Sextile at Blackstone Meatball, Sept. 18, 2017.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Despite the weather, Farnam Fest went on as planned, with some slight modifications. It was spitting when I arrived around 6-ish, just in time to hear Icky Blossoms play a long, scorching set that featured Graham Ulicny of The Faint, Reptar, Thick Paint on bass.

Farnam Fest was set up in the parking area behind businesses along Farnam St., specifically behind Mula, Scriptown, etc. Food vendors/trucks are parked along 40th St. It’s a good set-up, with lots of beer tents, which were useful when the rain got worse.

I left after Icky Blossoms, but was told by organizer Sam Parker that only Shannan & the Clams’ set was cut short by 10 minutes due to lightning. Headliner Tennis’ set was moved to Blackstone Meatball.

Icky Blossoms at Farnam Fest, Sept. 16, 2017.

I returned to Meatball just in time to catch the tail end of Sextile’s set — a raging electronic No Wave sound barrage, chaotic and fierce. They reminded me of the very early days of The Faint.

The band was set up along the back wall, so when I entered via the back door I almost walked right into their performance. It felt and looked like an in-store.

Meatball is by no means a formal music venue, nor was it designed to be. Still, I’d rather see a band at Meatball (or a regular music venue) than at the old Milk Run concrete basement/dungeon (or its original cracker-box location on Leavenworth). That said, what formal venue is willing to take a chance booking a band like Sextile (or recently, Adult Mom, who also played at Milk Run)? Lately, the answer has been none, which is why we still need these DIY spaces, else we’re going to miss out on a lot of emerging talent that the larger venues are unwilling to take a chance on.

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The Brothers lounge is hosting another big punk show tonight, headlined by local mover/shaker BIB. Phoenix band Man Hands also is on the bill. The band lists as influences Devo, Chrome, The Intelligence, Nirvana, Jay Reatard, Lenguas Largas, Digital Leather, Wire, Gary Numan and Blondie, among others. Their “about” statement in Facebook: “We like the pole and the hole.” Take it for what it’s worth. Opening is Omaha metal dudes Rusty Lord. This also will be an anniversary of a sorts for Trey and Lallaya… $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 © 2017 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Diet Cig at The Slowdown, May 3, 2016. The band plays Reverb tonight.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Remember when your typical neighborhood/business district block party meant a tiny stage and a handful of local bands belting it out in the hot sun? Not anymore.

Benson has a bunch of outdoor street concerts in the works this year (one of which, held a couple weeks ago, may have rattled your windows until 11 p.m.). And now The Blackstone District is stepping up this year, taking its annual street gig, held in the parking lot behind Mula, to new heights.

Farnam Fest, slated for Sept. 16, is a free event. The line-up: Tennis (who recently opened for The Shins at Stir Cove), Shannon and the Clams (who played last year’s sold out River City Star boat cruise), White Mystery (a perennial must-see duo at SXSW), Yes You Are (Kianna Alarid from Tilly and the Wall’s new bag), High Up (the brightest new star in the Omaha music scene), Miwi La Lupa (the Omaha transplant with albums out on Team Love) and Both (Omaha hip-hop up-and-comers).

Music kicks off at 4 p.m. but the festival starts at 11 a.m. Yeah,  but what about that buzz-kill Husker game? Festival promoter/booker Sam Parker says they plan on projecting the game onto the stage earlier in the day. If you can’t beat ’em, join em.

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Lots o’ music tonight…

Oakland CA band Rays headlines tonight at Brothers Lounge. Low-fi garage slacker rock that counts Desperate Bicycles and Eddy Current Suppression Ring among its influences. Opening is the hardest working man in Omaha music, David Nance and his Group, and Billy Liebermann $5, 9 p.m.

Diet Cig returns to Omaha tonight, this time at Reverb Lounge. The band played Maha last year, and just released their debut LP, Swear I’m Good at This on Frenchkiss Records. Opening is Philly band Sports, who sounds a whole lot like Diet Cig. Their latest album is out on Father/Daughter Records. $13, 9 p.m.

And tonight Pageturners continues its summer series with Ojai and Ryan Menchaca. The free show starts at 10.

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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.