by Tim McMahan,  Lazy-i.com

When the project first emerged in the mid-2000s, WHY? was classified as an “alternative hip-hop” band fronted by Cincinnati rapper/singer Yoni Wolf. And there certainly was plenty of rap to go around on their 2008 breakthrough album Alopecia (Joyful Noise Records).

And while there’s very little rap to be heard on WHY?’s latest, The Well I Fell Into (2024, Waterlines), the songs’ rhyme and meter often sound like sung rap lyrics, with their tumble-on lines that could have been spoken over a thick beat instead of sung atop the often dense, bouncing arrangements (produced by Brian Joseph of Sufjan Stevens/Bon Iver fame). 

In some ways, WHY? has evolved along a similar path as Beck, whose early nonsense lyrics left people scratching their heads at their meaning, which sometimes happens with these lyrics, though the album’s overshadowing theme involves moving through life with a broken heart, or as the one-sheet explains: “The new LP is an autopsy of heartbreak as it charts the ups and downs of a devastating breakup while trading bitterness for healing.”

While some tracks are slow-burn pain anthems (the forlorn “Marigold,” the downcast “Jump”), the album’s center pieces consist of more upbeat slow-burn pain anthems. At their best (“Atreyu,” “The Letters, Etc.”), the songwriting recalls Magnetic Fields or even Sufjan.

In addition to usual bandmates Josiah Wolf, Doug McDiarmid and Andrew Broder, that album includes collaborations with indie up-and-comers Ada Lea, Gia Margaret, Finom’s Macie Stewart, as well as Lala Lala’s Lillie West and Serengeti. 

In support of the Sept. 24 headlining show at Slowdown, we caught up with WHY?, who agreed to take the infamous Ten Questions survey. Here are the answers (presumably provided by Yoni himself):

1. What is your favorite album?

The Range of Light Wilderness s/t.

2. What is your least favorite song?

Some kind of loud white blues rock guitar shit that feels like it should accompany a commercial for Fireball or Jack Daniel’s. 

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

Sitting in a van listening to audiobooks. 

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

Sitting in a van after my AirPods die.

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

Spring water.

6. In what city or town do you love to perform (and why)?

Omaha of course because it is objectively the greatest city in the world. 

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

Small town in Slovenia called Murska Sobota. We played for about 10 teenage boys at a tiny rec center, or maybe a halfway house with grease-stained walls. They were making fun of us the whole time and there was a threatening air about the place. Runner up would be the time we played a Quiznos in a student center in Michigan. 

8. Are you able to support yourself through your music? If so, how long did it take to get there; if not, how do you pay your bills?

Yes, I am. It only took a few years to be able to do this but I am very frugal and lived off of cans of beans for the first decade. 

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

I think I’d like being a therapist or a visual artist. I wouldn’t be good as a cop or anyone that works in a hospital (phobias). 

10. What stories have you heard about Omaha, Nebraska

I just know about Warren Buffett, Conor Oberst, Saddle Creek, lots of steak, flatness, cows (alive), and people drinking a lot. It’s like a secular, sinful Salt Lake City.  

WHY? plays with NNAMDÏ Tuesday, Sept. 24, at Slowdown. Tickets are $20; showtime is 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 © 2024 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Lincoln Calling yesterday announced the line-up for this year’s festival, to be held Sept. 22-24 in venues throughout the downtown Lincoln metroplex, including Duffy’s, Zoo Bar, Bodega’s Alley, 1867 Bar, and the big stages — The Bourbon, the outdoor Night Market and Duffy’s Backlot.

The headliner is Pennsylvania pop-punkers The Menzingers, whose latest, 2020’s From Exile, was released on Epitaph. Other notable touring indie acts include The Velveteers, whose last album, 2021’s Nightmare Daydream, was produced by Dan Auerbach; and surf punk act Together Pangea. Just as interesting is the selection of local talent, which includes David Nance Band, BIB, M34n Str33t, Cat Piss and Uh Oh.

