by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Prior to last Friday’s Porches show I knew very little about the band other than the brief research and listening needed to write the preview earlier that morning. I spent a few hours with their last couple albums, wherein I found their latest, Shirt, more to my liking than the previous album, if only because it was, well, less focused. Even then, frontmat/singer/songwriter Aaron Maine’s scratchy voice – augmented by electronics or autotune (or something) – often came off as meandering and twee.

What Porches presented to a crowd of around 50 Friday night at Reverb Lounge was completely different. Playing as a traditional four-piece (two guitars, bass and drums – no synths in sight), Maine and his cohorts reinvented themselves into a modern slacker-indie rock band, revving up Porches’ bedroom songs into rock anthems.

No longer tied to an auto-tuner or electronic effects (or if there was a pedal doing something, I couldn’t tell), Maine’s usual gravel whisper shifted into a full-blown growl. The comparison musically and vocally is possibly Car Seat Headrest, with Maine sounding like an adult Will Toledo if Will had grown up listening to Kurt Cobain (which he probably did). 

The 16-song set (plus a three-song encore) was highlighted by rock versions of songs off the latest album (including opener “Rag,” “Joker” and “Bread Believer,”) but also drew from older material (a ripping version of “Range Rover” from 2020’s Ricky Music and crowd requested “Underwater” from 2016’s Pool were set highlights). 

A live recording of Friday night’s set definitely would be on heavy rotation in my earbuds/VW car stereo if one existed. I had a similar pleasant-surprise experience when Spirit of the Beehive played at Slowdown a few years ago. That band’s albums are hard-to-swallow audio experiments to my ears, but live, they transformed into a rock-hard indie band unrecognizable from their recordings. More of that, please.

Side note: This also was one of the loudest shows I’ve seen at Reverb – my Apple Watch sound meter kept going off, warning me of high dBs. Happy I had my earplugs…

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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

Onward to the weekend!

Tonight (Friday) there’s a sort of reunion of classic ’00s-era indie act Mal Madrigal at Pageturners lounge. Stephen Bartolomei and Mike Saklar, two of the band’s original members, have worked up 12 Mal Madrigal songs for tonight’s set. Will they do my favorite, “A Broken Window”? Headlining tonight is Wedding, a new project by Anna Schulte that includes Bokr Tov’s Colby Jenkins on bass, and Zachary Roland on percussion. Wedding will be recording at ARC next month with Nate Van Fleet (See Through Dresses) behind the knobs.  Poet Alina Nguyen also is on the bill. 9 p.m. Donations encouraged.

How about a night at the theater?

Tonight I’ll be checking out Ghost Brothers of Darkland County, the new production at the Benson Theatre. I think it’s a musical? I’m not sure, but apparently the play’s music and lyrics are by John Mellencamp based on a book by Stephen King. This is the last weekend for the show. Tix are $25, 7 p.m. curtain.

On to Saturday…

This week’s big touring indie show is Porches at Reverb Lounge. It’s a project by New Yorker Aaron Maine, whose latest album, Shirt, was released on Domino in September to mildly positive reviews. Maine went out of his way to rough things up this time and it’s a welcome improvement over the borderline emo-pop of his previous album, All Day Gentle Hold! (2021, Domino). Dreamy New Yorker sweet93 (very Mazzy Star) opens at 8 p.m. $30, 8 p.m. 

Meanwhile across town, fabulous O’Leaver’s is hosting their big Halloween show Saturday night headlined by tractor punk mavericks Wagon Blasters with In Tongues and Frankie Chiaro. Costume are “highly recommended!” This $10 party starts at 9 p.m. 

Back in Benson Saturday night, Chicago musical comedy duo Griefcat headlines at The Sydney. Music Connection described them this way: “Super hilarious lyrics coupled with very nice music and great vocals is a recipe for success.” You be the judge. $10, and no opener for this early 6 p.m. show.

Are these early shows going to become a thing? Sunday’s Bazile Mills show at Reverb Lounge starts at 5 p.m. with a set by Straight2Munich. $12.

Anyway, 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 © 2024 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I’ve been burning a hole in my iPhone listening to the new album by Portland rock band Metropolitan Farms. Wha? Never heard of them?

Metropolitan Farms is the latest project by legendary former Nebraska drummer Joe Kobjerowski. Joe was the drummer in seminal ’90s Omaha tractor punk bands Frontier Trust and Pioneer Disaster as well as Darktown House Band, among others. He moved to Portland a long time ago (more than a decade ago?).

Out of the blue last week I saw that Metropolitan Farms is having a CD release show at Portland’s The Foggy Notion this weekend for their latest album, Oafish Twist, which is available on Bandcamp. It’s the best $7 I’ve spent this year. The album  is loaded with well-crafted jangle-pop rock songs reminiscent of acts like The dBs, Tommy Keene and The Smithereens.

I asked Joe how he met the guys in Metropolitan Farms.

