The Men at Slowdown Jr., April 27, 2013.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Here we are, a few days late. Don’t blame me, blame my work. Someone has to pay the bills, and it ain’t you.

Anyway… It’s been a few days since The Men played at Slowdown Jr., but my memory of the performance is still somewhat vivid. Just prior to their set I chatted with one of the venue’s bartenders who also happens to be an accomplished musician. He hadn’t heard the band before and asked me what I thought. I recapped my SXSW story (posted last Friday) and said I wasn’t sure what we were in for. That the new album had shades of Centro-matic about it. He nodded. He likes Centro-matic.

Well, just like in Austin, the band climbed on stage and proceeded to rip into three hard fast rock songs that were more garage or punk than anything with a twang. This even though one of the band members was now playing keyboards. “(The bartender) must think I’m nuts or an idiot or both,” I thought.

It took about a half hour, but eventually The Men began to slow it down and bring up that keyboard along with the twang in the form of dueling guitars that sounded like something off The Allman Brothers Band’s Eat a Peach album. Here was a band that could effortlessly switch between hyper-rock and something vaguely resembling alt-country while always maintaining their speed, power, grace. It was good stuff that in its own way had an epic flair similar to what Titus Andronicus brings, but with a more refined songwriting style.

Somewhere in the middle of the set, between songs, one of the guys said, “Being New Yorkers, we’re not a sentimental bunch, but this next one is a tribute to someone who died yesterday.” With that, the band tore into its own unique rendition of George Jones’ “White Lightning.” A fitting tribute indeed.

By the time the band got to the end of its set — more than an hour after it began — The Men’s sound had transformed again, this time into something resembling psych-rock, but again without losing their signature power and drive. It was an exhausting set that left (most of) the crowd of around 75 satisfied..

Baby Tears at Slowdown Jr., April 27, 2013.

If that set sounds long, Baby Tears made up for it with a short set of only four or five blistering, violent noise-rock tunes. The plan called for playing at least one more long number, but the set was marred by a broken kick-drum pedal which blew out after the first song, leaving all of us wanting more.

Gordon at Slowdown Jr., April 27, 2013.

Starting things off was a rather straight-forward set by Gordon, at least compared to the last time I saw them play at The Side Door this past January. I have no idea what drove that weird, wonderful performance, but compared to that chaos, the band was downright restrained Saturday night, resting entirely on their songs and musicianship. They are easily the best Omaha band you’ve never heard of, and I’m scratching my head wondering why no one has helped them put out a record. One young label owner asked me if their 5-song demo was online anywhere. It is. In fact, you can download the whole thing right here. Get it.

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While I’ve been away (though I’ve been right here the whole time) the folks at the Maha Music Festival announced their big stage line-up for this year’s extravaganza, which takes place Saturday, Aug. 17 at Stinson Park in Aksarben Village.

The full schedule:

12:05 – OEA Winner
12:40 – Millions of Boys
1:20 – Hers w/Omaha Girls Rock!
1:55 – Sons of Fathers
2:45 – Rock Paper Dynamite
3:20 – Thao and the Get Down Stay Down
4:25 – The Millions
5:00 – The Thermals
6:05 – Criteria
6:45 – Bob Mould
7:55 – Digital Leather
8:55 – Matt & Kim
10:15 – The Flaming Lips
Midnight – Show Over

The reaction from most people I’ve talked to about this line-up has been, “Whoa, Flaming Lips.” Even “civilians” who never go to rock shows are impressed. The Lips’ reputation for putting on over-the-top multi-media parties with confetti cannons and giant balloons is well known even with the stay-home suburban set. Will this be a game-changer for Maha? We’ll have to wait and see.

But as excited as the armchair music fans are about the Lips, the hardcore indie fans are over the moon about Bob Mould.  Then again… I always assumed everyone knew who Mould is, until I ran into a label guy in his 20s this week who didn’t have the foggiest. I told him that Mould was in Sugar. Nothing. “How about Husker Du? Ever heard of them?” He had, but still wasn’t familiar with their music. Fact is, this guy was in diapers when Zen Arcade came out (if he was alive at all).

My young label geek did know who The Thermals are. I didn’t ask him if he’d heard of Matt & Kim (but he probably has, especially since they just played Slowdown last year). Thao and the Get Down Stay Down is a more obscure choice, and even I had never heard of Sons of Fathers until Maha. Based on their iTunes snippets (They don’t have much of an online presence) I’d classify them as alt country or “roots.” We’ll never know the real story about how Maha found these guys (and why the booked them).

