By Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

UPDATE, NEVERMIND: I just discovered looking at the Pageturners page that this show is SOLD OUT. I didn’t know they were offering tickets… Here’s the preview anyway…

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For purely selfish reasons, I thought about not writing this preview of tonight’s Cindy Lee / Freak Heat Waves show at Pageturners Lounge. 

Lee’s new album, Diamond Jubilee, has been playing on repeat in my car and on my earbuds for the past couple weeks, after Lazy-i reader Jim DeRouchey pointed out how I forgot to list tonight’s show in my “look ahead” column. Jim included a link to Pitchfork’s review of the album, where it received both a “best new music” designation and a staggering 9.1 rating. I can’t remember the last time (if ever) Pitchfork rated a new-ish underground artist’s album above a 9.0.

So, I immediately went to Spotify to check out the album, but… it wasn’t there. It isn’t on Bandcamp or Apple Music or any other major streaming service, either. Instead, you can download the Diamond Jubliee’s two hours-worth of music from the artist’s geocities website (the cost is a suggested $30 donation via Paypal). I rarely agree with Pitchfork these days, but this time the hype was real. The album is a spacey collection of echoey folk-rock tunes that sound like they were recorded by The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson between Pet Sounds takes. 

Cindy Lee, a.k.a. Patrick Fiegel, is the former singer/guitarist for the band Women. While the rest of Women went on to form the band Preoccupations, Fiegel created Cindy Lee, and here we are.  You can listen to the Diamond Jubilee in its entirety at YouTube, below. I like this business model – keep the album off streaming services and make it available via download from your own servers! Let’s get artists paid again.

Anyway, why the reluctance to let you know about tonight’s show? Because it’s being held at tiny Pageturners Lounge. The last time I went to Pageturners to see a performance I never got in the door because there was nowhere to sit or stand to listen the band. I fear the same thing could happen tonight. Yes, I could get to Pageturners an hour early and scope out a table, but I got shit to do, damnit!

Seriously, congrats to Pageturners for getting this amazing show. In the current state of Omaha’s music scene – when the city’s many high-end venues are busy booking vanilla pop acts, stand-up comics, yee-haw cow pokes and has-beens freedom rockers whose last hit was 30 years ago — seeing quality touring indie bands has become an every-man-for-himself endeavor.

Opening for Cindy Lee tonight is fellow Canadians Freak Heat Waves, the duo of Steven Lind and Thomas Di Ninno, whose new album, Mondo Tempo, includes a guest vocal by Cindy Lee. The show starts at 8 p.m. and is free, though a donation is suggested. Look for the awkward dude crammed in the corner, trying to stay out of people’s way, bobbing his head to the beat… UPDATE: THIS IS SOLD OUT.

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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.

Sophia Corinne plays tonight at Pageturners Louge.

by TIm McMahan,Lazy-i.com

Pageturners Lounge, the sleepy little bar located on the edge of Dundee that’s partially owned by Conor Oberst, is really stepping up with its bookings.

Tonight they’ve got Nashville singer/songwriter Sophia Corinne, whose latest album, Isabel, was released this past June by Seattle’s Ghost Mountain Records, whose goal as a label is “to support incredible indie artists by releasing limited runs of physical media. We aim for transparency and an ethical pricing model that benefits the artist so they can create more music.” Now there’s a holy concept.

Isabel is a lush collection of beautiful songs that recall the quieter moments of artists like Neko Case and Katie Crutchfield. Just beautiful stuff. Joining her tonight at Pageturners is Omaha’s Velvet Velvet a.k.a. Roman Constantino, whose last album, 2022’s Moving On, was recorded by Bryce Hotz at Archetype Recordings.

Opening the show at 8 p.m. is singer/songwriter Sutter Zachman: “A Southern California native, Zachman more recently traded in the endless summer for the seasonal churn of the midwest (Omaha, Nebraska, to be specific), opting for a slower pace with his wife and daughter,” according to his Spotify bio. His latest, Loose Advantage, was released this past April and was produced by Zachman and Ben Brodin, who contributed along with bassist Eliana Athayde (Weyesblood, Waxahatchee). The record does have a So Cal peaceful, easy feeling about it. 

Like I said, 8 p.m. start time and this one’s free but they recommend a $10 donation, which is crazy cheap for this much entertainment. 

