The Wombats at The Waiting Room, Sept. 29, 2016

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I don’t go to as many shows as I used to. I blame my work schedule, my fitness schedule and the lack of quality shows for this. But the fact is, popular music has changed in a way that I simply don’t find interesting.

The Wombats are an example. The UK trio played a packed show last night at The Waiting Room. I’d never heard of the band prior to this gig, and the only reason I went last night was because the promo company behind the opening act offered me a spot on the list (and the fact that I had today off work).

While I’ve never heard of The Wombats a lot of people clearly have. You know you’re in for a crowded show when the club has cleared out all the tables and chairs, which was the case last night. Where these folks came from and how they heard of Wombats is a mystery. Maybe they’re getting radio play on The River (a station I avoid); because despite being hyped as an indie band, they’re certainly not played on Sirius XMU.

Though it’s been a few months since I’ve been to a Waiting Room show, I figured I’d see at least one person I knew in the mammoth (though not sold out) crowd. Instead, it was all new faces, most all younger than mine. So I was prepared to hear what’s hot with the next generation.

What I heard was a well-played set of songs that sounded like they were written to be used in car or restaurant commercials — gleamingly slick pop-rock anthems beautifully sung by frontman Matthew Murphy with sweet backing harmonies by the bassist and drummer. We’re talking an arena-quality performance of some of the blandest, most formulaic rock songs you’re likely to hear selling Taco Bell glop or Ford Fiestas. And the crowd loved it.

It’s odd that this kind of pre-fab pop music is being passed along as indie these days. Even Pitchfork has written about the Wombats last record (though they panned it). After hearing variations of the same anthem four or five times, I hit the door.

What about that opener I came to see? The band, Mona, is label mates with The Wombats but shares little else.

Mona at The Waiting Room, Sept. 29, 2016.

Frontman Nick Brown has a vocal presence similar to Roger Daltrey on the band’s records, and it came through on stage, though Brown is nowhere near the showman Daltrey is. A three-guitar five-piece, their bread and butter is slick mainstream rock anthems in the Kings of Leon / post-Pop U2 vein, which makes their sound somewhat dated, though no doubt compelling to a radio-fed audience like the one in TWR last night.

In the end, I was more impressed with Mona than Wombats, if only because they veered somewhat closer to something that resembles authenticity. All’s they need is to dirty up their sound a little, maybe find a nice, greasy garage and listen to some classic Oblivians albums, then see what happens…

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Here’s a quick rundown on the weekend…

The hottest show has to be The Mountain Goats at The Waiting Room tonight. The band is on the road supporting their latest, Beat the Champ (2015, Merge). Opening the show is Oh Pep!, which you read about in yesterday’s Ten Questions. $25, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, legendary Omaha outlaw country band The Filter Kings gets together again for a gig opening for Americana punk-country band The Punknecks at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Jeremy Mercy also is on the bill $5, 9:30 p.m.

If that wasn’t enough, check out the twisted, leather-clad porn-noise of Plack Blague at Reverb. With Ruby Block and Chalant. $6, 9 p.m.

Tomorrow night’s looking a bit thin. If you got ideas, put them in the comments section, otherwise it’s going to be a long night at The Brothers.

Sunday night Chicago folk rocker Ryley Walker plays at Reverb Lounge. His latest album, Golden Sings That Have Been Sung (2016, Dead Oceans) has been kicking my ass for the past few weeks. They call it blues rock — very brooding, very good.

Ryley did my 10 Questions survey. Here’s his take:

1. What is your favorite album?

Ryley Walker: Pink Floyd – Meddle

2. What is your least favorite song?

Joan Jett – “I Love Rock n Roll”

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

The happiness

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

The sadness

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

Yeah right, copper

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

Savannah, Georgia

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

Dallas. Every awful thing came to a head there.

8. How do you pay your bills?

Press “ignore” on my phone

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

Something in film. Would never want to be a bus boy again

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

Simon Joyner tells the best ones

Opening for Walker is Circuit des Yeux and our very own Simon Joyner. $12 Adv./$14 DOS. Showtime is 9 p.m.

That’s all I got. Like I said, 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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Wolf Alice plays Tuesday, April 12, at The Waiting Room.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

There’s a good reason why UK band Wolf Alice so quickly exploded on the global music scene. Though they officially formed as a duo between frontwoman Ellie Rowsell and guitarist Joff Oddie in 2010, the band in its current form has only been around for a few years, releasing their debut full length, My Love Is Cool (Dirty Hit Records/Sony) last year.

