by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

So, tonight is the annual Memorial Park Concert, usually scheduled around the July 4 holiday. For reasons probably having to do with headliner Sheryl Crow’s schedule, the concert is tonight.

The park concert is a long tradition suffered through by folks who live in nearby neighborhoods. I don’t mind people dragging their lawn chairs along the streets, parking bumper-to-bumper, dropping their garbage along the way, etc., but I do mind people pissing in my yard, as was the case a couple years ago when I caught some kid taking a piss next to my house. “Excuse me. Do that somewhere else.”

This is where my anti-gun stance becomes slightly frayed.

Regardless, here we go again tonight. It should be a truly miserable evening with the heat index heading to around 105 degrees. Dave Mason of “We Just Disagree” fame opens at 7:15 p.m. Sheryl goes on at 8:45 and fireworks are at 10. If you’re going, please stay off my lawn.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) the country rock stylings of Lightning Stills plays at fabulous O’Leaver’s with McCarthy Trenching opening at 9 p.m. This, too, is free concert, but alas, no fireworks (probably).

Finally, Sunday night Atlanta-based four-piece Worlds Greatest Dad headlines at The Sydney in Benson The band’s last full-length, Get Well Soon, was released on Deep Rest Records before the pandemic. Also on the bill are Wichita’s Social Cinema (ex-Kill Vargas) and In Bloom. $10, 8 p.m.

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

* * *

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.

There will come a time where Friday’s will be dedicated to previewing the weekend’s shows. That time is still a ways off.

That said, there is a performance that’s being streamed live at The Trap Room (the bar across the sidewalk from The Slowdown) featuring McCarthy Trenching, which at the very least will feature singer/songwriter Dan McCarthy and (I’m guessing) sideman bass player James Maakestad, though there could be more to the band.

Dan and Co. no doubt will be playing songs off the latest McCarthy Trenching album, Perfect Game, which you can buy here on Bandcamp. Sunday night’s streamed performance begins at 8 p.m. and can be watched for free via Facebook Live.

. * * * .

The Reverb Lounge is hosting an album release show for rock band The Long Awaited tonight. Gallivant and The Party After open at 9 p.m. $10. No doubt masks and social distancing protocols will be firmly enforced. If you haven’t checked out the new Reverb Lounge, this is your chance.

. * * * .

I leave you with this new video from Omaha indie-punk band Leafblower. The song, “Yes Men,” comes from the 7-inch released right when Covid was getting started early last spring. The band will be making a second push of the record next week for Bandcamp Friday. Until then, check out yet another video interpretation by band member Craig Fort. It’s weird, but I bet the “making of the video” video would have been even weirder.

. * * * .

Next week is March. It’s warming up. Covid numbers are down. People are getting vaccinated. We’re getting there, people. It’s just going to take a little more time.

Have a great weekend.

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 © 2021 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

This is kind of a follow-up to the review Robert Christgau posted a few weeks ago (and I mentioned here). The grandmaster of music critics gave McCarthy Trenching’s latest album, Perfect Game, an A- grade in his January Consumer Guide.

Christgau’s year-end list used to be part of the Pass and Jop year-end music coverage at the Village Voice — something he wrote from 1975 to 2005. This morning Christgau published his “Dean’s List” of the “71 best albums of the last year (or so)” and Perfect Game came in at No. 24, between Ashley McBryde’s Never Will at No. 23 and 75 Dollar Bill Little Big Band’s Live at Tubby’s at No. 25. It should be noted that No. 1 was Hanging Tree Guitars, which I’ve never heard of. Run the Jewel’s RTJ4 came in at No. 2.

Making Christgau’s year-end list was always kind of a big deal and still is today. Check out the list online here and congrat’s, Mr. McCarthy.

* * *

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 © 2021 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Long-time Village Voice music critic Robert Christgau is still writing reviews, these days via a Substack newsletter account (you can subscribe here). The subscription includes his monthly “Consumer Guide” reviews, and the January edition includes a glowing review of McCarthy Trenching’s latest LP, Perfect Game.

Said Christgau:

“Alerted by Phoebe Bridgers’s cover of this ‘band’’s ‘Christmas Song,’ I spent a fine little Spotify morning checking out all 57 of Dan McCarthy’s entries. These date back to 2007 with the band part mostly theoretical—guitar strummer McCarthy doubles on the piano that dominates here and has hooked up with a bassist who I presume inflected the horn arrangements that add welcome color to his latest and most impressive tunes—most of which, to be clear, truly are tunes. McCarthy sings clear, mild, droll, calculated, casual and writes clever and inventive without ever overwhelming his offhand affect—the many laugh lines are more chuckle lines. ‘Why Don’t I See You Anymore’ devotes single lines and whole stanzas to 16 reasons before ‘Phaethon’ modernizes Greek mythology. ‘Red Maple’ and ‘Russian Olive’ chronicle dead trees. ‘I Didn’t Come to Town to Get a Haircut’ is something his uncle used to say only by the time Dan finally gets around to it the town doesn’t even have a barber. And that’s only the half of it. A MINUS“

Christgau has been writing reviews since the ’60s and is my all-time favorite music critic. It’s a joy to see him recognize a local boy.