Pageturners’ upcoming shows are also impressive:

This Saturday (Oct. 7), Merge recording artist Rosali is playing a gig. You may remember her opening for Destroyer back in April 2022, with a support band that included David Nance, Jim Schroeder, Kevin Donahue and Colin Duckworth. She’s somewhat awesome. So is Sean Pratt, who opens this Saturday’s show.

Oct. 14 it’s David Nance with DJ Trolli & The Mighty Vitamins

Oct. 21 — Machete Archive and DJ Tyrone Storm (a.k.a. Roger Lewis).

Oct. 28 — Pet Bun and Sputnik Kputnik 

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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.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

It’s not a festival in the conventional sense (but then again, what exactly is a festival these days?), but Pageturners Lounge’s 10-year anniversary concerts are pretty close.

The bar that counted among its owners Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst, located at 50th and Dodge, announced a 3-day concert line-up and it’s a scorcher. Each night features seven or more performers including the area’s best indie bands.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9:

Jake Bellows, Oquoa, Marcey Yates, Las Cruxes, Cat Piss, Digital Leather, Specter Poetics, & DJ Tyrone Storm

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10:

The Felice Brothers (NY), Mesonjixxx, M34n Str33t, Bug Heaven, Stathi, Solid Goldberg, & DJ Crabrangucci

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11:

David Nance & Mowed Sound, McCarthy Trenching, Hartford-Focht, Megan Siebe, Jim Schroeder, & Ben Eisenberger

Of course what’s missing from the above information are the set times, or even when each day’s music begins. I’d have to guess the shows start at around 5 or 6 p.m. The other question: How does all this fit into Pageturners’ relatively tiny confines? In the usual Pageturners’ fashion, I’m sure we’ll get the details the day before the shows begin. Keep an eye on the Facebook invitation for breaking news. 

Among the the biggest eyebrow-raisers in the Pageturners show line-ups is Jake Bellows, frontman of the legendary local band Neva Dinova. Jake’s listed to perform Sept. 9. Unless you’ve been living under a rock you already know that Saddle Creek Records just rereleased three classic Neva Dinova albums as well as a new Demos and C-Sides collection of previously unreleased b-sides and rarities, all on luscious vinyl. Order here from the Creek site.

Will we see an impromptu reunion of Omaha-based Neva Dinova members? That would be something, but highly doubtful, though Jake will likely play at least a couple of those Neva chestnuts a week from Friday. 

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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 © 2022 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by TIm McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Pageturners Lounge doesn’t do a great job getting the word out about their shows. I usually find out about them a day or so before they happen, and maybe that’s by design. Maybe these shows are last-minute deals. Who knows.

That said, tonight at Pageturners, New Yorkers Al Olender and James Felice are performing. Olender’s latest, Easy Crier (2022, self-release) is a gorgeous collection of singer-songwriter stuff that includes contributions by The Felice Brothers. In fact, James Felice recorded and produced the album. So I guess it makes sense that James is playing the opening set tonight (and I wouldn’t be surprised if they play together). This is a free show that starts at 8 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 © 2022 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Frigs take the Ten Questions survey. They play at Brothers Lounge tomorrow night. Photo by Caitlin McLafferty.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Toronto 4-piece noise punkers Frigs (formerly Dirty Frigs) play a dark, growling, acidic style of indie rock that either chugs angry and hot, or drags lethargically like a Robitussin-fueled nightmare.  On the band’s debut EP, Slush (2016, Arts & Crafts) the fast ones showcase front woman Bri Salmena sounding like a young Shirley Manson or Polly Jean Harvey as the band cranks like the reincarnation of Elastica. On the slower tracks, it’s all guitar chimes under water, backed by hypnotic, throbbing drums and Salmena spitting out the vitriol.

We asked Frigs to take our Ten Questions survey, Salmena and band member Edan Scime Stokell took the test:

What is your favorite album?

Bri Salmena: I hate this question because it changes, right all I want to listen to is Post Plague by Odonis Odonis.

Edan Scime Stokell: Rumors by Fleetwood Mac

2. What is your least favorite song?

Bri: Anything by Elvis Costello

Edan:  Anything by Janet Jackson

Bri: Edan you are insane.

3. What do you enjoy most about being in a band?

Bri: I think if the answer isn’t playing music something is wrong.

Edan: Feeling cool and getting attention.

