Grant Hart at The Waiting Room, June 30, 2011.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

There were those who were disappointed at the turnout for last night’s Grant Hart show at The Waiting Room, me among them. But the crowd of only around 40 wasn’t a huge surprise. There virtually was no press for the show, and Hart’s music — both solo and as a member of Husker Du and Nova Mob — has never had a home on local radio. In fact the number of those who remember Husker Du — and who still go out to shows — is getting smaller and smaller.

Fizzle Like a Flood at The Waiting Room, 6/30/11.

The night began with a solo set from Doug Kabourek performing as Fizzle Like A Flood, the name he used for a number of very cool records that came out in late ’90s and early ’00s. Kabourek has performed for the past couple years as At Land, but is revising the old name, presumably because his new music is in the dreamy, sore-hearted Fizzle style. Alone with his acoustic guitar, Kabourek played a split set — half the songs from his new record, the other half golden oldies. And just like that it felt like 1998 all over again, though Kabourek is a much better guitarist and singer than he used to be in the old days. His new songs have that classic Fizzle lilt and heart-on-sleeve appeal. With a high, soaring and sometimes nasal voice, Kabourek is setting himself up as Omaha’s version of John Darnielle a.k.a. The Mountain Goats. I have to wonder if, like on his classic Fizzle albums, he’ll use 20-some tracks to record these new songs. We’ll have to wait and see.

Students of Crime at The Waiting Room, 6/30/11.

Next up was Bob Thornton’s Students of Crime, a gritty, twanging, punky rock band that was a good fit for a Husker Du night. This is the most straight-ahead band that Thornton has ever been a part of — short, poppy rock songs that lean heavy on the hooks and the band’s rock-solid rhythm section. Thornton has a good voice whether he knows it or not, spending too much time apologizing for it on stage. One of the set’s highlights was a new song just recorded for a 10-inch multi-band compilation being released in support of the Speed! Nebraska Adult Soapbox Derby July 23 at Seymour Smith Park and O’Leaver’s. I don’t know what it was called, but I do know it was about going fast.

Finally, onto an empty stage came Grant Hart with just an electric guitar, an amp and a microphone. I guess I expected a band to back him, I don’t know why. Instead, Hart stood on point and played a 45-minute (or so) set of songs that spanned his solo work, Nova Mob and flecked with Husker Du classics.

The mostly seated crowd stared mesmerized as Hart went from one song to the next without pause. A smattering of applause greeted him when he dived into Husker classic “No Promise I Have Made.” It wasn’t until the end of the set that he started opening up and talking to the audience about Iowa and medical marijuana and missing his cats.

I thought he might end his set and leave, but he was coaxed back on stage for en encore that started with “Flexible Flyer,” before taking requests. Someone yelled out “Diane,” but he said he doesn’t play that one anymore, that it was a bummer trip. Instead, someone yelled “The Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill,” and off he roared. Next, someone yelled “Evergreen Memorial Drive” and off he went again. Finally he ended the night with “My Regrets,” the closer from his most recent solo album Hot Wax.

Whether you knew his solo material or were just waiting for the next Husker song, you got the feeling that you were watching something special. Will there ever be a Husker Du reunion? Despite being an enormous payday for Hart, Mould and Norton, something tells me if it hasn’t happened already, it probably never will. That being the case, shows like last night’s and Bob Mould’s ongoing book reading acoustic tour (which I wish someone would bring to Omaha) are the closest thing we’ll ever get to hearing those classic Husker songs again.

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If you’ve driven by 60th and Dodge in the past couple of days you’ve seen the enormous stage that has been erected for tonight’s Cheap Trick concert in Memorial Park. How the distraction won’t leave Dodge Street in absolute gridlock is beyond me. Luckily I don’t have to worry about it since I live walking distance to the park.

Remember that contest they held for a local band to open the show? Well, the winner was Take Me to Vegas, a band no one’s ever heard of. Nice job, Bank of the West. Oh well, it’s not entirely their fault. I was told by a couple bands who considered entering the contest that the legal stipulations attached to the show were far too much for what it was worth.

