by Tim McMahan,  Lazy-i.com

Tonight at Slowdown, local alt/indie band Indian Caves is hosting their album release party for their new album, The Song Becomes the Curse.

Fronted by singer/guitarist Leslie Wells (ex-Flyover Country) with Joe Ranne (Arbor Vitae, The Atlas) on guitars; Dan Krueger (Someday Stories, Fine Fine Automobiles, Coyote Bones) on bass/synths; and Kyle Moeller (Adam Weaver and the Ghosts, Saltwater Sanctuary) on drums/synths, the album pushes more toward alt than indie, recalling mid-era Smashing Pumpkins. Wells even (at times) has ol’ baldy’s snarl, especially on album standouts, “Joanne” and “Math.” In fact, the entire back half of the 7-track, 35-minute LP reminds me of Mellon Collie anthems, though Caves pushes the prog envelope on 8-plus-minute “Seeds.” 

Krueger said the album was a true DIY effort, recorded in homes and rehearsal spaces throughout Omaha by edge-pushing genius Ian Aeillo. It’s a digital-only release for now, but Wells said they hope to press vinyl “down the road.”

Joining Indian Caves tonight at Slowdown’s front room are Dear Neighbor and Mild Temps, and Krueger said watch out for a special guest as well. $12, 8 p.m. 

Also tonight (Friday), local indie band Bug Heaven is hosting a farewell show at Reverb Lounge because one of the band members is moving to Philadelphia. Helping say goodbye is opening band Ghostlike. $10, 9 p.m. 

Tomorrow night (Saturday) is the big Built to Spill show at The Waiting Room. It’s the There’s Nothing Wrong with Love 30th Anniversary Tour, so expect to hear the album performed in its entirety (and in track order), along with random career selections as the encore (including “Time Trap”). Get there early to see seminal ‘90s indie band Quasi, who, having seen B2S too many times, is the real draw for me (Featuring ‘Birds’ is one of my all-time favorite albums, though it looks like they’re only doing “You Fucked Yourself” from that album on this tour). $30, 8 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 © 2024 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Quasi at Slowdown Jr., Oct. 3, 2013.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

You couldn’t ask for more from Quasi last night. The duo of Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss played a set that combined their best oldies with their best newies, the whole thing capped off with a long encore that included a keyboard-driven cover of “War Pigs.”

The 40 or so on hand at Slowdown Jr. last night were treated to no less then four songs off Featuring “Birds,” including “I Never Want to See You Again” “The Happy Prole” and “It’s Hard to Turn Me On.” In between they played new stuff off Mole City including, “You Can Stay But You Gotta Go” and “The Goat.”

The set was split in two by Coomes, who played the first half behind a distorted keyboard and the second behind a distorted Gibson. Weiss was a marvel on drums and filled out the sound with harmonies.

The set had me reconsidering Mole City, an album that I initially thought was just weird. The best way to listen to it is to cut out all the wonky minute-or-less filler noise tracks and focus on songs over 3 minutes in length. It would have been a solid 10-song album instead of a so-so 24-track double.

Last night’s set blew away the last time I saw them, at SXSW a couple years ago in support of the lackluster American Gong album where they didn’t play anything off their past catalog. The best moments last night were the hits, which Coomes supplied with a weathered panache that made them sound as fresh as they did when first performed 15 years ago.

Jeffrey Lewis at Slowdown Jr., Oct. 3, 2013.

Jeffrey Lewis backed by a bass player and a drummer played a set of funny, insightful, wordy folk-punk tunes that was as steeped as much in history as politics. Twice during the set Lewis played “storytime,” paging through a couple large hand-drawn comic books, one telling the story of the French Revolution, the other a brief history of comic book pioneer Alan Moore.

Set highlight was “WWPRD” — which stands for What Would Pussy Riot Do — which was both an ode to our Soviet punk rock heroes and a lessen for up-and-coming bands to ask themselves, “What piece of your soul are you willing to sell to be a success?” Not a bad lesson.

I did catch the last two songs by See Through Dresses and they were divine, though the vocals were lost in the mix. Great band, great music.

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Let’s get right to the weekend.

Tonight at The Waiting Room it’s the return of everyone’s favorite funky, funny man, Har Mar Superstar. Opening is Lizzo (Totally Gross National Product) and Snake Island. $12, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, at the Barley Street, It’s True returns, but only as a solo outing by Adam Hawkins and as an opener for his band Eros and Eschaton. $5, 9 p.m.

Down at Slowdown Jr., Seattle’s Hey Marseilles headlines with The Apache Relay and The Big Deep. $12, 9 p.m.

BTW, it’s Benson First Friday tonight…

Saturday’s headline show is, of course, Tim Kasher at The Waiting Room. With Laura Stevenson and our very on Brigadiers. $11, 9 p.m.

Also Saturday night, it’s the return of Langhorn Slim, this time to Slowdown Jr. with his band The Law. Opening is Jonny Fritz. $10, 9 p.m.

The sleeper show of the evening is Goon Saloon at O’Leaver’s with Routine Escorts and the debut of Gramps, a band who calls among its players Love Drunk video producer Django G-S. This might require that I do some bar-hopping Saturday. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Also worthy of attention, instrumental surf band The Sub-Vectors plays tonight at The Barley Street and sitting in one song is none other than John Tingle, former guitarist of legendary ’80s-’90s post-ambient band Digital Sex. Also on the bill, Winnebago Woman and Superbytes. $5, 9 p.m.

Finally Sunday, Blind Snake plays at O’Leaver’s with Flesh Eating Skin Disease. $5, 9:30 p.m.

And the Supersuckers play at The Waiting Room with Hellbound Glory. $15, 9 p.m.

Did I forget something? Put it in the comments. Have a good 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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.