Wagon Blasters at Lookout Lounge April 30, 2016. They’re playing tonight at Barley Street Tavern.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I’m back after spending nearly a week in Manhattan, watching tennis and Yankees and people strutting around in kinky boots. It’s been a couple years since I’d last visited NYC, and can report the town has gotten dirtier but never more fun.

Anyway, it looks like a few things happened while I was gone.

Of note was the shut-down of Milk Run… again. Based on this fine Hear Nebraska report,  Johnny Law showed up during the Nebraska Hardcore Showcase Saturday night at the cavernous DIY show space located in the basement of Midtown Art Supply at 2578 Harney. Apparently someone called the police and said there was a drug-fueled rave going on with minors and booze.

Of course it was all bullshit, but still, the show was cancelled because the building’s owner apparently wasn’t aware that shows were being held in his building’s basement, despite the fact that Milk Run has been operating from the dungeon space since March. Where was the landlord before? Of course there’s more to this story; no doubt arrangements had been made without formal leases or contracts, which is the nature of DIY (most of the time).

Lookout Lounge stepped up and the showcase was moved, but Milk Run remains an idea without a home. They have shows booked through October, including an Oct. 9 date with Worriers (a hot punk band whose last album was produced by Laura Jane Grace of Against Me, and who just signed with Side One Dummy). They’re hustling to find other venues, but the question remains where they’ll land permanently.

In some ways it’s not surprising that it’s so hard to find a space for an all-ages DIY music club. What landlord wants to take on that potential liability? On the other hand, based on their last two venues, the Milk Run folks aren’t looking for much more than a room with electricity and a bathroom. Milk Run I, located on lower Leavenworth, was the size of a large closet. Milk Run II was a concrete bunker.  If that’s all they’re looking for, there has to be an open bay somewhere in South Omaha willing to take it on. Or maybe not.

Throughout its short history, Milk Run has booked some gold-star touring indie bands, some so good that I wished the shows had been booked at nicer venues. I assume the DIY and all-ages factors are what helped them land the gigs.

There may be a possible solution to Milk Run’s dilemma — a talked-about new non-profit all-ages stage that could host some of their shows. But it’s a long way away (if it happens at all), and it’s definitely nothing like Milk Run. Omaha needs a dedicated, all-ages space willing to take a risk booking national bands that are too financially risky or under-the-radar for the usual mainstream venues to book…

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Speaking of non-profits, Hear Nebraska was dealt a slight body blow yesterday when one of the headliners for its upcoming Lincoln Calling Festival — Charles Bradley — announced he is cancelling all upcoming tour dates due to illness.

According to the press release: “The beloved soul singer was diagnosed with stomach cancer last fall and, after undergoing treatment and beating it, he returned to the road this past spring. He began to feel run down during recent tour dates and learned that his cancer spread to his liver, though hasn’t returned to his stomach. He will be taking time off to focus on treatment and recovery.”

Bradley was slated to headline the Duffy’s Outdoor stage Friday, Sept. 29 (vs. Angel Olsen at The Bourbon). Same thing happened last year to LC, when Bradley’s initial stomach cancer was diagnosed. The festival was still a big success, as I’m sure it will be again this year.

BTW, it recently was brought to my attention that Lincoln Calling is getting stiff competition in Omaha that same weekend, with Fleet Foxes Sept. 29 and Future Islands/Explosions in the Sky Sept. 30, both held at Waiting Room Outdoors (located on Military Ave. next to Jake’s). Coincidence?

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A couple red hot shows are happening tonight…

At the Barley Street Tavern, The Broke Loose begins a residency (Hey, who wouldn’t want to live at The Barley Street?), and opening is none other than The Wagon Blasters. It’s been awhile since Gary Dean Davis and Co. have bounced on an Omaha stage. 9 p.m., no price listed, but probably around $5.

Also tonight Nebraska legend Charlie Burton continues his recent revival, this time at fabulous O’Leaver’s. His full band — Charlie Burton and Or What? — is playing what is billed as a “special happy hour beer garden gig” — which I assume means he’s playing outside? This one is early, start time is 6 p.m., and costs the usual $5.

Also… Omaha and Encounter magazine are celebrating their latest issues with a party at The Slowdown tonight featuring the maestro himself Brent Crampton along with DJs Kethro and  Stephen Bils. $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 © 2017 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Original SLAM Omaha logo.

Twenty-odd years ago, back when the internet was just getting started, when those of us who were “online” were using AOL and Netscape browsers, there was a little ol’ website called SLAM Omaha.

SLAM stood for Support Local Art and Music. The website was among the first online resources for band gig information, with a robust show calendar that was unmatched by anyone. Over time, the website became known more for its webboards than anything else. Both the Music and Cool Talk boards were hot beds for heated discussion, sometimes insightful, often hilarious. This was a time well before Facebook or Twitter when webboards were a preferred online resource for music information. Saddle Creek Records had a very robust webboard of its own; as did punknews.com and a few others that have long since disappeared.

