’s role has been relegated to: 1) saving you time by pointing you toward an interesting path, or 2) validating your already made-up mind.

Reviews don’t even mean that much from a marketing perspective since artists don’t (and can’t) rely on income from album sales anymore. The ones who want to make a living making music depend on income generated at live performances. Still, if they’re going to get butts in seats, they have to get their music heard in the first place, and maybe that’s where the critics come in. My how the world has changed in just 10 years.

With all that in mind here are my impressions of some recent music, for what it’s worth…

Purity Ring, Shrines (4AD/Last Gang) — Chime-bot sounds from outer-space tone rockers is at its best when melody outdoes beat, but man it can get tiresome.

Thee Oh Sees, Putrifiers II (In the Red) — A crowing cock-a-doodle-doo of a garage punk band, no one does it better or with more style. Stands for Orange County if you’re wondering. So why can’t we get them to come to Omaha?

Digital Leather, Yes, Please, Thank You (Southpaw) — Another in a series of recordings (something like four LP/EP releases in the last couple years?) that sounds like Gary Numan post-wave synth rock bolted to a doped-up garage-punk band. One of Omaha’s finest. BTW, this is a cassette-only release. Yes, you read that right.

Peace of Shit, Business as Usual (Rainy Road) — Local perusers of thee garage aesthetic write songs as clever (or crass) as their name. Also on cassette (I see a luddite trend here).

Two Gallants, The Bloom and the Blight (ATO) — This original snarling guitar-and-drum purveyors of the punk sea shanty waited until they left Saddle Creek to make the best record of their careers. They’ve never been more focused, or ferocious.

Cat Power, Sun (Matador) — Chan Marshall puts aside afternoon-light fragment pop for something more upbeat, trippy, tuneful and almost happy, until you listen to the words.

Azure Ray, As Above So Below (Saddle Creek) — By combining the best of their respective solo projects, the Fink/Taylor duo have (finally) struck the perfect balance between strutting and soulful, sounding (finally) comfortable in their own skins.

TEEN, In Limbo (Carpark) — Maybe the best all-girl indie rock band going. Less self-assured than Best Coast, but better.

Ember Schrag, The Sewing Room (Single Girl Married Girl / Edible Onion) — Local singer/songwriter’s clear-as-a-bell coffee-shop folk ruminations, worth it if only for the perfect jewel of “Your Words.”

Dinosaur Jr., I Bet on Sky (Jagjaguwar) — Everything ‘80s is new again, at least to the young ears that weren’t around the first time. As good as anything they did back then, at times even better.

Bob Mould, Silver Age (Merge) — Everything ‘80s is new again, again. Bob put away his dancing shoes and rediscovered his electric guitar and hasn’t sounded this good since his Sugar days.

The xx, Coexist (Young Turks) — Among the hottest (or most heralded) of the droll vibe bands, no matter how much I try it bores the shit out of me.

McCarthy Trenching, Plays the Piano (Slumberparty) — Half ragtime instrumentals and half ragtime-influenced piano ballads, they say he’s Omaha’s Randy Newman but he’s really just a nice guy lost in better days. And I like his “Solace” better than Marvin’s.

The Intelligence, Everybodys Got It Easy But Me (In the Red) — The best under-the-radar indie rock collection that you’ll probably never find. By the numbers, but it still gets me every time.

PUJOL, United States of Being (Saddle Creek) — Proof that Saddle Creek still has a nose for finding new talent (even though Jack White found it first). All his earlier recordings have been leading up to this. Not anthemic, but epic nonetheless.

David Byrne and St. Vincent, Love This Giant (4AD) — Waters down the best parts of both, it’s not weird enough to be interesting and not straight-forward enough to be interesting.

Violens, True — Everything ‘80s is new again, the dream-pop edition. Lush.

Wild Nothing, Nocturne (Captured Tracks) — Everything ‘90s is new again, the (upbeat) shoe-gaze edition.