So there you have it, the 2013 Maha Music Festival line-up. Will this one be a record-breaker for Maha, the one that finally pushes them out of Stinson Park and into a larger facility (with campgrounds, as is their dream)? And more importantly, who’s going to pick up all that confetti after the show is over?

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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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

This being a semi-quiet Tuesday, I’m taking this opportunity to clean out the ol’ in-box. Bear with me…

Despite a release date of Sept. 4, the Saddle Creek Shop down at the Slowdown complex today announced that it’s selling right now copies of Azure Ray’s new CD/LP As Above So Below, very likely to the consternation of the folks at Homer’s Records. The shop also will have the limited edition (of 250) pink vinyl version of the record, only available at the shop or from the Saddle Creek online store. Pricing breakdown: CD – $7; LP – $13, and Limited Edition LP – $19.

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Doom Town Records, in cooperation with Rainy Road Records, says it will be releasing Baby Tears’ first full-length LP, Rusty Years, this Thursday, Aug 24, when all pre-orders will be shipped. The band plans to host a release show Oct. 7 at Barley Street Tavern. Until then, order your copy of Rusty Years right here.

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The Iggy Pop Bobblehead

Drastic Plastic is expanding on its  merch offerings with new a label, Silver Saucer CDs. “Silver Saucer’s mission is to do for CDs what Drastic Plastic Records does for vinyl: ensuring the continued availability and best possible sound for seminal recordings,” quote-eth their press release. “Our first release is Agent Orange’s classic Living in Darkness. The CD features the original LP track list with a limited initial run of 1,000 copies.” Street date is Sept. 18.

In addition, Drastic Plastic records announced the Oct. 2 vinyl-only release of The Gun Clubs’ classic from 1984, The Las Vegas Story, as a remastered, 180-gram, opaque-green vinyl offering limited to just 500 pressings.

And if that wasn’t enough, Drastic is in the bobblehead business with a 7-inch tall Iggy Pop bobblehead. Limited to 1,000, it’s the second in their bobblehead series, with George Clinton and Fulci Zombie slated for the bobblehead treatment in the near future. Street date on the doll is Oct. 9. I’m assuming you’ll be able to pick up all these items down at Drastic Plastic or go to impactmerch.com

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Now onto tonight’s shows, and there’s a ton…

Digital Leather returns from their West Coast swing tonight for a gig at The Sydney in Benson. They open for Agent Orange (now on Silver Saucer CDs), along with Video Ranger. $10, 9:30.

Killer Blow is a new duo debuting tonight at The Barley Street Tavern. Featuring Todd VonStup on guitar (Baby Tears, ex-The Shanks) and Genie Molkentine on drums and vocals, their sound has been described as mix of garage pop and British New Wave. Check out there cover of “Love Rules,” by Pens, below. Also on the bill are Moses Prey and Daikaiju from Hunksville. $5, 9 p.m.

Killer Blow, “Love Rules”

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/51704448″ iframe=”true” /]

Also tonight, ’80s post-wave alternative icons The Fixx plays at The Waiting Room with Lonely Estates. 8 p.m., $25.

La Armada, who just opened for Strung Out last week, plays again tonight at The Sandbox with Living Victim, Bad Vibes and Red Lion. $7, 8 p.m.

Finally, Japanese punk band Mugen Hoso turns up tonight for a free show at The Hideout. Opening is The Big Al Band. Starts at 9:30.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2012 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Funny thing about going to SXSW, one day back at the office and it’s like it never happened. So what happened when I was gone?

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Well… It looks like The Anchor Inn is relocating inland. According to this story in the Council Bluffs Nonpareil,  the venue will occupy a 4,800-square-foot space just south of 72nd and Q Streets. The bar’s owners will appear in front of the Omaha City Council today for a liquor license hearing. The bar is slated to open in its new location April 6. Among those quoted in the article was One Percent Production’s Marc Leibowitz, who said he wasn’t sure whether promoters would be interested in booking touring bands at the new location. “If they have an infrastructure and it fits in the right niche, then maybe,” he said in the article.

I have to admit, the two times I went to the Anchor Inn I had a blast. It was a prime location right next to the river, with plenty of space to roam. I hated to see it go. I can’t imagine the new location will have near the appeal, and for me, the only attraction at the new location will be its bookings (which I guess was the only reason I went to the original Anchor Inn in the first place). Wonder how it will impact Stinson Park’s concert opportunities…

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Baby Tears, Rusty Years (Rainy Road, 2012)

Baby Tears’ album Rusty Years, which became available as a free digital download last December, will be released on vinyl in the late spring/early summer of 2012, courtesy of Rainy Road Records. The LP release will include screen-printed cover, black vinyl, and photocopied insert. Limited to 200 copies. It should be a brutal slab of plastic. Pre-order, download, and stream the LP here from the Rainy Road website.  Just $10!

