by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Tonight’s Laura Stevenson and the Cans show at The Hole will be the venue’s last…  at least at its existing location.

Lucas Wright, who books shows at The Hole under the moniker Black Heart Booking, e-mailed saying that if you drive by the venue, located at 712 So. 16th St. (the old Diamond Bar), you’ll find lots of construction equipment and city workers replacing sewer pipe.

“Last Tuesday a pipe burst and flooded the basement of the Hole, and the owners basically kicked out Anna and Donny (Diederich) so they could remodel and clean up the damages,” Wright said, adding that it was easy to do since the Diederichs never signed a lease.

The building owner also recently finished renovating the apartments above The Hole, and plans on renting them out, Wright said. “I guess he tried telling Donny he could only do shows on Fridays and Saturdays to accommodate the potential new tenants, which Donny didn’t like at all. So I think he was basically looking for an excuse to oust them.”

Wright said the Diederichs are now looking at a spot in Benson in the 60th and Maple area (next to the Subway sandwich shop). “(It’s) quite a bit bigger (3,700 sq ft), so maybe this will all work out for the best in the end,” he said.

Meanwhile, Wright is busting ass trying to find other venues for the shows he had scheduled at The Hole, “which is proving somewhat difficult as two of them are coming up right away.”

So tonight’s show at The Hole is the venue’s last hurrah. It was only last February that it opened at the Diamond Bar location (read about its origins here). Help it go out in style. Also on the bill are Lincoln punkers Thunderbolts, Fargo metal/punk act Animal Lover and Omaha acoustic punk band Ogdenville. $6, 8 p.m.

* * *

A brief update on yesterday’s 49’r/CVS item: KETV had reported that if the resolution to reconsider the proposal to build a CVS pharmacy at 49th and Dodge passes (which goes in front of the Omaha City Council on Tuesday), there would be a public hearing the following Tuesday. Now WOWT and Omaha.com are reporting that there won’t be another public hearing, merely another vote on the CVS project at the Sept. 21 City Council meeting. Councilman Ben Gray, who wants the Council to reconsider the deal, said on WOWT last night that he hasn’t changed his mind (he voted against it) and that he just wants new information to be considered. I don’t buy it, and I’d say things aren’t looking good for the Niner…

* * *

The weekend is upon us. Here’s a rundown of shows on my radar screen:

Brad Hoshaw and the Seven Deadlies are playing tonight at The Stir Lounge in Council Bluffs (at Harrah’s). I have a feeling Hoshaw will be rolling out new material. $5, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, down at Slowdown Jr tonight, it’s the Blue Rosa CD release party with Honey and Darling and Dim Light. $6, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, Satchel Grande and Conchance play at The Waiting Room. $7, 9 p.m.

Benson will be hopping Saturday night. Jenny and Johnny (as in Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley fame and Johnathan Rice) are playing at The Waiting Room Saturday with Love As Laughter. $15, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, just around the corner (literally) is the fall “just because we can” block party hosted by Jake’s Cigars & Spirits on Military Ave. The line-up for the show:

• Flowers Forever
• Noah’s Ark was a Spaceship
• Her Flyaway Manor
• Dim Light
• Brad Hoshaw
• Conduits
• Gooses
• Awkwords
• Butler & the Gentlemen
• Landing on the Moon

No price is listed for Jakes-fest on Jake’s website, but I’m hearing it’ll run $10 and starts at 5 p.m..

Also Saturday night, Saudi Arabia (Shanks) is playing at O’Leaver’s with Brimstone Howl and La Casa Bombas. $5, 9:30 p.m.

And then Sunday at O’Leaver’s it’s The Answer team with Big Science and Ketchup & Mustard Gas. $5, 9:30 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 © 2010 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

And just like that, the execution of The 49’r could be back on.

Omaha City Councilman Ben Gray this morning said he’s going to ask the Council to reconsider CVS Pharmacy’s plans to build a store at 49th and Dodge where the Niner currently stands, reports KETV.com. Last week the Council voted 4-3 against CVS and everyone thought that was the end of it. Gray was among the “nay” votes. So what would make Gray change his mind? No doubt CVS has (had?) plans to do a full Walgreens-style invasion of Omaha, including building new stores in Gray’s district. Did the Dundee Uprising put a sour taste in CVS’s mouth?

