By Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The big deal going on this weekend is, of course, Lincoln Calling. I’ll get to that in a sec. First, the reason why I won’t be at LC this weekend….

Tonight is the first Friday of May, which means it’s Benson First Friday (#BFF). That’s the day of the month when venues and art galleries up and down Maple Street open their doors to local artists and their wares.

And that includes Ming Toy Gallery, where tonight we have an opening for Marvel comics artist and Lincoln native Bob Hall. Throughout his career, Hall drew some of the most iconic superheroes of the ’70s, ‘80s and ’90s, including The Avengers, Spider-man, The Champions, Dr. Doom, as well DC hero Batman and many more. We’re featuring Hall’s comic art – including many original, full-page comic book panels. The opening tonight runs from 6 to 9 p.m. at Ming Toy Gallery, 6066 Maple St. Come by, say hi, see some heroes and have a beer.  

BTW, you can read all about Bob in my first-ever story for Flatwater Free Press, published this past Wednesday. Click here and give it a read.  T

And in case you didn’t know, Saturday is Free Comic Book Day. Joining in the celebration is Legend Comics and Coffee, located right next door to Ming Toy, where Bob Hall will be on hand doing drawings and signing stuff. Ming Toy will be open all day tomorrow, too, in support of Free Comic Book Day. 

Back to the music…

As part of BFF, The Sydney in Benson is hosting a show that features the return of progressive jazz ensemble Chemicals, whose members include bassist Dereck Higgins. Joining them tonight is Agronómo and Heavier Than Air. $10, 9 p.m. 

Now, onto Lincoln Calling. You can read my recap about this year’s LC line-up here. The festival’s full schedule, as well as ticket info, is available at Lincolncalling.com. So if I did go to LC tonight, I’d be checking out Cherry Glazerr, The Dirts, David Nance and Mowed Sound and PROBLEMS. Lincoln Calling’s Saturday highlights (to me, anyway) are Friko, Water from Your Eyes, Dip Tet, Bad Bad Men and Ritual Device.

By the way, if you missed it, here’s my review of last night’s Ritual Device show at Reverb. If you can’t make it down to Lincoln this weekend, you’ll have another chance to see Ritual Device tonight at Reverb Lounge with Bad Bad Men and Gerald Lee Jr. 

And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend!

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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 © 2024 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Domestica at The Waiting Room, Dec. 9, 2016. The band plays tonight at Brothers Lounge.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Looks like another cold, wet weekend. Let’s see what’s happening in the clubs…

Tonight at Brothers Lounge KC power punk act Red Kate headlines. Their sound is kind of a throwback to the ‘90s, which makes Domestica a great band to share the bill. DSM5 also stars. $5, 9 p.m.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) Providence prog/emo rockers The Dear Hunter (Equal Vision Records) headlines at The Slowdown. Omaha post-rock band Fontenelle opens. $23.

Meanwhile, the mighty Montee Men opens Saturday night for Des Moines metal band Druids at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Jump the Tiger also is on the bill. $5, 9 p.m.

And progressive jazz superstars Chemicals plays Saturday night at The Blackstone Meatball. Joining them is The Tweedt/Van Fleet Jazz Quartet. 10 p.m. and FREE.

Finally, The Beat Seekers are celebrating the release of their new CD Battle Cry for a Declaration at Lookout Lounge Saturday night. Joining them are Graveyard Smash, The Shidiots, The Boner Killerz and DJ Crybaby. 8 p.m., $10 w/CD or $5 without CD.

I almost forgot — The Shins play Stir Cove Saturday night. Tennis opens. 8 p.m. Tickets are an incredible $67.

That’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend.

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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

VOTE!

Let me be the 100th person to tell you to go out and vote. Me, I’m waiting until after work to do my civic duty, which will mean long lines, but it’s a small price to pay for blah-blah-blah… Seriously, tomorrow could be historic, or we could all be living in a Trumpian world…

Looks like the post-election after-party is at fabulous O’Leaver’s tonight, where progressive band Sand headlines. They’re described as “a heavy psychedelic power trio lined with nods to proto-metal.” What more do you want? Well, how about Chemicals, the red-hot jazz-infused progressive rock band featuring (among its line-up) legendary bassist Dereck Higgins. Plus you also get Kansas garage-punk band Arc Flash. All that for $5. Wear your “I voted today” sticker and get a free handshake from one of O’Leaver’s inebriated staff. Show starts at 9.

Also tonight, Denver band Grampus headlines at Milk Run with The Hottman Sisters $8, 9 p.m.

See you in the aftermath…

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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.

Christopher the Conquered at Slowdown, Jr., Dec. 16, 2015. His band celebrates a record release tonight at O’Leaver’s.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

First off, thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes, whether they be via Facebook or wherever. Very likely I’ll be hanging out in Benson for BFF and O’Leaver’s, so if you see me, feel free to buy me a Rolling Rock…

Speaking of fabulous O’Leaver’s, tonight Des Moines’ Christopher the Conquered and his band will be celebrating the release of his debut LP, I’m Giving Up On Rock & Roll (Maximum Ames Records). Opening is Rothsteen and Fun Runner. $7, 9:30 p.m.