But wait, there’s more. “A second wave of over 20 additional acts… will be announced in July,” says the LC folks. Tix go on sale to the general public Friday for $55 “with a limited quantity available at that price.” When those are gone, tix are $65. And day passes will be sold in July. More info including the full list of bands is at LincolnCalling.com.

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Hey, just a head’s up if you (literally) didn’t get the memo — that Chvrches show that was originally slated for The Admiral tonight has been moved to The Bourbon in Lincoln. I’m trying to save you a trip down to South Omaha for nothing.

BTW, The Admiral folks have begun posting photos of the newly remodeled space, and it’s looking very nice indeed. Again, will it be ready for Bright Eyes July 2-3?

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Well, the College World Series gets underway this week. In addition to making downtown Omaha a cluster, it means that The Slowdown will be essentially “show-less” for the next two weeks. Slowdown’s next scheduled show is Lilly July 1. I don’t begrudge The Slowdown for putting up the beer tents and booking the cover bands for the next two weeks and taking home as much of CWS fans’ disposable income as possible…

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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.

Everyone’s favorite indie music tastemakers, Pitchfork, published an article Monday where it interviewed operators of 36 independent music venues on surviving COVID-19. Among them was Jason Kulbel of Slowdown.

The article gives a (very) brief history of the bar, described as being best know for “Modernizing live music in Omaha.”

“Before the pandemic, Kulbel had hoped 2020 would be one of the most successful years in Slowdown’s history,” says writer Andy Cush. “Today, they’re operating with a reduced staff and plan to resume limited-capacity shows with local bands in April.”

Kulbel gives a rather bleak view of what lies ahead.

Said Kulbel in the article: “‘Reopening is going to be really hard, because everything that you had before is gone. The staff is gone, the shows are gone. We’re opening with all local stuff, which is fine, but it’s not going to bring people out, it’s not what people really want to see as a whole. So you’re going to be opening as a skeleton of yourself. It would almost be easier just to open a brand new place.’”

Would it really?

Kulbel goes on to cite Against Me! as one of his favorite shows, though it’s not his favorite band. Read the full Slowdown section here.

Other Midwest venues featured in the Pitchfork article include First Avenue, Wooly’s in Des Moines, and The Hideout in Chicago.

Check out the full article here.

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Speaking of COVID-19, my column in this month’s issue of The Reader is about my experience getting Moderna’s and how the anti-vaxxers are going to really screw things up for the rest of us. Mark my words, we’re going to be wearing masks for a long time because of the conspiracy theorists and their reticence for getting shots.

The column is online here and, of course, in print wherever you find your copy of the The Reader.

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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 © 2021 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Tonight’s Journey tribute show (Recaptured) at Slowdown is the club’s first indoor show in 385 days. And as you might have guessed, the rules have changed since their last show.

Guest and staff are required to wear masks when entering and moving around the club. A mask is recommended but not required if you’re seated at a table. See all the COVID rules here.

This is in line with most other venues’ rules. One new one that I haven’t seen before at Slowdown: Re-entry is not permitted. This is a curious addition, and I’m not sure why it’s there. I have a feeling there will be a few other surprises as part of the post-COVID era…

Anyway, it’s a $15 general admission show, but you can also buy balcony seating at $25. A glance at the seating chart shows that most table seating is considered balcony seating, but there must be tables further back that are not “balcony”? Show starts at 8:30.

Not to be outdone, The Waiting Room has a Garth Brooks tribute show tonight that’s $15 and starts at 8:30 p.m.

That’s it for shows this weekend. We’re all still waiting for some indie local and national shows to return, but that’s a ways off. Get vaccinated. That might change the equation.

Speaking of vaccinations, my vaccination journey is outlined in my column in this month’s issue of The Reader. Find it. It’s not online yet.

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It’s another Bandcamp Friday, which means Bandcamp today is waving its fees taken from your download purchases from their website. Most labels are following suit.