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Tonight at O’Leaver’s, celebrate the release of Conduits’ new album (which came out today on Team Love Records) when the band plays with So-So Sailors. $5, 9:30 p.m. Expect a crush mob!

Also tonight at Slowdown Jr., it’s experimental duo Talkdemonic with Barsuk band Cymbals Eat Guitars. $7, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, over at The Waiting Room, Texas psych band The Night Beats play with The Growlers and Snake Island. $8, 9 p.m.

Is it too soon after SXSW to go to a show? Hell no…

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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 © 2012 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Baby Tears, "Homeless Corpse" 7-inch (Rainy Road)

Lots happening this weekend, starting tonight at O’Leaver’s with Baby Tears 7-inch release party (that I thought was last week at The Sandbox). Their single, “Homeless Corpse” b/w “She Sells Eggs” is out on Rainy Road Records and will be for sale at the show for just $5. It’s a rough, rough ride. You can check out the track and even download a copy right here.

Baby Tears also put their entire Rusty Years album online at Soundcloud for stream and download before the Doom Town cassette release in 2012. You can check that out right here.

Opening tonight’s show at O’Leaver’s is The Fucking Party, who are headed out on a six-date tour with Yuppies starting Dec. 26 (Baby Tears will join The Fucking Party on the road Jan. 4). $5, 9:30 p.m. See you there.

Also tonight, Mitch Gettman is hosting a CD release show at Slowdown Jr. for his new album, We Are the Mad Ones. Opening is red hot punkers Snake Island! and The Big Deep. Your $7 cover gets you a copy of Gettman’s long player. Show starts at 9.

There’s a pretty sweet benefit show slated for The Sandbox tonight featuring Capgun Coup, Howard, Sun Settings and Places We Slept. $5, 9 p.m. More info here.

Finally, The Filter Kings are playing a free show tonight over at The Sydney. Let the good times roll. Starts at 9.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) it’s Little Brazil’s first show since early summer at The Waiting Room when they open for The Envy Corp along with InDreama and Great American Desert. $8, 9 p.m.

Also Saturday night, Qing Jao play at O’Leaver’s with Ideal Cleaners and Techlepathy. $5, 9:30 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 © 2011 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

There will be a more in-depth review of Saturday night’s Doom Town show in this week’s column in The Reader. For now, here are some pics from that show and Friday night’s So-So Sailors EP release show at The Showdown, along with some brief comments.

So-So Sailors at Slowdown Jr. Dec. 9, 2011.

If there’s a criticism to be leveled at So-So Sailors, who enjoyed a packed house at Slowdown Jr. Friday night for their EP release party, it’s that their music sounds rushed when performed live, at least compared to the recorded versions. Slow it down, boys. In addition, the Sailors played a number of songs that aren’t on the new EP, including a set opener that was a straight-up pop song. And if you had any doubt about their pop leanings, Machmuller and Co. closed with a dead-on cover of “Give Me Just a Little More Time,” by the Chairmen of the Board that smoked.

Baby Tears were first up at The Sandbox Saturday night. This view gives you a bit of perspective from the back of the room.

I was told after their set that Saturday night’s show at Sandbox wasn’t actually Baby Tears’ official release show for their “Homeless Corpse” 7-inch. That’s going down this Friday night at O’Leaver’s with The Fucking Party; a show that will also mark the beginning of that band’s tour with The Yuppies. Baby Tears will replace The FP for the second leg of that tour starting Jan. 4 in Kansas City.

Blind Shake at The Sandbox Dec. 10, 2011.

Minneapolis The Blind Shake practically burned a hole through The Sandbox’s homemade stage with their brutal punk and double-barreled vocals.

The STNNNG at The Sandbox Dec. 10, 2011.

The Doom Towm comp and ‘zine release show closed with a blazing, groping set by The STNNNG that ended with Chris Beringer wearing a plaid paperboy hat a la Brian Johnson for a couple grinding AC/DC covers.

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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

I’m starting with the Doom Town show because I feel that the so-called “above-ground media” dropped the ball on this one (i.e., me and The Reader).

Justin O’Connor, one of the guys behind Doom Town Records, e-mailed back in October asking if I’d be interested in writing a feature story in support of this Saturday night’s (tomorrow night’s) show at The Sandbox, and I said “yeah,” even though I’m not responsible for assigning feature stories at The Reader (music editor Chris Aponick is). In the end, I got assigned a feature on So-So Sailors, and Aponick apparently mentioned the Doom Town show in his Backbeat Column (which I haven’t seen yet).

