Foxygen at The Waiting Room, April 2, 2015.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Foxygen was hysterically entertaining last night at The Waiting Room, and by that I mean the band played as if every single member had snorted a Hefty garbage bag filled with Peruvian marching powder prior to the set.

Whirling dervishes one and all, but especially frontman Sam France, who came off like an ultra-glam cross between David Bowie and Mick Jaggar (with a smattering of Iggy Pop thrown in for good measure). Over-the-top energy. To say the band played full-on would be a vast understatement. On fire. Yes. And nothing close to what I was expecting having heard their last two (and only two) albums, which ooze slacker disdain. There was nothing slacker about last night.

Playing as an 9-piece (keys, bass, two guitars, vocals, drums, three back-up singers in spangles and spandex) the band barged through a set that epitomized ’70s glam with hints of psychedelic and Motown. The end product was like an indie version of Hedwig and the Angry Inch spot-welded to Jim Steinham / Meat Loaf by way of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Vamping was a key ingredient, along with synchronized dance steps and multiple costume changes.

The frenzy of the manic stage show was only eclipsed by the unceasing drive of the exhaustingly energetic music — a night-and-day contrast to the low-key noodling heard on …And Star Power, their latest album which can be rather…challenging to listen to. The Internet is filled with stories about how this band is either already broken up (and this is their farewell tour) or are in the process of dismantling. You wouldn’t know it by watching last night’s spectacle, which will very likely will be among my top-5 favorite shows of ’15. Here’s hoping all the break-up drama is merely that, and that Foxygen keeps it going, With a show like this, Broadway is calling.

Alex Cameron at The Waiting Room, April 2, 2015.

Before Foxygen it was one-man Aussie sensation Alex Cameron and sax player Roy. The shtick is Cameron looking and dancing like Talking Heads’ David Byrne and singing like Bryan Ferry to pre-recorded ’80s-flavored beat tracks. Shades of Andy Kaufman, amusing and (somewhat) mesmerizing, though it wore a bit thin after 15 minutes. Cameron’s a funny dude in a Flight of the Conchords sort of way. The crowd didn’t know what to make of him, but he won them over in the end.

Oquoa at The Waiting Room, April 2, 2015.

Opening the night with a strong set (though to a half-empty room) was Omaha’s own Oquoa. I hadn’t seen these guys in at least a year and was pleasantly surprised at how their sound has evolved. Frontman Max Holmquist has added more drama to his voice (and these new songs), sounding like Paul Banks fronting a shoegaze version of Interpol.

Oquoa has been compared to Lewis’ former band Conduits, a comparison that no longer fits thanks to Patrick Newbery’s spaced-out keys, which are prominent in the mix. The band’s core sound is now drums, bass, keyboards and Holmquist’s siren voice (His electric guitar was all but unheard in the mix). The product, especially on the set closer, was haunting and harrowing. The only nit I have to pick is that (as with Conduits) I couldn’t tell you what a single song was about as the words were virtually undecipherable, with all annunciation lost in the delay. When it comes to this kind of music, do the words really matter anyway?

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Let’s get right to the weekend lineup:

Tonight Whirr (Graveface Records) plays at fabulous O’Leaver’s. The band’s shoegaze sound has been compared to My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive. Opening is Fort Collins band Sour Boy, Bitter Girl and Those Far Out Arrows. $7, 9:30 p.m.

Also tonight, Timecat celebrates the release of their debut album Living in the Dark at The Reverb Lounge. Also on the bill are Eric in Outerspace, Lover’s Speed and Feral Hands. $5, 9 p.m.

BTW, It’s first Friday in Benson. Start looking for parking now.

One other show going on tonight worth your attention: Metal/punk band Cult Leader plays at the very cool Midtown Art Supply, 2578 Harney. Joining them are Varmint, Survive Us All and Omaha’s sludgemeisters Nightbird. $7, 8 p.m.

Saturday night is the Simon Joyner Album Release Show at Slowdown Jr. Opening for Simon and his band are Outlaw Con Bandana and L. Eugene Methe. Tix are $8 today and $10 tomorrow. If you haven’t already, listen to this sweet interview with Simon Joyner from this week’s Lazy-i Podcast. Simon talks about his voice, his music and where he finds the characters that inhabit his songs.

Also happening Saturday night, Swearing at Motorists celebrate its 20th Anniversary Tour at O’Leaver’s with Burger Records band DTCV and Peace of Shit. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Also Saturday The Sons of Reverb play at The Reverb Lounge with Left Is West. $7, 9 p.m.

And yet one more show in Benson Saturday night: Relax, It’s Science plays at The Sydney with The Clocks and Laika the Space Bitch. $5, 9 p.m.

That’s what I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a good 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.

Foxygen plays tonight at The Waiting Room.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Bank of the West announced the line-up for their annual 4th of July concert in Memorial Park, which actually takes place June 26. Dinosaur acts Eddie Money and Joan Jett and the Blackhearts are the featured artists, according to Kevin Coffey here at the Omaha World-Herald. Considering the nature of these concerts, BotW could do worse than Joan Jett, who is a legend on a few levels. Eddie Money will be background music as people find a place to drop their coolers (I actually saw Money play at the Music Hall 100 years ago…).

Again this year BotW is hosting an online contest to book a “local band” to open, but no actual local bands ever win it, so it’s a waste of time and a wasted opportunity for BotW, who could actually show support for local music. But in the end, it doesn’t matter. No one goes to this concert to listen to music; they’re there to get loaded or enjoy a free afternoon/evening of entertainment with their kids. And, of course, to see the fireworks.

That said, it would be somewhat awesome if we could mount an effort to get Plack Blague to open this show….

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Podcast CORRECTION — In yesterday’s podcast (below) I said tomorrow night’s Whirr show at O’Leaver’s costs $5. In fact the cover is $7. That’s what I get for not looking up the show info. Regardless, an evening at O’Leaver’s is priceless no matter the cover charge.

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Speaking of shows, Foxygen is headlining tonight at The Waiting Room. The band is on the road supporting their latest, the massive 24-track opus And Star Power, out on Jagjaguwar records. Opening the show is Alex Cameron (Who the heck is Alex Cameron? Find out here.) and our very own Oquoa. $15, 9 p.m.

Also this evening — or late afternoon — it’s First Thursday presented by Urban Outfitters and Hear Nebraska. The in-store at Urban’s Slowdown complex store features Better Friend and Super Ghost along with free pizza and beer. The show runs from 6 to 8 p.m. and is free (21+).

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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

Foxygen, We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic (Jagjaguwar, 2013)

Not much to report other than the new Foxygen album, We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic (Jagjaguwar), is somewhat fantastic and should be sought out at any fine record store. It was produced by Richard Swift, who worked on the last two Mynabirds albums. Track “In the Darkness,” with the classic line: “There’s no need to be an asshole / You’re not in Brooklyn anymore…” is pure ’70s Stones, as Stonesy as you can get without dragging Mick into the studio.

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Sun Settings has changed its name to Ego Death. Is the name better? Will the band sound different? Find out at O’Cursive’s Feb. 9.

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In this week’s column, I make the argument that Figure Skating is, indeed, a sport (and who else is going to the championships this weekend?). Read it in this week’s issue of The Reader or online right here.

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The $3 showcases at The Waiting Room continue tonight, this time brought to you by Odell Brewing Company and featuring Snake Island with creepy Lincoln guy Plack Blague, Swamp Walk and Ruby Block. Starts at 9.

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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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.