For what to buy locally, I point you again to this article, that lists a ton of local stuff available on Bandcamp.

There are others who always have new merch, including Lightning Stills, Flight School, Simon Joyner, Problems, and Dereck Higgins. There needs to be a Nebraska online marketplace where one can easily find links to new music released by Nebraska artists.

Here’s some stuff I’ve been listening to that you should check out/buy today on Bandcamp Friday:

Parannoul, To See the Next Part of the Dream – This Korean-language shoe-gaze act got a rave write-up in Pitchfork and is indeed mesmerizing. You can’t understand what they’re singing, but when it comes to shoe-gaze, what else is new? Bandcamp link.

Cassandra Jenkins, An Overview on Phenomenal Nature (Ba Da Bing!) – This is one of the break-out recordings of early 2021. Lead track “Michelangelo” is a heart breaker. Bandcamp link.

Wild Pink, A Billion Little Lights (Royal Mountain) – Gorgeous indie from NYC. As good as this sort of thing gets. Bandcamp link.

Kneeling in Piss. The Columbus, Ohio, band has a new EP coming out (not out yet) called Types of Cults that is like next-generation Parquet Courts. They’ve been around for awhile. A new favorite. Bandcamp link.

Mixtape for the Milky Way – The latest by Minneapolis’ Jeremy Messersmith is a sweet collection by one of the country’s best singer/songwriters. Bandcamp link.

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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 © 2021 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Here’s just a big ol’ stew of music news to chew on over your live-music-less weekend…

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Call it a protest song or simply the voicing of pure rage, but yesterday the track “The Potential of Getting Violent,” popped up on Bandcamp by a band named Koso. The brooding, dark rocker is a white-knuckle indictment of those involved in the James Scurlock homicide, name-checking everyone from Jacob Gardner to Don Kleine to Jean Stothert by someone who sounds very familiar with the matter. Among the song’s most barbed lines:

So we can’t defund police
Cause murderers will run free
I know one that you missed
He murdered a man in the streets

The only information listed about Koso is that the band is from Omaha. All proceeds from purchases of the track “will be donated to the family of James Scurlock.” Check it out below.

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Yesterday Maha and Slowdown announced a partnership for a series of outdoor concerts to be held in the Slowdown parking lot in the coming weeks.

Running every Friday and Saturday from Sept. 18 to Oct. 3, the events feature a range of locals acts, and marks a reopening of sorts for The Slowdown, which has been closed since March due to the pandemic.

From the press release:

“We have this large lot, the weather is still in our favor, bands are available to play, and there’s a way to do this safely,” said Slowdown owner Jason Kulbel.

“We’re beyond thrilled to have the chance to help put on something fun while it’s still 2020,” added Maha Executive Director Lauren Martin. “Plus, Omaha’s live music venues are hurting badly, and supporting events like these is one way to help.” 

The set up will be a bit awkward, as is necessary with COVID-19 still blazing through our community. “The lot will be divided into individual sections, or ‘pods,’ each with a maximum capacity of 10 people,” says the press release. “Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair, and face masks must be worn at all times when outside of your pod.” It’s not clear as to whether you share the pod with people you came with or with strangers. For example, if I buy one ticket, do I get my own pod or do I have to get in a pod with a bunch of strangers to fill it to the 10-person capacity? I’m sure we’ll find out before the first concert, which is next Friday, Sept. 18, with Clarence Tilton and Pony Creek.

Here’s the full schedule:

Sept. 18: Clarence Tilton/Pony Creek; $15, 6:30 p.m. start time
Sept. 19: Rhythm Collective, Ro Hempel Band, Dereck Higgins; $15, 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 25: Kolby Cooper, Pecos & the Rooftops; $15, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 26: Andrea von Kampen, Matt Cox; $15, 4 p.m.
Oct. 2: PetRock; $25, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 3: Mesonjoxx, And How, Cameron Logsdon, Anginas Sada, Those Far Out Arrows, Kethro; $15, 3 p.m.