4. What do you hate about being in a band?

Bri: I don’t really hate anything about being in a band…

Edan: Road poops

Bri:  Oh ya, maybe that.

5. What is your favorite substance (legal or illegal)?

Bri: Ummmm Pepto Bismol. It helps me tolerate all my favorite “other” substances.

Edan: beer

6. In what city or town do you love top perform?

Bri: Hometown shows are always fun, but it’s also nice to perform in front of a bunch of strangers. There is a certain amount of freedom for me to be as weird as I want. But i don’t really have an answer to your question.

Edan: New York City baby!

Bri: lol

7. What city or town did you have your worst gig (and why)?

Bri: Hmm, not sure. I feel like our first show in London, England, was pretty brutal. We had a lot of technical difficulties that made it really hard to play, but everyone was really nice.

Edan: Definitely London, yeah it was bad.

8. How do you pay your bills?

Bri: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Edan: I make pizza.

9. What one profession other than music would you like to attempt; what one profession would you absolutely hate to do? 

Bri: I studied Art History and want to go into art restoration if music is a bust. I would hate to do my job now as a real “profession” (sorry Mom, it’s just not for me!).

Edan: I’ve always dreamed of being an architect. I would hate to work in a hospital. I cant stand blood or guts or cuts or veins or stuff, ew.

10. What are the stories you’ve heard about Omaha, Nebraska?

Bri: I really like that song “Omaha” by Waylon Jennings, and I’ve heard really great things about Nathan Ma, the guy who booked us

Edan: Only the ones told by Bruce Springsteen on the album named after your glorious state.

Frigs play with Anna McClellan and Collin Duckworth & the Transcendental Lovers at Brothers Lounge, 3812 Farnam St. Tickets are $5, showtime is 9 p.m. For more information, go to facebook.com/brothersloungeomaha

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Over the weekend Hear Nebraska released a handful of performers who will be playing the three-day Lincoln Calling festival Oct. 6-8. I told you there were some big names:

Real Estate
Twin Peaks
Ceremony
Icky Blossoms
Esme Patterson
David Dondero
See Through Dresses
Plack Blague

There’s a shit-ton more (and bigger names) that will be announced Wednesday. Their plan to release names incrementally is working, apparently. Passes at the “early-bird” rate have sold out. Three day general admission passes are now $39 and will likely follow suit. Get them while you can at lincolncalling.com.

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Pageturners continues its summer music series tonight with Thick Paint, Graham Ulicny of Reptar’s one-man project. The 10 p.m. show is free.

While we’re at it, here’s the full calendar for Pageturner’s summer series. Impressive!

7/11 — Thick Paint
7/13 — Sam Martin / Pat Mainelli
7/18 — Digital Leather
7/20 — Closeness
7/22 — Phil Schaffart / Dan McCarthy
7/27 — Pro Magnum
8/1 — Noah Sterba / Ruby Block
8/3 — MiWi La Lupa / Justin Ready and Echo Prairie
8/6 — Tyrone Storm
8/8 — Chemicals
8/10 — Michael Favara / Mike Schlesinger
8/17 — Linemans Rodeo / The Shrinks
8/22 — Nathan Ma and the Rosettes

All shows are 10 p.m. start times and are free.

Also tonight, Atlanta garage band The Black Lips return to Omaha, this time to The Waiting Room. Not sure why they’re touring, as their last album came out a couple years ago. Trying out new material? Sounds like it could be a messy show, if this review of their gig last month at the 40 Watt Club is any indication. Chain and The Gang are opening. $15, 9 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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Brian Tait with spray can in hand during Friday night’s opening at The Polecat Little Gallery in Benson.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The weekend was spent recovering from the week — the birthday show and the opening of the Polecat Little Gallery Friday night. If you missed the gallery opening, you can still check out the show, which features local artist/musician/entrepreneur Brian Tait of Midtown Art Supply. Tait spent Friday evening creating a two-story-tall portrait of State Senator Ernie Chambers on a discarded Spearmint Rhino billboard hung from the outside wall of the gallery. While painting with with spray cans, Tait also performed with turntable, electric guitar, microphone and mixer. It was a surreal experience to say the least. It was fun. Thanks to everyone who stopped by.