“I was playing in a band out here called The Lodge Club (with Dave Sullivan and Nancy Wieblehaus…both Nebraska folks also…Dave played in the legendary Lincoln band, Trout Mystery, and Nancy played with Dave Cosgrove in a couple different bands) and one night we played with a band called Metropolitan,” Kobjerowski said. “They were a weird and quirky pop band with great songs.  But, more importantly, they were _super_ awesome people.”

He said they all quickly became friends. “A year or so later, Metropolitan was in the middle of a recording project when they asked if I wanted to come by, learn two or three songs, and record with them.  After that, I just sort of kept forcing myself on them until I was in the band permanently.  Eventually, Metropolitan dissolved and Josh (Mayer, guitar), Linc (McGrath, bass) and I became Metropolitan Farms.”

Kobjerowski said the band has been working on this new album for three years. Will we ever get a chance to see and hear them play on an Omaha stage? Highly doubtful, Joe said. The band’s never toured before, and isn’t likely to. So you’ll just have to enjoy them on your stereo system. Go to their Bandcamp page and download a copy. You’ll thank me later.

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Milk Run is on a roll. Tonight their hosting Porches, who I described back in April as: “Porches is Aaron Maine, a NYC musician who recorded his debut full-length, Pool (2016, Domino), mostly in his Manhattan apartment before sending it to LA to be mixed by Chris Coady (Beach House, Grizzly Bear). The production is crisp with bouncing rhythms and glowing synths that sit beneath Maine’s bright vocals.”  Also on the bill are Japanese Breakfast (Michelle of Little Big League) and Rivergazer. $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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

 

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Today you get two sets of Q&As from two artists performing at The Slowdown tonight.

Your Friend is Taryn Miller who plays warm, ethereal music that sounds like ambient shoe-gaze. If you wanted to put a genre label on her style, you could maybe lump it in with chillwave (along with Porches) thanks to its downtempo pop nature, though Miller’s music has more depth than that.

Living in Lawrence, Kansas, Miller toured with Courtney Barnett before recording her debut album, Gumption, released this past January on Domino. The 8-track collection features Miller’s cooing voice crooning tonally over a dense bed of synths and thick beats, creating music that sounds both lost and gorgeous.

We asked Taryn to take our Ten Questions interview. Here’s what she had to say:

1. What is your favorite album?

Your Friend: I don’t necessarily feel like I can ever truly answer that. I will say that Odessey and Oracle (by The Zombies) would be on a list of favorites though.

2. What is your least favorite song?

I feel the same about this question but I can say that I don’t think I’ve ever been too excited about hearing that “What does the fox say,” song.

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

The act of playing the songs physically. In any fashion, show setting and rehearsal alike.

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

Feeling like I’m letting anyone down.

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

Coffee. Stimulants! Hahah.

6. What city or town do you love performing at?

I don’t have a favorite quite yet but I’m quite fond of our West Coast runs in general.

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

Pittsburgh on our last tour was pretty rough. It was a newer venue and I remember not getting a soundcheck. I pushed myself too hard vocally that night and lost my voice during some point in the set.

8. How do you pay your bills?

Day jobs. I’m comfortable with the idea of having one indefinitely. Haha!

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

I’ve had a rigid desire to get into woodworking at some point. I don’t think I could be content working in a cubicle or similar setting. It would depend on the line of work.

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

I’ve heard really good things about the art scene. I drove there solo once, on a whim once to see Daniel Johnston on one of his last tours. It’s a special memory in the archives.

Porches is Aaron Maine, a NYC musician who recorded his debut full-length, Pool (2016, Domino), mostly in his Manhattan apartment before sending it to LA to be mixed by Chris Coady (Beach House, Grizzly Bear). The production is crisp with bouncing rhythms and glowing synths that sit beneath Maine’s bright vocals. The overall tone is mostly winsome and flowing like walking along a beach on a sunny day holding a big red balloon, while pop songs like the galloping “Hour” might actually get some Nebraska butts moving tonight.

Maine also agreed to the Ten Questions inquisition. His thoughts below.

1. What is your favorite album?

Porches: On the Beach by Neil young is one of my faves

2. What is your least favorite song?

Don’t have one.

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

Playing music to people.

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

Nothing

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

Water

6. What city or town do you love performing at?

New York

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

In Detroit one band member was mugged and had passport stolen.

8. How do you pay your bills?

Cash

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

Painter; toll booth attendant

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

None

Porches plays with Your Friend and Alex G Tuesday, April 5, at The Slowdown, 729 No. 14th St. Showtime is 8 p.m. Admission is $$12. For more information, visit theslowdown.com.

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A couple other shows happening on this busy Tuesday night:

Over at The Waiting Room, Brooklyn baroque pop band San Fermin (Downtown Records) headlines with Esmé Patterson. $14, 8:30 p.m.

Also tonight, Japanese punk rock duo Mugen Hoso plays at Milk Run with Crown Larks, Black Finger Cult and Heavy Lungs. $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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.