Oquoa at Farnam Festival, Sept. 12, 2015.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Had a great time at the Blackstone / Farnam Festival Saturday night. It was kind of like a big, cool block party with live music, very much like Jake’s Block Party in Benson. They closed off 40th Street up by where Mula is located near Farnam, set up a beer tent and away they went. Hear Nebraska curated and organized the bands.

We hung around for Oquoa, which did their usual take on slacker/shoe-gaze — big, plodding, and even more intimidating on an outdoor stage, though I still can’t understand a word guitarist/vocalist Max Holmquist is singing. It never mattered with Conduits; I don’t suppose it matters here (though it really does).

My only gripe about the festival was that it didn’t showcase the quality restaurants located in the Blackstone District — Mula, Noli’s, Night Owl. If you wanted their food, you had to leave the compound. In all honesty, I don’t know how they could have provided their vittles, anyway. Instead, four food trucks provided grub. As least we could enjoy some fine craft brews from Scriptown and Infusion. If they do this again next year I’d love to see them to figure out a way to feature the local restaurants’ fare.

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Atlanta power punk trio The Coathangers (Suicide Squeeze Records) headlines a show tonight at Lookout Lounge. Also on the bill are No Thanks, Bien Fang and Tiananmen Squares. $8, 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 © 2015 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Festival season continues Saturday with Farnam Festival at the corner of 40th and Farnam Sts. starting at 3 p.m. The goal: To raise $50k to help turn Farnam into a two-way street between 36th and 42nd. How this will help the businesses along that street, I’m not entirely sure, other than the fact that they’ll be getting traffic from both directions instead of one. I personally can’t imagine a two-way Farnam (especially in front of The Brothers), but what the heck, right? I assume money raised will go toward, what, construction to make the street two-way? Isn’t that a job for the City of Omaha? Does the money go to the City? More likely it’ll go to the Midtown Business Association who is spearheading the effort. Maybe they need it to pay for lawyers and architects? Look, I don’t know and it’s not spelled out on their website.

Regardless, what it means for the rest of us is an afternoon and evening’s worth of music by a handful of local bands (most of whom are Benson regulars) for a $10 admission. And, of course, a beer tent also will be set up. The sched:

3:15 p.m. – Normandy Invasion

4:25 – Brad Hoshaw and the Seven Deadlies

5:30 – The Third Men

6:35 – Sarah Benck

7:45 – Thunder Power

9:00 – Midwest Dilemma

10:15 – Southpaw Bluegrass Band

BTW, this thing is supposed to become an annual event.

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Meanwhile, the North Downtown district (sadly nicknamed “NoDo”) is having a block party this Saturday. You can read about all the festivities here, but the music part of the gig is an open house at Slowdown starting at 7 p.m. The line-up is Bear Country, Talking Mountain and the mysterious KISS-loving DJ known as Tyrone Storm. The cost, absolutely free.

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There’s more to this weekend than festivals and block parties.

Friday night Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship plays at The Barley St. with Why Make Clocks and the Ketchup and Mustard Gas. $5, 9 p.m.

And, The Mynabirds are playing at the Stir Lounge Saturday night with opener Jake Bellows. $5, 9 p.m.