Brad Hoshaw’s doing a Kickstarter; Jeremy Messersmith, BOY to highlight Day 2 of Lincoln Calling; Willie Nelson tonight…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , — @ 12:56 pm October 16, 2013
The ironically named duo BOY headlines Lincoln Calling's Day 2 festivities at The Bourbon Theater.

The ironically named duo BOY headlines Lincoln Calling’s Day 2 festivities at The Bourbon Theater.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

A few days ago Brad Hoshaw launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the production of his new album with his band the Seven Deadlies. You can read the details here (including some sweet premiums). Seems like Kickstarters is for presales more than anything these days, a way to pre-pay for an album and get the money in the hands of the artists when they need it most. Kickstarter takes some of the risk out of making records. Some.

Hoshaw is an enigma to me and has been since I first saw him perform all those years ago. His band’s debut album is one of the best collections of songs to emerge from our fair city. The sad part is that it never caught the attention of anyone outside of Omaha. It should have. So who’s fault is that? Well, I guess it’s Hoshaw’s, right? Why didn’t he get this record in the ear holes of the industry people who make decisions in Nashville, New York, Los Angeles, Hollywood, etc.? It’s easier said than done, and virtually impossible without the right connections. Maybe he tried.

Making a good record has never been enough to break through to something bigger than playing well-attended Omaha shows, especially if your music is written to appeal to something broader than an indie music audience. At least there’s a path with indie. There’s a chance of getting reviews of your record in the handful of “important” indie websites, and if you’re lucky, in Paste or Pitchfork. And then on from there. There is no similar path for mainstream-targeted music, and Hoshaw’s songs certainly fall into that category.

At the very least, his music is picture-perfect for use in commercials, film or television. Who else thought “Carpenter” was the perfect song for a Sherwin-Williams commercial? But for that to happen, someone in charge first has to hear the song. I’m not sure how you do that. Hire an agent? Maybe, maybe…

Anyway, the first step is still to create the music, and this Kickstarter is where you come in. Check it out and give ol’ Brad a hand.

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Speaking of songwriters who deserve to be heard by a larger audience, Jeremy Messersmith is playing Day 2 of Lincoln Calling tonight at The Bourbon Theater. Messersmith — like Hoshaw — is a mastercraft songwriter who knows his way around an infectious hook and a clever lyric.

And Messersmith is breaking through. He recently signed with Glassnote Records, whose stable of acts includes Mumford & Sons, Phoenix, Chvches and The Temper Trap. Messersmith used to just give his music away via his website. I don’t think that’ll be happening with any new material, nor should it.

Messersmith opens for German duo BOY, whose music has been compared to Feist. Check it out below.

That Bourbon show is $15 and starts at 8 p.m. The rest of the Lincoln Calling line-up is at their website, here.

Meanwhile, back here in Omaha, there is virtually nothing interesting going on except for the Record Club at the Saddle Creek Shop, which tonight features Willie Nelson’s Red Headed Stranger. Hosting tonight’s installment is none other than Dan McCarthy of McCarthy Trenching, who will lead the discussion after the album’s play concludes. The needle drops at 7. More info here.

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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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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Lincoln Calling kicks off in style w/Future Islands; Renaldo added to B2S show; Todd Snider, Andrew Belle tonight…

Category: Blog — Tags: , — @ 12:54 pm October 15, 2013
Future Islands at The Waiting Room, Nov. 2, 2011.

Future Islands at The Waiting Room, Nov. 2, 2011.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

So here’s the deal: If I didn’t have a “real” job and didn’t have to get up at 5 a.m. tomorrow morning I would be driving to Lincoln tonight for the kick off of the 10th Annual Lincoln Calling Festival.

More specifically, I’d be driving up to see Future Islands, who is playing at The Bourbon Theater with Life Is Cool and Powerful Science. Future Islands’ sound reminds me of Factory Records-era post-ambient rock a la Joy Division. The trio’s sell point is frontman Samuel T. Herring, who is absolutely mesmerizing with his over-the-top theatrical performance. Or at least it was when the band played to a small audience at The Waiting Room back in 2011. You can see more detailed descriptions of that show online right here. Needless to say, tonight’s show, which starts at 9, is well worth the $10 tickets, but not worth me losing my job.

The only other show on the Lincoln Calling slate for tonight is “Troubadour Tuesday” at The Zoo Bar featuring Lucas Kellison, All Young Girls Are Machine Guns, Cory Kibler and Virtuopath. That show is $4 and starts at 9.

More details on Lincoln Calling is available from their website.

Back here in Omaha, Portland singer/songwriter Todd Snider headlines at The Waiting Room with The Coal Men. The $20 show starts at 8.