Twin Shadow, Confess (4AD) — A dizzying trip back to ’80s electro-pop with a sound that recalls everything from General Public to Fine Young Cannibals to New Order to Peter Gabriel. If you’re gonna steal a style, this is how to do it.

Divine Fits, A Thing Called Divine Fits (Merge) — Better than the last couple Spoon albums (or anything by Wolf Parade).

Various Artists, Just Tell Me That You Want Me: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac (Hear Music) — Unnecessary tribute album’s only highlights are Billy Gibbons’ “Oh Well,” and Antony’s fey “Landslide,” though it’ll make you want to seek out the source material.

Over The Edge is a weekly column by Reader senior contributing writer Tim McMahan focused on culture, society, the media and the arts. Email Tim at tim.mcmahan@gmail.com. Published in The Omaha Reader, Sept. 27, 2012.

* * *

Tonight at The Slowdown it’s Liverpool indie-rock trio The Wombats (Bright Antenna). Their sound has been described as “post-punk” but falls much closer to alt-pop or power-pop. Some say they’re destined for Arctic Monkey-level stardom. Who knows… maybe. This one was originally scheduled for the “junior room,” but was moved to the big stage thanks to pre-sales. Opening is Morning Parade and The Royal Concept. $12, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, our old pals Kite Pilot is playing tonight at The Sydney with Betsy Wells and Black Jonny Quest. $5, 9 p.m.

Last but not least, Pony Wars (Craig Korth, Craig Meier, Mike Brannan, Eric Ebers) is headlining a show tonight at O’Leaver’s with I Was Totally Destroying It and Millions of Boys. $5, 9:30 p.m.

* * *

The Album Leaf at The Waiting Room, Sept. 25, 2012.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

MONO is a four-piece ambient rock band from Japan that plays soaring all-instrumental compositions that are equal parts majesty and sorrow. The recipe is two guitars, a bassist who doubles on keyboards, and drums. It’s gorgeous, lush music that tries to replicate the density of orchestral music using rock instruments, and at its best moments, succeeds. A few songs sounded like the score from a 70 mm WWII epic, underlining scenes of burning buildings, diving airplanes, marches to victory and acres of graves. The music was dark and beautifully dismal; sad movements that combined to make an epic rock symphony.

While startlingly beautiful, MONO took the stage at around 9:30 and played for 90 minutes, which was about 60 minutes too long. Every song repeated the same quiet, build, crescendo formula, which fooled the audience into thinking “Well this has got to be the big finale,” only to have them start all over again. Since three of the musicians were seated and there was no variety in stage lighting, there wasn’t anything to see. After about 40 minutes I was in the back room playing No Fear pinball, with MONO providing the perfect heroic soundtrack as I hit one ramp after another.

Headliner The Album Leaf didn’t come on until after 11. I remember these guys from their shows at Sokol Underground nearly a decade ago. For the most part, their sound hasn’t changed much, though these days they sport a violin and frontman Jimmy LaValle provides vocals on a few of the songs. Their sound is still driven by the rhythms, whether electronic or created by drummer Dave LeBleu, who was amazing. Call it ambient rock if you want, there is a jazzy quality to what they do, though no one was improvising. Each song was like an individual set piece colored in shades of amber and gold.

Adding to the performance was film projection — sometimes video effects, a few found-film pieces — and LED bars that pulsed and changed colors in synch with the music. But in the end it was the musicians that made the show.

Remember when this kind of instrumental rock seemed fresh and exciting (who remembers Tristeza?)? It may no longer seem risky, but it’s no less enjoyable (in small doses).

* * *

This solid week of rock shows continues tonight at Slowdown Jr. when Tennis returns, with Landing on the Moon opening. $12, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, Pueblo’s The Haunted Windchimes opens for John Klemmensen and the Party at The Sydney. First up is Underwater Dream Machine. 10:30, $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 © 2012 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.