BTW, he wasn’t so glowing with Phoebe Bridgers’ Punisher, in which he said: “If articulated depression is what you crave, does she have lyrical and musical detail for you—philosophical solace or melodic relief, no (“I See You,” “Graceland Too”) **”

The ** rating is an honorable mention on the Christgau scale.

Read the entire January Consumer Guide here.

. * * * .

Omaha indie band The Sunks’ have a new album coming out next Tuesday. The band consists of frontman Sean Paul on guitar/vocals, Ben Volkman on lead guitar; Adam O’Connell on bass and Kevin Kelly on drums. Here’s the first single, “The Sunks Song.”

* * *

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 © 2021 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

New McCarthy Trenching is just what we need as we stumble through the darkness of a COVID-infected world. The project’s primary instigators, Dan McCarthy and James Maakestad, are joined by a stable of young, ambitious talent on their new album Perfect Game, which just dropped last Friday.

The 10-song LP has all the usual McCarthy Trenching storytelling charm, wherein Dan croons about maple trees and electrical black-outs, swimming dogs and drinking beer. It’s like sitting around a campfire making s’mores with Harry Nilsson, Randy Newman and some dude who lives in a duplex in Dundee.

The album was recorded by Jim Schroeder at ARC this past September. If you dig Dan’s past efforts – or if you just like good folk songwriting – this one’s for you. Buy it at Bandcamp.

* * * .

Last month David Nance took part in Gonerfest 17, the annual festival held by the fine folks at Goner Records down in Memphis. But because of COVID, the event was held virtually, which meant Nance performed from his Omaha abode. Joining him were drummer Kevin Donahue, guitarist Jim Schroeder and bassist Dereck Higgins. Check it below. Hat’s off to Anna Nance for the video recording.

Nance used the occasion to announce that his new album, Staunch Honey, will be released on Trouble in Mind Records Nov. 13.

From the site: “Staunch Honey is the culmination of two years of hard work – Nance worked and reworked the album three times over, recording & rerecording songs until they sounded just so – a stunning batch of sonic manna that hums with feeling and mood; expertly crafted, but sounding simultaneously off-the-cuff.” 

The album was recorded entirely to tape by Nance himself at his Omaha home with assistance from Schroeder and Donohue. Check out the first track below and preorder it here.

* * *

Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily (if there’s news) 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 © 2020 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Phoebe Bridgers covers McCarthy Trenchings’ “Christmas Song” with some help from Jackson Browne.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Red hot indie phenom Phoebe Bridgers today dropped her version of McCarthy Trenching’s “Christmas Song,” with ’70s superstar Jackson Browne singing background vocals. The song was first released on McCarthy Trenching’s Calamity Drenching album released on Team Love back in 2008.

Said Bridgers in Pitchfork: “The first time I heard this song it hit me like a ton of bricks. A lot of McCarthy Trenching songs do that. It’s not that often that I hear a Christmas song that doesn’t make me want to quit music.”

She went on to say that Jackson Browne heard her perform the cover at an LA show “and he came up to me after the show to tell me how much he loved the song.” A couple days later Jackson Browne bought a copy of Calamity Drenching on Bandcamp for $50. I’d love to hear Browne’s take on “Roasting Song.”

I have to think Bridgers first heard the song when her pal Conor Oberst, who she’s both recorded and toured with, played it for her. Total speculation. Maybe Conor and Dan can talk Phoebe into moving to Omaha…

* * *

In other news involving up-and-coming singer-songwriters with an Omaha connection, Nylon Magazine yesterday dropped a new song by Canadian Taylor Janzen called “New Mercies,” which features Omaha’s Nate Van Fleet (See Through Dresses, Little Brazil) on drums. The track was produced and mixed by world-renowned producer and poll worker (he was working my polling site during the mid-terms) Mike Mogis of ARC Studios.

The track is Janzen’s first release with a full band. No word in the Nylon piece if this track is part of an album, but I wouldn’t be surprised. BTW, the song is gorgeous.

* * *

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.