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The folks at the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) Tuesday sent out yet another letter asking folks to please, please, please write your congressmen and tell them to support the Save Our Stages Act, a bi-partisan relief bill to assist independent venues as they try to survive through the COVID-19 pandemic. So far, nearly 2 million letters of support have been sent by fans urging passage of the bill.

The NIVA letter said the bill now has 144 co-sponsors. And while no Nebraska senators are among them, Nebraska District 2 Congressman Don Bacon was listed as having signed on as a co-sponsor. This, of course, comes as something as a shock, as I assumed no Republican from Nebraska gave a shit about live music, but here you go. Give credit where credit is due.

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Finally, yesterday Anna McClellan, one of my favorite Omaha musicians, announced her new album, I Saw First Light, is coming out Nov. 20 on cool indie label Father/Daughter Records (Diet Cig, Pure Bathing Culture, Bent Shapes).

From the press release: “The album was recorded over two weeks with a multitude of local cohorts, and it documents Anna’s journey from the Midwest to the east coast and back again, probing both the roots of her creative impetus and her ongoing commitment to social issues.”

Preorder here, and check out the first two tracks, “Pace of the Universe,” and “Desperate,” below:

That’s all I got. Have a great weekend!

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily (if there’s news) 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 © 2020 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The Slowdown announced two upcoming concerts featuring full bands. No, you can’t attend. Both are livestream events.

The first is Omaha punk newcomer No Thanks and hip-hop royalty Marcey Yates (a.k.a. Op2mus), Thursday, May 21 at 8 p.m. (RSVP/tickets here).

The second features two of Omaha’s most beloved punk/indie bands — Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship and Little Brazil Saturday, May 23 at 8 p.m. (RSVP tickets/here).

These are not free streams. Tickets are $5, and ticket holders will receive a link to the event 48 hours and 10 minutes prior to start time. The shows begin at 8:15 p.m.

No doubt you’ll get your money’s worth. Expect the highest quality stream experience possible, with sound by house engineer Dan Brennan and video production by Love Drunk’s Django Greenblatt-Seay – it doesn’t get any better.

All acts will be performing on the big stage, making them safe from a social-distancing perspective.

I intend to tune in for both, and have to wonder if this livestream approach is successful if it isn’t something Slowdown will continue even after COVID has gone its merry way. Because some nights you just want to stay in, but you don’t want to miss the rock…

Speaking of livestreams… there’s a red hot one going on tonight.

Tonight at 6 p.m. via their Facebook page ( https://www.facebook.com/ramon.speed ) tune in for a performance by Ramon Speed (Unread Records).

Tomorrow night (Saturday) Matt Cox is live from Mars House starting at 7 p.m. Go to Facebook to watch the stream.

While we’re talking streams, Low End, the new performance space that used to be Bemis Underground, is hosting a livestream Thursday, May 14 , featuring FXTHR^, the sound collage art of Dustin Bushon. More info here.

I’m sure there’s more live streams going on this weekend I don’t know about. If I missed yours, 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 © 2020 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Jason Kulbel who runs The Slowdown yesterday forwarded me a copy of the letter written by NIVA that was sent to Washington outlining how the live music industry and its participants will quickly go the way of the dinosaur unless Congress does something now to help support them during and after the COVID pandemic.

NIVA is the National Independent Venue Association, a just-formed organization that currently has more than 900 charter members in 50 states, including all the legendary clubs we know and love like 9:30 Club in D.C., First Avenue, Bowery Ballroom, Mohawk in Austin and of course our very own Slowdown, The Waiting Room/Reverb/Sydney and fabulous O’Leaver’s.

The first half of the letter, which you can read in its entirety right here, explains the role music venues, promoters and artists play in our economy, our culture, the very fabric of our country. Next it outlines the problem — how venues were the first to close and likely will be the last to reopen, and how everyone involved is being impacted, and how historic, iconic institutions could be forced into permanent closure.

