by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Clearing out the e-mail ashtray…

I used to call them “Omaha alt-country band” Clarence Tilton, but these days the band has all but swayed away from the “alt” moniker altogether and is merely “Omaha country band Clarence Tilton.” You can certainly hear it in their music and by the artists they’re now working with. 

Tilton recently announced via an embargoed press release that their latest single, “Flyaway Cafe, released last Friday, is a duet with Presley Tucker, daughter of country music legend Tanya Tucker. 

For those who don’t pay attention to country music or who were born in the 21st Century, Tucker was a staple on C&W radio stations throughout the ‘70s, thanks to hits like “What’s Your Mama’s Name?” and “Texas (When I Die),” but is most well known for her mega-hit “Delta Dawn,” which was on constant rotation on KFAB-AM back when KFAB played music. 

The press release doesn’t say how Clarence Tilton landed Presley Tucker to perform on this duet, only that Tucker said the first time she played with the band, “it felt like I’d know them all along. Their music gives you that nostalgic feeling, like you’ve been there and done that. Grateful to be part of it.”

This is the second time Clarence Tilton landed a big-name guest on one of their songs. In October they released the single “Fred’s Colt,” which features country music icon Marty Stuart on vocals and guitar. Both songs will be included on the band’s new LP, Queen of the Brawl, slated for a 2025 release. 

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Conor Obert and Shudder to Think’s Craig Wedren dropped a new song last Wednesday, “Justice to a Scream,” that also is the end-title track from documentary short Alok, from executive producer Jodie Foster. 

The film is a portrait of non-binary author, poet, comedian Alok Vaid-Menon. From the press release:

“I am a longtime admirer of ALOK,” said Oberst. “Their powerful writing, art and advocacy for transgender people and all people who suffer from the lunacy of ignorance and bigotry that permeates our society is inspirational. So when the opportunity to work on this song with Craig Wedren came along I was thrilled. I am also a big time, lifelong fan of Craig – from the amazing Shudder to Think records through his various projects and solo work. He possesses a truly one of a kind musical mind and a voice as unique and iconoclastic as he is. He has also been a great and treasured friend of mine for many years. This is all to say I loved working on this project with these two incredible pioneers.”

The track already is on heavy rotation on Sirius XMU.

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We’re entering the Thanksgiving countdown and thus, the more-intense portion of the holiday season, which means we’ll be sadly lacking for shows (specifically, touring indie-rock shows) for the balance of the year and into next February. Instead, prepare for the usual annual locals-reunion gigs, assorted album release show and tribute performances, such as the one happening tonight.

This evening, Reverb Lounge is hosting Stigmata Martyr, a tribute to Bauhaus. The band features Randy Cotton and Mike Saklar, former members of ’90s legendary Omaha punk bands Ravine and Ritual Device, and Benn Sieff of Bennie and the Gents fame in the Peter Murphy role. Joining them are 138: A Tribute to Misfits, and Abscence+Alchemy. 9 p.m., $12.

Meanwhile, down the street at The Sydney, Denver-based electronic/industrial performer Sell Farm performs. No opener listed for this 9 p.m. show (Sydney Time, that is…). $10. 

One last-minute gig of note: Los Cruxes is headlining a gig at The Tavern, 514 So. 10th St., tonight. Joining them are Megadestroyer, Trees with Eyes and Neva Dinova’s Jake Bellows. 9:30 star time, no price listed, so you’re on your own…

If I don’t run into you before tomorrow, have a happy Thanksgiving.

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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.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Picking through some newsy bits I missed in the in-box:

The Fizzle Like a Flood Kickstarter campaign for the new album, Black Walls (which I wrote about here), met its fundraising goal in just 15 days – impressive. The campaign continues through the end of the month, however, so go there and check out the rewards and/or order your copy of the new album. 

I’ve always liked Kickstarter as a pre-sales program, though it must be a pain in the ass for the artists who have to do fulfillments!

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Yesterday Neva Dinova, the project from post-Omaha singer/songwriter Jake Bellows, announced a 6-date West Coast tour for December. The band’s latest, Canary (2024, Saddle Creek), stood at No. 154 on the latest College Radio Charts. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you really should. It’s their best album to date (imho). 

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What other notable albums are on the latest College Radio Charts?

