Twin Peaks at The Waiting Room, June 29, 2016. The band returns to The Waiting Room tonight.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Just like last weekend, it’s a loaded Friday night and a sorta thin rest of the weekend. Why can’t we get promoters to spread these shows over the entire weekend? I know, I know, it’s out of their hands. Anyway, choose wisely.

The biggest show of the night (Friday) is at The Waiting Room where Twin Peaks returns in support of their latest, Lookout Low. Yesterday the band shared the latest track from the album, the Beatle-esque “Our World.” Joining them tonight is a stacked line-up that includes Post Animal and OHMME. $20, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, just across the street and down a ways, indie pop band Uh Oh is among the five bands playing a #BFF/OEAA show at Burke’s Pub. In addition to Uh Oh you get Liz Gre, Diego Danger, Rey Styles, Chad Stoner, Mace Hathaway and Names Without Numbers. Uh Oh goes on at 8:40. It’s part of the OEAA Fall Nominee Showcase. Your $10 entry gets you into all the participating venues (What those are, I’m not certain).

Check out the just-dropped new Love Drunk video for Uh Oh’s “Time Zones,” shot at Joslyn Castle.

Did I mention it was Benson First Friday? If you’re wandering around Benson tonight taking in the art, drop on into the Little Gallery, 5901 Maple St. (the east bay of the Masonic Lodge Building), for the opening of Bill Hoover’s one man show, Lost and Found and Lost. Bill’s exploring the use of collage, paper sculpture and other materials. We’ll be there from 6 to 9 p.m. Come say hello!

What about outside of Benson tonight?

Well there’s a banger of a show at fabulous O’Leaver’s Friday night with Omaha’s favorite stoner-metal band Ocean Black and Omaha’s favorite alt-country band Clarence Tilton. That’s two favorites in one for $7. Starts at 10 p.m.

Meanwhile, downtown is a real sleeper of a show — freak folk singer/songwriter Devendra Banhart headlines in the main room at The Slowdown. Joining him is one of Saddle Creek Records’ brightest new acts, Black Belt Eagle Scout. Tickets range from $26 to $36, and showtime is 8 p.m.

Holy shit that’s a lot of stuff going on in one night. Tomorrow (Saturday) you’re down to two shows.

Back down at The Slowdown, punk band The Menzingers headlines in the main room with Tigers Jaw and Culture Abuse. Tickets are $20-$25; show starts at 8 p.m.

Also Saturday night O’Leaver’s has Conny Franko, Satanic Abortion and Jocko. $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.

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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.

Ben Kweller at the MAHA Music Festival, July 24, 2010. He plays Sunday night at The Waiting Room.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

It’s looking like an O’Leaver’s weekend… at least most of it. I hope they have their AC on full blast.

Tonight, it’s the heavy stuff as Omaha gold-leafed stoner rock trio Ocean Black opens for Mere Shadows and Bad Actors. $5, 10 p.m.

Saturday night, Chicago garage rockers Peach Fuzz (Bernice Records) headlines at fabulous O’Leaver’s with Bb Sledge and Little Violence. $5, 10 p.m.

And finally Sunday, Ben Kweller returns to The Waiting Room. Kweller’s supposed to have a new album out called Circuit Boredom, but I can’t find it anywhere online. The first single, released this past February, is below. Orca Welles opens at 8 p.m. $15.

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

Oquoa at Reverb Lounge, April 13, 2017. They play tonight at O’Leavers.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

So they’re saying 3 to 5 inches of snow tonight. That’s not near enough to keep you inside, is it?

Top of tonight’s list is Oquoa at The Sydney in Benson. The band has been working on new material. Let’s see what they’ve been up to. Hussies, who just released a new album (Fast), open at 10 p.m. $5.

Meanwhile, over at fabulous O’Leaver’s, Omaha sludge-rock stoners Ocean Black open for ’80s-style rockers Jump the Tiger. Flux Amuck kicks things off at 9:30. $5.

Earlier in the evening at Hi-Fi House, free improvisation ensemble Screaming Plastic is having a listening party for its debut album. “The album’s seven tracks are selected from a three-hour batch of improvisations recorded at Omaha’s ARC Studios.” The spinning starts at 7 p.m. and it’s free.

Also tonight, The Waiting Room is hosting Flint Fest, a fundraiser for the Flint Kids Fund. Cult Play tops a bill that includes J. Crum, On 2 Galaxies, Jocko and Motel Martyr. $10, 8 p.m.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) there’s a three-artist bill at O’Leaver’s headlined by Stathi with Cursive’s Megan Siebe (Cursive kicks off a month-long tour next Friday in Denver) and Steady Wells. $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.

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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.

