The New Pornographers, Wild Pink, Brooks Nielsen, Specter Poetics tonight…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , — @ 7:14 am April 28, 2023
New Pornographers at 2017 Maha Music Festival, Aug. 19, 2017. The band plays tonight at The Waiting Room.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

My bit of advice to you, the indie music fan: If you have a chance to go to a show when it’s happening, you better go. It’s no secret that, despite having more music venues than ever, fewer indie rock tours are coming through Omaha these days. If you don’t go to one of them happening tonight, who knows when you’ll get another chance.

Tonight’s pretty loaded for shows. The best of the bunch is at The Waiting Room where The New Pornographers return. The band’s latest, Continue as a Guest, is their Merge Records debut and includes contributions from A.C. Newman, Neko Case, Kathryn Calder, John Collins, Todd Fancey and Joe Seiders. New Pornos regular Dan Bejar only provides “co-writes” on this one, which means you won’t be seeing Bejar on stage with the band tonight. 

Judging from Wednesday night’s setlist for their Oklahoma City show, expect a healthy dose of the new album along with some non-Bejar chestnuts from the catalog going back to 2005’s Twin Cinema.

Opening the show is dreamy NYC band Wild Pink, whose latest LP, ILYSM, was released last October on Royal Mountain. Really pretty stuff that reminds me of Nick Drake or early Iron & Wine. 8 p.m., $35.

Also tonight, Brooks Nielsen, former lead singer to So Cal indie band The Growlers, headlines tonight at The Slowdown. The Growlers was one of the surf bands caught up in the whole Burger Records controversy in 2020. Nielsen’s solo work is more synthy but still has some sunset California touches. No opener listed. Starts at 8 p.m. in the big room. $35.

Meanwhile, down at The Sydney in Benson tonight (Friday), Specter Poetics headlines a show that also includes New Obsessions and Jeff in Leather. $10, 9 p.m. 

As for the rest of the weekend, well, like I said, get it in tonight because who knows when you’ll get another chance to see a live indie music. 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 © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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New music: Specter Poetics, Pile, M83, Shiner, Black Belt Eagle Scout, Shalom, Rural Alberta Advantage, Indigo De Souza…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , , , — @ 3:59 pm February 19, 2023

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Feb. 10, 2023 – So, another showless weekend. The good news is there’s a lot going on next weekend. Until then, here’s a batch of new music that caught my attention to enjoy and ponder.

Specter Poetics is the electronic project of Jack McLaughlin. He released a new track last Wednesday, produced by engineering mastermind Ian Aeillo. Check it in Spotify (since it’s not in Bandcamp, or at least I couldn’t find it).  

Boston-based indie darlings Pile announced their new album, All Fiction, which drops next Friday. Here’s the first single:

M83 dropped the first single from their new album, Fantasy, this week. The whole thing comes out on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. This sounds like a return to form for the band that was so dominate a decade ago.

Shiner frontman Allen Epley has a new solo LP called Everything that dropped recently. Here’s the first single:

Saddle Creek Records’ roster of talent has been very busy lately. 

Black Belt Eagle Scout released a new track off their new album The Land, the Water The Sky, which came out today. It’s a leap forward to a denser, more complete sound:

Brooklyn singer-songwriter Shalom dropped yet another single for her upcoming album, Sublimation, which comes out March 10 on the Creek. Called “Soccer Mommy,” it’s kind of an ode to the indie band that she counts as an influence:

Rural Alberta Advantage is slated to play The Slowdown Feb. 26. They just dropped this new single last week.

And finally, maybe the most popular act on Saddle Creek’s current roster, Indigo De Souza, announced a new album, All of This Will End, is coming out April 27. The first single, “Younger and Dumber,” dropped this past week. 

And that’s all I got. 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 © 2023 Tim McMahan. All rights r

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Digital Leather, Pagan Athletes, Specter Poetics tonight at O’Leaver’s…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , , — @ 10:38 am December 23, 2022
Digital Leather at O’Leaver’s, Sept. 19, 2015. The band returns to O’Leaver’s tonight for a very special Christmas performance.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

As far as I can tell, tonight’s Scary Synthmas show at fabulous O’Leaver’s is still happening despite forecasts of windchills of -22 at showtime. Believe me, no matter the outdoor temperature, it’ll be red hot in The Club. 

The five-band bill is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. with sets by synth-powered acts Specter Poetics, Jeff in Leather, Pagan Athletes, Divider, and finally, Digital Leather. Much like the Reverb show last week, this show could “sell out.” Unfortunately, they’re only taking the $10 entry fee at the door (no ticket sales), so go early or risk getting shut out as I did at last week’s Filter Kings show. You have been warned.

Interestingly, Jack McLaughlin, a.k.a. Specter Poetics, is also playing a set tonight at The B. Bar, 4330 Leavenworth (next to Barrett’s). DJ Tyrone Storm (a.k.a., the legendary Roger Lewis) is also performing. 8 p.m., no cover price listed. 

And then it’s Christmas. An early head’s up about Monday’s Universe Contest show at Reverb. They’re actually selling tickets to this one, which, again, will very likely sell out. More on Monday. Have a great weekend and a Merry Christmas. 

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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.

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Bad Bad Men, Cat Piss tonight; Specter Poetics Saturday; Solid Goldberg Sunday; new Big Nope…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , — @ 12:41 pm April 8, 2022
Bad Bad Men at Reverb back in August 2021. The band returns tonight.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Three shows this weekend, all featuring local acts. Don’t worry, there’s a boatload of tours coming through in the coming months.

