Conor Oberst playing Gigstock in NYC last week. He’s been named as headliner of the 80/35 Festival.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

As we await the Maha Music Festival line-up announcement, which is coming this Thursday night at an event being hosted at fabulous O’Leaver’s, our friends to the east in Des Moines this morning announced the line-up to their 80/35 Festival July 4-5.

On top of the bill is our very own Conor Oberst, who is listed as the Friday night headliner. Conor will be on the road supporting his new solo record, Upside Down Mountain, out May 19 on Nonesuch. Other than Conor, not much else stands out in their line-up. In fact, Best Coast, Dawes, Envy Corp, Dr. Dog  and Ziggy Marley are the only other acts I recognize.

The 80/35 people say this is only the first announcement with more to come. After all, they have to fill 50 slots on three stages. Advance two-day tickets are on sale now for $49; one-day tickets for $29. VIP tickets are sold out. Day of tickets will run $80 for a two-day and $45 for a one-day. Is it worth it? Check out the rest of the line-up and decide for yourself.

Friday
Conor Oberst (headliner)
Ziggy Marley
Best Coast
Dawes
Chicago Farmer
Max Jury
Bum Rap
Brother Trucker
TWINS
GoodcaT
Bonne Finken
Quick Piss

Saturday
Dr. Dog
Xavier Rudd
Raz Simone
The Envy Corps
Caroline Smith
Shy Boys
Parlours
Holy White Hounds
Aquamarine Dream Machine
Kris Adams

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Speaking of Conor, his label just released videos of seven new songs performed at Gigstock in NYC last week, right here. Check out “Lonely at the Top,” below…

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Celebrate tax day with Savannah progressive noise band Circle Takes the Square tonight at Slowdown Jr. Local folks Lightning Bug and Relentless Approach open. $10, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, Rounder Records artist Nathaniel Rateliff plays at The Waiting Room with Caroline Rose. $12, 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 © 2014 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Conor Oberst’s latest promo photo.

Conor Oberst’s press agent today announced that he’s signed to Nonesuch Records for the release of his next solo outing, Upside Down Mountain, out May 20. This presumably is the “country-flavored” album he recorded in Nashville with Jonathan Wilson and First Aid Kit, mentioned in the recent Rolling Stone interview.

Nonesuch is the home of such artists as Magnetic Fields, Emmylou Harris, Brian Eno, k.d. lang, Jeff Tweedy, Joni Mitchell, Fatboy Slim and Ben Folds. Oberst’s pseudo solo records (as Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band) were released on Merge. Monsters of Folk came out on Shangri La. And we all know that Bright Eyes is/was on Saddle Creek.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Conor Oberst did an interview with Rolling Stone, posted online last week (and in the current issue), that was more of a sidebar than a full-blown interview. Still, the writer, Patrick Doyle, managed to cram a lot of little facts into the piece, all handled nonchalantly.

Facts like: Conor has been secretly married for three years. Conor spent six months writing a screenplay that got shit on. Conor is working with a producer other than Mike Mogis on his next record. All of these facts were laid out without any explanation as to why they happened, reported matter-of-factly as mere asides. Sort of like, “Oberst then pulled down his trousers and revealed he was born with a tail. ‘Yeah, I’ve had it my whole life,’ Oberst said. ‘It’s the reason I’ve never been photographed swimming.'” No follow-up from Doyle, just move right along to the next question on the list. Very odd.

Oberst’s marriage has been widely rumored for years among people outside of his inner circle (who, presumably, knew all along). I got a tip about it back in 2010. “You should ask about how Conor got married last weekend in New York,” someone told me. So I did. I asked around and no one would confirm it. It’s one of those little things that would be embarrassing to report without a confirmation. More like gossip than news.

But Oberst’s marriage is significant in how the relationship played into his rather vocal, rather public protests against immigration laws in Fremont and Arizona in 2010. At the time, Oberst never really explained why he was leading the protest. Had he explained the context — the personal nature of his concern — it would have resonated with more people than just his fans. Instead, here he was raising his fist against backwards-thinking immigration laws, leaving people wondering “Why the fuck does this rich, suburban white boy care so much about the plight of illegal immigrants?”

But the most surprising revelation from the RS article was this line: “‘She’s the reason to go home,’ he says, digging into a sausage pizza (he recently started eating meat again).” This was a true what-the-fuck moment. Oberst, once a vegan, has proudly hoisted the banner of vegetarianism for a long time — for as long as I’ve been listening to his music. Out of nowhere he drops the lifestyle and does it in a way that couldn’t be more “in your face” to vegetarians — eating a sausage pizza with a reporter. Of course there’s zero context for any of this in the article, no explanation and apparently no question from Doyle as to what happened and why, just Conor eating his sausage pizza, a statement unto itself.