Pro Magnum at O’Leaver’s, March 9, 2013. They’re playing Saturday night at Brothers Lounge.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

It’s beginning to look a lot like another Brothers Lounge pre-Christmas weekend…

I’m at a bit of a loss about tonight’s show at Brothers. I couldn’t scrimp together any info on the headliner, DROSS. Is it the Lancaster, California, trio with the five-song punk EP that came out in 2017? Is it the Phoenix grindcore metal act? UPDATE: I’m told DROSS is a couple dudes from Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship. Who knows. I’m hoping it’s the former rather than the latter. Joining them are Omaha rockers Cloud Feeder, which has a 2-song 2017 EP recorded, mixed and mastered by Bryce Hotz at Archetype Recordings. Finally, there’s opening act Chase the Ghost, another band that’s a real head-scratcher of which I could find virtually nothing about.

So, it’s a bit of a wild card, but then again, isn’t every night at The Brothers a bit of a wild card? $5, 10 p.m.

This track may by one of ISN’T one of the bands playing tonight at The Brothers…

Tomorrow night’s show at The Brothers is a lot easier to explain — Omaha sludge-metal stoner-rock masters Ocean Black headlines a show with punk-metal phenoms Pro Magnum (Max Trax Records). This will be frickin’ dark and loud, leave your Santa hat at home. $5, 10 p.m.

And that’s about all I’m seeing for this weekend. This being the holidays, the clubs are rife with cover bands and DJs. The exception are Matt Cox out at Growler USA and Kris Lager at The Waiting Room Saturday night with Ally Peeler. The Slowdown has two cover/tribute acts this weekend. O’Leaver’s is showing no events on their calendar at all this weekend, which is odd.

Anyway, if I missed your show, put it in the comments section. 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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

On this Throwback Thursday (#TBT), from the blog 10 years ago:

Conor Oberst charts at No. 15, The Faint at No. 45… – Aug. 13, 2008 –

So how did Conor Oberst and The Faint do in their first week’s sales of their new albums? Here’s the skinny by way of Homer’s General Manager Mike Fratt:

Conor Oberst’s self-titled album sold 28,546 copies last week, plus 354 copies prior to street date for a total of 28,918 copies. That’s good enough for the album to chart at No. 15 on Billboard. Conor Oberst also was the No. 3 best-selling download on iTunes, moving 9,941 digital units.

The Faint’s Fasciinatiion sold 11,333 last week, plus 222 copies before street date for a total of 11,584 copies — good enough to claim the No. 45 position on the Billboard charts. Fasciinatiion also was the No. 15 best-selling download on iTunes, moving 3,250 digital units.

FYI, digital downloads are included in the overall total sales number. Thanks again to Mr. Fratt for the data. Overall, an impressive first week by both artists. I think you could see both albums continue to climb the charts, but especially Fasciinatiion, which has had less pre-release media attention, and is only now getting the notice it deserves.

And the original reviews from the Lazy-i posted a week later:

Conor Oberst, self-titled (2008, Merge)

Conor Oberst, Conor Oberst (2008, Merge) — It differs from Bright Eyes in its more minimal production, though it’s far from stripped down (just Mogis-less). Song wise, it’s not a stretch at all, though Oberst does seem more relaxed, even resolved to his stricken condition of being ordained the rambling “voice of his generation.” Call him that if you want to; he’s not listening. Unlike Lifted or Wide Awake, there’s no need to block off your afternoon or give it your undivided attention to enjoy it. Like he says on album opener “Cape Canaveral”: “There’s no worries, who’s got time?” No one, Conor, no one. And while there’s nothing as striking as, say, “Lua” or “Waste of Paint” or “I Must Belong Somewhere,” it has its moments of absolute clarity, including country stomper “I Don’t Want to Die (in the Hospital)” and rock anthem “Souled Out!!!” Oberst is too smart to do either. Rating: 4 stars.

The Faint, Fasciinatiion (2008, blank.wav)

The Faint, Faciinatiion (2008, blank .wav) — It’s no wonder that the album’s best song, “The Geeks Were Right,” also is the most straightforward and least dependent on technology to “make it sound different.” You see, I like frontman Todd Fink’s voice just the way it is. And with all of the electronic bleep-blooping going on elsewhere, Dapose’s opening guitar riff feels downright organic. But a straight-up rock band is not what the throngs of stylish, sweaty youth are looking for. Give them the robot-voiced dance machine with its dense bass and thump-thump-thump rhythms. They want to bounce, not think. What are they singing about? Who cares as long as there’s a thick-ass beat and plenty of strobes. Which makes me wonder what would happen if these guys stepped away from the synths, vocoders and effects pedals and picked up traditional instruments once again. They could be that great rock band we’ve all been waiting for, if they wanted to be. But they never will, not now, not when they don’t have to. With a slew of classics already in their quiver, it makes you wonder why they even bother making new CDs in the first place. Rating: 3 stars.