Anyway, after multiple nights out we decided to take it easy on Saturday night and catch a movie, Love & Mercy, the Brian Wilson biopic showing at the AMC 24 way out west. It was a solid movie, this from a guy who isn’t the biggest Beach Boys fan in the world. Paul Dano will be mentioned when Oscar time comes rolling ’round, and possibly Paul Giamatti, who plays another in a series of slime balls. John Cusack in the role of Wilson in the ’80s seemed to be channeling Daniel Johnston rather than Wilson.

The best moments of the film were Dano playing Wilson during the making of Pet Sounds in the studio — in control, creative, working with a bunch of unheralded studio musicians as they made what arguably is one of the best albums ever released. I could have watched those sequences all night. The film is definitely worth the drive out west to catch while you can.

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Clay Masters of Iowa Public Radio strikes again with a strong story on the current state of the Omaha music scene that features Conchance, Laura Burhenn and Simon Joyner, who had the best line in the story: “The train stopped here for a minute and moved on…” Indeed it has. We hear why Conchance and Simon still live in Omaha; missing from the story is why Laura moved to Los Angeles over a year ago… I have to believe our brutal winters had something to do with it. The story aired on NPR. Listen below:

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There’s lots going on for a Monday night…

Kansas City indie act The Life & Times headlines at Reverb Lounge. It’s been awhile since these guys came through town. Opening is Little Brazil and nanaHara. $10, 9 p.m.

On the other side of the One Percent Complex (at least that’s what I’m calling it) Canadian indie band Mother Mother (Last Gang Records) headlines at The Waiting Room. Opening is the always entertaining John Klemmensen & the Party.  $15, 9 p.m.

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Finally, Pageturners in Dundee is hosting The Derby Birds and All Young Girls Are Machine Guns for a free gig that starts at 9 p.m. It’s part of Pageturners’ summer concert series — which boasts an impressive line-up. The rest of PTL’s summer schedule looks like this:

June 15 – The Felice Brothers
June 17 – Matt Amandus Jazz trio
June 22 – Rig 1
June 29 – The Burkum Boys

July 1 – Mitch Gettman & Pleiades and the Bear
July 6 – Cubby Philips / Michael Frederickson Quartert
July 7 – Carl Miller and the Trillers
July 8 – Sam Martin
July 13 – The Sun-less Trio
July 15 – Sean Pratt & David Kenneth Nance
July 20 – Super Ghost and Tie These Hands
July 22 – Kill County
July 27 – The Burkum Boys
July 29 – The Sunks and Mark Johnson

Aug. 3 – One Eye White
Aug. 4 – Carl Miller and the Trillers
Aug. 5 – Agronomo and the Ascenders
Aug. 10 – Oquoa
Aug. 12 – Simon Joyner and Danny Pound
Aug 17 – Omaha Guitar Trio
Aug. 19 – Luke Polipnick
Aug. 24 – Linemans Rodeo
Aug. 31 – The Burkum Boys

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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 © 2015 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Simon / Orenda poster

Tonight at the house Conor Oberst and Phil Schaffart built (I’m talking about Pageturners Lounge on Dodge Street) Simon Joyner and Orenda Fink will perform. The gig starts at 9 with Orenda joined by Ben Brodin and Christine Fink. They’re followed by Mr. Joyner, who I believe will be doing a solo set. The best part: The show is absolutely free. If you (like me) haven’t been to Pageturners yet, here’s your chance to check out this cool new bar and see two of the area’s best singer/songwriters.

When Pageturners opened last year the initial reports were that it would not host live shows. Since then, Dan McCarthy has become a regular performer on the bar’s piano, Chris Machmuller (of So-So Sailors) has done a set and now this. And why not? There’s always room for more stages in the Omaha music scene.

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Lazy-i Best of 2012

Speaking of Simon, his song “If I Left Tomorrow” is among the collection on this year’s Lazy-i Best of 2012 compilation CD, along with songs by Paul Banks, Tame Impala, Cat Power, Mere Mortals, The Faint, Ladyfinger, Pujol and a ton more.  The full track listing is here (scroll to the bottom). To enter the drawing to win a free copy send an email with your name and mailing address to tim.mcmahan@gmail.com. Hurry! Deadline is Jan. 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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Going through the ol’ mailbag…

James Reilly of Pharmacy Spirits tapped my shoulder via Facebook to say that he’s got a new band called Life Is Cool. Among the members: Eric Bemberger (ex-Beep Beep), Eli Mardock (ex-Eagle Seagull), Mike Elsener, Ben Armstrong and Kendra Campbell (Cat Island). They’ll be debuting Oct. 14 at Duffy’s in Lincoln, but you can check out a track from their SoundCloud page, below.

