With no big touring indie shows on the calendar until next February (except for VIAL next Friday night at Reverb), we’ve entered into that long, cold winter of locals-only programming. Oh, there will still be a few straggling bands rolling into The Sydney at the last moment (System Exclusive, for example), but other than the proverbial “holiday shows,” it could be slim pickings for the next few months. Still, always something going on…
Like tonight. The event of the weekend is happening at Reverb Lounge tonight – the Speed! Lightning 500 album release show (which I wrote about at length yesterday). It’s a five-band line-up, a veritable Speed! Nebraska Rock Festival. The fun kicks off at 7 p.m. with UN-T.I.L., followed by Pagan Athletes, The Broke Loose, Bad Bad Men and Wagon Blasters (don’t be surprised if they switch things up). Entry fee is just $10, and you’ll have an opportunity to buy a copy of the fantastic new album pressed on Hot Wheels Orange vinyl… see you there.
Tomorrow night it’s off to fabulous O’Leaver’s for Wedding (a new project by Anna Schulte that includes Bokr Tov’s Colby Jenkins on bass, and Zachary Roland on percussion) and singer/songwriter Mitch Gettman. These weekly music shows are becoming a regular thing at The Club, which used to be known as one of the city’s hottest venues for touring indie-punk bands. They’re bringing it back! Poet Aaron Scobie starts things off at 9 p.m. $10.
Finally, Sunday night it’s the just-announced show headlined by Pasadena duo System Exclusive, who “balance a hard-edged electronic pulse of old school synthwerks against hot-under-the-collar live drums and slashing post-punk guitars.” Their latest LP, Click, was released this past May on Le Cèpe Records. Las Cruxes, who has been busy recording a new album at ARC Records for Conor Oberst’s Million Stars label, opens the show at 9 p.m. (Sydney Time). $10.
And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend.
Tonight at The Sydney, Lincoln slam-bash noise-rock trio Dip Tet headlines a rock show. Joining them is newish noise-rock trio In Tongues, a band that features long-time LinOma indie-punk veterans Robert Little, Jason Ludwick and Boz Hicks. Opening the evening is Radical Sabbatical, who I don’t know, but maybe you do (or maybe you should)? $10, 9 p.m.
Moving on to Saturday, it’ll be another red-hot night at fabulous O’Leaver’s for practically a mini-festival with five – count them five! – bands on the bill. Headlining is Omaha’s favorite Latin punk rockers Las Cruxes. Joining them is a gaggle of bands I haven’t seen nor heard before: Peach Paw, Frankie Chairo, Saving Fiona and Sundown Effect. Look, it’s like one of those mystery bags you get at the comic shop – you never now what’ll be inside, but it’s never boring. And… it’s free! Bands start at 9 p.m. (gonna be a long, hot night).
Also Saturday night, ‘90s St. Lous ska band The Urge headlines a sold-out show at The Waiting Room. They remind me of a time before Saddle Creek Records when they, along with 311 and a host of Get Go bands, dominated the Ranch Bowl stage and everyone read SLAM Omaha. Joining them is Blue Moon Ghetto and new band Mad Mad Heart. Curtain at 8 p.m.
Then there’s a couple hot shows on Sunday night.
Philly’s Slaughter Beach, Dog began as a side project by Jake Ewald, the former frontman for indie-emo band Modern Baseball. Their full length was Crying, Laughing, Waving, Smiling, released last September on Lame O Records. These guys got a West Coast easy-living sound even though they’re from the rugged, cold East Coast. Go figure. Joining them at The Slowdown Sunday night is Nashville singer/songwriter Erin Rae. $25, in the big room, starts at 8 p.m.
Also Sunday night, so-called Texas “darkwave” duo Twin Tribes headlines at Reverb Lounge. We’re talking ‘80s synths, chiming guitars, drum machines, black clothes, eye liner, fake accents, etc. Joining them is fellow ‘80s-style electronic/synth trio Urban Heat and Brooklyn synthy post-punk trio Bootblacks. No doubt this show could be shit-ton of fun if they can get people to dance. 8 p.m., $20.
And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend.
