by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Aaaaaand…. we’re back. Again.

If you believe all the hype, the pandemic is over and it’s smooth sailing from here on out. Right, we’ve all heard that one before. Even if it’s just a reprieve, I’ll take it.

Tour announcements have been hitting my email box hot and heavy. Unfortunately, the NOmaha trend continues, with so many acts bypassing our friendly (and numerous) stages. I guess we should be thankful for anything we get these days. Can’t say I blame the promoters for being gun-shy toward booking indie shows. Times have, indeed, changed. But while indie music is more popular than ever outside of our fair city, the jury’s out as to whether it’ll continue to draw crowds like it it did leading up to the pandemic.

And then there’s the question of how many concertgoers were lost after two years of COVID. Folks who went to shows before the pandemic have seen their lives change — older, new commitments, new family members, the list goes on and on. A changing of the guard is about to happen at Omaha’s music venues, a new audience will either augment or replace the old one. No doubt I’ll be seeing a lot of new faces at the clubs, and will miss seeing a lot of the old ones.

Moving on.

Atlanta singer/songwriter Faye Webster became one of indie’s frontrunners with the release of 2019’s Atlanta Millionaires Club on Secretly Canadian. She’s got a laid-back, swinging, rural style layered with plenty of pedal steel and her twanging, nasal vocals that remind me of Natalie Prass.

Faye and her band are hitting up The Slowdown Saturday night in support of her latest, I Know I’m Funny haha (again on Secretly Canadian). I believe this show was originally slated for the small room and was moved to the big stage weeks ago.

Opening for Webster is Richmond, VA’s Kate Bollinger, whose records are pressed by Ghostly International, and who has a more straight-forward indie rock sound in the Belle & Sebastian vein. $18, 8 p.m. This is a No Vax No Entry show, so bring your evidence. You may also want to have your mask at the ready. I think Douglas County dropped the mandate, but Slowdown might have different ideas.

THIS SHOW HAS BEEN CANCELLED!

Also Saturday night, Eric in Outerspace is headlining at The Sydney in Benson. Joining them are Sweet Streak along with Emma Lyness and the Legumes. There’s almost no details on this show. I suggest showing up around 10 and expect a $10 cover, more or less.

Hey, before all that happens, Nebraska’s own singing leather bondage geek, Plack Blague, is playing at Reverb tonight (Friday) with Gore-TXT. You want weird? You got it. $12, 9 p.m.

Finally, Sunday night Pageturners is hosting shows again, this time with Specter Poetics (Jack McLaughlin), Bellhead and David Schock. This free show starts at 8 p.m.

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 © 2022 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

There’s no argument about it, tonight’s Cursive show at The Waiting Room is the biggest indie show to happen since last summer’s Maha Festival. It’s also the only indie show going on this weekend.

And it’s a loaded show. Eric in Outerspace kicks things off at 8 p.m. By themselves I’d be recommending this show. But in the center slot is legendary Lawrence, Kansas, band Vitreous Humor (who I wrote about here – catch up!). Fans of ‘90s post punk take note; this is a once-and-done sort of performance.

Finally, Cursive takes the stage (probably at 10). The band has been on tour with Thursday, Jeremy Enigk and The Appleseed Cast, slated to play Denver tomorrow, so Tim Kasher and Co. edged this show in before the next leg. With no new music (their last release was 2019’s Get Fixed) expect a night of greatest hits, kicked off with “The Martyr,” if their show Tuesday night at Gabe’s in Iowa City is any indication (Here’s that setlist via setlist.fm).

OK, so the show is $20 and as of this writing is not sold out and I have yet to see any “low ticket warnings” from One Percent Productions. Doesn’t mean it won’t sell out before you get there, so you might want to eat the additional $5.69 fees and get your ticket online. This just SOLD OUT.

Nothing on the 1% site or the Facebook event page indicates that this is a No Vax No Entry show, however, Douglas County continues to be under a mask mandate, so mask up. If I go, I’ll be the guy in the blue N95 and the parka skulking near the stage trying to get a photo.

. 0 0 0 .

Since you’ll be in Benson anyway tonight, you might as well take advantage of Benson First Friday, wherein shops and restaurants along Maple Street will be displaying local art. Here’s the rundown.

As part of BFF, The Sydney is hosting a show with Nowhere and Teeth. 10 p.m., no price listed, but probably $10.

Also tonight, Slowdown Jr. has Infinite Video, Topher Booth and Ebba Rose. $10, 8 p.m.

And lest I forget, it’s Bandcamp Friday, which means you can purchase digital downloads of all our favorite indie music today and Bandcamp (and most of the labels) will waive their cut of the proceeds – which means the artists get the whole pie. Look, you’ll need to take advantage of this now that you’ve dropped Spotify because of the Joe Rogan scandal.

As for the rest of the weekend, tomorrow night punk-rock cover band The Damones is playing at The Waiting Room. $10, 8 p.m.

And that’s it. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Mask up and have a great weekend. Here’s hoping The Covid spike is nearly behind us.

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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 © 2022 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Gang of Four plays tonight at Slowdown, Jr.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I’m one of the odd ones. Even if all four members of Gang of Four were playing tonight at The Slowdown there’s a pretty good chance I wouldn’t go see them. I’m just not interested in heritage acts whose heyday was 40 years ago.