So is this a prescription for the end of Reilly’s other band, Pharmacy Spirits? Not at all. In fact Reilly said PS is recording a new EP right now with Mark Wolberg. And look out for PS drummer Courtney Nore’s new band Tubetop, which is the best new band name I’ve heard in a long time.

Life is Cook, JDWYD

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/57924407″ iframe=”true” /]

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What else…

Lincoln Calling announced its second round of bands for this year’s festival, slated for Oct. 9-14. You can see the current list and get other pertinent info at the Lincoln Calling website. The geographic breakdown:

Acts by city (21 cities total):

73 Lincoln

14 Omaha

5 Kansas City

4 Chicago

4 Omaha/Lincoln

2 Des Moines, San Diego

1 Baltimore, Denver, Kansas City/Lincoln, Lawrence, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New York, Paris, FR, Portland, OR, Provo, UT, Quincy, IL, Seattle, Springfield, IL, Stillwater, Twain Harte, CA

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Lots of early buzz about tomorrow night’s show at The Sandbox — Wild Nothing and Diiv. Both bands are red hot in the Pitchfork/indie world right now, and as a result of the interest, I’ve been getting questions about the venue.

The last time I was at the Sandbox was December 2011 for The STNNNG. Here’s the write-up/description of the venue. I’m told that since then they’ve added a new stage, new sound and professional lighting. But unless they’ve remodeled the entire upstairs of that building, it’s still going to have a warehouse/loft vibe, and as such, this gig could feel like a loft show. Depending on what you like, that’s either a good thing or a bad thing (from my point of view, it’s a good thing).

I’m told venue capacity is around 200, but as I’ve said, this isn’t your typical venue. Tickets are available online at mooseriot.com. As for parking, you’re on your own…

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Could the description of Pageturners Lounge in today’s OWH make the bar sound any more boring? “The sunken bar and dim lighting are reminiscent of retro Omaha neighborhood bars like the Holiday and the Interlude — places where (Phil) Schaffart and his friends have spent a lot of time over the years. And the menu is no-fuss — 10 beers on tap, another 25 in bottles and cans, four house cocktails (a fifth is coming as soon as one of the spirits comes in), and several dozen wines.” *yawn* Sounds like your run-of-the-mill hole-in-the-wall neighborhood bar, but maybe that’s what Phil and co-owner Conor Oberst were after. Mayhaps I’ll find out for myself this weekend…

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Tonight at The Waiting Room, Providence, RI noise-rock duo Lightning Bolt takes the stage. They’re one of those bands that bring the party to you,  playing directly on the floor instead of the stage. We’ll see if they follow suit tonight. Opening is Touch People (Darren Keen, ex-The Show Is the Rainbow). $10, 9 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 © 2012 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The June cover, June 1993

Sorry for the lack of updates this week. I’ve been on the side of a mountain on the outskirts of Breckenridge, Colorado, since last Sunday. Without WIFI, there was no way to update the blog. But really, when you’re on vacation, aren’t you supposed to set aside such menial tasks and try to reconnect with what’s important in life? Or at least drink as much as possible?

While gone, it was reported that Larry Boehmer, the man who turned The Zoo Bar in Lincoln into a national blues destination, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 65. There’s no denying the role Larry played in

Behind Bars, pg. 1, The Note, June 1993

Lincoln’s and Nebraska’s music scene — as well as the national blues scene — for decades.

Click on the three thumbnail images on the left side of the page (and then click on the images two or three more times to magnify the scans) to read a cover story about Larry and the history of The Zoo Bar written for The Note waaay back in June 1993 to mark the 20th anniversary of the bar. Read more memories of Larry here at hearnebraska.org and the obit in the Lincoln Journal Star. He will be missed.

Behind Bars, pg. 2, The Note, June 1993

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Also while I was gone, I got an email from Phil Schaffart saying that Pageturners, the new bar he’s launching with Conor Oberst, will open its doors for the first time at 4 p.m. today, Friday, Sept. 7. Pageturners the bar is located where Pageturners the bookstore used to be, just west of 50th Street on Dodge (right next to Goldberg’s). Expect a crush mob, paparazzi and plenty of happy drunks. Will Conor and Phil (and Roger) be standing next to the taps slinging drinks? Will someone pull out a guitar and belt out a few bars of “How Dry I Am” or “If Winter Ends”? As that song goes, “And so I drink to stay warm / And to kill selected memories…” Don’t we all? Now we all have a new place to do it…

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In this week’s column, a look at how Big Red mania engulfs everything in its path, and how we still don’t know what happened to UNO’s football team, or why it went down like it did. You can read it in this week’s issue of The Reader, or online right here.

