by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Petfest 2024 is just around the corner, Aug. 17 to be exact, and among the bands playing is the debut of Lincoln act Vempire. Who is Vempire? It’s Thirst Things First frontman Mike Elfers and Ghostlike’s Lindsey Yoneda, and last week the duo released a new video for the song “Blattodea,” which is below. Their debut album, Your Steps, drops Aug. 16. Don’t forget get your Petfest tickets in advance and save $10 vs. DOS.

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Two shows tonight, which I’m dying to attend, though I’m a wee bit afraid of the hail-storms being forecast… 

Snõõper is a freshly minted Nashville five-piece punk band fronted by vocalist Blair Tramel whose debut album, Super Snõõper, was released last year by Jack White’s Third Man Records. 

Wiki calls their genre “egg punk,” which is a new one on me, but they say is a subgenre “influenced by new wave band Devo” this is attributed “to a community of DIY midwestern American punk rock artists from the early 2010s, including The Coneheads and Lumpy and the Dumpers.” 

It just sounds hard, fast, old-school punk to me, with each song clocking in at a little over a minute or less. Madcap fun. Joining Snõõper tonight at Reverb Lounge is our very own Pagan Athletes and Size Queen. $18, 8 p.m. 

Meanwhile, also tonight New Haven, Connecticut, psych-rockers The Mountain Movers are playing an in-store at Grapefruit Records in the Old Market. Consisting of guitarist/vocalist Dan Greene, bassist Rick Omonte, guitarist Kryssi Battalene and drummer Ross Menze, the band has been together for over a decade. Their latest, the double-vinyl Walking After Dark, was released this past May by Trouble in Mind Records. Heavy man! Local hero Megan Siebe opens this show at 8 p.m. $10. Grapefruit Records is located at 1125 Jackson Street. 

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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

Welp, after a day-long delay, Lincoln Calling finally released their lineup . The announcement was supposed to go out yesterday, but five minutes before the “information embargo” expired organizers sent an email pleading for media to hold the presses.

Of all the local festivals (and there’s one fewer this year), Lincoln Calling has the most eclectic lineups. No one genre dominates; instead they throw everything into the mix and this year is no exception. 

Slated for May 3 and 4 in venues throughout downtown Lincoln, the 20th anniversary edition boasts 55+ national and local acts. The headliner is pop-rapper Tkay Maidza, whose last album was released on 4AD, a label that used to be renowned for its ambient/indie/post-punk acts. Something tells me the label is making mo’ money from this pop/dance fare.

While LC2024 has a plethora of R&B/DJ/jazz/pop acts, it’s the indie stuff I’m interested in, and the list of touring indie artists is impressive. Among them:

• – LA trio Cherry Glazerr (Secretly Canadian)
• – New York duo Water From Your Eyes (Matador Records)
• – Louisville’s Wombo (Fire Talk Records)
• – Nashville punkers Snõõper (Third Man) and 
• – Chicago’s Friko (ATO Records). 

But maybe the most notable act announced is a reunion of influential ’90s Nebraska post-punk legends Ritual Device. I think the last time these guys performed was a holiday show in 2014 with Cellophane Ceiling. Frontman Tim Moss once told me that show was the end. Looks like we’re in for another ride. 

The rest of the so-called “regional acts” is just as impressive. Among them are David Nance and Mowed Sound (which, now that they’re on Third Man Records, should have relegated them higher in the LC2024 press release), Universe Contest, Clarence Tilton, The Dirts, PROBLEMS, Bad Bad Men, Pagan Athletes, Plack Blague, Face and, as they say, lots, lots more.

Venues include two outdoor stages along with 1867 Bar, Duffy’s Tavern and The Zoo Bar. Tickets are on sale at lincolncalling.com, with early bird weekend passes priced at $50 – that’s an insanely low price for a festival like this. 

Hey, what about a VIP option? Well, as a matter of fact, there is one: The Callers Club. There are four club levels and for $250 you’ll be in the “Immerse Level,” which includes VIP seating, a local meal and drinks. At the $1,000 level you can meet the artists, because let’s face it, everyone needs to meet Tim Moss at least once in their life…

Now all we need is a schedule…

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In the meantime… 

Birdie Edge is Alabama instrumentalist Richard Edge. According to an article in The St. Lous Music Report (Why don’t we have an Omaha Music Report?), Mr. Edge was involved in the St. Louis hardcore scene, including in bands Freon and Hippyfuckers. “Surprisingly however, a good chunk of their work has been dedicated to an earthy, rural acoustic solo self-titled project centered around the resonant nature of their steel string acoustic guitar and complex Americana finger-picked patterns,” said the Report.

I have no idea if this information still applies to Birdie Edge, as the article was published two years ago and there’s nothing else online (including at the Pageturrners website). According to Bandcamp, Jinx, the recording linked below, was tape dubbed by David Nance. And tonight’s opener for this show, Jim Schroeder, has played alongside Nance for years. 

It all adds up to saying that tonight Birdie Edge Dan McCarthy plays at Pageturners, with Jim Schroeder opening at 8 p.m. No cover but drop some cash in the hat for the bands, please. 

Note: Birdie Edge is unable to play tonight at Pageturners. Dan McCarthy is taking his place, and Jim is still on the bill. 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.