• – Well, Cursive’s latest, Devourer (2024, Run for Cover) stood at No. 74. The band plays two shows this week – Friday and Saturday – at The Waiting Room. 

• – Bright Eyes’ latest, Five Dice, All Threes (2024, Dead Oceans), currently stands at No. 13 on the charts. The fact that Bright Eyes was taken of the road for the balance of the year due to Conor Oberst’s “vocal problems” no doubt isn’t helping album sales.  Bright Eyes’ 2025 tour kicks off Jan. 16 in Phoenix…

• – Midwest Dilemma’s self-released album, Searching for the Cure for Loneliness, came in at No. 261, which is impressive considering the band isn’t touring. How does that happen? 

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The latest single by Omaha’s favorite alt-country band, Clarence Tilton, features country music icon Marty Stuart on vocals guitar. The song, “Fred’s Colt,” explores the legacy of a Civil War-era Colt Dragoon passed through Tilton frontman Chris Weber’s family. 

The band opened for Stuart when he played in Omaha in 2019 and at some point played the song for him. “I loved this song the moment I heard it. It is a breath of fresh air, real writing,” Stuart said in the press release.

Weber said Stuart’s contribution to the song “really blew our minds. What he did was so cool — not just the solo but all the little parts in between. It was a real lesson for us from a real pro who gave our tune his undivided attention.”

The single, which dropped last Friday, will be on Clarence Tilton’s upcoming full-length, Queen of the Brawl, slated for 2025. 

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Soak in the next few weeks of shows, because we’re rounding a corner and the road ahead looks rather barren. Like I always said: if you have a chance to catch a touring indie band, catch it, because you never know when the next one will be coming through town. 

Here’s the latest and greatest touring indie shows coming to Omaha through the end of November: 

• Oct. 16 – Mdou Moctar @ The Waiting Room 
• Oct. 17 – Superchunk @ The Waiting Room
• Oct. 18-19 – Cursive @ The Waiting Room
• Oct. 20 – Color Green @ Grapefruit Records
• Oct. 20 – Jeff Tweedy @ The Admiral
• Oct. 20 – Taylor Hollingsworth @ Pageturners
• Oct. 22 – Psychedelic Furs/Jesus and Mary Chain @ The Astro
• Oct. 23 – Kate Nash @ The Slowdown
• Oct. 26 – Porches @ Reverb
• Oct. 26 – Griefcat @ The Sydney
• Oct. 31 – Lunar Vacation @ The Slowdown
• Nov. 4 – quickly, quickly @ Reverb
• Nov. 8 – The Ivory Claws @ The Sydney
• Nov. 10 – The Sufrajettes @ Reverb
• Nov. 11 – Dusk @ Reverb
• Nov. 12 – The Rev. Horton Heat @ Waiting Room
• Nov. 13 – Sorry Mom @ Reverb
• Nov. 29 – VIAL @ Reverb

Am I missing something? Let me know…

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Tonight at The Waiting Room, Nigerian band Mdou Moctar headlines. He’s considered one of the most innovative artists in contemporary Saharan music “His unconventional interpretations of Tuareg guitar have pushed him to the forefront of a crowded scene,” according to his Bandcamp page. The band’s last album, 2024’s Funeral for Justice, was released on indie giant Matador Records and received Pitchfork‘s “Best New Music” designation along with its 8.4 rating. Opening this show is personal fave, Rosali, a band that includes members of our very own David Nance Band. Her sublime new album, Bite Down, was released this year by Merge Records. $25, 8 p.m. 

Also tonight, Boston post-punk band Kal Marks headlines at Reverb Lounge (Exploding in Sound Records) with frickin’ four openers: NightoSphere, Missouri Executive Order 44, Nowhere and Western Haikus. Talk about your late nights! 8 p.m. $15.

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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.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Considering what’s going on outside right now, you can’t blame local music venues for not booking a whole lot of shows in the dead of winter. Very few people are going to venture out into this Arctic hell to see a rock band. And god help any band traveling on the interstates.

Anyway, there is a show happening tonight — Omaha-based indie alt-country band Clarence Tilton headlines at Slowdown Jr. The band has been pretty active over the past months and even recently hired a publicist, so something must be up. They’re my favorite country band from Nebraska. The elusive B.B. Sledge opens this show. I say “elusive” because I’ve been meaning to catch their set most of last year and have missed them for one reason or another. The band includes Daniel Knapp of Son, Ambulance fame (Joe’s brother). 