“KETV asked if CVS threatened to pull out of the Omaha market because of the Dundee rejection. Gray said he had a conversation with the mayor about the issue,” said the KETV.com story, which went on to quote Gray saying “There was no pressure there. It was his opinion that I ought to revisit it — especially since there was some things he realizes I didn’t know early on.” Sure sounds like Gray is trying to deflect some of the heat for his decision onto Suttle.

The item to reconsider the CVS proposal will be on next Tuesday’s City Council agenda, KETV said. If approved, a public hearing will be held the following week. So here we go again, maybe…

On a side note, the two Cursive shows at The 49’r Sept. 19 and 20 sold out in the blink of an eye.

* * *

Autopilot Art is a small clothing business owned and operated by Alexia Thiele, who has been designing clothes for the past six or seven years for her friends and folks in bands around town. Her materials include repurposed everyday textiles like curtains and table clothes. You can check out some of her work on the Autopilot Art website.

Anyway, tonight there’s a benefit event at Slowdown in support of AutoPilot that will include apparel sales, tie-dying, silk screening, a raffle and live performances from a slew of local bands and musicians, including Capgun Coup, Conchance, Dapose (The Faint), Honeybee, La Casa Bombas, Jason Meyer (Talking Mountain) and some “special guests,” along with DJ action by Jacob Thiele and friends. Get the full skinny on the event’s Facebook page. Show starts at 8 and will run you $8. It’s a great opportunity to support a local fashion artist/icon and, of course, have a good time.

Also, tonight may be the last Omaha show for Scott Severin and the Milton Burlesque for the foreseeable future. Severin sent an e-mail last week saying tonight’s show at The Lift Lounge on 96th St. would be one of the final shows before an “extensive (?) hiatus.” Severin and Co. go on at 8, $8. The Severin Burlesque’s last show is slated for Saturday at Lincoln’s Zoo Bar.

* * *

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 © 2010 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Column 287: Five Above Earl

Reviews of Arcade Fire, new Saddle Creek releases…

I write this crammed into a window seat flying straight into the heart of a hurricane named Earl, but I’m not worried. NYC will protect me. It always has. So if there’s a sense of impending dread throughout these five reviews — a look at the hottest indie release of the year, along with four new, strong albums from our friends at Saddle Creek Records — I blame the weather and anticipation of my long-deserved vacation (or demise). See you on the other side of the storm.

Tim Kasher, The Game of Monogamy (Saddle Creek). Out 10/5/10.

Tim Kasher, The Game of Monogamy (Saddle Creek). Like most of Kasher’s confessional catalog, it’s an examination of his ongoing struggles with guilt. Guilt about his inability to commit, guilt for taking the easy way out, guilt over his unwillingness to accept contentment (“I’m Afraid I’m Gonna Die Here”) and guilt over his unwillingness to change in the face of that dreaded contentment (“Cold Love”). Lucky for him, with that guilt comes numbness as a symptom of middle age. There’s a certain sense of inevitable desperation that underlies this entire album, but don’t feel sorry for poor Kasher. He knows (as we all do) that whatever misery he suffers, he brought on himself. Musically, it veers closer to The Good Life than Cursive. Fine. The differentiator is the baroque strings, the upbeat brass that reminds me of Madness, and the cool electronic claps on “Gonna Die Here,” which would be a radio hit in any other universe. His tendency to occasionally throw too many words into a phrase makes for some clumsy moments, but those are few and far between. In the overall Kasher oeuvre, this is a minor, simple, but ultimately satisfying guilt trip.

Azure Ray, Drawing Down the Moon (Saddle Creek). Out 9/14/10.

