by Tim McMahan,  Lazy-i.com

Last Saturday, Chalis Bristol, Chair of Omaha Girls Rock!’s board of directors, announced via email that the organization’s current programming will end Dec. 15.

“Despite the incredible efforts of our entire OGR community, the reality is that a shifting funding landscape, increased costs, and decreased grant capacity mean that maintaining the organization in this form is neither responsible nor financially possible,” she wrote in the letter.

Bristol goes on to say it’s “not goodbye forever. We are moving forward with the hope that while OGR may no longer be the official organization you have loved over the years, our programming will soon continue with the support of another organization whose mission and values align with our own.”

Who or what that organization will be wasn’t stated. Certainly OGR’s mission would fit in with a number of other local 501(c)(3) organizations, and if they maintained their staff, teaching artists and volunteers, would continue to play an important role in the Omaha music scene. 

A bit of history…

Omaha Girls Rock! got its start back in 2011 by founder Stefanie Drootin, who you may know as the bass player in Saddle Creek Records acts The Good Life and Big Harp and for having played on a number of Bright Eyes albums. Her original vision went well beyond teaching girls how to rock. It was to provide a support system enabling and encouraging girls to design their own futures and to realize those designs.

In addition to teaching girls how to play instruments and be in a band, “the workshops also deal with self esteem, body image, stuff so girls feel confident no matter how they’re treated,” Drootin said in a 2011 Lazy-i/Reader column. “I feel like I was lucky that I had the confidence to be able to deal with a lot of the stuff that goes along with being a girl in a band.” 

Over the years the organization grew, hosting camps and presenting showcases at local clubs and festivals (including the Maha Festival), where camp participants rocked out in front of large audiences. Seems like everyone knows someone whose daughter was in OGR. 

A testimony to the program’s effectiveness: This Friday night, OGR alumni band UN-T.I.L. will perform as part of the Speed! Nebraska Records showcase at Reverb Lounge. The gig celebrates the release of the Speed! Lightning 500 compilation album, which collects new tracks by ten of the area’s finest punk/indie bands, including UN-T.I.L.’s “Radio Love Letters.”

U.N.-T.I.L.’s success is somewhat ironic coming as OGR closes its doors. I was unaware that OGR was in financial trouble. No doubt I and many other past contributors would have opened their pocketbooks if they knew the organization was in dire straits. It would be a real blow to the Omaha music scene if OGR can’t find a new home with another Omaha non-profit…

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A couple shows at the 1% clubs tonight…

Texan by way of Colorado Casper Allen plays at Reverb Lounge tonight. His style is Tom Waits-inspired twangy folk, just your typical cowboy with face tattoos. Opening is Shawn Hess and Trent Browns. $20, 8 p.m.

Also tonight, New York-based emo/ pop-punk band Keep Flying headlines at The Sydney. Blondo and Odd Man Out open at 8 p.m. Sydney Time. $15.

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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 © 2024 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

There’s a few “news” items to pass along, but they will have to wait until Monday because… it’s the weekend!

And once again, there are no national-touring indie shows on Omaha’s weekend calendar. Such is life. We’re a lonely species, we indie music lovers. Hey, we’ll always have the past two decades, right?

Tonight at art space Project Project, 1818 Vinton St., Las Cruxes headlines a show as part of the Vinton St. “Second Friday” series (Do they call it #VSF?). What version of Las Cruxes will perform tonight – the big band or the power trio? Find out. Also on the bill are Stolen Wolves and Grief Police, two bands I’m unfamiliar with. 7 p.m., $5 donations accepted. 

That’s about it for Friday.

Tomorrow (Saturday) singer/songwriter Stathi headlines a gig at Pageturners Lounge with the bar’s chief capo Philip Schaffart. 8 p.m. and no cover.

Meanwhile, back in Benson, the prog power-duo of Griffin and Nathan Wolf —also known as Pagan Athletes — celebrates the release of their new album, Landlocked, at Reverb Lounge. I’ve listened to a few tracks and it’s an edgy, drums-and-synth-powered, throbbing, noise-rock head trip. Providing support is the also-synth-powered Jeff in Leather and Omaha rockers Garst. $10, 9 p.m. 

Earlier in the day, Reverb is hosting the Omaha Girls Rock Headliner Showcase, where this year’s batch of students shows off their talent. These shows are always jam-packed… with parents. Still, a lot of fun and it’s free. 3 p.m. 

Also Saturday, punk legends The Queers headline this year’s Punk Rock BBQ at The Waiting Room. This is an afternoon-to-evening, 10-band event that also includes Wyoming’s Teenage Bottlerocket and Minneapolis band Tightwire. See the full line-up and other particulars here. Starts at 4 p.m.  $35.

And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. Have a super-duper 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 © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

So now Saddle Creek Records has a New York City office?

Yep, according to their Twitter feed. Add it to the Los Angeles offices, and Omaha offices, of course. Once upon a time Saddle Creek even had a European office in London. Not sure if they still do; wouldn’t be surprised if they reopened it.

Bigger news is that Saddle Creek will be releasing Culxr House: Freedom Summer – a collaborative project showcasing a host of talent from Omaha all tied to innovative community hub Culxr House. The LP, out July 30, features Marcey Yates and Xoboi, along with J. Crum, Mars Black and lots more.

“Available digitally and via a limited edition vinyl run, 50% of the album’s profits will be shared between the artists involved, with the other 50% donated directly to the Culxr House venue that brought this project to life,” according to the Creek site.

The first track from the album, “Inherit the Earth,” by Marcey Yates and Xoboi, already dropped. Order the album from the Saddle Creek site.

I think this marks the first album Saddle Creek released with a connection to Omaha since The Faint’s Egowerk came out in March 2019.

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Nathan Ma has a new track out called “Midnight” produced by Young Guv, and featuring The Upper Las Colonies Pyramid Band (Noah Kohll, Young Guv, Colin Duckworth, Bobbie Lovesong and James Matthew VII). It’s just under three minutes of Big Star-flavored pop you’ll want to check out. When’s Nathan coming out with a full-length?

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The fine folks at Ink Tank are selling a crapload of cool Cog Factory gear, including T-shirts and hoodies. Orders are being taken through June 18 and all proceeds will benefit Omaha Girls Rock, so everybody wins. Check out the selection and order yours 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 © 2021 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.