By Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

A snow Friday in March? No, thank you…

Tonight (Friday) at The Sydney in Benson, Indian Caves headlines with Better in Eleven and Midwest Dilemma. The listing says 8 p.m., which is early for a Sidney show, so plan accordingly. $10.

The weather should turn around in time for Goatfest tomorrow afternoon (Saturday) at Scriptown Brewery in The Blackstone District. Great beer goes well with rock music, this time from the legendary Omaha/Lincoln/Chicago project Head of Femur. Joining them is a local indie supergroup Heavy Clippings that includes Noah Sterba and Jeff Sedrel of Yuppies with Vince Franco and Tanner Rogerson. I include my favorite Yuppies track below for reference purposes only. And, like last year, there will be goats! As well as smoked meats from Lazy Buffalo BBQ. Music runs 3 to 5 p.m. and the whole dang thing is free. 

Than later Saturday night, DIY venue The Blindspot, is hosting Rapid City “country band for the gays and theys,” Diaphane. The project of singer/songwriter Kyle Blessing wasn’t always a cowboy outfit. 2022’s Portraits (Bathtub Records) was a stylistic indie record, which is why I include two clips from these folks. Also on the bill is Lincoln “alternative garbage roots” band Wicked Bones. Des Moines indie duo Munk Rivers opens at 7:30 p.m. The Blindspot is located at 619 So. 20th St. Isn’t it time you checked it out? Tickets are $10. 

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 © 2024 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

A follow-up to yesterday’s post — The Blindspot is a new all-ages venue just getting off the ground located somewhere around 20th and St. Mary’s. Co-owned by Morgan Goldsberry and Cameron Leininger, the space has already hosted a “test run” show and has a hardcore show headlined by Zero Function slated for June 20. 

Information about shows will be posted on their instagram stories ( @deadzeppelin and @whistletest ). Goldsberry says she’s been going to shows for nearly 12 years and looks at Blindspot as a way to give back to the DIY community.  Like all local DIY shows, you’ll have to reach out to her or Leininger for the venue’s exact address. Watch for their flyers. I’ll also be hyping their indie shows when I’m aware of them, like the Pardoner show happening at Blindspot July 3.

It’s nice to see a new crop of promoters working with touring indie acts, promoters who are booking bands that they actually want to see.

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Speaking of shows, All Young Girls Are Machine Guns is headlining a show tonight at Pageturners Lounge with opener Indian Caves. It’s listed with a 7 p.m. start time and is free, though $10 donation is suggested.

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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

The long wait is over this Saturday as The Admiral — f.k.a. Sokol Auditorium — finally opens its doors, and for Bright Eyes no less. This, after months of “construction delays” have forced at least a dozen shows to be rescheduled or moved to other venues. I have to believe the 1% guys (and the Mammoth folks and other investors) are relieved to finally be open for business.

So, strange story about Saturday night’s Bright Eyes show — earlier this week I announced that it was sold out, because it was marked “sold out” on the 1% website and on the etix site. Then suddenly a day or so ago, it’s no longer sold out. No idea what the deal was.

I also noticed that both Saturday and Sunday nights are “Masks required unless eating or drinking” shows, as well as No Vax No Entry. Maybe it was on there before and I didn’t notice it. So if you’re going this weekend, be vaxed or get tested and be able to prove it, and bring your mask (though for the life of me, I have no idea how they’ll enforce the mask mandate — just wear one anyway). Tickets are $45 or $75 for “Premiere Balcony” seats. I’m told the balcony is completely renovated, and the original plans were to have a separate bar in the balcony. Hurray for the Riff Raff kicks things off at 8 p.m.

OK, so what about tonight (Friday)?

Digital Leather is playing tonight at The Sydney as part of Drag Night at The Sydney. There’s two listings for this show — one says it’s an amateur drag night (Hit ‘em w/yr catwalk), and the other is DL’s listing (+ drag night), which says they go on at 11. $5. Grab your wig and heels and come on down.

Also tonight, the Slowdown is back at it after harvesting (millions?) of CWS dollars the past couple weekends. Well, the tents are gone and the bands are back. Tonight it’s LA alt-rock band Liily with Catcher and our very own Infinite Video. $18, 8 p.m.

Over at The Berkley, 1901 Leavenworth St., new local four-piece Indian Caves (Dan Krueger, Joe Ranne, Kyle Moeller and Leslie Wells) headlines tonight with Saltwater Sanctuary and ol’ favorites Midwest Dilemma (acoustic). $5. 8 p.m.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) there’s a sort of “secret show” at fabulous O’Leaver’s. The listing says Secret Serenade w/Cookie Mug. No idea who these bands really are, but the show is free so the only thing you’re risking is your time. Plus, it’s nearly impossible to have anything but a good time at O’Leaver’s. Show starts at 9 p.m.

Finally, Pageturners Lounge is hosing a folk-poet quartet called The Snarlin Yarns Saturday night. Opening is one of Omaha’s best kept music secrets, Mike Schlesinger. This is a free show and it starts at 8 p.m.

And that’s all I got for this long July 4 weekend. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a bang-up time.

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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 © 2022 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Here comes the weekend.

Tonight it’s all happening in Benson. First on the list is Minne Lussa at Reverb Lounge. Fronted by Matt Rutledge, with guitarist Pat Reefe (ex-Tomato a Day), guitarist/vocalist Eric Bemberger (ex-Beep Beep), bassist Alan Legge and drummer Eric Ebers (ex-Ritual Device), the band has a smokey shoe-gaze quality reminiscent of Galaxy 500 or Luna. Just gorgeous stuff. Opening is local four-piece Indian Caves (Dan Krueger, Joe Ranne, Kyle Moeller and Leslie Wells). $7, 8 p.m.

Meanwhile down the street tonight at The Sydney Darren Keen’s latest project, Problems, headlines a bill that includes Benny Leather and Gore-TXT. $7, 9 p.m.

Tomorrow night is the big Lala Lala show at Slowdown Jr. which I wrote about here yesterday. Joining Lala Lala is Chicago R&B/hip-hop artist Elton Aura. $20, 8 p.m. This one is No Vax No Entry, so bring your stuff to get in.

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 © 2022 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.