Well, Nick Carl’s new band, The Meadowlarks, was not on hand last Saturday night at The Barley St. Tavern, due I’m told to scheduling and transportation-related issues. No matter. Carl did the show alone, and like the last time I saw him, laid down a good set of simple acoustic love (or lack of love) songs sung in his easy-going coffee-shop folk fashion. I dug it, and so did the 15 or so people in the room. Singer/songwriter Nick Jaina and his band closed out the evening with a rowdy set of crash-bash folk rock featuring stand-up bass and trumpet along with the usual instruments. Jaina sort of reminded me of Elvis Perkins, though his music swings closer to folk than Perkins’ dusty Americana.

* * *

Tyson Vogel, one-half of Saddle Creek Records band Two Gallants, announced that his solo debut, Devotionals, is being released July 13 by Alive Records. “Devotionals music is based around Tyson’s guitar compositions, with Anton Patzner (Judgment Day, Bright Eyes) invigorating the musical space with his violin mastery, and they are joined by various guests and collaborators,” says the press release. “The result is a unique combination of simplicity and raw emotion that will delight new and old fans of Two Gallants, a kind of street music with nods to Rachmaninov and John Fahey. The recording is entirely analog.” Really? Wonder if it comes in cassette and/or 8-track tape format. BTW, Two Gallants’ last full length for Saddle Creek came out in 2007.

* * *

Tonight at The Slowdown, it’s red hot indie band Blitzen Trapper with The Moondoggies. $12, 9 p.m. It’s also Slowdown’s third birthday (remember this article?). Stop on down and buy the staff a round. They deserve it.

It’s been awhile since I did a live review, mainly because I haven’t been to a show in awhile. Things have been quiet when it comes to big national touring acts, though there’s been plenty of local stuff going on. Such is the case this weekend — no big national shows come to mind, but a couple local gigs are worth checking out.

Tonight at The Waiting Room, The Filter Kings headline a show with Loyd McCarter, The Willards Band and 24-Hour Cardlock. Cowboy hats/seed caps are optional. $7, 9 p.m.

Saturday night, singer/songwriter Nick Carl and his band, The Meadowlarks, are headlining a show at The Barley St. Tavern with Harlot and Portland guy Nick Jaina. $5, 9 p.m. While just up the street, Ames/Des Moines band The Envy Corps is playing at The Waiting Room with Broken Spindles and 1/Fourth DJs. They’re calling it the “Carnival Dance Dement” — a dance party with masks and lights and stuff, which may be just enough to keep me from going. $8, 9 p.m.

If you’re in Lincoln, check out Damien Jurado Saturday night at The Bourbon Theater with Manny Coon, Ember Schrag and a few others. $10 today/$12 tomorrow. 9 p.m.

And Sunday night at Lincoln’s Clawfoot House, 1042 F St., Nick Jaina and Bear Country are playing with Ember Schrag and her new band.  Clawfoot is in the heart of its summer season. Schrag said that the house will end its show season in late July or early August and take a few months off. In addition to her new band, Schrag has her hands full with a new job booking shows at Lincoln’s Cultiva Cafe, a just-opened coffee house at 11th & G streets that will feature live free performances nightly from 8 to 10 p.m., with an open mic on Thursdays.