On one level, it couldn’t be more flip; on another, what could Oberst have said about eating a sausage pizza that wouldn’t have offended a die-hard vegetarian?

Below, from the Peta website circa sometime in the first half of the last decade.

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It’s looking like another blah week for indie shows.

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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 © 2014 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Desaparecidos at The Waiting Room, Oct. 22, 2013.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The main point Denver Dalley made during our recent interview — and in most other interviews of his I’ve read — is that Desaparecidos is a playground for the guys in the band, a full-on good time where — no matter what else is going on in their lives — they can enjoy playing their music and just being together.

And it was obvious watching them on stage last night at a sold-out Waiting Room that they were having the time of their lives. But I have to admit, frontman Conor Oberst always looks like he’s having a good time on stage except when he’s clearly NOT having a good time (Like at some of those early Bright Eyes shows legendary for his unpredictable incendiary behavior). And really, when doesn’t Denver, Landon Hedges and Matt Baum look like they’re having fun no matter what band they’re playing in? (Is it even possible for a guy like Dalley to not have a good time?).

That said, last night’s set felt like an effortless party. Their strategy of releasing singles every few months has proven to be a smart one — it keeps their set sounding fresh, and makes the older material glow that much brighter. As big and bombastic as ever, Desa never sounded better. I credit the TWR stage and environment, which feels intimate while delivering full-on concert sound.

Oberst was in rare form, though his voice was hoarse at times, especially on those high notes. Good thing Landon was there to fill in the gaps. Here’s a secret: Hedges has a better voice, but when the material calls for screaming more than singing, it doesn’t really matter.

Like all Desa shows, there were the obligatory political comments between songs, but none were heavy handed. Oberst mentioned the Concert for Equality and how proud he was that those shitty Fremont housing laws got overturned.

He spoke in support of against-the-grain ideas. “Socialism isn’t a dirty word. Communism isn’t a dirty word,” he said as he introduced “The Underground Man,” the B-side of the band’s most recent single.

He pointed out that Omaha is a segregated town, a racist town. Paraphrasing, he said black people live in North Omaha. Hispanic people live in South Omaha and white people live in West Omaha “and the only time they look each other in the eye is when they drive by each other in their cars.” I think he knew he was stating the obvious. “I don’t know where I’m going with this… get to know someone who doesn’t look like you.”

The comments weren’t so much angry as matter-of-fact statements. Let’s face it, no one wants to be preached at, especially at a party.

The set closed with “Greater Omaha,” which he introduced saying “This song is about where we’re standing right now.” Is it? I always thought that song was about the miles and miles of beige houses spread out across the freeways and traffic lights and drive-through windows west of 120th Street. Maybe not.

Like I said, the band sounded especially good last night. It was the first time I really noticed Dalley’s blazing guitar work — he handled the difficult stuff, the technical intros and the counter solos that cut through all the chopping going on around him. Drummer Baum did his usual between-songs madman yelling from back of the stage. When he egged the audience on to “move around more,” Oberst cut in with, “No, just stand there as still as possible and try to send as many texts as you can.”

After the obligatory exit stage left, the band returned for an encore that included the single “Anonymous,” before Oberst called opening band, Brooklyn’s So-So Glos. to join them for a cover of The Clash’s “Spanish Bombs,” which strangely was the one song that stuck in my head as I walked back to my car. (The set list pretty much matched their show in Lawrence the night before, which is online here).

Afterward I chatted with a guy outside who said Desaparecidos is the best thing Conor has ever done. Well, it’s certainly the funnest music he’s ever played, the most sonically violent. Whether Oberst finds Desa to be the most satisfying thing he does only he can say. Which brings up that question: Will they really keep it together this time like Denver said in the interview? It’s hard not to be skeptical considering every temptation that Oberst has dangled before him.

Concert notes: Though a sell-out, The Waiting Room felt nice and roomy because they removed all the tables. Moving around was a snap. The sound at TWR just seems to get better and better. And thanks to the Lazy-i reader who bought me a draw of Rolling Rock! I’ll get you back at the next show…

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The party continues tonight at The Waiting Room as LA funkmeisters Orgone returns with support from Satchel Grande. $9, 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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Let’s see, The Faint are playing in Lincoln tonight, Conor’s got a show in Omaha and Tim Kasher just announced a new album and tour.