And speaking of The Waiting Room, I just noticed in the One Percent blast email received this morning that Lee Renaldo and The Dust has been added to Friday night’s Built to Spill show. Renaldo’s new album, Last Night on Earth (Matador, 2013), is about as close as you’re going to get to Sonic Youth these days. It’s a dynamic double-bill, priced at a mere $22.

Anyway… O’Leaver’s also is hosting a show tonight with Las Vegas band Rusty Maples and local act Morning at Sea. $5, 9:30 p.m.

While down at Slowdown Jr. it’s singer/songwriter Andrew Belle with Neulore and our very own Brad Hoshaw. $12, 8 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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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Lincoln Calling goes for 100; discount passes end tomorrow…

Category: Blog — Tags: , — @ 12:51 pm October 1, 2013

Lincoln Calling
by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Jeremy Buckley posted 50 more bands/performers/DUs booked for the 10th Annual Lincoln Calling — one of the area’s longest running local music festivals, slated for Oct. 15-19 in 10 venues throughout the Lincoln metroplex.

Among the new additions that raised an eyebrow — and will likely have me traveling to Lincoln — is Future Islands, whose performance at The Waiting Room back in 2011 was one of my favorite shows that year.

Buckley plans to add one more band to the line-up to make the total a perfect 100. Here are the additions announced yesterday:

All Young Girls Are Machine Guns
Allie Kral of Cornmeal
AudBawl
AZP
Bass Coma
Bassthoven
Burning Down the Villager
Cake Eater
Chris Padgett of the Stereofidelics
Cory Kibler
CowboyUp!
Danny Myrick
DJ Brake-C
DJ Jab
thedjKG
Domestica
Ezra
Future Islands
Guilty is the Bear
Haggard Mess
Henhouse Prowlers
Hot Buttered Rum
Huntress
Karen Choi
Kronen
Life is Cool
Lloyd McCarter and the Honky Tonk Revival
Lucas Kellison
Mr. Deedles
Myth
Nick the Quick
Parker House Cartel
Pharmacy Spirits
Philip White
Powerful Science
Rebecca Lynn Howard
Sharkwe3k
Sharkwrekinbawl
Skypiper
Spankalicious
Sputnik Kaputnik and the Technical Manuals
Steven Garcia
Thirst Things First
Trill Ferell
Touch People
Virtuopath
Wrekafekt
Yimbo Slice

And here’s the first set of artists confirmed last month:

The 4onthefloor (Minneapolis)
The Big Deep (Omaha)
Bonehart Flannigan (Lincoln)
The Bottletops (Lincoln)
BOY (Hamburg)
Brad Hoshaw and the Seven Deadlies (Omaha)
Carolyn Wonderland (Austin)
Christopher the Conquered (Des Moines)
Cowboy Indian Bear (Lawrence)
Cowboy Winter (Madison)
DEERPEOPLE (Stillwater)
Desert Noises (Provo)
Dirty Talker (Lincoln)
Eli Mardock (Lincoln)
A Ferocious Jungle Cat (Lincoln)
Freakabout! (Lincoln)
Genders (Portland)
Gordon (Omaha)
Guilty is the Bear (Lincoln)
Halfwit (Lincoln)
The Highest Order (Toronto)
Homegrown Film Festival (Lincoln)
Jack Hotel (Lincoln)
Jeazlepeats (Lincoln)
Jeremy Messersmith (Minneapolis)
John Klemmensen and the Party (Omaha)
The Josh Hill Band (Akron)
Josh Hoyer and the Shadowboxers (Lincoln)
The Kickback (Chicago)
Masses (Lincoln)
The Mezcal Brothers (Lincoln)
Oquoa (Omaha)
Orion Walsh and the Rambling Hearts (Lincoln)
Pleasure Adapter (Omaha)
Powers (Lincoln)
Red Cities (Lincoln)
The Renfields (Lincoln)
Rock Paper Dynamite (Omaha)
Rusty Maples (Las Vegas)
Saturn Moth (Omaha)
Snake Island! (Omaha)
Tie These Hands (Lincoln)
Too Slim and the Taildraggers (Nashville)
Tsumi (Lincoln)
Twinsmith (Omaha)
Universe Contest (Lincoln)
Whipkey Three (Omaha)
White Mystery (Chicago)
Wiping Out Thousands (Minneapolis)

Jeremy tells me that tomorrow is the last day all-access passes will be available for $20 (inside of the Bourbon at Kinetic Brew during day time business hours). After tomorrow passes go up to $40, which is still a great deal, but why spend $20 when you don’t have to?