“Ethan Jones and I are releasing Doom Town USA, a compilation and ‘zine we’ve spent the last year putting together (we’re slow),” O’Connor said in his e-mail to me. “To celebrate we’ve set up a show at The Sandbox on December 10 featuring STNNNG, Blind Shake and Baby Tears. This will also double as a release show for Baby Tears’ new 7-inch on Rainy Road. The ‘zine has a pair of articles written by Chris Harding-Thornton and Chris Besinger. The bands on the comp are Skin of Earth (IA), Yuppies, Metal Tech (Chris Fischer of Unread Records), Ed Gray (IA), Nymph (NY), This is My Condition (KS), Blind Shake (MN), Baby Tears, L.U.N.A.R. Revolt (PA), STNNNG (MN), Bottom Jobs (MN), and Vverevvolf Grehv.”

Besinger (who writes about Danzig in the ‘zine), as you may or may not know, is in the leather-gloved frontman of STNNNG; Harding-Thornton (who writes about “the industry” and life in general) is a music industry veteran who used to work at Saddle Creek and (and was involved in The Cog Factory back before she had a hyphenated last name). Also included is a short intro essay by O’Connor, who among other things is one of the funniest writers from around here (whether he knows it or not). And lots of clever drawings by Chris Fischer and other talented artists.

So here’s the deal. For $6 you get a 36-page ‘zine with a screen-printed cover and a compilation cassette with the above-mentioned bands. Limited to a mere 100 copies. Will this comp’s music ever be available as a “download”? I have no idea. Fact is, my POS ’96 Chevy Sidekick has a cassette player in it, so I’m already in business. If you can’t make the show, you can buy a copy of the package online right here at the Doom Town Records website.

But you’re better off just coming to Saturday night’s show at The Sandbox, 2406 Leavenworth, which features Blind Shake, STNNNG and Baby Tears. Show starts at 9:30 and costs $6. Go!

* * *

Tonight, of course, is the So-So Sailors CD-EP release show at Slowdown Jr. (which you read about here).  Also on the bill are Kevin Pike & John Kotchian and Sam Knutson. Everyone who pays the $10 cover gets a copy of the S-S S EP, Young Hearts. Seriously, you can’t lose. Show starts at 9 p.m.

So what else is happening this weekend?

The Nadas return to The Waiting Room tonight with Witness Tree. $15, 9 p.m.

Snake Island is at The Barley Street Tavern tonight with Travelling Mercies and Dan Tesdesco. $5, 9 p.m.

And tonight is the final night for Depressed Buttons‘ residency at House of Loom. The trio of Baechle, Fink and Thiele will be taking time off to tour and produce new music. Opening set from Cake Eater. Starts at 10  p.m., $5.

Saturday night’s other big show is Blue Bird at The Barley Street Tavern with Edge of Arbor and the debut of Electroliners – a band-spankin’ new band featuring guitarist/vocalist Pat White of The Third Men, Travis Sing (bass, vocals), Staphanie Krysl (fiddle, keys, vocals) Wayne Brekke (drums) and Corey Weber (pedal steel, guitar). They describe their sound as “old stylie country western.” Show starts at 9 p.m., $5.

Finally, omahype.com celebrates completing its first year of online business with its second annual Holiday Throwdown at Slowdown. The mammoth musical line-up includes Honeybee & Hers, Laura Burhenn (Mynabirds), McCarthy Trenching, Brad Hoshaw, All Young Girls Are Machine Guns, Great American Desert, Jasong Mountain, James Maakestad, Sean Pratt, April Faith-Slaker, aetherplough, Anniversaire, The Benningtons and Jordan Elsberry. In addition to vendors selling their wares, Blue Sushi Sake Grill and Roja Mexican Grill will have snacks available. It all starts at 5 p.m. and entry is a suggested $5 donation. Find out more here.

Close out your week with Bad Speler a.k.a. Darren Keen as he celebrates the release of Jesus, the powerless liar presents: Another Bad Speler Christmix at House of Loom Sunday night.

“This is the second christmix I’ve released, and it’s amazing,” Keen says. “I sample Ru Paul, William Hung, Star Wars Christmas, and even Bright Eyes, while still maintaining, and ever perfecting my now bass heavier post breakcore club sound. Listen to the re working of Bright Eyes’ ‘Little Drummer Boy’ in the Bad Speler original masterpiece ‘Come on my Drum, (below).

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/29468703″]

Keen said the release is digital only, though he’ll have CDR’s of the album available at this show, which is free and starts at 9.

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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.