Cursive, Criteria, Cloud Nothings tonight at Winchester…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , — @ 1:19 pm January 15, 2020

A bronzer-infused Cursive in their official tour photo featuring tour drummer Pat Oakes (far right, Western shirt). Photo by Ariel Panowicz.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Cursive, Criteria and Cloud Nothings kick off a 2-week winter tour tonight with a massive concert at Winchester Bar and Grill, the sister club to O’Leaver’s that’s owned and operated by a team that includes Cursive’s Tim Kasher, Ted Stevens and Matt Maginn.

Despite Cursive and Criteria both playing ’round these parts in recent months (in Cursive’s case, this past September) the show should draw a sizable, raucous crowd. My first foray at attending a rock show at Winchester was a less than stellar experience thanks to surprising sight-line problems — i.e., you couldn’t see the band through the crowd. We’ll see tonight if they’ve remedied that problem by raising the stage.

The Boise Weekly has a new interview with Kasher that could act as a nice preview to tonight’s show. The funniest line of the article is the closer:

“I can assure you,” Kasher said, “that we will probably be going back into hiding for a little while after this.”

Ah, but there’s no place to hide when you own and operate a record label.

The wild card on this tour will be Criteria. Cloud Nothings has a similar if not more hyperactive style of angst-ular indie as Cursive, whose latest album, Get Fixed, is another angry downer of a collection of very densely packed, mathy indie rock songs, the highlight (for me anyway) being the chopped-riff-powered “Black Hole Town,” that begs everyone to sing along to the chorus “This town’s a black hole / This town’s an asshole!”  By contrast to those two bands, Criteria’s music is a sparkling flying rainbow unicorn of bright shiny indie rock — certainly a palette-cleanser between two rather acidic flavors, though I have a feeling Criteria will likely have the opening slot on this tour.

$20, 8 p.m. You may want to get there early and grab one of Winchester’s famous cheeseburger baskets. You’ll thank me later.

* * *

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 © 2020 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Lazy-i

Cursive to return to Winchester Bar & Grill in January…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , — @ 1:55 pm December 10, 2019

Cursive at Winchester Bar & Grill, May 25, 2019. The band is returning to Winchester Jan. 15.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I can’t remember it being this quiet show-wise or music news-wise. I mean nothing is going on. No shows this week. Omaha is a ghost town.

Except for this one bit of news: Cursive just announced that they’re returning to Winchester Bar & Grill Jan. 15. This is a new show listing, I believe. Playing alongside Kasher and crew are tour mates Cloud Nothings and “TBA.” No mention of Criteria, who will be joining Cursive and Cloud Nothings the next night in Denver at the Bluebird Theater, unless, of course, Criteria is the “TBA.”

Cursive first played at Winchester, a bar owned by Cursive’s Tim Kasher, Ted Stevens and Matt Maginn (among others), back on May 25. In the write-up for that show, I espoused dreams that maybe the bar could become a new venue for indie rock shows, but that never materialized. Instead, Winchester remains a prime choice for all your karaoke and cover band needs (As well as a great place to get a cheeseburger).

Anyway, mark your calendar.

* * *

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.

Lazy-i

The second coming of Criteria: New album on 15 Passenger, Cursive tour, ping-pong…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , — @ 1:42 pm December 5, 2019

Criteria 2019. Photo by Django Greenblatt-Seay.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

You already knew that Criteria was hitting the road with Cursive in January, and if you read this blog, you also already had a good idea that the band’s new album, Years, was coming out at some point on 15 Passenger. It’s been rumored for over a year. The fact that the recording is actually seeing the light of day is nothing short of a miracle.

Criteria announced the album and tour via Brooklyn Vegan yesterday before unleashing it on social media. Included in the BV story was both a track off the new album and an amusing/disturbing video of Criteria frontman Stephen Pedersen playing ping-pong with a diminutive Tim Kasher of Cursive. Hi-jinx indeed ensue.

Anyway, the new record is available for pre-order from 15Passenger.com. It comes out Jan. 17. The new tune, “Agitate Resuscitate,” is a real scorcher, and the first question that came to mind upon listening to it was how in the heck Pedersen is going to be able to sing it — along with all the other high-flying Criteria songs from yesteryear — night after night for two weeks without turning his vocal chords to bloody ribbons.

