Macaulay Culkin and Axel Rose separated at birth? One of them plays at The Waiting Room tonight…

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

If Hunter S. Thompson were still alive here’s how he would describe Black Friday: A long, plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs; a profoundly degenerate world, a living web of foulness, greed and treachery. Actually, that’s how he described the TV industry, but it seems oddly appropriate. Especially the greed part.

But Black Friday is in all our American blood now. I will only partake in the records/vinyl/albums part of the event, seeking out whatever decent limited edition vinyl I can find, though I suspect I’ll be buying most of my albums used from Almost Music or Homer’s used bins. Looking over the official RST list, there’s not much that interests me, except for maybe that American Hustle soundtrack. But by the time I get to the stores, no doubt they’ll all be gone. Oh well.

Busy night tonight.

There’ve been a lot of people excited about the Macaulay Culkin cover band, Pizza Underground, who play tonight at The Waiting Room. I’m told the shtick involves Velvet Underground covers and a few others (maybe Nirvana) done up in an acoustic style reminiscent of early Tilly and the Wall. This from someone who’s seen it before (I will not divulge his identity, but you can figure it out). Is it me or is Culkin starting to look like Axel Rose? Co-headlining tonight’s Waiting Room bill is good ol’ Har Mar Superstar (featuring our very own Denver Dalley). Opening is Rig 1, the hip-hop project of Desaparecidos keyboardist Ian McElroy. Also on the bill is Candy Boys. Is it the same Candy Boys in the video below? Anyway. $15, 9 p.m. Expect a crowd.

Also tonight, Matt Whipkey and his band play at Reverb Lounge with Edge of Arbor. Hear Matt and the boys play some new material from Matt’s forthcoming album (due in 2015). $7, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, over at fabulous O’Leaver’s it’s a last-minute free show featuring New Lungs. No other band is listed on the bill, so we’re talking three solid hours of D-Max and Company (just kidding)(but wouldn’t that be awesome?). Starts at 10 p.m.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) See Through Dresses returns to The Reverb Lounge with local indie supergroup Oquoa and Thinkin Machines. $8, 9 p.m.

Over at O’Leaver’s Saturday night McCarthy Trenching headlines a bill that includes Anna McClellan, Annie Dee and Michael Todd. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Over at The Side Door Lounge, The Derby Birds play with The Woodwork. This one’s free and starts at 9.

And Satchel Grande headlines at The Waiting Room Saturday night with John Klemmensen and the Party and All Young Girls Are Machine Guns. $7, 9 p.m.

If I missed your show, add it to the comments section. Have a good 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 © 2014 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.