Azure Ray, Drawing Down the Moon (Saddle Creek) — The question: Is the sum better than its parts? When Azure Ray split up all those years ago, we thought we’d get twice as much goodness as when they were together. Instead, we were treated to some hit-and-miss releases that allowed the girls to experiment with some things they wouldn’t have tried together. Now they’re back, and they’ve brought the best of their separate experiences along with some interesting electronics. Both dabbled with beats (none moreso than Fink’s O+S), and those clicks and pops have given us one of the more upbeat AR albums in their catalog. Even more noticeable is Eric Bachmann’s production and arrangements, especially on those rollicking guitar-picking numbers (“Shouldn’t Have Loved,” “Make Your Heart.”). But in the end, it still comes down to the same soothing, whispering harmonies that defined them from the beginning. The underlying theme: Just getting by, with or without someone else’s heart alongside theirs (Though they’d surely prefer the former. And who, other than Kasher, wouldn’t?). And if you know their personal back stories, it’s fun to try to connect the dots, whether they’re singing about familiar old (and current) boyfriends or not.

Adam Haworth Stephens, We Live on Cliffs (Saddle Creek). Out 9/28/10.

Adam Haworth Stephens, We Live on Cliffs (Saddle Creek) — AHS is half of Two Gallants, the singing/guitar playing half. We love 2G songs for their reckless drunken sea-shanty style mixed with wry story telling – sort of like an American version of Pogues meets Gordon Lightfoot. Well, the sea balladeering is long gone on this album. Instead, AHS has opted for a more streamlined, straightforward, AOR approach both in the songwriting and arrangements. In fact, the second track, “Second Mind,” creeps dangerously close to Jack Johnson territory. My take: This solo effort was an opportunity for Stephens to turn things down, smooth them out and try for a more peaceful, easy, mainstream feeling. When he does turn it up, like on driver “Elderwoods,” he can’t help but hold the leash a bit too tightly. The result is a pleasant record that will makes 2G fans yearn for a return to that drunken, piss-soaked pub by the sea.

Land of Talk, Cloak and Cipher (Saddle Creek). Released 8/24/10.

Land of Talk, Cloak and Cipher (Saddle Creek) — Saddle Creek has its first dream-pop act with these wily Montreal-eans led by dreamy front woman Elizabeth Powell. Their first Creek release, 2007’s Some Are Lakes, was a sneaky comer that required repeated listens before locking in. Not so this follow-up, which leaps out of the gate with its dense, bouncy title track where Powell croons in her husky, sexy voice the indecipherable code: “I won’t redeem another / Lose that.” What’s it mean? Who knows? Just like on the pulsing “Quarry Hymns,” where she coos “Leaving on the hottest day / To sink this quarry under,” you never know what she’s singing about, and you won’t care because you’ll be lost in the layers of the trio’s beautiful pop. There will be the inevitable comparisons to the usual suspects: The Sundays, The Cranberries, Fleetwood Mac, but Land of Talk brings its own mystery to your headphones, its own intensity that none of the others can match.

Arcade Fire, The Suburbs (Merge). Released 8/3/2010.

Arcade Fire, The Suburbs (Merge) — Mewing frontman Win Butler may be too smart for his own good — a sad, tortured realist, he’s stuck in a rut, dwelling on the past, on the future and on our current state of affairs. And yet, his music on this, his third album, is as inventive as anything on 2004’s Funeral, certainly moreso than the disappointing Neon Bible. The album is so radio-friendly (in an ’80s sort of way) that it almost slips out of an indie classification into the mainstream. But it’s the songs’ consistently bleak lyrics that will keep any of them from becoming household anthems. The themes: Boredom, lost opportunities, futility, modernism, isolationism, instant nostalgia, and some unforeseen looming apocalypse. All that desolation wrapped in such a pretty package. So yeah, it’s an endearing bummer that’s appropriate for these bummer times we live in, a perfect snapshot of an uncertain world, and dead accurate, but that doesn’t make it any more fun to listen to. My advice: Hang on for the ride and pay attention to the lyrics at your own peril — you may never want to get out of bed in the morning.

* * *

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 © 2010 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Earl didn’t get me. In fact, it didn’t get anywhere close to New York. Other than a momentary sprinkle during one afternoon match at the U.S. Open, there was no impact (though you wouldn’t have known it listening to The Weather Channel, where there’s always a catastrophe going on somewhere). The only music experienced over the long weekend of Yankees and tennis was seeing “Next to Normal” on Broadway (highly recommended). See you next year, Gotham City.