There have been rumblings for weeks that The Jewell, a jazz club located in the Capitol District, has closed its doors for good. The events calendar at the club’s website lists no scheduled shows, and shows that had been scheduled for the last week of September had been cancelled.
A couple days ago Jewell operator Brian McKenna posted a photo of the club’s shiny logo on Facebook, which generated dozens of condolences and thank you’s in its comments, but no definitive statement. So has The Jewell closed?
If it has, it’s a shame. Though I only went to the club a few times, I always thought it was a classy, comfortable room with great sound and sight lines. The club opened a year before Covid in early 2019 and was a living tribute to North Omaha’s jazz history, which was apparent just looking at its walls. It was among the “jewels” of a new Capital District in downtown Omaha.
With recent and upcoming investments in downtown Omaha — the new park, the Steelhouse, the Illuminarium, the new Mutual of Omaha HQ, the proposed streetcar, Millworks Commons, etc. — the Jewell’s (alledged) closing leaves questions as to what did it in: Was it increased overhead costs? Low ticket sales? Challenges booking touring jazz artists?
While I don’t know anything about the local jazz scene, I do know a number of people who love the genre, including a few who make regular trips to Kansas City solely to attend jazz shows. And while there’s been a number of jazz rooms in Omaha over the years, The Jewell was certainly at the top of the list…
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We’re about to enter Rocktober. Lots of shows are on the horizon. It’s going to be a busy month for music.
It starts tonight at The Slowdown with Chicago post-punk noise band Djunah (pronounced “JUNE-uh”) headlining in the front room. The duo consists of guitarist/vocalist/Moog bass organ player Donna Diane and drummer Jared Karns. Their latest, Femina Furens (2023, self-released), is a punishing collection, but on stand-out tracks like “Phaethon,” Diane almost sounds like she’s channeling early, noisy PJ Harvey (if Harvey was fronting The Melvins).
This is a loaded show with locals Violenteer (the Cotton Brothers’ double-bass attack) and Las Cruxes also on the bill. Bring your earplugs because it’s gonna be LOUD. 8 p.m., $20.
One other show of note: New York-based composer and guitarist Rafiq Bhatia is playing at Low End at The Bemis. Lauded as “one of the most intriguing figures in music today” by The New York Times, Bhatia joined Son Lux in 2014. He’s touring on a collection of covers, but his latest original full-length, Breaking English, was released in 2018 on Anti-. Lovely stuff. The show is free and starts at 8 p.m.
My evening at Bad Bad Men’s album release show at Reverb Lounge Friday night was successful in all but actually seeing Bad Bad Men perform. It’s starting to become one of those things — at least for 4-band bills — where I’m either going to go early and catch the openers or arrive late and catch the headliners. Having seen Bad Bad Men perform many times and as recently as a few months ago, I opted for the former vs. the latter, as I haven’t seen Wagon Blasters play in awhile. So apologies to John Wolf and his crew, who no doubt killed it, based on the chatter I’ve seen online. Pick up your copy of their new albu, Messed Up, online right here.
As for Wagon Blasters, Gary Dean Davis and company continue to perform with the same energy as any GDD project dating back to Frontier Trust. Gary is a timeless, non-aging entity, which I guess makes him a god (a rock god?). He bounced high on the tiny Reverb stage, belting out classic Wagon Blasters songs, sometimes with cowbell, others times with mouth harp, always with a big voice and the best stage persona of anyone ‘round these parts.
While Wagon Blasters have an amazing rhythm section, the band’s secret sauce is Mr. Will Thornton on guitar – no one plays quite like him and no band has ever matched the twang-meets-punk sound that defines “Tractor Punk.” It’s the combo of Thornton’s ringing style and Gary’s auctioneer bark that drives this massive Case harvester through fields of rolling rock (OK, that is sort of a beer reference). The only quibble about Friday’s performance is that Reverb’s stage may be too small for Gary’s bounding leaps, which one time landed him smack dab into the bass-drum mic set-up (Crunch!).
Those Far Out Arrows at Reverb Lounge, Aug. 25. 2023.