Tonight’s Clarence Tilton show has wisely been postponed until March 2. If you’re going out this weekend, you may want to call ahead or check the venue’s socials to make sure whatever it is you are planning to do is still happening.

It’s an 8 p.m. show, so by then the streets could be cleaned up and drivable (though it’ll still be 20-below-zero windchill). $15.

That is all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments. Stay warm and 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.

It’s been about six months since I wrote a weekend shows preview; it seems like six years. There are two actual live indie shows happening — one tonight and another tomorrow, each showcasing a venue that’s making its way through COVID-19.

Tonight is the premiere of The Slowdown’s outdoor concert series I mentioned in yesterday’s blog. It’s a joint effort with the folks from the Maha Festival and is being held in the parking lot behind the Slowdown. Indie country rock/alt-country band Clarence Tilton headlines. Pony Creek opens the hootenanny with an early start time of 6:30. $15. Don’t forget your mask. Read all the COVID rules for entry right here at the Slowdown website.

The Slowdown fall outdoor concert series continues Saturday afternoon with Rhythm Collective, Ro Hempel Band and Dereck Higgins. $15.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) I’m planning my return to Reverb Lounge for the first time since COVID to see the new, improved bar/venue. They’ve blown out the walls of the old music performance space to make Reverb one large open music venue/bar.

The remodeled club has been operating since the end of last month, but tonight is the first indie show they’ve booked since their return. Headlining is Mere Shadows, a post-punk 4-piece framed by the twin guitar attack of John Kestner and guitarist/vocalist Michael Johnson.

In the center slot tomorrow night at Reverb is Las Cruxes, the Spanish-language punk outfit that’s releasing a new full-length on cassette tape from CINTAS in Mexico and digitally from Afonico/Sony U.S. Latin in the states.

Get to Reverb early Saturday night (show starts at 9) for the stage debut of Dead Letters, a new project from Koly Walter (Well-Aimed Arrows, The Protoculture) with Brian Byrd (Well-Aimed Arrows) and Mark Johnson (Places We Slept). Koly is always entertaining and full of surprises.

You get all three bands for $7. Due to COVID, all shows at Reverb are seated and the club will only be at 25% normal capacity, which means you may want to get your ticket in advance. Of course masks are required everywhere except when seated at your table.

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 (if there’s news) 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 © 2020 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

‘Twas the night before the night before Christmas, and all through the town, three shows to choose from, because we know you’ll be around…

…and most of you/us don’t have to get up tomorrow morning for work. So…

Over at The Waiting Room it’s the Drive for the Heart Ministry. The annual event raises money for the Heart Ministry Center, an organization that assists people with life’s basic necessities. Headlining tonight’s benefit is Omaha alt-country band extraordinaire Clarence Tilton. Joining them are Stephen Sheehan (ex-Digital Sex, The World) and his band, Andrew Bailie and Dan Olsen from Sack of Lions. Tickets are $10 or a minimum 3-item donation (stuff like toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo and deodorant). Music starts at 8 p.m.

Also tonight, Slowdown Jr. is hosting Oquoa (that’s right, Roger Lewis is back for the holidays). Joining them are Mesonjixx and Tonina. $10, 9 p.m.

Finally, Mitch Gettman is hosting something he’s calling “A Decade of Obscurity,” at Cedar, 8726 Countryside Plaza. It’s three hours of Mitch. No price listed, but it starts at 9 p.m.

And that’s going to do it until after Christmas. Most bars are going to be open Christmas Eve, but many will be closed Christmas Day. Your best bet is to call ahead (or get loaded at home).

Have a fabulous holiday…!

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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 © 2019 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

It’s been so long since Digital Leather played locally I thought frontman Shawn Foree moved back to Arizona. The project came out with a limited edition vinyl compilation on the Stencil Trash insignia in January called Feeet, as well as a limited 8-track tape (you read that right) version of 2007’s Blow Machine (FDH Records). But still no local appearances.