There is no better place to write CD reviews than strapped into a window seat in a plane for four to five hours. And flying to and from NYC was just such an occasion. Tomorrow’s column features reviews of four new Saddle Creek Records releases, while today’s blog entry is a look at three new electronic pop albums.

Glasser, Ring (True Panther Sounds). Out 9/29/10.

Glasser, Ring (True Panther Sounds) — Glasser is the one-woman orchestra of Cameron Mesirow, who’s opened for bands like The xx and Delorean. Could her voice be any more icily beautiful in its layered glory? Augmented with an array of glowing cushiony synths and click-pound polyrhythms, Glasser might be the music you’ll hear on the escalator headed to heaven. In fact, its dense layers can get overwhelming and tonally predictable in a New Agey, Enya sort of way that allows your mind to casually wander away from the lyrics, which seem obviously secondary. I bet it’s quite a spectacle on stage (preferably in a sit-down theater), but not something you’ll ever find yourself casually singing along to in  your car. Rating: No.

Blonde Redhead, Penny Sparkle (4AD). Out 9/14/10.

Blonde Redhead, Penny Sparkle (4AD) — More multilayered synth pop with breathy female vocals. The advantage over Glasser is its slightly better melodies, and when Amedeo Pace pulls out a between-the-eyes counter melody (like on the pouty “Oslo”) the music pushes to the next level (as in it’s catchy.), while “Everything Is Wrong,” and “Spain” would make smashing James Bond movie themes. I’m not sure what the point is to synths if they’re not urging you to dance. Even Sade knows that. I’d love to hear what these songs would sound like performed with just a piano, drums and Kazu Makino’s heavenly voice instead of with all those ambient clouds. Rating: No.

Autolux, Transit Transit (TBD Records). Released 8/3/10.

Autolux, Transit Transit (TBD Records) — On “Census” there’s a drama that only could come with a steady diet of Sonic Youth. It’s common to hear people slap an SY comparison on anything that’s noisy, and rarely does the tag fit. Here, and on the ultra-dense “Supertoys,” it makes sense in their obvious tone and structure. You’ll recognize the influence, but you won’t accuse them of aping. It’s too sophisticated for that. That said, this is a strange album in how it runs the gamut between noise and lush ambient beauty (“Spots” warm tonal drama; “Highchair” aggressive DM dance vibe, “The Bouncing Wall” off-kilter coo-coo-ca-choo strut). It comes together with a classic epic closer that doesn’t get out of hand. Controlled right until the bitter end. Rating: Yes.

* * *

Cincinnati adult alternative combo Over the Rhine plays at The Waiting Room tonight. Around since ’89, their laidback vibe, led by vocalist Karin Bargquist, comes close to Lilith Fair fodder (re: Sarah McLachlan, Beth Orton, Sam Phillips). No opener is listed, and the start time is 8 p.m., so expect this to be an early night. $15.

* * *

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 © 2010 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Guess where... Sept. 2, 2010.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Hey everyone… I’m in NYC for a few days. Don’t know if you’ll be getting updates or not (In fact, with Hurricane Earl blowing just off the coast, I don’t know if you’ll get updates ever again.). Have a good weekend, and keep an eye on the sky…

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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 © 2010 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Built to Spill performs at Slowdown Aug. 27 under the watchful gaze of their sponsor.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Column 286: Under the Moon, Under the Stars

Live Review: Built to Spill, She & Him.

The best thing about outdoor concerts: Even if you can’t stand a single note of the music, all you have to do is look up, overhead, and there’s something worth seeing.

Of course that wasn’t necessary this past weekend at two of the summer’s most anticipated indie concerts, both held under the black ocean of night, lit only by streetlight, stage light, star light and eventually, moonlight.

In the case of the Slowdown Block Party — held in the venue’s parking lot Friday night — there also was advertising light in the form of massive stenciled floods that blared “TOYOTA aNTiCS” — the primary event sponsor and the reason you didn’t need to pay to get into the show. Parked throughout the lot was Toyota’s line of economy cars “tricked out” to make the young, ultra-hip audience covet them. It’s all about demographics, my friend, which we would hear more about from stage later.