Finally, the letter outlines solutions, including flexible and abundant federal loan programs, tax relief, unemployment insurance, mortgage and rent forbearance, debt deferral and recovery funds.

Those recovery funds and tax credits will help venues comply with new health guidelines when they’re allowed to reopen.

Another key provision: “Establishing national guidelines for resuming and continuing large gatherings in a safe manner to ensure uniformity throughout the industry.” This is critical because without it, there’s no way artists and promoters could schedule tours without knowing which states’ venues are able to book shows; without national guidelines each state would do its own thing and that would be a mish-mash, patchwork approach.

Unfortunately, Trump doesn’t appear to support those kinds of national guidelines, leaving it up to the states to decide. Oh what a mess he’s made.

I was skeptical when I saw this letter, figuring most members of Congress don’t know a thing about the entertainment industry. But Kulbel wisely pointed out that Congressional staffers know what’s going on; they frequent venues and understand what role they play in communities. He’s optimistic.

Kulbel continues to book shows at Slowdown despite the constant wave of cancellations so the club will have something in place when allowed to reopen, hopefully sometime this summer. Keep your fingers crossed.

In the meantime, keep an eye out for legislation that includes the above provisions. No doubt some smart congressman or senator will include them in a bill or create a bill that adopts these provisions, and when he/she/they do, it’ll be your job to reach out to your representatives and lobby for their support.

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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 © 2020 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

As a #TBT, this from the Lazy-i archives, Dec. 4, 2006 (though the photo was actually taken Dec. 2, 2006):

Here’s an updated pic of the Slowdown construction project. Amazing how much they’ve gotten done. This “pano” shows that they’ve apparently started on the condos on the property’s north side while they slowly begin closing in the theater on the south side. Can they get it buttoned up before the first snow?

Things did start going at a faster clip after that…

In other news, NPR is hosting a “first listen” of the new Maria Taylor album, In the Next Life, which will be out next Friday. Listen below or go to their website.

Tonight at Slowdown Jr. it’s American Wrestlers, who I wrote about yesterday. Opening is Chicago indie band Varsity, and our very own Eric in Outespace. $10, 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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The most distinctive aspect of Brooklyn indie band Woods (besides their songs, which are sublime) is singer-guitarist Jeremy Earl’s high, almost feminine voice. For sheer uniqueness, it’s right up there with Yes’ Jon Anderson and is eerily similar at times on the band’s new album, City Sun Eater in the River of Light, released this year on Earl’s own Woodsist Records.

You have to wonder how Earl even has time to tour considering the size of Woodsist Records’ roster, which includes Wooden Wand, Sic Alps, The Fresh & Onlys, Crystal Stilts, The Pocahunted, as well as releases from standout acts like Wavves, Thee Oh Sees, Kurt Vile and our very own Simon Joyner, whose last album, Grass, Branch & Bone, was released late last year on Woodsist.

I bring all of this up because Woods performs tonight at Slowdown Jr., and Simon Joyner and The Ghosts opens. It’s an earl(ier) show, starting at 8 p.m., $15.

Tonight’s show is a good reason to return to Slowdown after the CWS. Fact is, Slowdown is sporting an impressive calendar of upcoming indie rock events. All of the following Slowdown shows are on my radar:

July 21 — Atlas Genius, Bear Hands
July 31 — The Jayhawks
Aug. 5 — Conny Franko (a.k.a. Conchance) CD release
Aug. 12 — Protomartyr
Sept. 8 — Frightened Rabbit
Sept. 9 — Bob Mould
Sept. 24 — Junior Boys
Nov. 20 — El Ten Eleven

Not bad. The schedule for upcoming Waiting Room and Reverb shows is nothing to sniff at, either. In fact, tonight The Waiting Room has a heavy-weight show of its own: The Tallest Man on Earth. Swedish folkie Kristian Matsson has put out one hit album after another since 2008’s Shallow Grave (Dead Oceans). He’s on the road touring Dark Bird is Home (2015, Dead Ocean). Opening is Lady Lamb (formerly known as Lady Lamb The Beekeeper) whose last album, After, was released on Mom & Pop Music (Courtney Barnett’s label). $25, 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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Quiet week show-wise, which gives me an opportunity to catch up on things that have been falling through the cracks.