That album not only was critically lauded (nominated for a Mercury Music Prize) but the band also netted a Grammy nomination. Their sleek, blaring rock has been compared to everyone from Hole to Elastica to The xx. They remind me of early Garbage crossed with one of those dreamy 4AD bands, with brazen,  grungy hooks balanced by Rowsell’s beautiful, breathy coo.  It won’t take them long to jump from rock-club sized venues like The Waiting Room (where they play Tuesday night) to arenas and headliner status on the festival circuit. Catch then now when you can still get close enough to touch them.

The band took the Ten Questions challenge. Here’s how guitarist/vocalist Joff Oddie responded (to most of the questions, anyway).

1. What is your favorite album?

Wolf Alice’s Joff Oddie: The velvet underground and Nico – the velvet underground

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

Seeing people be brought together through our music is a really special thing. There are kids we know all over the world who are now friends and go to shows together through listening to Wolf Alice. That’s a special feeling when you see that.

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

Not being able to cook for myself whilst on long trips on the road. I really miss the kitchen. Sunday’s roasts..

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

Champagne. If you are coming to a show of ours then please bring champagne.

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

Wherever there’s a good crowd we’ll have a good show. We love the states. Been making trips here for about 18 months now and we always love it. You guys know how to treat a band!

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

We had a nightmare show in London once at a small venue called The Lexington. It’s a great venue but all our shit just broke and we were standing on stage for about 20 minutes telling jokes while people tried to fix our shit. That was horrible.

8. How do you pay your bills?

With money…. ??

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

I trained to be a teacher before Wolf Alice so I’d like to do that. Or maybe a butcher.

I don’t think I’d last long in the military.

Wolf Alice plays with Slaves (UK), Tuesday, April 12, at The Waiting Room, 6212 Maple Street.. Showtime is 9 p.m. Tickets are $15 Adv./$17 DOS. For more information, visit onepercentproductions.com

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I would suggest if you’re planning to see Wolf Alice tomorrow night, it might be a good idea to get your tickets now. Yeah, I know advance tickets cost about a dollar more than DOS (which is upside-down, but you know how ticket fees work), cuz I’ve got a feeling this could sell out like Saturday night’s Kurt Vile show. Just sayin’…

Speaking of the weekend.

Foxtails Brigade at The Sydney, April 9, 2016.

Saturday night I was down the street from that Vile show watching Foxtails Brigade at The Sydney. The four-piece, anchored by Laura Weinbach on vocals, played two styles of rock. I preferred the more  straight-forward style that was reminiscent of early Suzanne Vega, thanks to the folk-rock fueled melodies and Weinbach’s flute-like vocals, which I would have loved to hear more of.

Countering this were prog-rock style songs with bracing time changes and melody shifts that sounded like improv jazz fused with jangle-pop. There were moments that had a sort of renaissance fare quality circa ’70s Jethro Tull. I was waiting for Anton Patzner to pick up the violin I saw him tuning prior to the set, but we didn’t stick around long enough to hear it.

Sunday afternoon I swung by Almost Music’s new location in the Blackstone District for the Ryley Walker in-store and noticed that they painted the building yet again. The striking yellow had been painted black, except for one charming yellow heart. I’m sure there’s a story behind the change.

The new Almost Music — and new Solid Jackson Books, which shares the building — is impressive, roomy and well organized, with gorgeous old-style floor tile, high ceilings and even more product than the old Benson store. The bookstore also is a big improvement over the old location, with high book cases and even more volumes to look through.

Ryley Walker at Almost Music, April 10, 2016.

I got there too late to see opener Ian O’Neil from Deer Tick, but just in time to catch Walker, who was set up with a small PA in the bookstore-side of the building. His gorgeous, intricate guitar style perfectly suited his beautiful modern-day folk songs that left the crowd of 20 or so lost in the performance.

Almost Music last week announced the line-up of its annual Record Store Day music festival, which takes place all day next Saturday. Here it is:

12:00 – Nathaniel Hoier
1:00 – John Klemmensen and the Party
2:00 – Brad Hoshaw Music
3:00 – Bien Fang
4:00 – Hand Painted Police Car
5:00 – See Through Dresses
6:00 – Sucettes
7:00 – The Shrinks
8:00 – Ramon Speed

I suspect we’ll be hearing tons more about RSD in the coming days…

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Seems like Milk Run has a show every night. I don’t know how Chris Aponick and Sam Parker do it. Tonight it’s Slumberland Records artist Bent Shapes. Their new album, Wolves of Want, netted a 6.8 on the ol’ Pitchfork meter in a review that called their music “inherently likeable.” Like all Milk Run shows there are three more performers on tonight’s bill: Atlanta’s Hello Ocho, Bed Rest and Little Ripple. $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.