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Tonight at Lookout Lounge Portland doom-metal band Witch Mountain headlines. When it comes to the grind, they’ll have stiff competition from opener Ocean Black, Omaha’s stoner-rock satans. Super Moon is also on the bill. $12, 7 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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Presumably one of the people in this photo is Tim Kasher filming a scene from his new film, No Resolution, which will be screen tonight at O’Leaver’s.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Lots o’ shows on this Valentine’s Day / Ash Wednesday, which is kind of odd but oh well, right?

Top of the list is the big UnValentine’s Day event at fabulous O’Leaver’s featuring a screening of Tim Kasher’s epic motion picture No Resolution. Director Kasher will introduce the movie to an inebriated, possibly high O’Leaver’s crowd and will play some “UnValentine’s Day” songs before hand. I’m not sure this means he’ll actually perform songs or that he’ll be manning the O’Leaver’s soundboard/DJ booth. No matter, either way it’s worth the price of admission, which, btw, is absolutely free. The fun starts at 9.

Also tonight a couple bands that usually play at O’Leaver’s are setting up cross town at Pageturners Lounge — Rusty Lord and Ocean Black. This is bound to be some “rough love” for all involved. This free show also starts at 9 p.m.

Meanwhile in Benson at Reverb Lounge Sam Martin tops a bill of singer songwriter bands that include Small Houses and Midwest Dilemma. $7, 8 p.m.

Finally, The Door, a new collaboration between Dereck Higgins and Aaron “Bird” Williams, will perform their debut album, Virgo, tonight at B Side of Benson Theatre, 6058 Maple Street (the old PS Collective space). Joining them is Johnna Dortch & Steven Kat Lanier. Your $15 ticket gets you a copy of Virgo. This early show starts at 7 p.m.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all…

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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 © 2018 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.

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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 © 2017 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Currently listening to…

Priests, Nothing Feels Natural (2017, Sister Polygon)

Priests, Nothing Feels Natural (2017, Sister Polygon) – The band is playing Maha this year. Pitchfork gave this an 8.5. DC post-punk that’s been compared to Savages. I actually prefer it to Savages, but that doesn’t say much since I’ve never been a Savages fan. This is more like if Protomartyr were fronted by Debbie Harry… or Heidi Ore. In fact track “Pink White House” reminds me a lot of Mercy Rule thanks to the guitar line and Katie Alice Greer’s howl, which I prefer to her snotty, spoken delivery on tracks “No Big Bang” and “Puff” that, combined with the jittery bass-driven arrangements, sound like ’80s post-punk Debora Iyall/Romeo Void territory. Each song ends with a nice *wump* which will be good audience cues when blasted on the Maha stage. Rating: Yes

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Seattle sludge rock band Big Business headlines at Brothers tonight. They’ve released a lot of stuff on Hydra Head, though their last one came out on Joyful Noise. Anthem stoner rock? The band’s name is apt. Opening is our own sludge/stoner rock power trio Ocean Black. This is a $15 show that starts as 9 and will be louder than hell.

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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 © 2017 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Ocean Black back when they were Nightbird at The Sydney, July 18, 2014. The band plays tonight at O’Leaver’s.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

This will be a short entry as almost nothing happening musicwise this weekend, which sucks because some of us have Monday off. But before we get to that…

Lupines guitarist extraordinaire Mike Friedman emailed earlier this week to let me know the band dropped its latest collection, Eternal Wax, on Bandcamp. “We did this one by ourselves at home a couple years ago,” Mike wrote. “We wanted to get it out before we release the one we recorded at ARC last year. That one will have a physical release hopefully in the not too distant future.”

I’m listening to Eternal Wax now and it’s exactly the kind of grinding, noisy garage-rock goodness we’ve come to expect from Lupines. Check it out below and download your copy.

Wish the Lupines were playing somewhere this weekend. As it stands, there’s only one show on my radar, and it’s tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s — a heavy rock show featuring Laughing Falcon, Ocean Black and Hyborian. Ocean Black is the newish name for Nightbird, a stoner rock band that features Lee Meyerpeter, Jeff Harder and Scott Zimmerman. They’re the real deal. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Milk Run remains a mystery. I’d heard last weekend’s shows were the last, then I heard they still will have shows at the venue. Tonight Sioux City post-hardcore band Grobe is slated to play according to the Milk Run Facebook page. Jettison and The New Rosenbergs also are on the bill. 8:30 p.m., $5.

And that’s it. Talk about a sleepy weekend. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a great weekend and get out and enjoy the fine weather…

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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 © 2017 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.