Anyway, the concert in the park kicks off at 6 with the winner, followed by .38 Special and finally Cheap Trick, who probably won’t get on stage until around 8:30, leading up to the after-show fireworks. Expect a mammoth crowd eruption during “Surrender.”

Another classic band, The Meat Puppets, also is playing tonight, this time at The Waiting Room. I saw them play a couple years ago at SXSW and was impressed with the sheer intensity of their set. You (probably) won’t be disappointed. Opening is The Whipkey Three. $14, 9 p.m.

Tomorrow night promises to be another “memorable” show at O’Leaver’s. It’s a warmup for The Fucking Party, who are about to head out on tour. Joining them is Qing Jao (featuring Bob Thornton) and Yuppies. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Have a good 4th…

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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 © 2011 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Landing on the Moon at O'Leaver's, June 10, 2010

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

First, some sobering news after a night that was anything but…

Workers Takeout, the sandwich shop next to O’Leaver’s owned and operated by Chris Machmuller of Ladyfinger, shut its doors for good this week. Last night I noticed a “Closed” sign written in Sharpie on the door that said “Thanks for the memories.” I didn’t get a chance to talk to Mach about what happened, though I’ve been told by people close to the business that you haven’t seen the last of Worker’s Takeout, just the last of it from that location. As discussed in this interview/column, Workers opened at the height of this country’s most recent Great Recession in August 2008 with only a sandwich counter and a helluva menu. They just opened a new dining room this past January. It seemed like the perfect location — right next door to O’Leaver’s, across the parking lot from the Pub’s popular sand volleyball courts. But Workers just couldn’t get the army of toned, tanned athletes to step foot inside their shop, I guess because they feared it as much as they fear the inside of O’Leaver’s, which also rarely seems to attract any spikers. The irony to me is that Workers is the first place that I ever ordered a Cuban sandwich — a sandwich that recently was added to the Panera Bread menu. My suggestion (which has no wings whatsoever) would be to move Workers into  O’Leaver’s old kitchen and turn the bar’s pool table room into an order window. I’m sure it would take many thousands of dollars to get O’Leaver’s kitchen up to code, however. Here’s hoping that Machmuller finds the right location, and that Workers reopens soon…

As for last night’s gig…

I have now seen Students of Crime — Robert Thornton’s new band — twice, but it seems more like I’ve seen two separate bands with the same personnel. They even looked different. For their debut back in April (also at O’Leaver’s), the band was dressed to the nines in suit and tie. Last night, however, they wore the usual O’Leaver’s uniform of jeans and T shirts. Just as different as their costumes was their sound. On night one, SOC leaned toward Americana – almost to alt-country. Last night they were a punk band in the vein of Carmine (one of Thornton’s old bands), but with a harder, SST edge. And without a hint of twang (this definitely wasn’t Whipkey Rock). It was the band I expected to see/hear back in April. I have no idea why they changed styles, and frankly don’t prefer one over the other, though Thornton looked more relaxed playing the punk that we’ve come to expect from him.

Having just returned from a few weeks of touring, Landing on the Moon was as tight as you’d expect. In fact, last night’s performance was the best I’ve ever seen them. I guess that road does something to a band — it changes them. Or maybe it was just the booze because they’ve never felt more cohesive. And for the first time I was able to put my finger on who they remind me of. In fact, LotM has a style that is distinctly its own, especially compared to the rest of the Omaha scene. No one does quite what they do — a fusion of indie and throw-back radio rock with a groove that heralds all the way back to the ’70s. I’m going to get skewed for this, but I was reminded of late-’70s Journey. Someone else in the audience referenced Mates of State, which also was a stretch, albeit a more indie (and realistic, and probably less offensive) stretch.

The real difference last night came from folks who I hadn’t noticed before. I point directly toward bassist Eric Harris, who has never sounded more up front and important to the band’s sound. His deep groove swing is the secret weapon that is (now) impossible to ignore. So is frontman John Klemmensen. I use the “frontman” moniker loosely, since there are three lead vocalists in the band, with Megan Morgan taking a more prominent role especially on the new material. Still, it’s Klemmensen who stood out — part of the reason is that O’Leaver’s PA simply isn’t kind to female vocalists, who have a way of getting buried in the mix. No single member of the band is ever the center of attention, however. The most “out there” player is drummer Oliver Morgan, who doggedly looks for any and every opportunity to decorate his percussion with fill upon fill upon fill upon roll upon fill. There is nothing unfancy about his drumming style, which will not — cannot — be ignored.