That said, I do get the appeal. Most (almost all) people not only are more enamored with the music they grew up with, but it’s the only music they can bear to listen to. Play a new band or a new sound for them and you’re bound to get a pinched-face reaction. It’s human nature, folks, which makes me a freak of nature, because I’d much rather hear something I haven’t heard before than to rehash the past with new actors in the power positions.

And don’t get me started on cover/tribute bands. Like I said, I understand the appeal — music-wise, people love what they’re familiar with, which is why cover bands always have made multiples above what original local bands earn on a given night. Such is life.

So, tonight is Gang of Four down at Slowdown Jr., with one original member, guitarist Andy Gill. And while I’m not going, I’d much rather see this band than, say, a Gang of Four tribute band. At least you’re getting one of the original gang, and a nice selection of oldies along with their newies.

Their Feb. 5 set at The Casbah in San Diego included “Anthrax,” “He’d Send an Army” “I Love a Man in Uniform” and “At Home He’s a Tourist” among its 17-song set list, which you can view right here.

By the Way, this is a Slowdown Jr. show — i.e., in the front room. I’m surprised it isn’t sold out yet. Opening is our very own Eric in Outerspace, so get there early. 8 p.m., $25.

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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.

Eric in Outerspace at O’Leaver’s, Aug. 31, 2016. The band plays O’Leaver’s Saturday night.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Watched that Fyre Fest documentary last night (the Netflix version, not the Hulu version). The first question that came to mind after slogging through that slow-motion dumpster fire: How did Ja Rule avoid getting his ass sued off alongside Billy McFarland?

Onward to the weekend…

I can’t find a thing to do tonight show-wise. I suggest bellying up to the bar at The Brothers and enjoying their fine jukebox offerings. Now if only I could get Trey to stock Rolling Rock again…

Now, there are a number of shows Saturday…

Local indie stalwarts Eric in Outerspace headline Saturday night at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Joining them is DROSS (members of Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship) and Cloud Feeder. $5, 10 p.m.

Also Saturday night, Benny and the Gents is doing another David Bowie tribute night at The Waiting Room. And She Was opens at 9. $10.

Around the corner at Reverb Lounge Saturday night, CJ Mills returns with Kethro and Masonjixx. 9 p.m., $8 Adv./$10 DOS.

Finally, there’s an early show at Reverb Sunday night headlined by indie Americana band Bazile Mills. Opening is Minne Lussa, a new project with Eric Ebers (Ritual Device), Alan Legge, Matt Rutledge on vocals and guitar, and Pat Reefe. This one starts at 5 p.m. and is $7.

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.

#TBT, The Slowdown complex under construction, Dec. 2, 2006.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

As a #TBT, this from the Lazy-i archives, Dec. 4, 2006 (though the photo was actually taken Dec. 2, 2006):

Here’s an updated pic of the Slowdown construction project. Amazing how much they’ve gotten done. This “pano” shows that they’ve apparently started on the condos on the property’s north side while they slowly begin closing in the theater on the south side. Can they get it buttoned up before the first snow?

Things did start going at a faster clip after that…

In other news, NPR is hosting a “first listen” of the new Maria Taylor album, In the Next Life, which will be out next Friday. Listen below or go to their website.

Tonight at Slowdown Jr. it’s American Wrestlers, who I wrote about yesterday. Opening is Chicago indie band Varsity, and our very own Eric in Outespace. $10, 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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Twin Peaks at Midtown Art Supply, Nov. 25, 2014. The band plays tonight at The Waiting Room.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The only update today is a reminder of tonight’s Twin Peaks show at The Waiting Room. The last time they came through back in November 2014 they played at Midtown Art Supply to a crowd of fewer than 100, but it was a good show. You can read the review of that one here.  No doubt the band’s exposure has grown since then, or else they wouldn’t be playing a big space like The Waiting Room. BTW, here’s that link to my Ten Questions with Twin Peaks if you haven’t already read it. Funny stuff.

I’m as interested (and maybe a bit more interested) in the opener, a Chicago four-piece called Ne-Hi, whose 2014 debut on Manic Static has been on constant rotation on my iPhone for the past couple days — refined psych garage rock. Extraordinary. These days they’re on Grand Jury, and I have a feeling they’re going to blow up.

Also on the bill are Omaha’s own Eric in Outerspace. $12, 9 p.m. See you there.

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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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Miniature Horse at Reverb Lounge, Jan. 17, 2015. They play tonight at O’Leaver’s.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The next trio of Live at O’Leaver’s recordings went online this morning. Check them out below.

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Tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s it’s the return of Anna McClellan. The singer/songwriter just released a new collection of songs called Fire Flames on hip, cassette/digital-only label Majestic Litter, and it’s a scorcher. Also on the bill is Miniature Horse (a.k.a.  Rachel Tomlinson Dick) and Razors. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Also tonight, legacy ska act English Beat is playing a sold-out show at The Waiting Room. The Interpreters open. 8 p.m.

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Has anyone noticed that friggin’ photo of Digital Leather has been on this homepage for four years? What did The Sydney ever do with that awesome Phillips 66 sign?

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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.