McCarthy Trenching at Reverb Lounge, Jan. 17, 2015. The band plays The Slowdown annual Shake Your Trunk sale Sunday afternoon.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Slim pickins show-wise this weekend and this time of year. There’s not too many bands on the road this close to the holidays let alone routing through Omaha, and even the locals are setting down for a long winter’s nap (or at least prepping for the few “holiday” shows happening around or after Christmas).

That said, there’s a hoot ‘n’ holler of a show tonight at The Waiting Room. Lincoln hay-rack-ride rock band FortyTwenty headlines a bill that also includes Omaha’s favorite outlaw country band, Filter Kings, and honky-tonk swingers The Willards. So dust off your cowboy boots (or leather jacket); this one starts at 9 p.m. and will run you $10.

Sunday night The Slowdown is hosting its annual local artist trunk sale — we’re talking tons of made-local Christmas gift ideas along with performances by McCarthy Trenching, Dirt House and CJ Mills. The shop is open from 1 to 7 p.m. I’m not sure when the show starts, but it’s free. For more information and vendor list, go to the Slowdown listing.

Can you believe those are the only shows featuring original music this weekend? Neither can I, so if I missed your gig put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend.

* * *

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.

McCarthy Trenching at Reverb Lounge, Jan. 17, 2015. The band celebrates the release of their latest album tonight at O’Leaver’s.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Crazy frickin’ weekend for shows and stuff.

Let’s get the big one out of the way first: McCarthy Trenching celebrates the release of their new album, More Like It (Sower, 2015) tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s. You’ve already read about the record here, now check out the band. I’m told a few folks may join Dan and his partner in crime James Maakestad on stage. Find out who. I can tell you for sure that Sower labelmates Bud Heavy and the High Lifes will be opening the extravaganza. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Also tonight, it’s another Benson First Friday. Of note is the first annual “little show @the little gallery,” the gallery Teresa and I run at 5917 Maple Street, right across the street from The Sydney. All works, created by local artists, are 6” x 6” or smaller and retail for $100 or less. Think about giving the gift of locally produced art this holiday season! If you get there early, you might even be able to buy a piece by yours truly — one of my old-time-style classic cassette covers, which comes with a recorded cassette of my faves from 2015 (featuring lots of local and national acts). The reception runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Booze provided.

Tomorrow night is the grand opening of Milk Run, 1907 Leavenworth, the new all-ages music venue run by the guys behind Perpetual Nerves Productions, Chris Aponick and Sam Martin. You read about the club here (and if you haven’t, go read now). The bands honored with opening what is bound to be a legendary venue are American Cream (featuring STNNNG’s Nathan Nelson), David Nance Band, Robust Worlds and Church of Gravitron. Show starts at 9. Entrance in the back of the building, where there’s also some parking. $5, BYOB.

Also tomorrow night, a show that seems to be flying under the radar (or at least I haven’t seen a word about it yet) — Toronto punks Dilly Dally headline at Reverb Lounge. Their new album, Sore (Partisan, 2015) got a massive 8.0 rating from Pitchfork. Frontwoman Katie Monks sounds like the second coming of Courtney Love on songs that Hole would have killed to have written.

Dilly Dally, Sore (Partisan, 2015)

The album’s artwork is kind of gross, so much so that I asked Monks to explain it to me. Here’s what she said, via email:

“The album cover relates to our music in many different ways, but I would rather not spell it out. That would spoil the fun. Listen to the record and if you still don’t get it, feel free to enjoy the image based on the fact that’s pretty badass lol.”

It’s badass alright. No Thanks opens. $10 9 p.m.

Also tomorrow night (Saturday), Londoners Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs (Transdreamer Records) headline at O’Leaver’s. Opening is Simon Joyner and the Ghosts and Those Far Out Arrows. $7, 9:30 p.m.

Then along comes Sunday…

Folk rocker Laura Stevenson and her band headline at Slowdown Jr. She’s on the road supporting her just-released album Cocksure (Don Giovanni, 2015). Opening is a slew of acts: The Ridgways, No Getter and Crypt Kid. 8 p.m., $10 Adv./$12 DOS.

Also Sunday night, O’Leaver’s is rolling out another night of the hard stuff with Tallahassee band Ex-Breathers, Gnarwhal Peace of Shit and FLAK. $7, 9 p.m.

That’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend.

* * *

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 © 2015 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

McCarthy Trenching celebrates the release of the latest album this Friday at O’Leaver’s.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Just posted at thereader.com this morning, an interview/feature on Dan McCarthy of McCarthy Trenching. Dan talks about his new album, More Like It (Sower, 2015), which is being celebrated with an album release show this Friday, Nov. 6, at fabulous O’Leaver’s. The record is gorgeous, but what did you expect? You can read the story in the November issue of The Reader, which should be on newsstands any day now, or online right now right here.

