Simon Joyner & The Ghosts at The Sydney, Aug. 3, 2012.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

You wouldn’t know by attending Friday night’s show at The Sydney that Simon Joyner’s new album, Ghosts, consists mainly of down-tempo numbers. That’s because Joyner wisely only played the most uptempo stuff off the double LP during his set. Tunes like rousing drunk ballad “When the Worst Doesn’t Happen,” playful death nod “If I Left Tomorrow” and acid shot album opener “Vertigo.”

The seven-member drone-folk orchestra kept the vibe in a noisy haze throughout the night, filling every inch of dense space with waves of feedback, pedal steel, violin and cello, with two percussionists keeping beat for the tribe. Joyner did slip in one of the album’s most distorted, dissonant and disturbing tunes, the 6-plus minute noise ballet called “Answering Machine Blues” a dark, foreboding nightmare reminiscent of hours spent playing records backwards listening for hidden messages in the grooves. He closed the set with a rarity — “Tums” off the ’93 album Iffy, a tune that’s screaming to be rerecorded with this full band. As a whole, it was a very satisfying night spent listening to a dark orchestra play dark balladry in the dark. What more do you want?

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Tonight Jack White of the White Stripes plays at The Music Hall. I’m one of only a handful of people in the entire world who never “got” Jack White, always found his guitar work derivative and never much cared for his voice. But I can’t fault those who are into the guy, who by everything I’ve read, has done a lot for the garage scene. This one has been sold out for a long time.

Also tonight, nerd-core messiahs Harry and the Potters play at Slowdown Jr. with Potter Puppet Pals. Early 8 p.m. show, $10.

Finally, Trampled by Turtles is playing at The Waiting Room. I have never heard a single song by this band, whose music is described as “bluegrass.” Opening is Joe Pug. $18, 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 © 2012 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Simon Joyner (in hat) and his band. Photo by Zach Hollowell

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Simon Joyner said way too much to get into one article, so the overflow went into this week’s Over the Edge column. The headline: The Woody Allen of Indie Folk. It has to do with a comment Joyner made about record labels and his music and the fans’ role in supporting art over the long haul. The column is in this week’s issue of The Reader, or you can read it online right here. Joyner and his band celebrate the release of their latest album, Ghosts (Sing, Eunuchs! 2012) tomorrow night (Friday, Aug. 3) at The Sydney.

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The weekend starts early tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s for what will no doubt be a raucous display of public inebriation combined with dollops of rock music and sexiness. That’s right, Little Brazil returns to the house that Frederick Pabst built (or maybe it was Joseph Schlitz?). The party starts at 9:30 with Underwater Dream Machine, followed by Millions of Boys. $5. Free parking. Go.

Also tonight, The Bishops and All Young Girls Are Machine Guns are at The Sydney. $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 © 2012 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.