Minneapolis Uranium Club at Pet Shop Gallery Dec. 9, 2017.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Minnesota Uranium Club is what would happen if a mad computer scientist digitally combined Devo, The Dismemberment Plan and Wall of Voodoo into one diabolic sound file — quirky, jittery, precise (and fast) post-punk guitar rock combined with smart, ironic observations about our devolving society and the world around us.

And they freakin’ rock. A two-guitar four-piece, they’ve got their sound honed to a razor’s edge. If you were at Pet Shop Saturday night you marveled at the layered guitar lines, or maybe you got caught up in the friendly mosh pit in front of the band (I was safely off to the side with the other oldsters).

The guitarist right in front of me (no idea what these guys’ names are, they have no web presence other than a Bandcamp page) robotically jerked into position throughout songs in a classic Devo fashion, adding his own chicken-neck groove-move when the time was right. Yeah, there’s a Devo flair, but these guys are not over-the-top theatricians, this is no novelty act. It’s a tight, intricate punk band with a bagful of catchy tunes that will make your heart pulse well above a safe threshold.

I have Brad Smith at Almost Music to thank for even knowing about Uranium Club, as he sold me their latest EP on a cold recommendation. Brad’s got a good batting average. Last year he handed me a Tenement album that became one of my favorites of 2016.

Dilute at Pet Shop Gallery Dec. 9, 2017.

I got to Pet Shop (which, btw, is the old Sweatshop performance space — the garage you enter from the back of the building) a little after 10 figuring I’d missed the opener (show was scheduled for 9) but was just in time to see Dilute’s entire set. I’m happy I caught it.

Dilute is a four-piece fronted by Alex Heller (according to their Bandcamp page) that plays brutal post-punk bordering on hardcore. Thick slabs of guitar, lots of vocal delay, random acts of chaos. Gorgeous sheets of noise and pounding rhythms got the kids smashing into each other.

Check out the tracks below and get the cassette at Almost Music.

Sucettes at Pet Shop Gallery Dec. 9, 2017.

Tucked in the middle was Sucettes boasting a different line-up than the last time I saw them. Todd and Jen are gone and new vocalist Michaela Favara has been added. The result is a more stripped down, more straight-forward approach to their classic ’60’s style psych pop that’s as playful as it is rocking (anytime you can get a couple guys doing harmonies on pennywhistles, well, you’re in for something special).

It was a packed crowd throughout the night and Pet Shop lived up to the old Sweatshop namesake — it was sweaty. I had a feeling it was going to be a crush mob (Uranium Club shows are a rarity) but it was never uncomfortable. The sound was surprisingly great and the vibe was chill. I love this venue for DIY shows. You never feel out of place. Here’s hoping Pet Shop shows become a regular thing.

* * *

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.

Sucettes at The Waiting Room, Dec. 28, 2014. The band opens for Minneapolis Uranium Club Saturday at Pet Shop Gallery.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Last weekend I got a good tip from one of the music scene’s cherished treasures. His trick for weathering the cold this winter: Put on long underwear in November and don’t take them off until March. Pretty much that’s it.

Anyway, the weekend starts tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s where Ocean Black headlines. Call it stoner rock, call it whatever you want, Ocean Black does it darkly. We’re talking slow, heavy-metal dirges as only this power trio can provide. The Lupines will warm the stage for them. Their latest album, Mountain of Love, made my 2017 best of list which you can find in the December issue of The Reader. Kicking it all off is Lincoln band Trash Cat. $5, 10 p.m.

Also tonight, Nathan Ma headlines a show at Brothers Lounge for South High that also features Red Beard and JockO. Starts at 10.

And Brad Hoshaw opens for Blue Moon Ghetto at The Waiting Room tonight. $20, 9 p.m.

Tomorrow night (Saturday), Minneapolis Uranium Club plays at Pet Shop Gallery in Benson (the former Sweatshop space). This is one of the hottest indie-punk bands going, whose album All of Them Naturals, released on UK label Static Shock, is another one that made by favorites-of-2017 list. Since I mentioned this show a week or so ago, I’ve received email from out-of-towners making a trip to see them. Opening are the mighty Sucettes and Dilute. $5, 9 p.m.

Also Saturday night is the annual Toy Drive for Pine Ridge at The Waiting Room Lounge and Reverb. $10 or a new toy per venue / $15 or two toys for both venues gets you in to see a plethora of local talent including Matt Cox, 24 Hour Cardlock, Korey Anderson and, of course, Lash LaRue and the Hired Guns.

The Toy Drive for Pine Ridge is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that collects and delivers toys for children of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, and raises donations for heating, clothing, food, and educational resources for residents of the reservation. That’s where your donations are headed. Shows start at 8:30.

And finally, over at O’Leaver’s Saturday night its The Regulation, Mitch Gettman and Magu. $5, 10 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 © 2017 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.