* * *

If readership of yesterday’s Lazy-i interview about Milk Run is any indication, the new music venue operated by Chris Aponick and Sam Parker is headed for big-time success. The blog entry was the most read item in Lazy-i this year.

* * *

Speaking of One Percent (or at least Reverb), Looks like they’ve got a brand-spanking new website design over at onepercentproductions.com. Check it out.

* * *

And finally, websites Stereogum and Diffuser have both published items about the Live at O’Leaver’s website.

Said Stereogum, “Back in 2012, Tim Kasher, Matt Maginn, and Ted Stevens of Nebraskan indie rockers Cursive and Chris Machmuller of Ladyfinger purchased O’Leavers Pub in Omaha. They’ve been using the space to host small DIY shows, and they had the excellent idea to start recording performances professionally and releasing them.”

Something tells me they saw my story on O’Leaver’s that went online last month…  Can’t blame them for wanting to spread the good news…

* * *

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 © 2015 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Ted Stevens Unknown Project at Reverb Lounge, Jan. 15, 2015.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Big draw Saturday night for Ted Stevens Unknown Project at Reverb Lounge in Benson, though almost no one was there when I dropped in at 9 p.m. As much as I like Ted and his crew, I wanted to see Miniature Horse a.k.a. Rachel Tomlinson Dick, who I’d seen a few months ago at an afternoon concert at Almost Music and couldn’t believe my ears.

Miniature Horse at Reverb Lounge, Jan. 17, 2015.

Namewise, why Miniature Horse instead of RTD? Who knows. She didn’t say from stage what the name meant. Miniature horses are cute little creatures that have been known to take a chunk out of the back of a child’s head or crush a passerby’s kneecap whether provoked or not. No one knows what goes through the creatures’ minds other than somber bitterness and/or barely contained rage over being born a diminutive reflection of their more regal brethren. It’s only a matter of time before that rage boils over into a reflex motion that requires surgery and long-term rehabilitation to an unfortunate passerby.

I don’t think that’s what RTD had in mind when she came up with the name, though there is a “beauty and the beast” style to her one-woman show, brought to you by her amazing voice (one of the best singers in town) and her effects pedals that alter her guitar’s tone from quiet reflection to Neil Young feedback blaze with a tap of her toe. Consider her our own version of Polly Jean Harvey circa her 4-Track Demos phase. An intricate finger-picking style had a couple of the guys next to me (there were only guys in the crowd early in the evening) staring in awe. One of them wondered what her songs would sound like with a full band, and I wondered, too, but would be afraid the added instruments could clutter up the solitary majesty. Maybe a simple trio, though RTD is doing fine by her lonesome, standing like her namesake on an empty stage.

McCarthy Trenching at Reverb Lounge, Jan. 17, 2015.

Next up was the string-band version of McCarthy Trenching. Dan McCarthy is known as a piano man by a lot of people who have only seen his early-evening weekly gigs at Pageturners, but he’s just as comfortable with a guitar hanging ’round his neck, backed by talented upright bass player James Maakestad. McCarthy rolled through a set that included familiar chestnuts (the one about kicking a ball through the Cathedral uprights; another about being a self-employed, self-hating lout) as well as new songs (including one that perfectly captures my seething road rage).

McCarthy balances a forlorn loneliness with humor and a knack for capturing every-day details lyrically I haven’t heard since John Darnielle, though musically Trenching songs in no way resemble Mountain Goats songs. When played on piano, they more closely resemble Randy Newman tunes, and I would recommend McCarthy Trenching albums to anyone who loves Newman’s solo piano songs.

McCarthy said he wants to enter the studio again. We’re all waiting, Dan.

By the time Ted Stevens and his all-star band rolled onto the Reverb stage the lounge was a jam-packed calamity of fans and fellow musicians come to pay homage to the guy behind Lullaby for the Working Class and Mayday, and who, by the way, also plays and writes for Cursive. Backing Stevens as the Unknown Project is Lincoln Dickison (Putrescine, Monroes) on electric guitar, Ian Aeillo (Eli Mardock, Eagle*Seagull) on bass and David Ozinga (UUVVWWWZ) on drums.

Stevens’ songwriting is like no one else’s around here. It’s linear, without the usual chorus and verse structure, more like a stream of conscious telling of his life backed by an indie version of Crazy Horse. The closest resemblance to Stevens’ music (to me) is American Music Club/Mark Eitzel, which has a similar foreboding sense of chaotic ennui. There is a darkness to his music, a sense of stark anxiety like we’re getting a look inside what drives Stevens’ life, a sense of uneasiness accented by a voice that sounds like a hand outstretched to something just out of reach. Gorgeous stuff

* * *

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 © 2015 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.