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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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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Lincoln Calling announces 10-year anniversary festival line-up (and will it be the last?); Omaha’s inferiority complex (in the column)…

Category: Blog,Column — Tags: , , — @ 1:27 pm September 12, 2013

Lincoln Calling
by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

One of the area’s longest running local music festivals, Lincoln Calling, announced the preliminary line-up for its 10th Anniversary festival slated for Oct. 15-19 in 10 venues throughout the Lincoln metroplex.

Organizer Jeremy Buckley says this year’s program features more than 100 bands and DJs from all over the country and world (but mostly from Nebraska). Confirmed so far:

The 4onthefloor (Minneapolis)
The Big Deep (Omaha)
Bonehart Flannigan (Lincoln)
The Bottletops (Lincoln)
BOY (Hamburg)
Brad Hoshaw and the Seven Deadlies (Omaha)
Carolyn Wonderland (Austin)
Christopher the Conquered (Des Moines)
Cowboy Indian Bear (Lawrence)
Cowboy Winter (Madison)
DEERPEOPLE (Stillwater)
Desert Noises (Provo)
Dirty Talker (Lincoln)
Eli Mardock (Lincoln)
A Ferocious Jungle Cat (Lincoln)
Freakabout! (Lincoln)
Genders (Portland)
Gordon (Omaha)
Guilty is the Bear (Lincoln)
Halfwit (Lincoln)
The Highest Order (Toronto)
Homegrown Film Festival (Lincoln)
Jack Hotel (Lincoln)
Jeazlepeats (Lincoln)
Jeremy Messersmith (Minneapolis)
John Klemmensen and the Party (Omaha)
The Josh Hill Band (Akron)
Josh Hoyer and the Shadowboxers (Lincoln)
The Kickback (Chicago)
Masses (Lincoln)
The Mezcal Brothers (Lincoln)
Oquoa (Omaha)
Orion Walsh and the Rambling Hearts (Lincoln)
Pleasure Adapter (Omaha)
Powers (Lincoln)
Red Cities (Lincoln)
The Renfields (Lincoln)
Rock Paper Dynamite (Omaha)
Rusty Maples (Las Vegas)
Saturn Moth (Omaha)
Snake Island! (Omaha)
Tie These Hands (Lincoln)
Too Slim and the Taildraggers (Nashville)
Tsumi (Lincoln)
Twinsmith (Omaha)
Universe Contest (Lincoln)
Whipkey Three (Omaha)
White Mystery (Chicago)
Wiping Out Thousands (Minneapolis)

This is the best selection of up-and-coming (i.e. “emerging”) talent in the area, highlighted by Gordon, Eli Mardock, Pleasure Adapter (now featuring Matt Maginn on bass), Oquoa, Twinsmith, Halfwit and (of course) Universe Contest. Lacking are any Saddle Creek bands (so far), but the omission (for whatever reason) doesn’t seem glaring.

So is this last year for Lincoln Calling? Buckley, who puts the whole thing together, is co-owner of Vega, a new music venue/bar/restaurant being built in the Pinnacle Bank Arena complex. No doubt he’ll be too busy managing and booking the new 500-capacity performance space to organize this annual monster. I asked Buckley if this was, indeed, the last year for Lincoln Calling. His response: “No comment?

For the latest on LC10, go to lincolncalling.com or follow the event at https://www.facebook.com/LincolnCalling.

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In this week’s column, Omaha’s great inferiority complex and who gives a shit what anyone thinks of us? You can read it in this week’s issue of The Reader or online right here.

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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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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Lincoln Calling Pt. 10 now accepting band applications…

Category: Blog — Tags: , — @ 12:35 pm May 8, 2013

Lincoln Calling 2013by Tim McMahan, Lazy=i.com

Jeremy Buckley, the guy who runs Lincoln Calling, emailed yesterday to say that his annual 5-day shindig (which takes place Oct. 15-19) is currently accepting band applications at lincolncalling.com.

“Applying doesn’t guarantee a slot at the fest, but will let the organizing committee know that the band is interested in being a part of this year’s fest,” Buckley said. “Lincoln Calling is an annual music festival that takes place in downtown Lincoln at 10 or more venues and showcases 100+ bands and DJs on a local, regional, national and international level. Past performers have included Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, The Hood Internet, Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, Sea Wolf, Wolfgang Gartner, Laetitia Sadier and The Prids.”

He said last year about 150 bands applied. “It definitely helps in getting contact info together and knowing that bands are interested in playing,” he said. “We probably accepted about 50 bands that applied last year.”

To my knowledge, Lincoln Calling is the only Nebraska-based multi-day music festival that actually pays bands for playing, which is a credit to Mr. Buckley. This year marks the festival’s 10th anniversary, so I expect it to be bigger and better and wilder than ever.

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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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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