Then last Friday night Foree and his current Digital Leather line-up took the stage at The Sydney for a half-hour set. DL has had numerous iterations over the years, swinging between ‘80s electronic synth-driven No Wave to full-on guitar punk, with Foree either behind a keyboard rack or slinging an electric guitar. This time he stood out front with an electric bass backed by two synth players — a pal from Arizona named Jason and Omahan Blake Kostszewa of FiFI NoNo — while veteran stickman Jeff Lambelet took his usual place behind the drum kit.

Bringing the bass out front proved to be a bold move as the band ran through a set that included standout track “Puff” off the new record (but originally released on 2018’s Headache Heaven) and a re-imagined version of “B12” (originally released as part of Foree’s Mere Mortals project and later covered (with lyrics rewritten) by The Faint as “Damage Control”).

Foree put down his bass and returned behind the synths for the set closer, singing lyrics read from a sheet of notebook paper. I figured it was maybe an obscure cover, but he said afterward it was a new song called “Compass” — red hot and the evening’s highlight. Here’s hoping the song gets a proper release, along with whatever else the prolific Mr. Foree has been working on.

Saturday night I walked around the block to the Parkwood Lane Bluegrass Festival to catch a performance by Clarence Tilton. This is actually the annual block party held on Parkwood Lane just west of Memorial Park — picture lots of neighbors standing in the street eating covered-dish gourmet while kids speed around on mini BMX bikes, big-screen TVs showing whatever game is on ESPN. And at the end of the street, a small stage under a tent where the bands played.

I keep comparing Clarence Tilton to ’90s-era indie power-pop acts and I’ve got to admit, it’s kind of a stretch, especially when you see them perform live. I mean, don’t get me wrong, they could be a fantastic power-pop act, especially with their backgrounds, but the fact is these guys are playing countrified Americana music, and the twang is unmistakable on stage, where they resemble The Statler Brothers more than The dBs, and that’s not a bad thing.

Overheard from the neighborhood crowd: “These guys are the real deal.” And they are. I don’t know why they haven’t been discovered on a national level, they’re certainly as good or better than anything I’ve heard on the country Sirius stations. The Weber Brothers are among the best axe men around, and then you’ve got three different (very good) vocalists. I guess maybe their lack of national notoriety has to do with the fact that the band members have other careers — and lives — that prevent them from touring outside our little burg. That means Clarence Tilton will likely remain Omaha’s — and Parkwood Lane’s — best kept secret.

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Tonight at Slowdown Jr. it’s Philly band Mannequin Pussy. Though they’re on Epitaph Records, they don’t sound like a run-of-the-mill Epitaph band. With their shoe-gaze shimmer, I’d more likely mistake them for someone on 4AD. Their latest, Patience, is shoe-gaze leaning on heavy metal. Opening is Sacramento band Destroy Boys (Uncool Records) and UK producer/musician Ellis. $15, 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 © 2019 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Two big album release shows this weekend and a handful of other things going on musicwise…

Tonight at Reverb Lounge Clarence Tilton celebrates the release of Start Already Lost (Sower Records). The band always gets bunched in with alt country bands by people like me because of the omnipresent twang that bounces throughout their tunes. You can’t deny the urge to do a two-step when you hear songs like “First One Home,” off the new album.

But it may be more accurate to compare them to power-pop bands like Alex Chilton, The dB’s, Big Star and The Soft Boys on tracks like “High Water” and opening track “No One.” But at the same time, you wouldn’t be off base comparing them to, say, The Silos or The Jayhawks, especially on outlaw countrified songs like “B.A.W.” and slow-dancer “Tears Land.” Either way, it’s good company to be in, and on the new album (as well as their debut) it’s apt. Fact is, the songs off Start Already… aren’t much of a departure from their last couple releases. It’s like getting the next chapter of a novel you can’t put down. Minne Lusa opens the show at 9 p.m. $10.

Then tomorrow night at Slowdown, Jr., it’s Uh Oh’s turn.

