Icky Blossoms at The Waiting Room, Dec. 26. 2023.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

An observation about the crowd at last night’s “day-after-Christmas” concert featuring Icky Blossoms (and friends) that someone else made, which, on hindsight, seems particularly relevant: Other than ourselves and a couple folks who were with us, there were no familiar faces in the sold-out-sized crowd jammed on the floor of The Waiting Room. Demographically, the audience was young for a band that hasn’t released any new music in almost a decade (eight years since Mask, to be exact) and whose early single (the bouncy “Babes”) was released in 2012. Yet despite this, the crowd was mainly filled with anonymous 20-somethings (other than us) there to get their dance on. These Christmas concerts usually feel like millennial wedding receptions populated with the usual group of music-scene hipsters who grew up listening to the same records from the Saddle Creek label (either their own copies or their older brothers’ or sisters’ copies). This, it seemed, would be a good thing, — a reflection that the band’s audience is rotating a new generation of listeners, perhaps driven by recent song placements in video games (see Sunday’s blog entry) or (more unlikely) the after-effect of Icky Blossoms having performed at this summer’s Maha Music Festival. Either way… hope for the future?

We arrived just as PROBLEMS (a.k.a. Darren Keen) was finishing his set and the place was already jam packed. There was Darren on stage behind his synth equipment riding herd over a flock of gyrating dancers. 

David Nance and Pearl Lovejoy Boyd at The Waiting Room, Dec. 26, 2023.

I grabbed my Rolling Rock and we pushed through the crowd toward the front just a David Nance and his band began their set. I’ve always been a Nance fanboy back to his Actor’s Diary (2013, Grapefruit Records) days, having watched him go from a noise collage artist through psych rock, garage rock to what he’s doing now, which resembles something that Robbie Robertson and The Band might have played during their Scorsese-filmed heydays. Nance has a crisp, golden voice with just the right amount of wheeze to give it the soul needed to power these Midwest blues-rock nuggets. 

Top of the list was an uptempo rock number about “taking the covers off” with someone, which was a new one on me, and, a more laid-back-than-usual version of “Credit Line,” a cool ripper with a groovy guitar loop that, in times past, had straight-up rocked. Nance’s overall set was more subdued than any in recent memory, powered by his usual sidemen including drummer Kevin Donahue and guitarist Jim Schroeder, with Pearl Lovejoy Boyd providing tasty harmony vocals. I don’t know who that was on bass, but he was awesome. 

Then on came Icky Blossoms, and by then we had pushed our way through the crowd to that dark divot off the side of the stage by the bathrooms, well out of the way of what I assumed would be a bouncing mob. 

Icky Blossoms sounded as good as always, though I don’t remember seeing them play to such a large crowd. The band played their usual set drawn from their two albums, the highlights (for me, anyway) again being the dance numbers – “Babes” and “Cycle” among them. By the time they got to the night’s big raver, “Sex to the Devil,” they’d asked the lighting guy to turn off the overhead lights, leaving them illuminated only by the under-lit stage lights that strobed in sync with their music. That lighting combined with the bouncing crowd gave the room the same energy I remember from Faint concerts from back in the day. 

Joining the core band of Nik Fackler, Sarah Bohling and Derek Pressnall was bass player Sara Bertuldo (See Through Dresses) and drummer Javid Dabestani – with this solid line-up, new music (reportedly) on the way and what appeared to be a fresh new audience, there’s nothing holding back Icky Blossoms except their own complicated lives. It would be fun to see them re-emerge as a modern-day dance powerhouse…

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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 © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Icky Blossoms at this year’s Maha Festival. The band plays at The Waiting Room Dec. 26.

by Tim McMahan,lazy-i.com

Holiday concerts are an Omaha tradition and Tuesday night’s show at The Waiting Room is a hum-dinger: The return of Icky Blossoms. 

Some Icky fans (me included) got ripped off at this year’s Maha Music Festival due to the “weird weather event” that emptied out the Maha compound right before the Icky’s performed. Getting back into Maha turned into a debacle. While waiting in the line, I could hear  Icky Blossoms’ music bouncing off buildings blocks away. By the time I got back in, the set was practically over.

Tomorrow night (Dec. 26) we get another chance to see their full set, and these days, that’s a rare event. The band’s core members have their hands full living life: Sarah Bohling lives in Atlanta where she’s busy with music projects (including band No Head), Derek Pressnall has a family and full-time gig at Secret Penguin, and Nik Fackler and wife, Kat, just had their first child — the lovely Faye Rose — six months ago. That doesn’t leave much time for rock and roll.

Despite that and the fact that they haven’t released new material in years, the band’s music has never been more relevant. This year alone saw two high-profile Icky Blossoms music placements. One was the use of “Sex to the Devil” from their 2012 self-titled debut as the finale song at Versace’s 2023 Spring Summer runway show in Paris. “We didn’t realize Paris Hilton would be walking that finale,” Pressnall said via a conference call with all three Icky’s.

