The poster for tonight’s Feel Tight EP release show at O’Leaver’s.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Another weekend without a touring band coming through town. What else is new? Chock it up to the time of year (I guess). I’m trying to think of the last show I hyped at The Slowdown… New Pornographers? It’s not like Slowdown doesn’t have shows coming up. New Lungs plays at Jr. a week from Sunday (Feb. 8, opening for Broncho), and there’s that long-sold-out Sleater-Kinney show Feb. 13. And then… nothing indie-wise until Retox March 2 and the just-announced King Khan BBQ Show March 10. T’was a time when there was at least one decent indie show at The Slowdown every weekend. Why the drought?  One reason could be that One Percent Productions, which historically has booked the better indie shows at Slowdown (New Pornographers and Sleater-Kinney are 1% shows), now has its bases covered with their own clubs: The Waiting Room and Reverb.  Another reason could be a general change in booking strategy…

Anyway… Let’s talk about this weekend, much of which will likely be spent at fabulous O’Leaver’s (Thanks to their booker, Craig D). Tonight, Feel Tight celebrates its EP release at The Bar That Mach Built. I have yet to see this latest project by Jason Meyer of Talking Mountain, but have been told their performances are cinematic spectacles. No doubt Meyer and Co. will be throwing out all the stops in front of the usual crowd of blasted degenerates. Opening is Des Moines’ Christopher the Conquered and Big Slur. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Also tonight, The Envy Corps plays at Reverb Lounge with Holy White Hounds and Field Division. $7, 9 p.m.

And if you’re in Lincoln tonight, check out Take Cover, a benefit for Hear Nebraska (of which I’m a board member). The rules are the same as last week’s Take Cover show at The Waiting Room — each band plays one original and one cover of a song by a Nebraska artist. The performers include Eli Mardock, Aaron Parker (Gordon), Spencer McCoy and Cole Keeton (blét), Tim Carr and Joe Humpal (Universe Contest), Günter Voelker and Joe Salvati (Jack Hotel), Cortney Kirby (FREAKABOUT), Churls, Rachel Tomlinson Dick (Hers, Manic Pixie Dream Girls, Miniature Horse), Mike and Kerry Semrad (The Bottle Tops), Chanty Stovall (Producers of the Word), Gerardo Meza (Mezcal Brothers), Max Holmquist (Oquoa), Mikey Elfers (THIRST THINGS FIRST), Zachary Watkins and Ishma Valenti (AZP) and Mary Lawson (Mesonjixx, Xion). The fun starts at 9 p.m. at The Bourbon, and your cover of $8, goes to a worthy cause.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) Lightning Bug returns to O’Leaver’s. Opening is Fontenelle and Low Long Signal. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, over at The Waiting Room Saturday night, The Strange Attractors headlines with The Decaturs. $7, 9 p.m.

Finally, at The Sweatshop Gallery in Benson, its an Fitness #000006. Featured performers include Channel Pressure (An electronic act that combines Todd Fink of The Faint with Graham Patrick Ulicny of Reptar), Ruby Block, Nick Holden and the infamous Superstar and Star. $5, 10 p.m.

That’s what 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.

The poster for tonight’s Feel Tight EP release show at O’Leaver’s.

Orenda Fink’s new one, Blue Dream, is streaming at NPR Live. Photo by Bill Sitzmann.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Going through the mailbox…

This just in from Talking Mountain main guy Jason Meyer:

“Feel Tight” is a new band that I’m in with dudes from the Seen and Weird Howl. I think we’re calling it “black prog stoner doom,” which is just a fancy way of saying Black Sabbath stoner rock with other tendencies. Explorations of genres I know very little about. I get to play a loud guitar.

ANYWAY.

We’re playing our first show at The Slowdown August 20 with Huge Fucking Waves (Allan from Snake Island’s surf band) and Stephen Nichols, who is doing some sort of solo/bass/noise/art performance and is Christine Fink’s huzbs. Could be a blasto.

Yes it could, indeed.

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What else:

M34n Str33t has a new video out for “Night Owl,” a track from their Mutants of Omaha LP. Check it out below. No doubt the crew is getting ready for Saturday’s Maha Music Fest (They go on stage at 1:55). Is Mean Street on the verge? There’s a lot of people who think so.

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Speaking of being “on the verge,” the guys in Bloodcow are prepping a Kickstarter campaign for their new album, Crystals and Lasers. Hey guys, don’t tell us you’re going to do a Kickstarter, just do the damn thing. I can only imagine the twisted “premiums” available for donors with this one, none of which can legally be delivered via the U.S. Mail.

Check out the new track here, if you have a PC. They posted the track as a frickin’ .wma file, which isn’t happening on my Mac.

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NPR First Listen is hosting a stream of the new Orenda Fink album, Blue Dream. Check it out here.

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So what do you think of the “We Don’t Coast” slogan, which is showing up on billboards and Social Media?

I stand by my original suggestion. BTW, I’m getting tired of all these montage videos that show zoos and ball parks in timelapse format. What would it take to get someone to make a gonzo-style video that highlights one crazy night in Omaha?

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BTW, there ain’t much happening music-wise this week. Save it up for Maha.

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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 © 2014 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.