What year is it, anyway? 2013 or 2003? Is it going to be like this in 2023?

Back to reality. The Faint are doing a one-off show at The Bourbon Theater in Lincoln tonight and last I heard tickets were still available for a mere $20. The scuttlebutt is that the band has been in the studio recording some new material. Will they play any of it tonight? Opening is Digital Leather (which means Todd Fink will be pulling double duty) and the always entertaining Touch People (Darren Keen of TSITR fame). If you’re in Lincoln and you’ve never been to a Faint concert, you owe it to yourself to experience the sights, the sounds, the smells.. Starts at 9.

Tonight also is Night 2 of Conor Oberst and the Tennessee Valley Authority (I keed… Mystic Valley Band) at The Slowdown. Kevin Coffey has a review of last night’s show right here so you can get an idea what you’re in for, that is if you have tickets. Like I said yesterday, it’s been sold out forever. Show starts at 9 with two openers.

As for Kasher, his latest news (new album/tour) made the digital pages of Brooklyn Vegan this morning (right here). And who, exactly, is this Laura Stevenson who will be joining him for part of the tour?

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The Waiting Room just released its August calendar and it may be the lightest month for out-of-town bands in memory. I see only two shows “of interest” for the entire month: Appleseed Cast Aug. 7 and Mousetrap Aug. 16. The rest of the dates are filled with well-worn locals (lots o’ Benson bands) and bar promotions. One Percent has been known to add last-minute shows to TWR calendar, so that could change.

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In this week’s column, a look at my sinuses and a you-are-there report on… the neti pot. You can read it in this week’s issue of The Reader or online right here.

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Finally, an interesting piece this morning in Dangerous Minds (here) where they reprint an infamous letter to Nike complaining about the use of the Beatles’ song “Revolution” in a Jordan shoe commercial. The text of the letter is, indeed, spicy. Like DM said, music in ads these days is just another revenue stream for artists and a way to get their music broadly heard without a resource like radio (which never was a resource for indie artists in the first place). That wasn’t the case in the ’80s…

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Oh what the hell: From the Lazy-i Vault, July 31, 2003:

Live Review: The Good Life / Minus the Bear – July 31, 2003

I showed up just in time to miss Luigi Waites. The 200 or so on hand (I’m guessing here) were still buzzing about his set. Someone told me they’d never heard applause like that at Sokol Underground — a nice tribute to one of Omaha’s legends.

Now I know why Minus the Bear has the rep for being a “math rock” band, but I guess I never really noticed it listening to their CD. Now it’s painfully obvious why having seen them perform live. Don’t get me wrong, I like “mathy” music, and these guys certainly have all the requirements for that label — intricate time signatures, dollops of syncopated rhythms, multiple time changes within songs, and so on. The crème de la crème is the band’s guitarist — a dead ringer for a young Nick Nolte, he plays using the “touch” method, where he fingers his chords with his left hand and pokes the strings with his right, a la Eddie Van Halen (but not nearly as fast or flamboyant). His guitar mimics what you’ve heard on later King Crimson albums — repeated almost piano-like tonal circles that add as much rhythm-wise as musicwise. Unfortunately, really good math demands strong melodies to remain interesting. About four songs into their set, their music began to blur and get a bit tiresome. The last two songs were easily their best — one shifted from a down-low ambient thing to a rock mantra, the other was more typical of their style, and happens to be the best song on their new CD. The finest moments came when they gave their keyboardist room to stretch out, adding texture and ambiance to the usual stuttered proceedings.

The Good Life at Sokol Underground, July 30, 2003. Photos by Leann Jensen.

Then came The Good Life. Clearly a bit rusty from not having played live for four months, they impressed with their new material. Kasher is beginning to remind me of Lloyd Cole, both physically and musically. I’ve come to the conclusion after hearing the new stuff that I really don’t like Black Out that much. The Black Out songs performed were such a stark contrast to the poppy new material, there’s no question that the band is going in a different direction with the next disc. It’s downright bouncier than anything they’ve done before, and to complement it, they even rearranged some of their older material.

The lack of drum machine was an interesting change. On the first song, drummer Roger Lewis played bongos while multi-instumentalist Ryan Fox sat behind the trap set. Sometimes the new arrangements sans machine didn’t work. For example, the electronic drum static on “A Dim Entrance” was replaced with what was essentially Kasher rhythmically scratching on his guitar. The transition to the song’s main melody was harsh and disjointed and they dropped the song’s pretty piano line. But other times, you couldn’t tell you were missing anything without the electronic drums.