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Let’s get  into what’s happening tonight and this weekend. Looks like I got back in town just in time…

It’s another “First Friday” in Benson. Look for art stuff happening along Maple Street throughout the evening. For details, go here.

While your stumbling around Benson gawking at all the art, drop in at The Sydney for Lightning Bug and Conchance. $5, 10 p.m.

Another hot ticket tonight is Toxie at The Brothers Lounge. Toxie (Goner Records) is a Memphis four piece with two guys and two girls playing endearing garage indie.. Check it out for yourself. Also on the bill are The Lupines and Solid Goldberg. $5, 9 p.m.

It’s back to Benson tomorrow night (Saturday) for a show I’ve been looking forward to for a few months. I’m not talking about Jake’s “Because We Can” block party, which is happening outside at 62nd and Military and features Satchel Grande, Noah’s Ark Was A Spaceship, Rock, Paper, Dynamite, Dim Light and Millions of Boys starting at 7 p.m. No, I’m talking about Twin Shadow at The Waiting Room.

Twin Shadow is Dominican-born George Lewis Jr. whose album Confess (4AD) is a dizzying trip back to ’80s electro-pop with a sound that recalls everything from General Public to Fine Young Cannibals to New Order to Peter Gabriel. For what it’s worth, Pitchfork gave it an 8.2 rating. It’s also one of my favorite albums so far this year for the sheer fun of it. Twin Shadow is one guy, so I have no idea what he’ll bring to the stage. For a gig last month in Seattle, Twin Shadow performed as a three-piece. Tickets are $12 today, $14 tomorrow. Opening is Sub Pop synth band Niki and The Dove. Starts at 9.

Twin Shadow, Five Seconds (4AD, 2012)

[soundcloud url=”http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/51888563″ iframe=”true” /]

If all that ’80s synth pop just ain’t your thing, check out the return of Peace of Shit to fabulous O’Leaver’s Saturday night with Killer Blow (Genie Molkentine on drums and vocals, Todd VonStup on guitar) and Mosquito Bandito. $5, 9:30 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 © 2012 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

According to our friends at the Omaha World-Herald, Phil “Con Dios” Schaffart and Conor Oberst got the OK from the Omaha City Council yesterday afternoon for the liquor license for Pageturners, their proposed bar at 5004 Dodge St., but with a couple weird provisions. Among them: They can’t sell single-servings of off-sale drinks, which I guess means I won’t be able to go there to pick up my nightly 40 of King Cobra. The story also quotes Super Attorney of the Stars Sean Kelley saying that there would be no “loud live music,” and that the room’s capacity will only be 50. Fifty? That’s a tiny friggin’ bar. To put it in perspective, I think Conor traveled with more than 50 musicians during his White Tuxedo Tour of 2002. Just glancing through the front window, there’s got to be more room in there than that.

Dundee Theatre

Speaking of new and improved Dundee establishments, check out my column in this week’s issue of The Reader (online here) with details about the top-to-bottom renovation of the Dundee Theatre, including returning the theater’s original live stage, last used during the vaudeville era. That’s right, The Dundee Theatre will host live stage performances in addition to movie screenings. If you’re like me and have been going to flicks at the Dundee for the past 30-odd years, news of its renovation is a big deal. Read about it here, and congrats to Denny Moran and wife Janet for making it happen.

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Looks like this year’s free Memorial Park concert June 29 will feature the King of Wonder Bread rock, Huey Lewis & The News — big step down from last year’s Cheap Trick show. Ah well, at least all the old folks in the neighborhood will be thrilled.

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Night Two of Big Al’s Free Music Fest features Gerald Lee, Jr. (Filter Kings), John Klemmensen and the Party and two bands I’ve never heard of. Like the name says, it’s free and starts at 9 at The Hideout, 320 So. 72 St. More info here.

Also tonight, Des Moines band Bright Giant plays at Slowdown Jr. with Lightning Bug. $7, 9 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 © 2012 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.