In this era when the dying shell of the music industry continues to decay before our very eyes, it’s sponsors like Toyota that are helping prop up the carcass. There was a time when bands and their fans would consider such blatant commercial “opportunities” as “selling out” — an inexcusable crossing of the line between art and commerce. In the old days (just 10 years ago) any respectable indie band would have taken one look at that aNTiCS sign, packed up its gear and left. But these days gigantic sponsor banners are the norm at music festivals, while most indie bands would kill their publicist and/or booking agent just for a chance to get their music used in a Toyota commercial. Selling out, it seems, is just good business.

But I digress.

When I joined the crowd of around 2,000 just after 9 p.m., The Mynabirds were finishing their set as the last remnants of daylight waned. Laura Burhenn’s band sported a new cello player tucked neatly behind the front-stage vocalists. As is the case with almost every cello I’ve seen at a rock show, you could barely hear it except at the quietest moments. There was a time when it seemed like every indie band was trying to work a cello into its line-up, including noise-makers like Cursive. But slowly they all got the drift, and cellos began to disappear. Until now.

A stroll around the grounds between sets revealed beer tents, food tents and merch tents mingled among the little Toyotas. You don’t realize the enormity of Slowdown’s parking lot until you’re at this kind of event. It easily could hold a few thousand more music — or sports — fans. In the shadow of the half-constructed TD Ameritrade Park, imagine all the money that will be rolling in during the College World Series next spring, and every spring thereafter. Enough money to “make their year” and allow Slowdown to host more concerts like this one, but without the tacky sponsors.

The Mynabirds were followed by another Saddle Creek band, The Rural Alberta Advantage, whose dusty backbeat hoedown fare makes them a strange fit for the label (though their new material sounded promising). Finally, on came Doug Martsch and Built to Spill. With his stringy hair and big, crazy graying beard, Martsch looked like he just walked out of a survivalist compound. Tough his Neil Young-meets-Kermit the Frog voice can’t hit the high notes on crowd faves like “Time Trap,” Martsch can still shred like few others in the indie world. And when joined by two other axemen, Built to Spill becomes a Fender-powered rocket at lift-off.

Too often, however, the songs turned into extended jam sessions — great stuff if you’re a guitar enthusiast, boring for anyone else. It was between jams that guitarist Brett Netson let loose on the night’s sponsor, angrily warning the crowd that they had been defined as “a demographic.” “I wonder who’s sponsoring this show,” Netson snarled. “What kind of car do you want to buy? A used one.” Hope they got paid up front.

The following night outside along the river a different kind of star took the stage at The Anchor Inn. It was movie star Zooey Deschanel — the she in She & Him — who’s had her own fling with selling out, acting in a TV commercial where she sings about how Cotton is the “fabric of my life”– a jingle that would fit comfortably on the latest She & Him album.

Fortunately, Zooey didn’t sing about her love for natural fibers Saturday night. Instead, she and M. Ward (“Him”) played a selection from their two Merge records. Deschanel indeed has a sweet voice. But you wonder if she would be singing in front of 1,600 people if not for her film career. At its best, her voice is second-round American idol pitchy, especially on an ill-conceived Beach Boys cover. Still, Deschanel and Ward are smart for taking on a retro ’60s girl-group pop style that’s both musically and lyrically risk free. But while Ward and the entire band are talented, there was something strangely inauthentic about their retro sound in a way that only a freed Phil Spector could decipher.

The crowd of mostly women, however, could have cared less about authenticity as they drank their watermelons and bobbed their heads to the milquetoast beat, while the rest of us leaned back on the banks of the Missouri River and looked up as a burnt orange new moon slowly rose in the northeastern sky.

* * *

A terrible summer  head cold kept me away from The Waiting Room last night for Crooning for Kat — figured I shouldn’t ruin everyone’s night by infecting them with my pestilence.  I hope all of Greater Omaha made it out, and that Kat’s quickly on her way back to good health.