The other was their song “Cycle” from the same album used as the finale for video game Grand Theft Auto 5 – Cayo Perico Heist. No doubt as a result, that song now has just under 1.7 million Spotify spins.  Could there be a better time for new Icky Blossoms music and a reunion tour? 

In fact, the band is working on new music. “We have a whole process for writing and recording,” Fackler said.

“We could put out a record, but touring, especially right now, seems… there’s a lot of moving parts – jobs, babies, families and where we live,” Bohling said. 

“We’re going to take a modern approach to it,” Fackler added. “Rather than one big tour, we’re looking at festivals or shorter stints on the road.”

They said you won’t hear any of that new Icky music tomorrow night, but you will be treated to an all-new digital light show created especially for the event.

The amazing David Nance and his band Mowed Sound also are on the bill, as is PROBLEMS (a.k.a. Darren Keen), who will open the show at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15.

The concert is followed with an “official after party” at Pageturners Lounge featuring an Icky Blossoms DJ set along with DJ Tyrone Storm! No cover, starts at 11 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 © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Flipping through Lazy-i for #ThrowbackThursday I came across this entry, published eight years ago, that compiled three days of South by Southwest 2015 reporting in three podcast episodes that captured descriptions and performances by White Mystery, Twin Shadow, Speedy Ortiz, PUJOL, Laura Burhenn, Icky Blossoms, Viet Cong, Krill, Natalie Prass, Courtney Barnett, Best Coast, LITE, Drivin’ and Cryin’, The Residents, The Pop Group and Will Butler, along with photos from each performance. 

Eight years ago I was first experimenting with podcasting, having caught the bug from listening to the Serial Podcast, and if you dig around Lazy-i you’ll find podcast episodes embedded into entries that captured local and national performances on Omaha clubs along with interviews from around Omaha. The weekly podcast, which summarized my week of Lazy-i reporting and the shows I went to that week, was fun to produce, but I did the whole damn thing by myself with semi-professional audio equipment using Garageband for editing – what a grind!

Now eight years later, it’s a running joke that everyone has their own podcast. In fact, Emmy winning series Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building is a series about a podcast. As more of my free time opens up in the coming year(s), I’d like to do another podcast, but this time with some help!

The podcast never had huge listener numbers – somewhere between 200 and 300 per episode spread out across numerous hosting platforms, including iTunes, Libsyn and Soundcloud – podcast hosting was not easy back then. Considering I was using a hand-held Zoom H2 recorder and MacBook with no sound mixing or mastering, it didn’t sound half bad, especially the live recordings. Who knows how this would have sounded had an audio engineer been involved… 

Anyway, check out the post for all the photos or just listen below:

Day 1: Performances by White Mystery, Twin Shadow, Dotan and Speedy Ortiz.

Day 2: Performances by PUJOL, Laura Burhenn (Mynabirds), Icky Blossoms, Viet Cong, Krill and Natalie Prass.

Day 3: Performances by Courtney Barnett, Best Coast, LITE, Drivin’ and Cryin’, The Pop Group and Will Butler.

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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 © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Conny Franko plays the crowd as DJ Kethro looks on last Saturday at Beer Nebraska at The Slowdown.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Pretty durn good turnout at Beer Nebraska Saturday night at The Slowdown considering that Chvrches was going on at the same time up in Benson.

I’m not a beer connoisseur but I know what I like, and for me, Zip Line’s Sticky Blossoms and First Street Brewery’s Freakastout got the gold medals in the Lazy-i Taste Test. Drinking five samples of local microbrews made for a different kind of listening experience than my usual Rolling Rock tallboys.

But what about the music? I caught sets by Mesonjixx, Freakabout, Conny Franko and Icky Blossoms.

Franko and DJ Kethro (who was terrific, playing tracks by Thundercat, Kids See Ghosts, Mayer Hawthorne, J Cole and Sade, among others) were the evening’s highlight. That said, as much as I like The Slowdown’s sound system, I couldn’t make out a word Franko rhymed, which is problematic when you’re talking about an art form that emphasizes words as much as beats. Still, you caught the vibe, and his a cappella reading that closed his short set was impactful.

Icky Blossoms at Beer Nebraska at The Slowdown, Aug. 4, 2018.

Icky Blossoms had their usual strong performance (with a few technical glitches early in the set). They play so infrequently that every time I see them I hear something different, though I’m still waiting anxiously for their next album (if one is even in the works).

Mesonjixx rhythm section is what floored me about their set, along with some tasty guitar solos. Their drummer slayed. As did the drummer for Freakabout.

Fun night and a fun crowd there to support Rabble Mill.