A highlight was a cover of The Faint’s “Worked Up So Sexual” that was interesting in its downcast interpretation. I don’t know if it worked or not, but it was certainly unique. When the band wasn’t bouncing with the new stuff, they played mostly downstyle, quiet, slow numbers that highlighted the new sexy spy guitar parts that were quite pretty. But the person standing next to me in the audience got so downcast with all the low-tempo stuff that dominated the middle of the set that he left!

Anyway… I know I’m being rather obtuse describing their new material. The opener did remind me of early Lloyd Cole, with Kasher singing lyrics that described the first day he met a new girlfriend to the last day he saw her. One song sounded exactly like a Neva Dinova number thanks to the morose spy guitar line, while another toward the end of the set felt like a latter-day Elvis Costello song. Kasher’s new stories have more detail and clever lines and seems less self-defacing than earlier Good Life stuff (again, Black Out) that seems more like a cry for help.

If what I heard last night is any indication, their next CD will easily be my favorite, a good rebound from the moribund songs on Black Out, yet even more poppy than what we got on Novena on a Nocturn. In other words: I smell hits! As always, everything they do is a stark contrast to Kasher’s other band. Whereas I thought Black Out seemed headed toward Cursive territory, these new songs couldn’t be further away on the spectrum. This is Kasher at his tuneful best.– July 31, 2003

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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.

Mystic Valley Band enjoying some PBRs…

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band play the first of a two-night stand at The Slowdown tonight. The shows have been sold out for a long time, and mark the only performances by this version of Oberst Inc. anywhere this year.

Oberst is an enigma to me anymore. There are four versions of Oberst (five if you count his “real” solo stuff) and they’re in a constant state of flux. The most current incarnation has been Desaparecidos, which emerged out of nowhere this year with a couple 45s and some national tour dates. Then it disappeared again, but will re-emerge for another month-long national tour toward the end of October.

Then there’s Mystic Valley Band, who first appeared as the support personnel on Oberst’s successful 2008 debut solo outing, but were not credited specifically as “Mystic Valley Band.” The moniker was added for 2009’s forgettable (except for “Nikorette”) Outer South album. Oberst is said to be working on a new solo album and has a handful of solo dates scheduled on the West Coast in early October. Will his next release be credited simply as “Conor Oberst” or will “Mystic Valley Band” also be attached? We’ll have to see.

Let’s not forget Monsters of Folk, which has released the least interesting of all the Oberst recordings, but has provided some of the most memorable live performances. Or maybe I just really like Jim James. There have been natterings here and there from various members, but nothing concrete regarding any future activity (but with Jim James scheduled at The Slowdown Sept. 10, you never know what could happen).

Finally, there’s Bright Eyes, which has and will always be Oberst’s gold standard, though the future of this incarnation of Oberst is always in question. The last Bright Eyes album, 2011’s The People’s Key, came and went with a flash as bright as the flames on the record’s sleeve. 2007’s Cassadaga, which was a better record, didn’t burn much brighter.

Despite all the activity, you get a sense that Oberst is wandering through the forest without a map. After years of the usual release-an-album-then-tour-for-a-year shtick he probably got sick of the strict regimen, and who can blame him? Putting out a Bright Eyes record means clearing your calendar for 18 months or else you’re not doing the record or the label justice. Of course, it doesn’t have to be that way. Oberst could pull a Beatles and simply record with his Bright Eyes crew and release the albums without touring, but in this era when bands depend on tour revenue more than album sales, that route may not be the most economically feasible for anyone in the band not named Conor.

Things were so much easier when money didn’t matter.

As for tonight and tomorrow night’s shows, I don’t have a ticket and I’m not on the list, so it looks like I won’t be going. If you’re one of the lucky ones, have a good time. The show starts at 9 with two openers.

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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.

“Can I get a goddamn crescent roll?”

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Flickr, that old-fashioned online digital photo service that competes with Instagram, recently got bought by Yahoo!, that old-fashioned search engine that competes with Google. Apparently Flickr’s “cool” factor was a major selling point. Well, looks like Flickr is amping up that cool factor by enlisting Bright Eyes to sell its services, as all of you who were watching Game 3 of the NBA Finals last night can attest.