* * *

I bet the hot topic of conversation last night at TWR (other than Kat) was the Omaha City Council yesterday rejecting the request by CVS Pharmacy to build a new store at 49th and Dodge, the current location of The 49’r (story & video here). So I guess that means The 49’r will live on, right? Right? Did Mark Samuelson, who owns the Niner, hope to put the bar to bed? One would assume so, since CVS couldn’t have developed the property unless Samuelson wanted to sell it. Looks like he’s lost his buyer, which also makes one assume that The 49’r will indeed live on… until Samuelson finds another buyer.

* * *

Tonight at The Waiting Room it’s Capgun Coup with Conchance featuring Black Johnny Quest, and Dojorok and Kethro. $5, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, down at Slowdown Jr., it’s the return of Poison Control Center with Talking Mountain. $7, 9 p.m.

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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 © 2010 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

First and foremost, tonight at The Waiting Room is Crooning for Kat, a fund-raising benefit for Kat Smith. Kat sings and plays guitar in The Black Squirrels, and chances are if you’re a regular at rock shows in Omaha, you’ve seen her in the crowd (when she wasn’t on stage).

The story behind her recent medical problems is explained in detail here at the Crooning for Kat website. It’s sad and scary, and needless to say, Kat is one tough lady. But now she’s asking for help, and that’s where you come in.

Tonight’s benefit at TWR includes a silent auction that starts at 6 (goodies, listed here

, include tickets, food, booze, artwork, fitness stuff, home & garden, fashion, beauty, and more), and live music starting at 7 from some of the area’s best musicians, including Kyle Harvey, Filter Kings, The Bruces (Alex McManus), McCarthy Trenching, Whipkey Zimmerman Sing, Outlaw Con Bandana, and Adam Hawkins (ex-It’s True). Cover is $10, with all proceeds going to Kat. It should be a fun night and a chance to help out a great lady with a great talent.

* * *

There’s a boatload of Cursive news today. One Percent Productions mailed out their list of upcoming shows this morning. Among them are two Cursive dates at the soon-to-be-demolished 49’r Bar Sept. 19 and 20. Sayeth One Percent: “That’s right. Cursive wants to play The 49’r before it disappears.  And two shows at that. Can you blame them?  It’s an Omaha landmark.” That it is. Tickets go on sale this Saturday, Sept. 4.

One question that comes to mind is: Who will be playing drums for these Cursive gigs? It was announced today that Cully Symington, who played with Cursive last year, has joined My Jerusalem, an “indie supergroup” that also includes Jeff Klein, Dave Rosser (Twilight Singers), Ashley Dzerigian (Great Northern, Ed Harcourt) and Rick Nelson and Matt Bricker (both of Polyphonic Spree). The band’s debut, Gone for Good, will be released on Sony/RED Oct. 26.

Finally, a reliable source who’s active in the local stand-up comedy circuit tells me that Cursive fans may want to drop by the Sydney’s open mic comedy night Sept. 9. Those of you who were at the Fancy Party Comedy Show a couple weeks ago and saw local sketch troupe OKFMDOA know what I’m talking about. Is this a new career move by everyone’s favorite “Martyr” (or “Recluse” or “So-So Gigolo”…)?
* * *

Lastly, the Arcade Fire yesterday released what some are calling a “ground breaking” online interactive video for the track “We Used to Wait.” You can see it here, but you have to have Google Chrome to really make it work. What’s it do? Well, you type in the address of your “childhood home” and it integrates Google Map and Google Streetview images into the video. Interesting idea. Unfortunately, where I grew up doesn’t have a street view available. In fact, a lot of locations around here don’t, and when I plug in my current address, it shows the next street over — which isn’t very compelling. Still, they get an “A” for effort, and it’s making me like that song just that much more.

* * *
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 © 2010 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Built to Spill at The Slowdown Block Party, Aug. 27, 2010.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The full review of this weekend’s outdoor shows — the Slowdown Block Party and She & Him at The Anchor Inn — will be online as this week’s column on Wednesday. Until then, here is a selection of photos taken at the shows.

The Mynabirds at The Slowdown Block Party, Aug. 27, 2010.

online pharmacy zetia no prescription pharmacy

The Rural Alberta Advantage at The Slowdown Block Party, Aug. 27, 2010.

She & Him at The Anchor Inn, Aug. 28, 2010.

