I tweeted the following at around 9:15 Friday night:

Gardenheads start at 10 at the Barley St. I’m tellin’ ya. Zero people here. Ah, the power of Lazy-i.

No surprise no one was there. Ted Stevens and Dave Dondero were playing across town at O’Leaver’s and the Bastard Sons were at The Sydney and let’s face it, no one has a clue who The Gardenheads are (despite my September column lauding their debut record. Who remembers that? Who reads my column?).

But as 10 rolled around a few people showed up and were treated to a pretty good set, maybe a bit twangier than I’d hoped based on their album, which isn’t twangy at all. As one patron told me after the show: “They sounded like they’re from Missouri.”

The four-piece slouched onto the stage and proceeded to play a set that included favorites off their latest album (“Adderol” was their set closer), new material and an obligatory cover (a John Prine song).

Their error in judgement came toward the end of their set. They blazed through a ballsy rendition of hell-raiser anthem “Fucked Up Kids” that included something I haven’t seen or heard in years — an extended drum solo. That’s right. While the frontman laid flat on the stage and the bassist went to get a beer, the drummer did a full-on John Bonham routine that would have made any drummer proud.

The error came after the band got back together, finished the song with a fist-pumper of an ending, and instead of leaving on a high note played three more songs. It was like hitting a winning walk-off home run and then sending the next batter up to the plate.

Still, a good set that didn’t make me embarrassed for having made such a big deal out of them back in September. I’d love to see them come back through town and open for someone like The Filter Kings or The Sons Of… or The Whipkey Three. They’d be a good “trade” band, who could probably help set up a show down in their stomping ground of Springfield, which is just a few hours south of KC.

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The week starts off slow show-wise and ends with a bang Thursday when we’ll be pulled in three directions at once, with Gordon and New Trust (members of the Velvet Teen) at O’Leaver’s, Saintseneca at Slowdown Jr. and Hear Nebraska Presents Red City Radio at The Brothers Lounge.

Then Friday night is the big Pleasure Adapter/Pro-Magnum/Brigadiers show at Slowdown Jr. while So-So Sailors return to O’Leaver’s with McCarthy Trenching.

And then Saturday night Simon Joyner and Eros and Eschaton both return to Slowdown Jr.

And then Sunday the big Hear Nebraska Omaha Girls Rock show at Slowdown Jr.

Whew!

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The latest clue…

The Black Friday at O’Leaver’s clues keep coming. I know it’s impossible to read the graphic at the left, but that’s all the space I’m giving it. Here’s the translation:

Then We Found a Clue. ONE special performer has THREE unique albums available in the saddle-creek.com online shop. A special or deluxe edition of an album does not COUNT as an additional unique album. Black Friday O’Leavers.

People have begun to figure out this show…probably. Check out yesterday’s Lazy-i comments. Got to hand it to the band for its clever marketing.

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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 © 2013 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.