As the website says, this is the first new album by Criteria in nearly 15 years. In that time, the band has pulled itself together at least once or twice a year for a one-off show, after which Pedersen could retire back to his professional life and conceivable talk in a hoarse whisper at work the following Monday morning. Instead, he’ll have to get right back behind that microphone the next night. I don’t know how he did it 15 years ago let alone how he’ll do it for two weeks in January (The sched: six days in a row, break, four days in a row, break, four days in a row). No doubt he’s been in training for the past few months. He’ll pull it off…

Folks who follow Little Brazil on Facebook already know that Austin Elsberry has taken over behind the drum kit, replacing Nate Van Fleet. That’s good timing considering Van Fleet will be holding down the drum chores for Criteria on the upcoming tour in place of drummer Mike Sweeney. Those are rather massive shoes to fill, Mr. Van Fleet, but I can’t think of anyone better to try.

You’ll be able to see both Little Brazil and Criteria when the bands play at The Waiting Room Dec. 28 with Lodgings. Talk about your down home holiday extravaganzas…

* * *

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.

Lazy-i

Lana Del Rey headed to The Orpheum Nov. 13; Criteria to join Cursive on the road…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , — @ 12:37 pm October 10, 2019

Lana Del Rey is slated to play at The Orpheum Nov. 13.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Well, it’s just been dead news-wise the past few days, with no shows going on. It must be fall. This happens every year, right? Actually, I’m not sure that’s true. I’m also not sure Omaha isn’t becoming flyover country again like it was in the ‘80s and early ‘90s.

I say that and then yesterday the internet exploded with news that Lana Del Rey is doing a show at The Orpheum, Wednesday, Nov. 13. I’ve been listening to her new album, Norman Fucking Rockwell!, quite a bit lately, and I was a fan of her debut, Born to Die, or specifically of the song “Video Games.” A little of Lana goes a long way, especially when she pulls out her baby-doll voice — a combination of Marilyn Monroe and Betty Boop — as she did too often in those early records.

But Lana left her inner Marilyn at home when recording the new album, which is her most mature and satisfying to date. Del Rey’s music has always played like the soundtrack to ’70s So-Cal cinema, an audio version of Tarantino’s latest complete with characters drawn from a make-believe version of El Lay, one with endless sunsets and endless broken relationships played out on Venice Beach or the Hollywood Hills, circa 1975. Pretty stuff, if a tad formulaic.

I enjoy having her music in the background if only for the flat tone of her voice and the low-key arrangements that make it easy to ignore. That said, it’s perfect for a seated-audience Orpheum performance. In fact, I initially had Del Rey in mind as the obvious “get” for a Maha Festival, but her style seems better suited for a theater than the grassy knoll at Stinson Park.

Anyway, tickets don’t go on sale until tomorrow (Friday) at 10 a.m., and based on some of her past gigs, I won’t be surprised if the price point starts above $100. I couldn’t find the show listed on the Ticket Omaha website. Yet, strangely, there are a number of websites already selling tickets, such as tickets-center.com, which has tickets ranging in price from $222 to $652. How is that possible?

You’d expect it to sell out quickly, but who knows how well it’ll do in Omaha. There are still tickets available to her theater show in San Diego Friday night. Here’s hoping that Craig Dee, with all his music-industry connections, can finagle a Lana Del Rey after show at O’Leaver’s. Now that would be something…

* * *
This just in, Criteria will be joining Cursive on their upcoming January tour. That’s right, Criteria. Rumor has it the band has a new record already in the can, and there have been even more rumors as to who will be releasing it, but nothing “on the record.” Also on the bill is indie superstars Cloud Nothings — that’s an impressive line-up.

There’s no Omaha date on the tour, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we get a sneak peek of Criteria’s set in the form of a warm-up gig prior to them hitting the road…

* * *

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.

Lazy-i

Cursive will ‘Get Fixed’ via 15 Passenger Oct. 11…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , — @ 1:03 pm October 1, 2019

Cursive

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Cursive, Get Fixed (2019, 15 Passenger)

Omaha indie band Cursive today announced that its next album, Get Fixed,  will be released on their 15 Passenger Records label Oct. 11.

Anyone who’s been paying attention to Cursive the last few weeks knew something was up as they kept releasing new songs via YouTube on a weekly basis, performing four new songs live at O’Leaversfest a couple weekends ago.

From the 15 Passenger website:

“While the album was largely born out of the same sessions as Vitriola with founding drummer Clint Schnase, ‘Stranded Satellite’ and ‘Black Hole Town’ were recorded this year and feature touring drummer Pat Oakes.