Those Far Out Arrows continue to evolve their garage psych-rock sound, kicking back on grooves that could go on forever (if I had my way). Fronted by the Keelan-White brothers of Ben and Evan on guitar and vocals, the band is one of my favorites for getting lost in their chugging rhythms and hypnotic ax work. Their last release was 2020’s Fill Yer Cup, which means they’re due for a new release. Come on, boys, let get it going!
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Last week Saddle Creek Records released a remix of Neva Dinova’s “Something’s Out There” — the band’s first new music in a decade — by The Faint’s Todd Fink. It’s a trip. Check it out:
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Tonight you’ve got a rare Monday night five-band show at a place called Razor Wire Productions, located at 1808 Vinton Street. Headlined by Las Cruxes, the line-up includes Sacramento band Santohs, Peach Paw, Good View and Grief Police. Ben Eisenberger kicks things off at 7 p.m. It’s BYOB and it’s $5 (suggested donation).
So, Outlandia this weekend. The preview is here. Weather should be awesome. Tix and other info at OutlandiaFestival.com.
So what else is happening this weekend?
Not much tonight and Saturday – but here’s an early head’s up for NEXT SATURDAY…
NEXT Saturday is Dundee Day, and part of the festivities include a parade that runs along Underwood Avenue from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. What would a parade be without a marching band? But not just any marching band. In addition to some of Omaha’s finest musicians, this marching band includes a number of indie music notables from bands that include Desaparecidos, Cursive, Flowers Forever, the list goes on and on. Expect some surprises.
Later that afternoon is the annual Dundee Night Street Party, which will be kicked off at 4 p.m. by Las Cruxes and capped off by Satchel Grande at 10:15 p.m. The full line-up is here.
Onward to THIS Sunday…
Down at The Slowdown Sunday night, The Menzingers return. The pop-punk/emo/indie band has made Omaha a regular tour stop throughout its career. They’re on the road supporting their latest full-length, On the Possible Past, released last November on Epitaph. Also on the bill are Prince Daddy & the Hyena and Mercy Union. 8 p.m., $35.
Meanwhile, over at The Waiting Room, pop-metal/hair-metal band White Reaper headlines. The band started out as an indie-punk band that recorded for Polyvinyl and opened for acts like Twin Peaks and Together Pangea, but then got signed to Elektra, switched up their sound and became a sort of faux hair-metal band, or at least that’s how their sound on their latest album, Asking for a Ride (2023, Elektra). Could be fun. No opener listed, $25. 8 p.m.
Also Sunday night, Minneapolis indie-punk all-female trio VIAL headlines at Reverb Lounge. Their latest is Loudmouth (2021, Get Better Records). Local heroes Social Cinema (Kill Vargas, Death Cow) opens at 8 p.m. $16.
And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. If you’re going to Outlandia, don’t forget your sunblock. Have a great weekend!
There’s a few “news” items to pass along, but they will have to wait until Monday because… it’s the weekend!
And once again, there are no national-touring indie shows on Omaha’s weekend calendar. Such is life. We’re a lonely species, we indie music lovers. Hey, we’ll always have the past two decades, right?
Tonight at art space Project Project, 1818 Vinton St., Las Cruxes headlines a show as part of the Vinton St. “Second Friday” series (Do they call it #VSF?). What version of Las Cruxes will perform tonight – the big band or the power trio? Find out. Also on the bill are Stolen Wolves and Grief Police, two bands I’m unfamiliar with. 7 p.m., $5 donations accepted.
That’s about it for Friday.
Tomorrow (Saturday) singer/songwriter Stathi headlines a gig at Pageturners Lounge with the bar’s chief capo Philip Schaffart. 8 p.m. and no cover.
Meanwhile, back in Benson, the prog power-duo of Griffin and Nathan Wolf —also known as Pagan Athletes — celebrates the release of their new album, Landlocked, at Reverb Lounge. I’ve listened to a few tracks and it’s an edgy, drums-and-synth-powered, throbbing, noise-rock head trip. Providing support is the also-synth-powered Jeff in Leather and Omaha rockers Garst. $10, 9 p.m.
Earlier in the day, Reverb is hosting the Omaha Girls Rock Headliner Showcase, where this year’s batch of students shows off their talent. These shows are always jam-packed… with parents. Still, a lot of fun and it’s free. 3 p.m.