* * *

Update: The Seafarer Kickstarter project met its $3,500 fund-raising goal. Shooting for the film, that will include music by local bands, will begin in the next couple of weeks. More info about the film is available at seafarerfilm.com.

* * *

Envy Corp drummer Scott Yoshimura’s side project, Canby, is playing tonight at The Waiting Room. Opening is Skypiper and Pictures of Then. $7, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, Ember Schrag will be performing at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, Gallery 2, along with Baltimore’s Daniel Higgs, The Chiara String Quartet and Carnal Torpor. $6 members, $8 non-members. Doors open at 7.

* * *
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 © 2010 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I knew when I arrived at The Barley Street Tavern last night at around 10:30 that I wasn’t going to be able to hang in there long enough for Little Black Stereo’s last hurrah. The first opener, Kyle Harvey, had only just completed his set and Cowboy Indian Bear was still setting up with Landing on the Moon still to come, and some of us had to work the next morning…

Hailing from Lawrence, Kansas, Cowboy Indian Bear have played in Omaha regularly over the past couple of years, usually down at Slowdown, though they’ve done the full circuit (TWR, O’Leaver’s, etc.). You say you like four-part harmony? How about solid bass lines? What about brawny, thick-beat drums augmented by electronic beats? CIB has it all, along with gorgeous melodies that lean toward the sweeter side of indie pop — think Spoon or upbeat DCFC or Broken Social Scene. Their strength really lies in their vocals — all four members can sing well, including a new female band member whose voice falls somewhere in the Harriet Wheeler (The Sundays) wheelhouse. Their sound is cleanly, crisply captured on their new album, Each Other All the Time, which came out earlier this year and is worth seeking out if you’re looking for a cool, laid-back summer album.

After CIB came Landing on the Moon, but not until around 11:30. I made it through four songs, including what’s become their set highlight, “California,” before I gave up the ghost for the evening. Alas, I missed LBS one last time, though you can catch them tonight for what really is their final show, at The Zoo Bar in Lincoln with Cowboy Indian Bear and High Art (Darren Keen and Co.).

* * *

Reminder: You’ve only got a couple days left if you want to help finance the Seafarer film project via Kickstarter. The locally produced project will feature music from local bands (most likely including Honeybee and Capgun Coup). The project goal is $3,500, and pledges currently stand at $3,065. A pledge of $15 or more will get you some nice goodies along with the knowledge that you helped make the project a reality. Check it out.

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It’s fitting that as summer winds down there are two marquee outdoor shows happening this weekend. The highlight is tonight at Slowdown’s parking lot, the site of what’s being called the “Omaha Block Party,” featuring Built To Spill, The Rural Alberta Advantage, and The Mynabirds. If it’s anything like last year’s outdoor bash at Slowdown (that featured Azure Ray and Cursive, among others) it will have a sort of festival vibe. The best part, of course, is that it’s free, but you’ve got to go to this website and print out an RSVP ticket. Door opens at 7, and the show starts at 8:30. No idea where you’re supposed to park other than on the streets around Slowdown.

Then tomorrow night, She & Him are playing at The Anchor Inn with The Chapin Sisters. I have no idea if the Inn is still suffering from flooding. Regardless, there will be a stage set up somewhere on the grounds. If you haven’t been out there for a show, you’re in for a treat. $20, 9 p.m.

That’s not all that’s happening this weekend.

Tonight is the last show of the summer at Lincoln’s Clawfoot House.  Ember Schrag, who runs Clawfoot with Brian Day, said they are turning over the venue to a young artist/musician couple who will be moving in and taking over as of Sept. 1, with a grand reopening Sept. 30 with Pillars and Tongues from Chicago and FATHR^.

“I had a blast starting Clawfoot House,” Schrag said. “We hosted 89 events at our apartment in a year and a half. And tons of artists from all over came through and performed in our living room and kitchen and porch. But Bryan and I are both ready to have more time to devote to our own projects.”

