When Black Friday comes, I’m gonna dig myself a hole…

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Just in case I forget to say it later, Happy Thanksgiving. If you live in the Omaha metro area, good luck. Sounds like it’s going to be Ice Station Zebra around here come tomorrow afternoon. Keep your fingers crossed that your power doesn’t go out and your turkey doesn’t catch cold.

Alright, so enough about the holidays. Friday is Black Friday and the folks at our area record stores are hoping to Make BF a BFD™.

Before you venture out into the ice, make sure you review the official Black Friday Record Store Day list, right here: http://www.recordstoreday.com/SpecialReleases I’ve been told that Homer’s and Drastic Plastic are stocking up on the majority (if not all) of these titles. There are literally crates of records piling up in their back rooms waiting to be released to the public at 10 a.m. Friday.

Mike Fratt, Homer’s general manager, said in addition to those Black Friday titles, Homer’s will have dozens of 2015 releases on CD at $9.99, “like Elle King, Father John Misty, Beach House, Disclosure, etc. We also have a couple dozen 2015 CD releases at $6.99, like Weeknd, Ryan Adams, Dr Dre, Nathaniel Rateliff, etc.”

And in addition, Homer’s will have a large new vinyl sale at 25% to 40% off, more than a thousand titles, “and, of course, we have Adele on CD at $9.99, vinyl at $24.99.” Adele! And if you’re shopping for the perfect Christmas present for the special someone who just discovered the joy of vinyl, Homer’s has “a dozen used turntables in stock and new ones, too, starting at $129.99.”

I asked Homer’s employee (and Milk Run proprietor) Chris Aponick to pick a few must-haves from the BF list, and he spit out The Eazy E Christmas 7-inch, the new Pujol single, and “the Neil Finn/Paul Kelly split thing, but I’m sure nobody else is after that.” WRONG Mr. Aponick. I love Paul Kelly.

Meanwhile, across the street at Drastic Plastic, DP dude (and For Against musician) Jeff Runnings tells me, “We’re having hot coffee and Drastic fudge brownies for those braving the possibly shitty weather—and we’re bringing in absolutely EVERYthing for BF.”

Yeah, but what our your picks, Jeff? “My picks?  The brilliant first Buzzcocks album on orange; the delicious dbl ‘best of’ LP Ciao! by Lush on translucent red, and the B-52’s “live” from 1979.”

How can we live without those? WE CAN’T!

Which brings us to Almost Music in Benson. Proprietor Brad Smith says, “I will have a ton of new stock, including Black Friday Record Store Day exclusives from Ty Segall, T Rex, The Sonics box set, etc.”

Brad’s Picks? “Definitely The Sonics’ 50 box set, and The Revolutionaries’ Revolutionaries Sounds Vol. 2 LP.”

So what are my picks? Well in addition to those mentioned above, I’m eyeing that Jesus and Mary Chain Barbed Wire Kisses on double blood-red vinyl, Gang of Four Songs of the Free LP on blue/purple/yellow splatter vinyl, and maybe even that Earth, Wind and Fire Greatest Hits Vol. 1, unless I can find a clean used copy (Can you believe I don’t have an EW&F album?)…

Like I said, all three stores — Homer’s, Drastic Plastic, and Almost Music — open at 10 a.m. Friday morning. Happy hunting.

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No doubt the bars will be packed tonight as they always are the day before Thanksgiving, regardless of any live music. Clubs like to book cover bands during the holidays, and there are plenty of those going ’round.

That said, Reverb has some original rock happening tonight. See Through Dresses headlines, with Lawrence singer/songwriter La Guerre. $7, 9 p.m.

Also tonight is the Canned in Benson Songwriter Showcase at The Barley Street Tavern. Scheduled performers include Reagan Roeder, Edward Spencer, Kait Berreckman, Travis Sing, Gerald Lee, Jr., Joe Watson, John Klemmensen, Nick Carl, Vern Fergesen, Korey Anderson, Rebecca Lowry and Matt Cox. Food and cash donations to benefit the Food Bank For The Heartland will be collected at the door. Starts at 8.

Tomorrow night is basically a black hole for live music except for one exciting show: Team Love recording artist Miwi La Lupa is headlining at festive O’Leaver’s Thanksgiving night. Joining him is CJ Mills and Landon Hedges of Little Brazil and Desaparecidos fame. $5, 9 p.m.

Then along comes the weekend, which is rather packed. I’ll provide an update on Friday. Gobble-gobble….

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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

Drastic Plastic turns 30

Did Drastic Plastic play a more significant role in the creation of today’s “Omaha Music Scene” then, say, Homer’s Records (who has been around longer), or The Antiquarium, which for years was viewed as Omaha’s indie ground zero? Does it matter?