Also tonight, the two bands I’m forever mixing up — Super Moon and Super Ghost — play at Barley Street Tavern with King Thumper. $5, 9 p.m.

While in Benson tonight, swing by the Little Gallery (right across the street from The Sydney) and see Julie Jenowe’s installation, Alchemical Remains of Love. We’re open 6 to 9 p.m. Say hello!

Tomorrow night (Saturday)’s marquee show is Icky Blossoms at Reverb Lounge. The band just released a new VR/360 degree music video a couple days ago that is setting the world on fire. Opening is Channel Pressure — the duo of The Faint’s Todd Fink and Reptar’s Graham Ulicny. Kicking things off at 9 is Chemicals, the latest project featuring Dereck Higgins, Jacob Cubby Phillips, Jake Reisdorff, Blake DeForest, James Cuato and drummer John Evans. Get there early. $10. Would not be surprised if this one sold out…

That’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend!

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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.

My Record Store Day 2016 haul…

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Well, another Record Store Day has come and gone and we’re all a little lighter in the wallet for it.

I purchased the majority of my booty down at Homer’s, which by early afternoon was still basking in the afterglow of the mob scene that it withstood earlier that day. Did I buy everything I wanted from the 2016 RSD collection? No, no. But I got what I needed. BTW, that Feelies recording is particularly sublime.

One of the Hi-Fi House sound systems.

I hit Drastic Plastic next, then after my trip downtown I checked out the mysterious Hi-Fi House that was celebrating RSD with an open house of its own. Located at the old Joseph’s College of Beauty building at 3724 Farnam St., the facility is first class all the way — a huge open, carpeted space with comfortable furniture arranged in circles throughout, centered around stereo equipment set-ups, like what I was told was an $80,000 system (shown above).

Part of the Hi-Fi House’s extensive vinyl library.

Behind the big room are a couple smaller ones. Inside the first is the Hi-Fi House’s album collection, or what I was told was merely a portion of the collection (which is spread out in locations around the country). A glance at the titles indicated that the music touches all genres. Some of it looked unplayed and was still sealed. There also were some interesting music-related items lying around, like a Patti Smith edition of a Pono Music Player — something I’ve never seen in real life.

Tucked further back in the building was the remnants of the Bomb Shelter Radio studio, which had been housed at Milk Run. One assumes the broadcasts will continue at Hi-Fi House. But I can’t tell you for sure as I still can’t get anyone from the organization to do an on-the-record interview. Hi-Fi House might be open but it’s still hush-hush, for now.

Chemicals at Hi-Fi House, April 16, 2016.

There was 20 or 30 people on hand at Hi-Fi House when Chemicals began its set. Of all the bands I’ve seen Dereck Higgins perform in since Digital Sex broke up, Chemicals was the most impressive. I don’t know much about jazz — or improvisational jazz for that matter — but I can still recognize great music played with fire and funk, and Chemicals was all of that. Higgins said during the set that the band was still in its development phase, but you couldn’t tell by Saturday’s performance.

The band includes guitarist Jacob Cubby Phillips and keyboardist Jake Reisdorff. Horns were provided by trumpeter Blake DeForest and the always amazing James Cuato on saxophone (and keyboards). But keeping it all together was gritty drummer John Evans crashing the beats with style and finesse, and of course Higgins himself at the center, one of Omaha’s greatest bassists holding it all together.

At first I wasn’t expecting much thanks to the long, unstructured noise collage that kicked things off, and then Evans cut through the clutter with a defined beat and Higgins dropped his bass line and we were on our way. This is modern, progressive rock jazz in the same vein as Kamasi Washington, progressive but tuneful and exciting, and well played. I’m sure there was a lot of improvisation going on, but there was no mistaking each song’s foundation and arrangement — this wasn’t random noodling. Can a recording be far behind? (Hey Hi-Fi House, why not put it out on vinyl?).

Hand Painted Police Car at Almost Music, April 16, 2016.

After Chemicals I strolled down to Almost Music and caught Hand Painted Police Car rip the paint off the walls while a crowd thumbed through the bins.

Then it was off cross-town to the new Recycled Sounds, sort of hidden on 76th St. across from Buffalo Wild Wings but tucked in behind a strip mall. It’s easy to miss, but you won’t want to miss it. Recycled moved from its old location in Lincoln and will become a regular stop for used vinyl (along with Almost Music). The releases are very well organized — by band by alpha — and there’s a ton of it. It’s where I found that Lloyd Cole 12-inch 4-song 45.

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Tonight at Reverb Lounge a handful of Omaha performers are getting together to celebrate the genius of Rick Moranis. Among them are Kait Berreckman, Michael Campbell, Castor, Vago, Doug Kabourek (who is the living embodiment of ’80s-era Rick Moranis) and Stephanie Krysl. Expect classic SCTV skits in the bar and the best of the best from past Canada Day events on The Reverb stage. $7, 8 p.m. Tell them Louis Tully a.k.a. The Keymaster sent you…

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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.