As you can imagine, I get a lot of emails from music promoters, labels and bands. Maybe 100 a day? Something like that. For the past year they’ve all been hyping new videos or releases by acts that, like the rest of us, have been stuck at home due to COVID-19.

You’ve seen the stories I did in The Reader about venues reopening and local bands returning to local stages. Well today I got the first email (that I’ve opened and read, anyway) announcing a full North American tour taking place this year.

Dinosaur Jr. today announced it’s hitting the road in late summer for a tour that includes more than 40 dates throughout the fall and into winter, starting July 27 at Big Indian, NY, and wrapping up Feb. 26 at Denver’s Ogden Theatre.

The tour includes a Sept. 20 gig at The Waiting Room.

The band will be supporting their forthcoming album, Sweep It Into Space, out April 23 on Jagjaguwar Records. “As is typical, Lou Barlow writes and sings two of the album’s dozen tunes (delivering perhaps his finest Dinosaur contribution in “Garden”) and Murph’s pure-Flinstonian drumming drives the record like a go cart from Hell,” says the press release.

Here’s hoping this is the first of many such tour announcements from bands that will be returning to the road later this year as COVID-19 fades away like a bad dream… I, for one, can’t wait.

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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 © 2021 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Dinosaur Jr., form left, J Mascis, Lou Barlow and Murph. The band plays The Waiting Room Saturday night.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

What is the soundtrack to your youth? For some very hip folks in their 30s, 40s and 50s, that soundtrack would have to include Dinosaur Jr. The band has been at it in one form or another since 1984, releasing their debut — a mish-mash of punk, heavy-metal and C&W — under the name Dinosaur in 1985.

Back then it was J Mascis on guitar, Lou Barlow on bass and Murph on drums. Just like the rest us, that line-up would go through some changes over the years, but would circle back to its original line-up in 2006 and pretty much stay that way right up to the band’s latest, Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not (2016, Jagjaguwar). In between, the band released seminal albums like 1987’s You’re Living All Over Me, 1991’s Green Mind, 1993’s Where You Been and 2007’s Beyond, keeping that soundtrack going for the next generation (and the generation after that).

We caught up with Dinosaur Jr. drummer Murph and asked him to take our Ten Questions survey.

1. What is your favorite album?

Murph: Jimi Hendrix’s Axis Bold as Love

2. What is your least favorite song?

Wham’s, “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go”

3. What do you enjoy most about being in a band?

Performing live on stage is the best thing about being in a band.

4. What do you hate about being in a band?

Constant compromise, hardest thing about being in a band.

5. What is your favorite substance (legal or illegal)?

Coffee

6. In what city or town do you love to perform?

New York

7. What city or town did you have your worst gig (and why)?

Worst  gig was in Pawtucket RI, sketchy vibe, and horrible sound.

8. Are you able to support yourself through your music? If so, how long did it take to get there; if not, how do you pay your bills?

I haven’t always been able to support myself through my music and it has taken a long time. I’ve supplemented my income with drum lessons and odd jobs.

9. What one profession other than music would you like to attempt; what one profession would you absolutely hate to do?

Profession I’d like to try is teacher or therapist, and worst profession would be being a cop.

10. What are the stories you’ve heard about Omaha, Nebraska?

Omaha Nebraska, “where’s the Beef”!  My mother always used to order Omaha steaks at Christmas time.

Dinosaur Jr. plays with Easy Action Saturday, March 18 at The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple St. Tickets are $22 Adv./$25 DOS. Showtime is 9 p.m. For more information, go to onepercentproductions.com

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Get your pre-St. Patrick’s Day partying in before us idiots take over.

Tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s it’s Jabid (Javid’s project), False Brother and Stephen Nichols. $5, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, over at experimental art/noise space Project Project, 1818 Vinton St., Big Slur (Dan Scheuerman’s project) opens for Amulets along with Teetah and Erinome. Let’s face it, I’ve never heard any of these acts, but Dan says it’ll be good. $6, 7 p.m.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2017 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Son, Ambulance at Reverb Lounge June 3, 2015. The band plays at O’Leaver’s tonight.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I’m now told that Eagle*Seagull is headlining that show Oct. 9 at O’Leaver’s.

Anyway… what’s going on this weekend?

Top of the list is Son, Ambulance at fabulous O’Leaver’s tonight. The band is reaching new levels of amazing at their live shows lately. So where are those new recordings, Joe? Also on tonight’s bill are Agronomo and Javid and the Qualified Suspects. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Also tonight, the amazing Dinosaur Jr. is opening for Primus at Sumtur Amphitheater. Beyond “Jerry Was a Racecar Driver,” I’ve never had much use for Primus, but Dinosaur Jr. and J Mascis are truly indie rock royalty. $40, 7 p.m.

One more show: The Nadas headline at Reverb Lounge with Two Drag Club. $15, 9 p.m.

Tomorrow night Routine Escorts headlines at Slowdown Jr. (remember that place?) with Sam Martin and Chalant. $5, 9 p.m.

Also tomorrow night, it’s back to the club (O’Leaver’s) for the return of Cloven Path  (yep, they’re back). Also on the bill are Australia blackmetal/prog band Dreadnaught and HAG. $5, 9:30 p.m.

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 © 2015 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Beyond the fact that Dinosaur Jr. is one of the most important, most influential bands of the post-punk ’80s and ’90s sitting right up there alongside Minutemen and Husker Du, and that this show marks the first time the band has played here since, what, 2009? is the fact that 1) Their new album, I Bet on Sky, is a tour de force return to the band’s glory days — right up there with the new Bob Mould album as among the best revival records of the year, and 2) J Mascis’ solo set at MAHA Music festival two years ago was among the day’s highlights — i.e., the guy hasn’t lost anything, and 3) Frickin’ Shearwater is opening, a band who would be an amazing draw by themselves.

Only $20? How much did you spend on movie tickets last week or booze or dope or dining out? $20 is nothing. I figured this one would have sold out a long time ago. 9 p.m. Go!

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Okay, okay, so maybe you don’t have $20 to spare. What’s that you say? You only have $5? Well, $5 is all you need to get into tonight’s Yuppies show at Slowdown Jr. Also on the bill are Jealousy Mountain Duo and up-and-comers Worried Mothers (with a new release on Rainy Road Recs). $5, 9 p.m.

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2012 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.