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Tonight Chicago singer/songwriter Sam Vicari headlines at Reverb Lounge. Magu and Win/Win open. $7, 8 p.m.

Also tonight, former indie starts Portugal, The Man headline at Stir Concert Cove. 8 p.m. show, tix are in the $40 range…

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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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Icky Blossoms at Farnam Fest, Sept. 16, 2017. They play Saturday night at The Slowdown as part of Beer Nebraska.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Just a few shows worth mentioning this weekend.

The Sydney (which is now under new management) is hosting a show tonight as part of Benson First Friday (#BFF). The line-up: Bed Rest, Bokr Tov and Sean Pratt. Bokr Tov will be rolling out some new material. This could be fun. $5, 10 p.m.

And if you’re in Benson for BFF festivities, be sure to stop by The Little Gallery, 5901 Maple (in the bottom of the Masonic Lodge building), where we’re opening a show of the works of ’80s/’90s Antiquarium artist Melvin Usher. The opening reception runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Booze and treats provided. See you there.

Tomorrow night is the big Beer Nebraska benefit for Rabble Mill at The Slowdown, which I wrote about yesterday. We’re talking five local brewers matched with five local bands that include Icky Blossoms, Conny Franko and Satchel Grande. Beer is 5 to 9 p.m. outside, music starts on the big stage at 7 p.m. Tix: $25 Advance/$30 Day of Show with Beer Tasting; $15 Advance/$20 Day of Show without beer tasting.

Also tomorrow night (Saturday) Oquoa headlines at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Joining them are Minneapolis prog/metal act Straya and Putter & Co. $5, 10 p.m.

Finally, Saturday night at The Waiting Room indie pop band Chvrches headlines. Local folks Field Club opens the show at super-early time of 7:30 p.m. Tix are $28 Adv/$32 DOS.

And that’s all 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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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.

Icky Blossoms at Earth Day in Elmwood Park, April 22, 2017.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Another Record Store Day in the books. I only had time to visit one store, Almost Music in Blackstone, where I caught a few minutes of Montee Men playing in the bookstore — brutality among the children’s titles, big crowd, lots of smiling faces (RSD brings out the kid in all of us).

Montee Men at Almost Music, RSD2017, April 22, 2017.

I only picked up three things, though: The new O+S, a promo pressing of U2’s War and a T-shirt. That Spoon vinyl had already sold. Oh well. RSD is one of the smartest retail promotions — designating one day as a tribute to consumerism, collecting and music. Well, two days if you count RSD Black Friday, and I’m sure the independent record stores do.

After Almost Music I headed to Elmwood Park for Earth Day festivities. The good weather brought out every stoner, hippie and yuppie parent in Omaha. It was a day shot in Technicolor and sunshine.

Icky Blossoms had the legendary Dereck Higgins playing bass for this show (temporary or permanent member?), which was performed with its usual dance-vibe bombast but suffered from poor PA/audio. Everything sounded a but fuzzy and blown out, but what are ya gonna do? It’s an Earth Day concert. And the lousy sound didn’t stop the the gaggle of freaks from dancing in front of the stage. Gotta love it.

Last I heard Icky Blossoms was working on new material, though I didn’t hear any Saturday afternoon. Where will they go next? We’re all waiting for the next record…

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Umm, the duo of Stef Drootin and Chris Senseney (a.k.a. Big Harp), released their first new music online last week. Check out the Majestic Litter Soundcloud files below…

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Finally, the folks at the Holland Performing Arts Center announced last week another show at their 1200 Club. This time it’s High Up and McCarthy Trenching as the featured acts May 6 (tornado day). Tix are $15 Adv./$20 DOS.

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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.

SERIAL at The Brothers Lounge, Dec. 23, 2016.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Late Friday night at The Brothers. Someone pointed out that those overhead PA speakers were mounted on their ceiling a long time ago, evidence of how the bar has kind of transformed into an occasional music venue this year (though it’s still a punk bar at heart). The pseudo drum riser in the back corner I’d noticed before. On Friday night it held Tim Moss, who I’d forgotten was  pretty good drummer in addition to being the frontman of Omaha golden age punk band Ritual Device.

SERIAL is a sort of super group of golden age punk rockers, heroes of the ’90s who get together while in town for the holidays to play some covers. John Wolf, of Cellophane Ceiling fame, played guitars and did vocals. So did Lee Meyerpeter of Cactus Nerve Thang and modern-day act Filter Kings. And there was Jerry Hug on bass, a lawyer by profession, a rocker by reputation, at least the rep he has among folks at The Brothers.

I only watched the first set, which included covers of songs by Nugent, the Stones, Tom Petty, Cheap Trick, one of my favorites by Pavement (“Two States) and Bowie’s “Rebel, Rebel.” As Wolf said, they were SERIAL, killing one classic at a time.

