Lodgings at O’Leaver’s, Dec. 2, 2017. The band celebrates its album release Saturday at The Brothers.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Who got Lana tickets? At $180-$200 a pop for orchestra seats — too rich for my blood, unless, of course, there was a VIP tent and two or three quality bands playing before her, and I could move around a park-like setting and could just ride my bike home afterward…

That said, the Lana show is (mostly) sold out.

The two hottest shows this weekend are (surprise) on Saturday night, the night of a Husker game. The caveat — The Brothers show probably won’t start ’til after the game, and fans of a band like Cigarettes After Sex could give a flying f— about college football.

Let’s start with Lodgings. They’re celebrating the release of their new LP, Water Works, Saturday night at The Brothers Lounge.  Recorded and mixed by the legendary Steve Albini at Electrical Audio in Chicago, this is on top of my list of favorite Omaha-based releases in 2019.

Fronted by guitarist/vocalist Bryce Hotz, Lodgings’ music is a solid combination of Big Star (Hotz’s voice reminds me of Alex Chilton from back in the day), The Grifters and (dare I say it) early Pearl Jam. The band is rounded out by the infamous Stephen Micek (Adtrita, ex-Stay Awake) on guitar; Michael Laughlin, bass; Eric Ernst, drums, and Cursive’s Megan Siebe on strings. The Sun-Less Trio and The Sunks open at 10 p.m. (but like I said, that Husker game…). $5.

Also Saturday night, Cigarettes After Sex returns to Omaha, this time to The Slowdown. The Bushwick-based shoe-gaze indie act has a new album coming out Oct. 25 on Partisan Records and their shows have been selling out all over the country. $25 tickets are still available for The Slowdown’s big room. The music will be preceded by a short film, “You’re the Only Good Thing In My Life,” at 9 p.m.

And there are a couple shows happening tonight (Friday).

Singer/songwriter Martin Sexton is at The Waiting Room. $35. 9 p.m.

Kris Lager Band is at fabulous O’Leaver’s. $10, 10 p.m.

Also Saturday night at O’Leaver’s is Halfloves, Steady Wells and Win/Win. 10 p.m., $7.

And then, finally, on Sunday, O’Leaver’s has Bazile Mills for a matinee show with Edge of Arbor.

And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section.

Let me leave you with this performance by Les Savy Fav from last night’s Seth Myers show. Their 2001 show at Sokol Auditorium is still up there as among my all-time favorites.

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 © 2019 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

A 9/11 memory from the Lazy-i vault….

Around the time it happened, every band I interviewed for The Reader talked about how the tragedy was affecting their lives, like this comment from Frenchkiss Records founder and Les Savy Fav member Syd Butler, from an interview printed Nov. 7, 2001:

Butler said the tour’s Nov. 1, 2001, kick-off show was a benefit at NYC’s Bowery Ballroom for the family of a New York City firefighter killed in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center. The tragedy remains in the forefront as the band hits the road.

“I was talking on the phone to someone inside the World Trade Center when it happened,” Butler said. “I was on my way down there to pick up plane tickets when he told me it blew up. I went up to the roof of my building with my girlfriend and freaked out. We sat there in disbelief. It was a real intense situation in that she works with the fire department and knew a lot of people involved.

“Life has changed here in New York,” he said. “I used to be the guy who was frustrated with police. I was not into cops growing up. Now I love them to death. I want to walk up and hug every one I see. They’re people who wouldn’t think for a second about putting their body in front of a bullet.”

Butler lives only a mile from ground zero, where the smell of “burned, plastic hotdogs” still hangs in the air. “Because of my girlfriend, I’ve been a block away from ground zero,” he said. “I don’t think I should have gone. It’s so awesome, but not in a cool way.”

He said it will be good to get away from the city for awhile. “I’m the most sensitive member of the band about this situation,” he said. “I’m the most affected by it. People in New York are processing it in different ways. Some are volunteering to do anything they can. I’m looking forward to getting on the road.”

Now 11 years later, I wonder how Butler looks back on those rather dark, sad days…

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Tonight at The Slowdown it’s the return of Old 97’s. Seems like the last time they came through was for the 2010 Maha Festival. Opening tonight are Those Darlins and Rhett Miller. $25, 9 p.m.

Also tonight at an undisclosed location somewhere in Bellevue, Jeremy Messersmith is doing a one-man house show. I have no other details.

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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.