Their new one, Stay Close, is a collection of old-school indie anthems that recalls acts like The Promise Ring, Sunday’s Best and Knapsack — i.e., acts that were bunched into the emo category in the ’90s. That said, I wouldn’t consider Uh Oh an emo band but more in line with power-pop indie acts like Little Brazil or Lincoln’s Domestica. At the core is jangling, soaring guitars, bombastic drums and Joe Champion’s nerdy vocals singing lovable loser songs rooted deeply in the Midwestern soil. I think I told Joe album capper “We’ll Laugh Again” was my favorite because I’m a sucker for epic closers, but actually it’s the shuffle-beat rocker “Hang On” that will make it onto my annual comp CD if only for its sing-along chorus and Champion’s message of hope for all of us fellow travelers stumbling around in the dark. Stay Close is a familiar light to help lead the way.

Anyway, Uh Oh will be celebrating the release of that album Saturday night at Slowdown Jr. with Histrionic, Eric in Outerspace and Second String. 8:30, $7.

Also happening Saturday, Simon Joyner kicks off his national tour with a house show (at his house, no less). Joining Simon and The Ghosts are Jim Schroeder and David Nance. The show starts at 8 p.m. To find out the address, you’ll need to reach out to Joyner via Facebook and ask! Entrance is a donation ($5-$10 or whatever).

Also Saturday night, The Sydney has Pacific Northwest grunge masters Reignwolf with King Nun. $20, 9 p.m.

Finally, it’s with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to Jason Steady Saturday night at The Brothers Lounge. Jason is headed to the California desert to commune with some cacti. You can bid him adieu at this performance, which also includes sets by M34N STR33T and Haunted Gauntlet. Cover is $5, start time is 10 p.m., tears are free.

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 © 2019 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I can’t remember such a lack of shows on a given weekend as this weekend.  Considering the crappy weather we’re expecting, I guess the timing is good. 

The only show on my radar is Clarence Tilton at the Harney Street Tavern tonight. The free show starts at 9 p.m.

One Percent has no indie shows (local or otherwise) at any of its venues this weekend. 

Slowdown Jr. has singer/songwriter Dan Tedesco Sunday night. $10, 8 p.m.

O’Leaver’s has three acts tonight I’ve never heard of (doesn’t mean they’re not any good): Smokin’ Shepherd, Solo Safe and James and the Hat. $5, 10 p.m. No show tomorrow or Sunday.

The Brothers has nothing scheduled this weekend, nor does The Sydney.

Fun Fact: I haven’t been to a show in 2019. Just sayin’…

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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 © 2019 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

We’ve entered the black hole known as “January” — a dark, cold month which naturally invites people to stay inside huddled next to their TVs and/or fireplaces and forego traveling out into the abyss. Club owners and promoters know this, and as a result, quality indie shows (especially nationally touring indie shows) will be hard to come by over the next few weeks. Thus is life.

Still, a few local shows worth mentioning:

Tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s, Dallas all-girl (their description) indie-punk trio The Bralettes headlines. Catchy, jangly, fun. Omaha’s The Morbs opens along with Bach Mai. $5, 10 p.m.

Meanwhile, it’s the first Friday in January and that means Benson First Friday (#BFF). The Sydney in Benson is celebrating heavy this time with some metal in the form of Lincoln’s High Ruler, along with Truth in Ruin and Bitch Dust. $5, 10 p.m.

BTW, The Sydney’s BFF featured fine artist (you know, painter) is none other than Sabre Blazek (Who remembers Machete Archive?). You can check out his art at The Sydney for free starting at 5 p.m.

And since you’re going to be in Benson anyway, you might as well swing by The Little Gallery, 5901 Maple St., for our BFF opening. It’s called “Transcendence” and features eight artist including works by the show’s curator, Marie-Elena Schembri. We’re there from 6 to 9 p.m. Stop in and say hi and have a snack and a cup of Joe!

One other show tonight: Clarence Tilton is playing a free set tonight out at Growler USA.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) everyone’s headed to Reverb Lounge for Lincoln’s favorite bondage-leather-geek-EDM-genius Plack Blague. Joining in on the fun are CBN, Glow in the Dark and Lowercase Tres. $5, 9 p.m.

And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section.

Also, I still have a copy or two of the Lazy-i Best of 2018 Comp CD. The collection includes my favorite indie tunes I’ve come across throughout last year as part of my tireless work as a music critic for Lazy-i. Among those represented: David Nance Group, Courtney Barnett, Sextile, boygenius, Natalie Prass, Azure Ray, J Mascis, Caroline Rose, Parquet Courts, Little Brazil, Cursive and lots more. The full track listing is here, or listen on Spotify.