“‘We’re quite proud of the work we’ve done on both Vitriola and Get Fixed,’ explains singer/guitarist Tim Kasher in a letter describing the genesis of the new album. ‘In certain ways, they may forever be considered companion pieces, but Get Fixed feels as though it’s been emancipated from the Vitriola session: the extra care and attention it received has helped it develop an identity very much its own. These songs of anger, frustration, helplessness and loss feel more poignant to us now than even a year ago — we’re thrilled to finally introduce them to our world.'”

Pre-orders are being taken right here at the 15 Passenger Bandcamp website.

Cursive will head back out on the road mid-month for a run of dates supporting Against Me! as well as two headline shows in Philadelphia and Brooklyn. In November, the band will embark on a month-long headline tour throughout the southeast and southwest with Cloud Nothings supporting.

Check out the latest single from the album, “Stranded Satellite”:

* * *

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.

Lazy-i

Live Review: Cursive at O’Leaversfest 2019…

Category: Reviews — Tags: , — @ 1:19 pm September 23, 2019

Cursive at O’Leaver’s, September 21, 2019.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Combine a sellout crowd with summer downpour and O’Leaver’s turns into a sauna. Saturday night — the second night of O’Leaversfest — was no exception. The room felt like a steam bath, and there was no escaping unless you wanted to get soaked.

O’Leaver’s was never designed to be a live music venue, let alone one that hosts 100+ sized sellout crowds. That said, if you were quick and clever, you could squeeze through the press of bodies to the club’s upper area near the band and get a much better view than, say, from the floor near the bar, where the only thing visible was people’s butts.

Despite the heat and the crush-mob crowd, it was a helluva show. The sound was remarkably good, and Kasher’s voice never sounded better. Credit the club’s small size, as every instrument could be heard including Megan Siebe’s cello, which in the past has gotten lost in the mix. Not Saturday night, though to be truthful, I was only 20 feet from where she sat. The only audio flaw was a few minutes of squealing feedback during the second song, which sounded like it was coming through the monitors more so the mains. The sound guy figured it out quick enough.

Those who have been to packed O’Leaver’s shows know that the line between where the band plays and where the crowd starts is essentially nonexistent. With no stage, they’re playing standing (or sitting) right in front of you.

The trouble with this started shortly after Cursive began playing. The crowd quickly lost its shit and began mosh-style shoving and pushing. Frontman Tim Kasher, who’s starting to look like a young Charlie Manson with his long hair, wasn’t having it. Between songs he warned the crowd that if someone ran into Megan, who was seated playing cello next to him, he and the rest of the band were going to kick their asses. I have absolutely no doubt this would happen. A couple songs later, Kasher got into an argument between songs with some dude standing in front of the band — I’m not sure what it was about, but the guy took off and Kasher called him back. The arguing went on for a few minutes more off microphone. It was a weird deal. Finally, guitarist Ted Stevens asked everyone to calm down and the band ripped into the next song.

The night’s song selection was played chronologically, starting with a song off with something from The Storms of Early Summer and going into Domestica, The Ugly Organ and so on up through a couple songs off Vitriola, their latest album. It was a greatest hits set list that featured probably the best version of “From the Hips” I’ve ever heard, with Kasher walking right out into the middle of the crowd and singing surrounded by the throngs who sang along throughout most of the set.

Four new songs capped the performance, including two I’ve never heard before — “I Am Goddamn” and “Stranded,” — as well the two tracks released as singles the past couple weeks — “Black Hole Town” and “Barricades.” The new material at times featured the entire band playing a handful of notes together, pounding like a stumbling monster, thick and foreboding. It would give way to a vocal hook or gorgeous keyboard line, with Siebe and keyboardist Patrick Newbery used to full effect. (The only players I’ve yet to mention are at the core — bassist Matt Maginn and drummer Pat Oakes — who were spot-on solid all night).

Cursive always has been a somewhat dark band, but this new music, some of it pointedly political, represents a shift from anxiety to fear, perhaps a reflection of our times where the monster is running amok before our very eyes and there’s nothing anyone can (or will) do about it.

* * *

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.

Lazy-i

O’Leaversfest weekend (Meat Wave, Pro-Magnum, Cursive, No Thanks, TFOA, Oquoa); WHY? tonight; Lincoln Calling continues…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , , — @ 12:34 pm September 20, 2019

Cursive at O’Leaver’s, Dec. 20, 2013. The band returns for O’Leaversfest Saturday.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

It’s the festival we’ve all been waiting for — O’Leaversfest! Three nights of headline-grabbing talent on O’Leaver’s pseudo-stage. Let’s run through all three days.