The band announced last night that their latest album, We Make History Now, will be released by Young Love Records Aug.10 (with a Young Love showcase scheduled for The Waiting Room Aug. 12). With a label, distribution and publicity behind them, who knows where they’ll land.

Finally, after midnight, it was time for the dynamic duo of Cloven Path, who apparently was having an off night, as the guitarist mentioned a few times that his pedal was broken. He only played two or three songs before leaving the stage. Their shtick is to play shredding electric guitar and trigger-happy drums over dense, heavily textured electronic tracks — very EDM-meets-metal. It’s dramatic and fun. The only thing missing is a vocalist, preferably a wonked-out bleached-haired goth chick with a Debra Harry voice clad entirely in black latex. Surely they can find someone around this town to fit the bill.

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You’ve got ’til the end of the day to get in on a sweet offer by Digital Leather designed to raise some money to buy sound equipment. The fund-raising project had a goal of $600. They’re currently at $1,695 — a success (that is if shipping costs don’t eat away at their profits). The details again:

There are two levels in which you can pledge:

1. $10. You’ll receive a free download of their new, yet-to-be-released album.
2. $15. You’ll receive a free vinyl with a numbered, super-limited-edition cover, along with the free download. The vinyls are limited to 150.

To get in on it, just go to the site and fill out the online form. The offer ends in just a few hours.

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It’s back to O’leaver’s again tonight for My Pal Dragon with D.L. Diedrich and the Devil, She’s the Fastest and Thunder Power. $5, 9:30 p.m.

If you’re in Lincoln tonight, check out the Son of 76 and The Watchmen CD release show at The Bourbon Theater. Also on the bill are Tijuana Gigolos, Brad Hoshaw and the Seven Deadlies and The Killigans. $6, 8 p.m.

Saturday night’s main event is the Benson Day: After Dark showcase, featuring more than 30 bands on five Benson stages — The Waiting Room Lounge, Barley Street Tavern, PS Collective, The Sydney, and Burke’s Pub. $5 will get you into all of them all night. Shows start at 9 p.m.

Finally, Sunday night boasts two huge shows. At The Slowdown, it’s the return of The Mountain Goats. The trio of John Darnielle, Peter Hughes and Jon Wurster will be playing songs off their latest 4AD release, The Life of the World to Come.  Opening the show is The Beets. $15, 9 p.m.

Competing with that show are ’80s legends The Psychedelic Furs with frontman Richard Butler at The Waiting Room with She Wants Revenge. $35, 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.

The Orange County Register has a nice review of The Good Life’s June 8 show at The Glass House, where the critic admonished his readers for not showing up at the gig. From the review: “The band was having a blast, with all members smiling ear-to-ear while covering Fleetwood Mac’s  ‘The Chain’ to close. Stephanie Drootin, very much in the family way, didn’t let her baby bump get in the way of some fast bass work and nimble keyboardistry.” Read the whole thing here.

That baby on board is obviously going to impact the band, as this piece in the San Francisco Chronicle today seems to indicate. Hyping tonight’s Good Life gig at Bottom of the Hill, the story warns: “Catch the longtime cowpoke in the Saddle Creek stable while you can: The combo claims these are the last Good Life shows for a good while.”

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Speaking of shows tonight…

There’s a benefit concert for the organization Women for Women International tonight at Slowdown Jr. featuring Skypiper, Capgun Coup and Conchance. $7, 8 p.m.

Meanwhile, over at O’Leaver’s, Landing on the Moon is headlining a show with Cloven Path and brand new band Students of Crime (whose first show in April was reviewed here). The students are led by legendary local punk rocker Robert Thornton (The Wagon Blasters, Now Archimedes!, Past Punchy and the Present, Culture Fire, Clayface Regular). $5, 9: 30 p.m.