Moss’s wife, Clementine, took over the drum kit, allowing the bearded wonder to growl a couple numbers himself, including a punked-up version of Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab,” and a gruff cover of AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds” that featured a young lady with dreads who crushed the guitar solo. I split when the band took its first break. Great stuff on a late Friday night before Christmas…

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The holidays continue with tonight’s show at The Waiting Room. Icky Blossoms headlines a strong four-band bill that includes Closeness, Nathan Ma & the Rosettes and Cult Play. This is sort of a reunion show for Icky Blossoms, though Derek, Nik and Sarah haven’t gone anywhere. Rumor has it they’re working on new material for 2017. $10, 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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Christopher the Conquered at Slowdown, Jr., Dec. 16, 2015. His band celebrates a record release tonight at O’Leaver’s.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

First off, thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes, whether they be via Facebook or wherever. Very likely I’ll be hanging out in Benson for BFF and O’Leaver’s, so if you see me, feel free to buy me a Rolling Rock…

Speaking of fabulous O’Leaver’s, tonight Des Moines’ Christopher the Conquered and his band will be celebrating the release of his debut LP, I’m Giving Up On Rock & Roll (Maximum Ames Records). Opening is Rothsteen and Fun Runner. $7, 9:30 p.m.

Also tonight, the two bands I’m forever mixing up — Super Moon and Super Ghost — play at Barley Street Tavern with King Thumper. $5, 9 p.m.

While in Benson tonight, swing by the Little Gallery (right across the street from The Sydney) and see Julie Jenowe’s installation, Alchemical Remains of Love. We’re open 6 to 9 p.m. Say hello!

Tomorrow night (Saturday)’s marquee show is Icky Blossoms at Reverb Lounge. The band just released a new VR/360 degree music video a couple days ago that is setting the world on fire. Opening is Channel Pressure — the duo of The Faint’s Todd Fink and Reptar’s Graham Ulicny. Kicking things off at 9 is Chemicals, the latest project featuring Dereck Higgins, Jacob Cubby Phillips, Jake Reisdorff, Blake DeForest, James Cuato and drummer John Evans. Get there early. $10. Would not be surprised if this one sold out…

That’s all 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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor at The Slowdown Feb. 10, 2016.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Even if you’ve never seen Godspeed You! Black Emperor before but are familiar with the band’s music you pretty much knew what you were in for last night at The Slowdown.

Five minutes before the band walked onto the darkened stage a low-end rumble quietly roared like distant thunder. One at a time the eight members found their places among a stage cluttered with equipment and pedals and cables, looking for a place to set down their drinks, and quietly picked up their instruments, each adding to the building din. This went on for another five minutes or so as scratchy abstract marks began being projected on the screen behind the stage.

Eventually, the noise took form. Two percussionists began rattling things as the violin and cello added something akin to a melody that ultimately was overtaken by the three guitars and bass, and 15 minutes later you realized the concert had indeed begun.

Most compositions (songs?) were deep, repetitive ambient tonal melodies that evolved into haunting and/or majestic sweeps of sound. Sludgy, slow, deep ponderous movements were played in dim, deep-red sepia lighting, perfect for setting a mood or developing film. Overhead, the projections became less abstract — images of burning fields, film sprocket holes, a deer standing in a field, a sunset shot from inside a moving car — all in black-and-white (of course).

There wasn’t much to see on stage except lots of people leaning over things, huddled over guitars or effects pedals. Sometimes the compositions transformed into big rock numbers that reminded me of Meddle-era Pink Floyd or Mogwai, but most of the set was a pulsing dirge set to a 6/8 beat. Throughout the set, none of the performers talked to the audience. There were no microphones on stage if they’d wanted to.

It was beautiful and awful and exhausting. The set began at a quarter after 9. When I left at 11 and it was still going strong, the sold-out crowd standing in front of the stage was transfixed, mesmerized.

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A day or so after this interview from Nik Fackler hits the internet, Nik’s band Icky Blossoms released a new video for “Living in Fiction,” directed by Aaron Gum. Omahans, see how many people you recognize on the dance floor. Hey Ickys, I’m still waiting for a video for my favorite track on the album, “Away from You”…

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Everyone’s favorite Nebraska ex-patriot Darren Keen just released a new track called “10,000 Dollar Pyramid Scheme” that is twisted remix of the $10,000 Pyramid game show theme.  It’s included in Channel Flippin’ 2, a comp of TV theme song remixes. Enjoy, and as we like to say, “Big money, no whammy.”

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They’re calling it Bands for Bernie. It’s a rally for Bernie Sanders at Reverb tonight. Bands playing include CJ Mills and Lincoln punk band Once a Pawn. The free show begins at 7 p.m.

Also tonight, Fizzle Like a Flood’s Doug Kabourek does a rare set at The Barley Street Tavern. It’s part of a free six-band show that starts at 7 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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.