Day 1 – Tonight (Friday) – Chicago-based indie act Meat Wave headlines. The band has spent many a night opening for Cursive on that band’s recent tour. Opening tonight is our very own Pro-Magnum and Eric in Outerspace. There’s also a street/skate clothing pop-up store happening somewhere in the O’Leaver’s compound. $8. 10 p.m.

Day 2 – Saturday – The bosses will be in the house as Cursive headlines a show that, by the time you read this, is likely to be sold out (find out here). Every O’Leaver’s Cursive show is strangely unique, and no doubt this one will follow suit. Hot up-and-comers No Thanks open along with The Natural States. $10, 10 p.m.

Day 3 – Sunday – It’s a BBQ at The Club with an early 4 p.m. start time. Headlining is everyone’s favorite Omaha garage act Those Far Out Arrows. STATHI and Oquoa open (and is this a goodbye performance by a certain special drummer?). BBQ by Thunderbird Wines (no kidding). $7.

Now, let’s hope the weather cooperates!

Of course there’s another festival happening this weekend… in Lincoln.

The standout acts at tonight’s Lincoln Calling include See Through Dresses, Her Flyaway Manner, Bright Calm Blue, Universe Contest, Histrionic, The Mezcal Brothers and Josh Hoyer and Soul Colossal. It’s a bounty of local talent.

The standouts Saturday at LC include Miwi La Lupa, Diplomats of Solid Sound, Meat Wave, Bogusman, Charly Bliss, Pleasures, Charlie Burton & Or What, The Millions, and Dereck Higgins.

Check out the full schedule and ticket info at lincolncalling.com.

A non-festival show of note is happening tonight at The Waiting Room where Cincinnati indie act WHY? headlines. Their latest, AOKOHIO, was released on Joyful Noise Recordings. Brooklyn’s Barrie opens at 8 p.m. $18.

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

* * *

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.

Lazy-i

Lincoln Calling starts tonight (Soccer Mommy, Samia, Fanclub); another new Cursive single…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , , — @ 12:39 pm September 19, 2019

Lincoln Calling starts tonight…

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

It’s frickin’ year 16 for Lincoln Calling, can you believe it?

The annual festival officially kicked off yesterday, but the main spate of shows begins tonight. The festival boasts 80+ bands in eight venues over four days. You can see the entire schedule at lincolncalling.com. This year’s line-up is heavy on the hip-hop/pop/DJ culture, with only a smattering of indie rock compared to last year’s stellar line-up.

From an indie perspective, all the fun tonight is at The Bourbon Theater, where headliner Soccer Mommy plays at 11:30. Fronted by Nashville native Sophie Allison, the crew released its debut, Clean, last year, which placed it front and center among a cloud of indie singer-songwriters like Saddle Creek’s Hop Along, Stef Chura, Big Thief, etc.

Interestingly, today Allison released a new song and 7-inch single, “Lucy,” via Loma Vista Recordings. Check it below, and expect to hear it tonight at the Bourbon. After this gig, she’ll be out on tour opening dates for Vampire Weekend and Wilco. Not bad.

The Bourbon gig kicks off at 7 p.m. with Fanclub, a kickly little indie-pop trio from Austin. They’re followed by Boston singer/songwriter Squirrel Flower, who sounds like the second coming of Mitski on her 2018 album Contact Sports (2000 Pigs Records). That’s followed by Samia, a New York singer/songwriter who’s been compared to Phoebe Bridgers (though she sounds more upbeat, imho). Samia is signed to Grand Jury Music. It all leads up to Soccer Mommy at 11:30.

Of course there also are bands at Duffy’s, Zoo Bar, Bodega’s and 1867 Bar, but I’d be hanging at the Bourbon if I was headed to Lincoln tonight.

So how much does it cost? Single day passes are $25. Three-day all-access passes are $50. VIP packages are $125. Full info at Lincolncalling.com.

* * *

Today Cursive dropped yet another new single in YouTube, “Black Hole Town.” According to the page, the song will be released tomorrow on 15 Passenger Records. One assumes, digitally. This comes on the heels of the single “Barricades,” which was released Sept. 13. I’m not sure if these songs are part of a 7-inch release, maybe an EP or other upcoming record? Time will tell. Or I guess I can just ask them when they play O’Leaversfest Saturday night.