Also Saturday, punk legends The Queers headline this year’s Punk Rock BBQ at The Waiting Room. This is an afternoon-to-evening, 10-band event that also includes Wyoming’s Teenage Bottlerocket and Minneapolis band Tightwire. See the full line-up and other particulars here. Starts at 4 p.m. $35.
And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a super-duper weekend…
I have no idea how they determine when a show is “sold out.” One assumes they keep count of the ticket sales and when they reach a certain number, that’s it. They must have reached that number Friday night for The New Pornographers show at The Waiting Room because it sure felt packed in there. I can’t remember a show more packed with people, and yet, when I checked the website or looked at the front door, there was no indication the show had sold out.
So crowded that once inside there was no where to go except the corner of the bar right in front of the door, where I got my usual tallboy of Rolling Rock, and then somehow squeezed through the crowd while opening band Wild Pink finished their set. Part of the crowding on this side of the bar was due to a huge, long table set up next to the booths where people were handing out Amnesty International literature. I stood next to it, looking like one of the volunteers, though no one asked me any questions about human rights violations.
The cramped crowd seemed to ease a little when Wild Pink wrapped things up, and I was able to make my way to the sound board area, where I found a cubby space that would be my home for the next two hours. The New Pornographers came on stage at around a quarter after nine, opening with “Marie and the Undersea,” from their new album Continue as a Guest.
The seven-piece band was fronted by Neko Case, looking more and more like a middle-aged Stevie Nicks, and Carl Newman, who is starting to resemble a short version of Steve Martin. Whenever I see Neko sing I want to run on stage and lower her microphone because it always looks like she’s stretching to sing into it. I guess that’s her style. Maybe it was the mix, but she sounded a bit lost early in the set but hit her stride five songs in singing the band’s first single, “Really Really Light.”
From there it was just another New Pornos show, albeit without Dan Bejar, who I guess is now dedicated full time to Destroyer. The standouts to me was the addition of tenor sax player Zach Djanikian, who added some great solos and fills throughout the set, and the always fetching Kathryn Calder on support vocals. If the band seemed a bit laid-back maybe it was because of the laid-back nature of this enormous crowd – a mix of older folks with what looked like their kids — who spent the set standing and staring at the band, nodding their heads to the beat.
Halfway through, the band announced it was trying a song they’d never played before. “Let’s see how this goes,” Newman said (Case and Newman chatted calmly between the songs like a couple of NPR hosts doing a podcast). The song, btw, was “Bottle Episodes,” also from the new album. The band wrapped up the set with a fine version of “Whiteout Conditions,” before leaving and coming back for a 4-song encore that closed with “The Bleeding Heart Show” — how they’ve been closing all their shows on this tour.
So, a 90-minute concert, well played as per usual. When I think of New Pornographers I think of an era in indie music dominated by them, Belle & Sebastian and Yo La Tengo — all acts that continue to thrive 20 years or more after their debuts and who no doubt have been instrumental in helping launch other bands. Case and Newman mentioned this from stage, talking when My Morning Jacket and Vampire Weekend opened for them, and jokingly adding they were happy to give those guys a break.
Las Cruxes at O’Leaver’s, April 29, 2023.
Late on Friday, O’Leaver’s announced a last-minute show Saturday night with San Diego indie act Crocodiles. The band has been around since 2008, created by Brandon Welchez and Charles Rowell out of the ashes of punk bands The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower and Some Girls. They’ve got a number of releases on Fat Possum Records. and band members have played with a number of other bands, most notably Dum Dum Girls (Welchez apparently was once married to front woman Kristin Kontrol) and Cat Power.
Before they went on, local punk band Las Cruxes played a set as three-piece rather than their usual crowded stage of musicians. I have no idea if this is their new permanent line-up or a one-off thing, but I really dug the set. Eduardo ‘Yayo’ Trujillo was backed by a drummer and bassist and played a number of songs off their upcoming album, all sung in Spanish and at times sounding like a cross between The Pixies, Galaxy 500 and Luna. At the best moments, the band rolled on longer numbers where Trujillo would rip on guitar solos, backed by that tight rhythm section, the bass really leaning forward on these songs. Just a great set of rock music.