Those projects include a two-and-a-half month U.S. tour that starts next week, but that really kicks off at tonight’s show, which is a “casual fundraiser to help with a few tour expenses.” It’s at Clawfoot House, 1042 F St., and includes a spaghetti dinner, indoor garage sale, tarot card readings, four bands and a video/sound performance. It’s a $6 cover, $3 for the dinner. The event starts at 6 and music starts at 9 with Ron Wax (featuring Ron Albertson of Mercy Rule), Ed Gray (Iowa City), Ember Schrag and her band, and Tiny Tiny Tongues.

Meanwhile, tonight back here in Omaha, The Ground Tyrants are headlining a show at the Barley Street Tavern with All Young Girls Are Machine Guns. $5, 9 p.m.

Saturday has Lincoln band Wastoid playing at The Brothers Lounge with opener Ron Wax (featuring Ron Albertson of Mercy Rule) and The Lepers. $5, 10 p.m.

Also Saturday night, Ketchup and Mustard Gas are at O’Leaver’s with Birthday Suits. $5, 9:30 p.m.

And Simon Joyner is playing a house show at 4208 Mayberry Street with Ed Gray, The Prairies and Ember Schrag. Show starts at 9 and suggested donation is $5 to $10.

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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 © 2010 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Nick Semrad of Little Black Stereo emailed to say that LBS is calling it quits. In fact, tonight’s show at The Barley Street Tavern is their last Omaha gig. Tomorrow’s Zoo Bar show in Lincoln is the band’s official “last show.”

I asked Nick what the story was behind the breakup. “Well, part of it stems from a guitar player moving to Nashville, and I’m headed to LA within the year to be a session player…” he said.

Despite their long history, I’ve never seen a full set by LBS. It’s not like I’ve gone out of my way to avoid them, it’s just been one of those things. Also playing LBS’s farewell show are Landing on the Moon, Lawrence band Cowboy Indian Bear and Barley Street regular Kyle Harvey. $5, 9 p.m.

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HearNebraska.org isn’t the only new effort designed to improve your online search for music news. The Reader is in the process of a bottom-up redesign of its website at thereader.com. I’ve seen the initial drafts, and they’re a huge improvement over what’s out there now. As part of the process, The Reader is asking folks to take a little survey and tell them what they’d like to see on their new site. That means you, so click here

and fill the dang thing out. Watch for the new Reader website to launch in the very near future.

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Lincoln music promoter and all-around good guy Jeremy Buckley says that if you want in on the discounted $30 pass that will get you into all of this year’s Lincoln Calling performances, you’ve got ’til the end of the day. The discounted tickets can be purchased online from etix, here. Tomorrow, the price goes up to $40.

There’s also a brand new Lincoln Calling website that just went online at lincolncalling.com that will answer all your questions about the festival, and includes performance schedules, venue and ticket info, everything.

Buckley also announced today that he just locked in a handful of additional bands and performers for this year’s festival, and they are:

Andreas Kapsalis and Goran Ivanovic Guitar Duo

Blue Martian Tribe

Brad Hoshaw and the Seven Deadlies

Carrot Carrot

Conduits

Dirty Talker

Down With the Ship

The Envy Corps

The Filter Kings

The Flatliners

High Art

If Only He Had the Power

The Killigans

Landing on the Moon

Little Brazil

The Machete Archive

Masses

Midland Band

Mitch Gettman

Moustache

Pablo’s Triangle

Pecha Kucha Volume 3

Pharmacy Spirits

The Photo Atlas

The Renfields

Ted Stevens

Tempo

Vibenhai

The Vingins

Voodoo Method

Those additions bring the total number of bands and performers to around 100, which has got to make this the biggest music festival in Nebraska. Lincoln Calling is Sept. 29-Oct. 2.

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There’s a lot happening tonight in addition to the LBS swan song concert:

Tonight at O’Leaver’s, noise-riot-punk brawlers Peace of Shit is headlining a show with Mosquito Bandito and The Spooks. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Also tonight, Sub Pop band Fruit Bats are playing at The Waiting Room with Nathaniel Rateliff and Hospital Ships. $10, 9 p.m.

And finally, everyone’s favorite messed-up art punk garage kids, The Yuppies, are playing at The Hole with Daikaiju (Alabama surf-rock), Ampline (Cincinatti rock rock), and Butchers. $5, 8 p.m.

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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 © 2010 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.