Fact is Drastic has stayed in business for 30 years — that’s an achievement for any record store. I’ve always looked at Drastic as more of a T-shirt shop (thanks to Impact) than a record store, though recorded music has always been a staple. According to their press release:

“Drastic also promoted some of Omaha’s first alternative shows, such as Black Flag, Husker Du, Dead Kennedys and Toxic Reasons.  The cover of Black Flag’s live album Who’s Got the 10 ½? immortalizes the store’s telephone number.  Drastic also started one of Omaha’s first record labels, Fat Bat Records, which released then local sensation Apathy’s LP Out the Window. “

The tradition continues with Drastic Plastic Records, which reissues classic punk albums on vinyl, along with discs on the Silver Saucer CDs imprint.

So Happy Birthday Drastic Plastic. To celebrate the occasion, Drastic is hosting a show tonight at the Waiting Room headlined by OFF!, the LA hardcore band whose members include Circle Jerks/Black Flag singer Keith Morris, Burning Brides frontman Dimitri Coats, Red Kross bassist Steven Shane McDonald and Rocket From the Crypt/Hot Snakes drummer Mario Rubalcaba. Opening is Seattle punkers The Spits and Raleigh hardcore band Double Negative. $12, 8 p.m.

Also tonight, Sub Pop band Helio Sequence plays at Slowdown Jr. with Betsy Wells. $10, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, over at fabulous O’Leaver’s Rake Kash (L. Eugene Methe) headlines a show with Still Sweet and Noah Sterba. $5, 9:30 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.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

This being a semi-quiet Tuesday, I’m taking this opportunity to clean out the ol’ in-box. Bear with me…

Despite a release date of Sept. 4, the Saddle Creek Shop down at the Slowdown complex today announced that it’s selling right now copies of Azure Ray’s new CD/LP As Above So Below, very likely to the consternation of the folks at Homer’s Records. The shop also will have the limited edition (of 250) pink vinyl version of the record, only available at the shop or from the Saddle Creek online store. Pricing breakdown: CD – $7; LP – $13, and Limited Edition LP – $19.

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Doom Town Records, in cooperation with Rainy Road Records, says it will be releasing Baby Tears’ first full-length LP, Rusty Years, this Thursday, Aug 24, when all pre-orders will be shipped. The band plans to host a release show Oct. 7 at Barley Street Tavern. Until then, order your copy of Rusty Years right here.

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The Iggy Pop Bobblehead

Drastic Plastic is expanding on its  merch offerings with new a label, Silver Saucer CDs. “Silver Saucer’s mission is to do for CDs what Drastic Plastic Records does for vinyl: ensuring the continued availability and best possible sound for seminal recordings,” quote-eth their press release. “Our first release is Agent Orange’s classic Living in Darkness. The CD features the original LP track list with a limited initial run of 1,000 copies.” Street date is Sept. 18.

In addition, Drastic Plastic records announced the Oct. 2 vinyl-only release of The Gun Clubs’ classic from 1984, The Las Vegas Story, as a remastered, 180-gram, opaque-green vinyl offering limited to just 500 pressings.

And if that wasn’t enough, Drastic is in the bobblehead business with a 7-inch tall Iggy Pop bobblehead. Limited to 1,000, it’s the second in their bobblehead series, with George Clinton and Fulci Zombie slated for the bobblehead treatment in the near future. Street date on the doll is Oct. 9. I’m assuming you’ll be able to pick up all these items down at Drastic Plastic or go to impactmerch.com

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Now onto tonight’s shows, and there’s a ton…

Digital Leather returns from their West Coast swing tonight for a gig at The Sydney in Benson. They open for Agent Orange (now on Silver Saucer CDs), along with Video Ranger. $10, 9:30.

Killer Blow is a new duo debuting tonight at The Barley Street Tavern. Featuring Todd VonStup on guitar (Baby Tears, ex-The Shanks) and Genie Molkentine on drums and vocals, their sound has been described as mix of garage pop and British New Wave. Check out there cover of “Love Rules,” by Pens, below. Also on the bill are Moses Prey and Daikaiju from Hunksville. $5, 9 p.m.

Killer Blow, “Love Rules”

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/51704448″ iframe=”true” /]

Also tonight, ’80s post-wave alternative icons The Fixx plays at The Waiting Room with Lonely Estates. 8 p.m., $25.

La Armada, who just opened for Strung Out last week, plays again tonight at The Sandbox with Living Victim, Bad Vibes and Red Lion. $7, 8 p.m.

Finally, Japanese punk band Mugen Hoso turns up tonight for a free show at The Hideout. Opening is The Big Al Band. Starts at 9:30.

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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.