Tonight at Reverb Lounge it’s a 4-act bill headlined by Cat Piss, a noise rock trio featuring Nate Wolf (Pagan Athletes), Sam Lipsett and Casey Plucinski. I’ve yet to catch these “cats.” Maybe tonight. Opening is Nate’s dad, the legendary John Wolf, and his latest heavy rock project with Chris Seibken and Jerry Hug called Bad Bad Men. Also on the bill are Nowhere and DJ Beatlebitch. 9 p.m., $10. 

Tomorrow night (Saturday), Specter Poetics a.k.a. Jack McLaughlin, headlines at The Sydney in Benson with Rare Candies and Thee Bots. $5, 9 p.m. 

And finally on Sunday, the one-man party machine of Solid Goldberg (a.k.a. Dave Goldberg) opens for Ghanian hip-hop artist Ata Kak at Reverb Lougne. 8 p.m., $15. 

That’s it for shows. In the new music category, former Omahan now LA dude Nate Van Fleet (who you remember from See Through Dresses) released a new track today under his Big Nope moniker called “Golden.” The track’s sound was influenced by Big Star and early Matthew Sweet (as well as Teenage Fanclub). Check it out and 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 © 2022 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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Welcome back (again); Plack Blague tonight; Eric in Outerspace Saturday; Specter Poetics Sunday…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , , — @ 8:31 am February 18, 2022
Faye Webster plays Saturday night at The Slowdown.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Aaaaaand…. we’re back. Again.

If you believe all the hype, the pandemic is over and it’s smooth sailing from here on out. Right, we’ve all heard that one before. Even if it’s just a reprieve, I’ll take it.

Tour announcements have been hitting my email box hot and heavy. Unfortunately, the NOmaha trend continues, with so many acts bypassing our friendly (and numerous) stages. I guess we should be thankful for anything we get these days. Can’t say I blame the promoters for being gun-shy toward booking indie shows. Times have, indeed, changed. But while indie music is more popular than ever outside of our fair city, the jury’s out as to whether it’ll continue to draw crowds like it it did leading up to the pandemic.

And then there’s the question of how many concertgoers were lost after two years of COVID. Folks who went to shows before the pandemic have seen their lives change — older, new commitments, new family members, the list goes on and on. A changing of the guard is about to happen at Omaha’s music venues, a new audience will either augment or replace the old one. No doubt I’ll be seeing a lot of new faces at the clubs, and will miss seeing a lot of the old ones.

Moving on.

Atlanta singer/songwriter Faye Webster became one of indie’s frontrunners with the release of 2019’s Atlanta Millionaires Club on Secretly Canadian. She’s got a laid-back, swinging, rural style layered with plenty of pedal steel and her twanging, nasal vocals that remind me of Natalie Prass.

Faye and her band are hitting up The Slowdown Saturday night in support of her latest, I Know I’m Funny haha (again on Secretly Canadian). I believe this show was originally slated for the small room and was moved to the big stage weeks ago.

Opening for Webster is Richmond, VA’s Kate Bollinger, whose records are pressed by Ghostly International, and who has a more straight-forward indie rock sound in the Belle & Sebastian vein. $18, 8 p.m. This is a No Vax No Entry show, so bring your evidence. You may also want to have your mask at the ready. I think Douglas County dropped the mandate, but Slowdown might have different ideas.

THIS SHOW HAS BEEN CANCELLED!

Also Saturday night, Eric in Outerspace is headlining at The Sydney in Benson. Joining them are Sweet Streak along with Emma Lyness and the Legumes. There’s almost no details on this show. I suggest showing up around 10 and expect a $10 cover, more or less.

Hey, before all that happens, Nebraska’s own singing leather bondage geek, Plack Blague, is playing at Reverb tonight (Friday) with Gore-TXT. You want weird? You got it. $12, 9 p.m.

Finally, Sunday night Pageturners is hosting shows again, this time with Specter Poetics (Jack McLaughlin), Bellhead and David Schock. This free show starts at 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 © 2022 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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Farnam Fest (Those Far Out Arrows, Specter Poetics, Tyrone Storm, Satchel Grande); Relax , It’s Science, Violenteer Saturday…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , — @ 1:17 pm October 8, 2021

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Farnam Fest is back this Saturday. The Blackstone District block party takes place in the parking lot behind Scriptown Brewery and on 40th Street at Farnam, which will be blocked off for the occasion. The festival will have the usual food trucks and vendors but also features a number of live performances, including sets by Those Far Our Arrows, Specter Poetics (Jack McLaughlin’s latest project) and DJ Tyrone Storm a.k.a. Roger Lewis. The full schedule is below:

4 p.m. — Left Handed Country
5 p.m. — Anthony Worden & The Illiterati
6 p.m. — Specter Poetics
7 p.m. — Those Far Out Arrows
8 p.m. — DJ Tyrone Storm
9 p.m. — Satchel Grande

Farnam Fest actually starts at noon with a dog shows and there’s stuff the rest of the afternoon. After 5 p.m., entry is $5.

Also going on Saturday night in the Blackstone District (but not affiliated with Farnam Fest) is a rock show at The Brothers Lounge headlined by Relax, It’s Science. Also on the bill is Violenteer, the new project by Randy Cotton (Members of the Press, Ravine, Ritual Device). Aircraft Grade, a new heavy instrumental duo, opens at 9:30 p.m. $7.

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 © 2021 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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