Crocodiles at O’Leaver’s, April 29, 2023.
After much sound checking to fix an errant bass drum that was feeding back through the PA, Crocodiles ripped into their set. I’ve only heard a couple songs online from their Bandcamp page. Frontman Welchez was in fine form playing as if in front of a 1,000 people instead of fewer than 20. This is one of the tightest bands I’ve seen in awhile and they sounded great on O’Leaver’s “stage.”
Where else can a band introduce themselves between songs and order their after-set dinner? Welchez ordered chicken strips, the guitarist had wings; the bass player, a burger to go and the drummer, tequila.
It’s been awhile since I’ve said this, but it was another fantastic night at O’Leaver’s. And while there’s no question they’ve gone all-in on the restaurant side of things (a new flat screen monitor has been placed above the booths by the stage that constantly shows a rotation of burgers, fries and other menu items), the Club hasn’t lost sight of its heritage as one of Omaha’s premiere hole-in-the-wall performance spaces. So much so that they’ve got a David Nance show booked for this coming Saturday and I’m told will try to book at least a couple shows a month moving forward. Hear! Hear!
After a busy a week, a busy weekend, (or at least a busy Friday night).
Tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s, former KC singer/songwriter now Brooklyn singer/songwriter Scout Gillette performs. Her new album No Roof No Floor (2022, Captured Tracks) vacillates between Mazzy Star dreaminess and Angel Olsen rock and is quite good. Opening is Omaha’s own dreamy singer/songwriter, Anna McClellan. $10, 10 p.m.
Also tonight… every so often out of the blue Yayo from Las Cruxes drops me a private track of something the band has been working on. I got three tracks last Sunday via Soundcloud, all produced by superstar producer/sound engineer/raconteur Ian Aeillo and all three pretty awesome. And all performed in Spanish, I have no idea what they mean, but they rock. The new records is due Aug. 5. No doubt Las Cruxes will be performing some of those tracks tonight at The Sydney where they play with NYC’s Sky Creature, Omaha’s Bad Self Portraits and Trees with Eyes. What’s it cost? No idea, probably $10. Starts at 8:45.
Also happening in Benson tonight at The Waiting Room, the return of all-female Led Zeppelin tribute band Zepparella, featuring Clementine in the John Bonham role. I saw them when they came through back in 2014 and they were lots o’ fun. Opening is rough-hewn all-male band Bad Bad Men. $20, 8 p.m.
Finally, Saturday night at The Waiting Room is a tribute to the late Lawrence Deal, who was a member of such notable local acts as Glow in the Dark and Civicminded. This five-band evening kicks off at 7:30 and is $12, with all proceeds going to a trust fund for Deal’s daughter (gofundme). More info here.
That’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments sections. Have a great weekend.
Well, I drove out to the Filter Kings show Saturday night at around 9:45. I shouldered through the large group of smokers huddled on the sidewalk outside Reverb only to be met with a SOLD OUT sign taped to the door. I turned around and walked back to my car. By all reports, it was a great show. Sorry I missed it. But something tells me we haven’t heard the last of the Filter Kings…
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The weather people are saying we’re in for a blizzard Wednesday night, followed by Ice Station Zebra-style temperatures. That could put a damper on the week’s festivities.
Tonight at The Waiting Room it’s the club’s “New Music Mondays.” I wouldn’t call Las Cruxes “new music.” The band has been playing and recording albums (for global labels) for years. Still, this will be a good chance to see them on a big stage. Joining them is power-pop band Blondo and Rag Doll. This one’s free and starts at 8 p.m.
Then two shows Wednesday: Bad Self Portraits is headlining at Reverb Lounge Wednesday night with The Dirts and Velvet Velvet. $10, 8 p.m.
And Stathi is doing a set at Pageturners Lounge Wednesday at 9:30, which by all reports, will be in the middle of a winter wonderland.