Such as reminding you (if it hasn’t already been drilled into your head) that the College World Series kicks off this weekend. I’m reminded of this every time I look out my office window and see the white tents slowly rising like mushrooms throughout the parking lots around TD Ameritrade Park.

For The Slowdown, Friday marks the beginning of the annual harvest, when Jason Kulbel and his team scour their local hardware stores for 55-gallon trashcans, which will be used to stuff the enormous wads of cash that the out-of-towners will be dousing them with throughout the next two weeks. I envision a “counting room,” like the ones you see in those casino movies, and Jason (wearing a green, translucent visor) diligently creating stack-towers of bills in various denominations, surrounded by tired grunts humping enormous canvas bags overloaded with coinage to smoking-hot change-counting machines.

I mention all this only to give you a head’s up that live music at The Slowdown is going to be limited for the next two weeks. Sure, Slowdown is changing things up this year for the CWS with an outdoor stage in their parking lot, but the talent booked consists almost entirely of cover bands. I can’t say’s I blame them: Slowdown is catering to the gee-whiz sports audience that doesn’t give two shits about your favorite indie band (or, probably, music in general). Though, wouldn’t it be great if Slowdown booked a couple decent indie bands for just one night, sort of like throwing a bone to the rest of us? I would go.

Anyway, you can always see Slowdown’s CWS schedule online at theslowdown.com. The venue goes back to regular programming after June 25, and has among its upcoming offerings Femi Kuti & the Positive Force July 14, The Jayhawks July 31 and Bob Mould Sept. 9.

I point out these three big-room shows because all feature Slowdown’s new tiered ticket pricing. For example, the Femi show is $25 for general admission or $45 for reserved “pitside” seats. Jayhawks is $25 GA, or $40 for the balcony. Bob Mould was $22.50 GA or $35 for pitside or balcony seats. Those higher-priced Mould tickets are already gone, btw.

I’ve heard some whining from a few people about this new pricing scheme. But I have to hand it to Slowdown for finally taking full advantage of their facility. Targeted seating prices are nothing new in other cities; plenty of people are willing to pay a premium for prime seating — or just the opportunity to sit down. My wife, who is abundantly smarter than me, has no appetite for standing up for three hours straight at a rock show. So yeah, I’d have plunked down an extra $10 for those Mould pitside seats (too bad they’re gone).

I was originally concerned that this new ticket scheme was going to screw me — I like to stand on that pitside edge, along the wall, stage left, near the exit door. That’s my spot. I was afraid that spot no longer would be available without shelling out for a seat. But Jason tells me, no, I’m going to be okay. In fact, if you like to stand in the bowl in front of the Slowdown stage, your GA tickets have you covered. I guess it’s only lazy old people who will be impacted by this new ticket scheme, and most of them have the extra cash to shell out, anyway…

But is there really that much demand for balcony and pitside seating? Jason says balcony tickets for Mould sold out in a few hours, and I notice the 24 pitside seats for Jayhawks are gone, too.

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I know my postings here at Lazy-i central have been somewhat erratic lately. I blame a new fitness schedule that has me up at 5 a.m. every other day. By the time I finish my morning jog, I don’t have time to write. I’ll figure it out. Also, there hasn’t been a whole helluva lot of indie news lately.

Now that we’ve hit June, I’m going to begin posting reviews of albums released in the first half of the year. And man, it’s been a shitty year for music. We lost two giants — Prince and Bowie — we’ve had to endure this unending hate-a-thon election, and to top it off there hasn’t been many stand-out releases so far in ’16. I’ll try to find the handful that demand your attention. Watch these pages.

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I can’t find a single show going on tonight..

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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.