The song, again, was “First Day of My Life,” the same Bright Eyes song used in that Zillow ad last year. Someone at the ad agency scoured the song’s lyrics and pulled out only two lines: “Yours is the first face that I saw / Think I was blind before I met you,” sings Conor while a pug flips through its photo archive on its iPad. Needless to say, the connection between song and product isn’t quite as seamless as in that Zillow ad, but I guess it doesn’t matter as long as the check clears.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

There’s a bit of Conor Oberst news bouncing around the internet.  Both SPIN and TwentFourBit have stories that include links to an unreleased Oberst song called “Night at Lake Unknown” (Do you think he was talking about Lake Manawa?). They also recap details about an upcoming Monsters of Folk film and music project that Jim James discussed on his Reddit AMA. Oberst made news last week with a massive Q&A at Drowned In Sound (right here) where he confirmed that we’ll be getting some new Desaparecidos material sometime in the future.  Desa plays Europe and stateside for nearly a month starting Feb. 7 in Dublin, right after Oberst finishes up some European solo dates.

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Check out The Faint performing “Agenda Suicide” and “Glass Danse” on Pitchfork.tv, below:

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The Waiting Room’s $3 showcase series continues tonight, this time sponsored by Boulevard Brewing Co. and featuring InDreama, Universe Contest and Arrows, which I’m told is a brand new Omaha band whose members include a recent Detroit transplant. Just $3 gets you in. Show starts at 9. Don’t let the snow, cold and wind slow you down.

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Tomorrow: Ladyfinger.

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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

You know it’s the holiday season when the music calendars for the week boast non-music events like pub quizzes, wine tastings and screenings of lame ’70s Christmas cartoons. Well, let’s just hope the holidays are the reason for this intense slowdown in shows. I have no room to complain as I missed both nights of fantastic shows this past weekend. I blame general holiday fatigue for my absence, and maybe that’s why the clubs are keeping the listings light — they know that people are pooped this time of year. Or maybe not… Anyway, the only show in Omaha tonight is a Christian-core act at TWR and it’s looking pretty light until Friday night’s sold-out Faint show at Sokol Aud…

The For Against box set.

What else is going on? Well, Captured Tracks announced that it’s reissuing the first three full lengths from seminal Lincoln post-punk trio For Against. Originally released by Independent Project between ’84 and ’90, these releases will see their first vinyl appearance in more than 20 years as part of a deluxe edition limited boxed set. The set features a bonus booklet and ephemera from the band’s early career. It won’t be available until January, according to the Capture Tracks website. As part of this release, will we see an onstage reunion of Harry Dingman III (last seen playing as part of The Millions reunion) with Jeff Runnings?  The last time I saw these guys play as For Against was way back in 2008.

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Boston University’s Daily Free Press has a review of last Thursday night’s Conor Oberst gig in Boston that’s a hint of what we’re going to get at his Dec. 21 show at Joslyn’s Witherspoon Hall with Whispertown. Sounds like ol’ Conor is playing an acoustic “best of Bright Eyes” set with some other morsels thrown in. Read the review here. Tix, by the way, are still available for $25 right here.

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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

In an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer released this morning, Conor Oberst talked about writing solo material, the future of Desaparecidos and Bright Eyes.

On Desa: “They haven’t announced it yet, but we are going to do some more shows and put out more music next year.” With Obama winning the election, I can imagine the edge of the Desa knife slightly dulled. Had Romney won, I could see a very fierce future for the band, because there’s nothing like having an asshole in office to spur a punk message. Either way, it’ll be good to get some new Desa. Now if they could just get me that 7-inch single that I ordered last summer; its ship date has been postposted until mid-November.

On his solo work: “My main thing is just to keep writing. I’ve been doing some songwriting that’s for my own record, I suppose. That’ll happen next year, under my own name.”

But Oberst reiterated that Bright Eyes ain’t over. “No. I love playing with Mike and Nate. Hopefully, we’ll do that sometime in the near future. . . . They both worked on a movie called ‘Writers’ that I wrote a song for that will be out next year.”

Read the whole interview here.

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There was a nice feature on Icky Blossoms posted this morning in The Huffington Post. Curious quote: “It can get tricky knowing which band a song belongs to,” Pressnal — who is in five bands — said. Five bands? Let’s see, Tilly, Icky, Flowers… and then… what?

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In this week’s column, how we’re living in a culture where people say hello with a hug, and how I just don’t fit in. Read it in this week’s issue of The Reader, or online right here.

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Based on the last time he came through town, I’m not surprised that tonight’s Bruce Springsteen concert isn’t sold out. That show, in March 2008, sucked. S U C K E D. The review is online here. The only saving grace to having gone to that concert was being able to see Clarence Clemons perform before he died. What would be awesome: Instead of seeing Springsteen at the Century Link echo chamber from a mile away play three hours of redundant, boring songs, seeing him play in a much smaller venue and be forced to do a one-hour set — now that I’d pay big dollars to see.

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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.