The big question: Will the snow get cleared in time for Friday’s Scary Synthmas spectacular at fabulous O’Leaver’s? The 5-act line-up includes Digital Leather, Divider, Pagan Athletes, Jeff in Leather and Spector Poetics. Scary indeed. Again, any other night this one could sell out (and no pre-show ticket sales). Ah, but the forecasted -21 windchill could impact the draw…
Very much like every other year was last Wednesday’s holiday concert at The Waiting Room, the eighth such event (according to Criteria frontman Stephen Pedersen, who celebrated this winning streak from stage). Lots of old, familiar faces were on hand to wish glad tidings as well as they could through the 100+ dB din (even between bands, it was loud).
Uh Oh at The Waiting Room, Nov. 23, 2022.
Uh Oh kicked it off with a solid set and what appeared to be the evening’s largest crowd (a crowd that slowly, slightly waned throughout the night). The more I hear Joe Champion live the more I’m reminded of Tim Quirk of Too Much Joy, thought Uh Oh’s music is played straightforward lyrically vs. TMJ’s snarky humor, and that’s OK. While the entire band is solid, lead guitarist Mari Crisler is a standout on solos that leave the histrionics for the fretboard (which is a nice way of saying the band doth not emote much on stage, but few indie bands do).
Landon Hedges, left, and Danny Maxwell of Little Brazil at The Waiting Room Nov. 23, 2022.
Little Brazil followed with their best performance in recent history driven by frontman Landon Hedges. Always solid instrumentally, for me LB shows depend on how well Landon handles those high notes. Get him on a bad night and your best best is to lean back and enjoy guitarist Shawn Cox’s amazing fretwork. Get Landon on a good night (or in this case, a great night) and you’re flying above the crowd alongside him on that vocal tight rope.
LB has been kicking it for decades but their latest album, Just Leave, is a career highlight thanks to risk taking on song structures and the guitar interplay between Cox, Hedges and the rest of the band, held down firmly by a rhythm section of LB co-originator Danny Maxwell on bass and larger-than-life drummer Austin Elsberry. That said, Hedges’ unique, high vocals make LB a standout in a city full of standouts.
There were times Wednesday night when I cringed waiting to hear if Landon was going to make that note. He almost always did, though a couple times he seemed to forget the words at the beginning of songs. No matter. He always caught up in the end.
Finally there was Criteria. What to say that I haven’t already said the last seven times I’ve seen them play this holiday show or all the other times in between? The band continues to wield the ridiculous guitar-fueled power that made them an indie-music staple in the emo-powered aughts when Omaha was a global music brand. I am here to report that frontman Pedersen can still shred the high notes as well on songs that are nothing less than endurance tests for any vocalist over the age of 30 (which he most definitely is).
The band is sheer power at every position, tight as a tick and tour ready as they’ve ever been, though they’re unlikely to play again until next November. No doubt some of the reasons for that involve the three little boys who ran around stage prior to the set — Pedersen’s personal roadies (the youngest of which wore sound-dampening headphones and ran wild in the crowd during the set). In just a few years maybe they’ll be opening for dad’s band, at a show held sometime around Thanksgiving at The Waiting Room…
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The holidays cavalcade of local shows rolls on this weekend.
Tonight at Reverb Lounge, Saddle Creek Records band Twinsmith headlines with up and comer Bug Heaven who I’m told is a must see (though I somehow keep missing them). This one starts at 9 p.m. and is $12.
Also tonight, singer/songwriters Stathi and Mitch Gettman are playing sets at The B. Bar, 4330 Leavenworth (right next to Barrett’s Barleycorn). Mitch goes on at 8, Stathi at 9 and then headliner, Sweetstreak, who describe themselves as East Omaha garage Rock, at 10. No price listed for this one, so you’re on your own.
Tomorrow night (Saturday) our old friends Las Cruxes headlines a free show at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Joining them are (kind of) new band The Rare Candies (Josh Medlock, Mitch Gettman, Ryan Menchaca and a fourth dude who’s probably pissed because he’s not listed anywhere on the band’s websites) and Kelroy. Just like the old days, this one doesn’t start until 9:30.
Also Saturday night, The Waiting Room is hosting a reunion of Omaha ska band Jimmy Skaffa. Joining them is Stick Figures and Plastic Presidents. $15, 8 p.m. Lotta people will be at this one (including on stage, if I remember this bands properly).
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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