Enter to win a copy of the CD by either: 1) Sending an email with your mailing address to tim.mcmahan@gmail.com, or 2) Letting me know you want one via Facebook comments, or 3) Retweeting a Lazy-i tweet (If you use social media and win, I’ll reach out later for your mailing address). Hurry, contest deadline is Monday, Jan. 7, at midnight.

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 © 2019 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Quite a good turn-out for last Sunday’s coat drive concert at The Waiting Room… eventually. There were around 40 folks in the crowd when I arrived around 8 p.m. By the time Clarence Tilton’s set ended, there was probably four times that number crowded around the stage.

That audience ebbed slightly after the Tiltons ended and David Nance Group took the stage, which I think wasn’t so much a comment on Nance as much as how many friends the Tilton dudes have. Nance and his band were in their usual fine form. One of the things I love about this band is that, while they always manage to play songs off their latest album (Peaced and Slightly Pulverized), no two sets are the same.

They opened with a couple corkers that I didn’t recognize — one with the line “Ain’t no cure,” the other about Nance’s “credit line.” New songs? Hopefully. They absolutely cooked.

No Nance set is complete without a couple covers. This time Nance and the band covered “All My Life (I Love You)” by Skip Spence (co-founder of Moby Grape), and “Little Bit of Rain” by ’60s folk artist Fred Neil (He wrote “Everybody’s Talking'” which was famously covered by Harry Nilsson). It’s as if Nance is giving his audience a music history lesson. I had to run home and look up both of these guys, and have been listening to Neil on Spotify ever since.

Mixed in were two highlights from the new album, “Poison” and “Amethyst,” which soared in all their feedback-tinged glory. Nance is poised to break out on a national level. His new album was mentioned three times on this year’s Matador Records’ “best of” lists, including by label co-creator Gerard Cosloy, all of which means nothing other than people are discovering just how great this band is.

As I said, the crowd peaked during Clarence Tilton’s set; there were even a few folks two-steppin’ to their twang-ified folk rock. There’s no doubt an alt-country theme that runs through their music, though if you took out that pedal-steel on some songs they’d more closely resemble traditional college/jangle rock. But you’d also have to straighten out that colorful Weber Bros’ twang.

Set highlight was a song sung by a non-Weber (Paul Novak?) with the line “Look out for the pretty thing,” which has my vote for best Clarence Tilton song I’ve never heard before. And not to be outdone in the covers category, the band ended with their own unique rendition of the Stones’ “Mother’s Little Helper” that sounded more psych-rock than C&W. You can’t pigeonhole these dudes…

Finally, Stephen Sheehan has assembled one of the best straight-out rock bands I’ve heard in a while, strong in every position. The rhythm section of Randy Cotton and Dan Crowell is sonic bedrock. Crowell absolutely crushes on drums, while Cotton’s bass lines at times compete with the lead guitar as the music’s centerpiece. Guitarist Mike Saklar is something of an Omaha legend and a recognized master of all things rock who was showcased throughout last Sunday’s set. Then there’s Donovan Johnson on keyboards whose style shifts with whatever is needed without losing any of his personal style — you just know he’s one of those folks who can play anything off the top of his head.

Taken together, the band truly is a sonic force that’s re-imagining Sheehan’s music, because while fans of Digital Sex or The World may recognize these songs, they live in their own space with these guys. The most notable diff is Saklar, whose sizzling tone couldn’t be more different than that of original Digital Sex guitarist John Tingle. Tingle, for me, had a much lighter, more buoyant sound than Saklar’s dark, bluesy, guttural grind.

No doubt fans of Sheehan’s former bands got what they came for with vital renditions of songs like “Theory of Games,” “In Her Smile” and “Whisper Words.” Sheehan was in good voice (and good melodica) as he breathed new life into songs that are more than 20 years old.

The exception was the night’s highlight, a new song called “Less and Less” that opened with a Donovan Johnson piano line that recalled Carol King on a mid-tempo bop, wherein Sheehan sings about falling out of love. This one was a perfect fit; and I’m told could be coming your way via a recording next year. Hopefully that’s a sign that this isn’t just a one-off performance and we’ll be hearing more new music from this band in the near future.

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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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.