Well, time finally caught up with SLAM Omaha, too. For the past few years, the site has been limping along with no updates and only a handful of people still chiming in on the webboards. Last week the site quit working, and users were redirected to a SLAM Omaha Facebook page.

Mick Messina, who was among those who ran the site, confirmed that SLAM Omaha is, indeed, dead. After the site’s budget dried up a couple years ago, he and his wife, Melissa, paid the service fees out of their own pockets. They finally quick paying. “Very hard for us to let go,” Mick said. “We peeled that band-aid very slowly.”

Mick said Hear Nebraska and its website, hearnebraska.org, helped them realize it was time to close SLAM Omaha for good.

It’s hard to pin down the significance of SLAM Omaha in the history of the Omaha music scene. There’s no question that it played an important role during a time when Nebraska was just emerging nationally. SLAM Omaha was the online water cooler where fans and musicians traded rumors, compliments and outrageous insults about everyone involved in the scene. Oftentimes, those comments were posted anonymously, and part of the fun or frustration was trying to figure out who was saying what about whom. It was a free-form environment that — for better or for worse — will never exist again in the Facebook era. It will be missed.

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Yesterday it was reported that bluesman Charles Bradley has been diagnosed with stomach cancer and is cancelling his upcoming shows, including this week’s Lincoln Calling festival appearance.

In a statement, Bradley said: “In the past few months, I have had to cancel a number of shows due to illness, taking me away from my beautiful fans. My doctors recently discovered a cancerous tumor in my stomach. I’m getting the best medical care and we are all extremely optimistic. I will fight through this like I’ve fought through the many other obstacles in my life. My upcoming tour dates will be postponed so I can concentrate on healing. Thank you all for understanding. Music is how I share my love with the world, and the love that my fans have given back brings me so much joy. I look forward to seeing your gorgeous faces soon, and to continue to share my love through music.”

Hear Nebraska, who is organizing Lincoln Calling, quickly filled Bradley’s LC spot with The Mynabirds. No doubt front woman Laura Burhenn will have a special tribute to Bradley during her band’s performance.

Lincoln Calling kicks off tomorrow. You best get your tickets now at lincolncalling.com.

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Canadian musician/producer Jay Arner headlines tonight at Reverb Lounge. Arner releases music on Mint Records. Opening is Routine Escorts. $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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Charles Bradley headlines this year’s Lincoln Calling Festival.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

If you are an Omaha music fan, you’d have to be living off the grid (or lost on a Pokemon-fueled dumb-rush) to not know that Hear Nebraska released the list of primary artists for this year’s Lincoln Calling festival.

Heading up the 100+ list of musicians (and comedians?) performing on eight Lincoln stages Oct. 6-8 are Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, Real Estate, Kali Uchis and Cloud Nothings. With my indie-focused music myopia, I had no idea who Charles Bradley was, and quickly discovered he’s currently signed to Daptone (which also releases music by Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings and The Budos Band).  I did know (of course) Real Estate and Cloud Nothings. And someone described Kali Uchis to me as “Columbia’s Lana Del Rey.” No doubt this first tier shows how broadly LC is casting a net for its audience.

The next tier is more indie-centric: Twin Peaks, Ceremony, Screaming Females, Allan Kingdom (Peanut Butter Prince), White Mystery and Icky Blossoms. I think all of these have played in Nebraska before (and recently).

Smaller-font bands include Esmé Patterson (who’s playing at Reverb in August), Megafauna, a reunion of local faves Neva Dinova (who saw Jake Bellows on TV the other night backing up M Ward?), David Dondero, Simon Joyner, A Giant Dog, Gosh Pith, The Kickback, HIDE, Twinsmith, Shy Boys, Modern Vices, Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal, See Through Dresses, The Architects, Plack Blague, Uh Bones, Conny Franko (a.k.a. Conchance), Both, Bib, Cory Call (Arliss Nancy), Echo Beds, Lloyd McCarter and Little Brazil.

The press release says this is “the initial line-up,” so expect even more names, but these are the big ones. Early-bird and “later bird” tickets are gone. General admission 3-day passes are $49. Being from Omaha, I won’t be driving to Lincoln for three days, so I’ll be strategically picking my one day to make the trek. I’d have to look long and hard at that one-day schedule to see if it’s worth $50. On the other hand, one-day tickets might available, maybe… This festival could conceivably sell out. Certainly that’s Hear Nebraska’s goal…

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A Go Fund Me campaign has been set up to help cover funeral expenses for the family of Frank Maxwell, who passed away this week. For decades, Frank and his brothers, Kelly and Danny, have played important roles in the Omaha music scene, which is still in shock from his unexpected loss. Click this link and open your wallet and remember the good times…

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Tonight at Milk Run, Connecticut indie band The Most headlines. The band just released its latest album, At Once. Check it out below. Also on the bill are Trevor Rothanzl and Doom Lagoon. $5, 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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.