* * *

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.

Lazy-i

New Cursive single; new Saddle Creek hip-hop single, Album of the Month features Mynabirds; Kristin Hersh Electric Trio tonight…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , , — @ 12:50 pm September 12, 2019

Kristin Hersh Electric Trio plays tonight at Slowdown Jr.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Some tidbits that have been hanging out in my in-box:

Cursive released a new single today, the song “Barricades.” This isn’t on their most recent album, Vitriola. Rather, it apparently is just a straight-up single released just in time for their late summer/fall tour (that brings them to O’Leaver’s a week from Saturday, Sept. 21 (O’Leaversfest)). Check it below.

* * *

Saddle Creek not only announced the next single in their Document series, but the label is now launching an Album of the Month.

First, the single — it’s by Richmond, Virginia, artist McKinley Dixon, entitled “Anansi, Anansi” b/w “Wit These.” I think this is the first hip-hop release by Saddle Creek (that I can remember). Check out the track below and order the single here.

* * *

Also new from Saddle Creek is the launch of an Album of the Month feature, which “will spotlight one album each month from the SC catalog, extend exclusive offers on these albums, and hopefully help you find a favorite album you just might not have discovered yet.”

The kick-off album is The Mynabirds’s 2012 LP Generals. Saddle Creek is offering an exclusive Generals bundle as well as sale prices on the standard vinyl, CD and digital formats.

To celebrate, the original touring band for the album is getting back together for a small tour that includes a night at Reverb Lounge Sept. 25.

* * *

Rest in Peace Daniel Johnston, who passed away yesterday after suffering a fatal heart attack. He was 58. Way back in 2008 Johnston played with Reagan and the Ray Guns as his backing band at The Slowdown, a band included Reagan Roeder, Kyle Harvey, Mike Friedman and drummer Scott “Zip” Zimmerman. It was a rather unique performance that ended with the audience serenading an absent Johnston with a sing-along rendition of “Devil Town.” Here’s hoping he’s singing it up in Angel Town…

* * *

Tonight at Slowdown Jr., Kristin Hersh Electric Trio headlines. Hersh’s latest album is 2018’s Possible Dust Clouds (Fire Records). Joining the band is opener Fred Abong (Throwing Muses, Belly). $18, 8 p.m.

* * *

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.

Lazy-i

Help Janet Weiss (Sleater-Kinney); New Benny Leather; New Oquoa drops Sept. 22; Cursive makes PunkNews list…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , , — @ 12:42 pm August 27, 2019

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Here are a few news bits on a quiet Tuesday…

Janet Weiss, the former drummer to Sleater-Kinney as well as a handful of other notable bands, was in a car accident in Portland Aug. 10. The damage was two broken legs and a broken collarbone. Docs say she’ll be OK, but she’ll be in a wheelchair for three months while mending. Her sister, Julie, set up a gofundme page to help raise money to cover medical expenses and other costs while she’s on the mend. You can donate right here.

I know Weiss isn’t a local, but I’ve loved all the projects she’s been involved in, not the least of which includes Bright Eyes.

* * *

A hot new track by a hot new act has been brought to my attention. The act is named Benny Leather and includes members from Omaha and Belgium. Your guess is as good as mine who that Omaha member is (actually, it probably isn’t, since I know but I ain’t telling). Look for the full album release Oct. 25, and then all will be revealed…

* * *

Oquoa, Timesquares (2019, self-release)

Omaha indie band Oquoa will release its new album, Timesquares, Sept. 22. The album what produced by the band and engineered by Matt Carroll of See Through Dresses. The band will tour with Cursive throughout September. BTW, the album release show Sept. 22 will be at O’Leaver’s as part of O’Leaversfest Day 3 BBQ.

And I’m told that show will be a “going away party” for one of the band members who is moving to Seattle…

* * *

Speaking of Cursive…

Punknews.org published their list of the top 100 albums of 2000-2009, and making the cut was Cursive’s The Ugly Organ. Released by Saddle Creek Records in 2003, the album came in at No. 14. “I can’t think of an album aside from The Ugly Organ that actually gets self reflexive and explores the effect that emo songs have on the people they’re written about, let alone their effect on the person writing them,” said PunkNews. “It’s that self-reflection, which runs through the entire album, that makes The Ugly Organ a standout in Cursive’s already strong catalogue.”

In case you were wondering, The Lawrence Arms’ Oh! Calcutta was No. 1.

* * *

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.

Lazy-i