by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I used to love love love going to South By Southwest, if not for a chance to see both emerging and classic indie bands than as an escape from our crappy, cold weather here in Omaha. I attended four years in a row and saw some amazing acts, including The Oh Sees, Jesus and Mary Chain, PJ Harvey, Peter Murphy, Glen Hansard, Big Star, Bob Mould, the list goes on and on, not to mention a lot of local talent that made the trip to Austin either on their own (Digital Leather, Little Brazil) or as part of a Saddle Creek Records showcase. 

Saddle Creek, by the way, is back at SXSW again this year, doing a joint a showcase with Sub Pop and Hardly Art, happening tonight at my favorite SXSW venue, Mohawk. Creek bands playing are Young Jesus, Pendant, Tomberlin and Indigo De Souza. I would definitely have gone to this showcase had I attended this year.

Who else would I have seen? Well, top of the list is an LA band called Blondshell, which I’m noticing now is emerging on the top of a lot of people’s list. Both NME and Brooklyn Vegan list Blondshell, a.k.a. Sabrina Teitelbaum, as a must-see act. The reason is the release of the band’s self-titled debut April 7, which includes tracks previously release on an EP that already is on my list of favorite releases of 2023. Teitelbaum is the first artist to emerge in the past decade with both a tunefulness and lyrical honesty that rivals Liz Phair during her Guyville days. Needless to say, her tour isn’t taking her to Omaha, but I’ve already purchased tickets for her 7th Street Entry show in Minneapolis in July (my first travel gig). 

That’s the standout. Also on the list is Tacoma’s Enumclaw, Chicago post-punk act Lifeguard, Matador rock band Algiers (who will never come to Omaha, I guess), legends New Order and Tangerine Dream and The Oh Sees (again).

The only uncertainty about going to SXSW is rolling the dice when it comes to the weather. When it’s warm and sunny in Austin, it’s heaven. Unfortunately, the forecast calls for rain today and highs the rest of the weekend only in the 50s and 60s. Dang! It’s still better than what we’re going to have here this weekend.

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We’ve got our own indie show going on tonight right here in Omaha. Former local band Thick Paint returns to Reverb Lounge (hey, weren’t they here one year ago on this very day?). What have they been up to since then? Find out tonight. Joining them is Detroit band Summer Like the Season. Omaha’s own Masonjixx headlines. DJ Hair Brain opens at 8 p.m. $15.

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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.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

I’m known by some for my predictions. Here’s one for you: This time next year, Thick Paint will be in Austin performing at South By Southwest. That is, if they ever get around to recording and releasing a proper album.

Rumors have been bandied about for years about which record label this band will end up on (one hot take had Saddle Creek Records in the mix). Yet, here we are so many years into their existence and still no formal label release, though there was a digital self-release that came out in 2019 that doesn’t sound anything like they do today.

Thick Paint just released a two-song single last Friday, “Zaddy Mountain” b/w “Infographic Rain” (linked below this review), that does sound like the band I heard last night at a packed Reverb Lounge. While there were a lot of vintage references heard in their music, no modern band sounds quite like them.

These days Thick Paint has a distinctively proggy style that’s a throwback to early ’80s Robert Fripp-fueled King Crimson, complete with repetitive, asymmetric, layered guitar lines that are both percussive and trance-inducing. At the same time, there’s a weird combination of traditional ‘70s rock structures mixed with avant-garde, almost Beefheart-ian sounds. Add Graham Ulicny’s unique, high-end vocal delivery that ranges somewhere between Geddy Lee and Supertramp’s Rick Davies (and at other times, seemingly channeling Infidels-era Dylan on the more traditional stuff) and you’ve got something special.

That’s a lot to take in, but it all works. And if the music was released on an album, I’d buy it. But it isn’t, and who knows when it will ever be. One assumes those two new tracks are part of a larger session, recorded at Enamel Studios here in Omaha and mixed at world-famous Chase Park Transduction in Athens, GA, by former Reptar member Ryan Engleberger (Reptar is Ulicny’s old band, too). Some record label needs to get the horn with these folks and sign them so my prediction will come true.

By the way, the scheduled show opener, And How, was a no show, which we figured out after waiting 20 minutes for their set to start. Super disappointing. I stuck around for a couple Masonjixx songs, but had to go to work early this morning, so…

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It’s St. Patrick’s Day and what could be more traditionally Irish than to go to The Sydney in Benson tonight for hardcore punk band BIB. The band is kicking off a lengthy tour that eventually will take them to a date playing the world-famous St. Vitus Bar in Brooklyn. But you can see them here tonight for a mere $10. Glow opens at 10 p.m. No doubt green beer will be served.

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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.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Petfest is, hands down, the best collection of Nebraska bands to perform on one bill this year. And it takes place this Saturday at Petshop in Benson.

The event is a fundraiser for Benson First Friday (BFF), and features art as well as music (and beer). If you’re worried about the Delta variant, Petfest is hosted outdoors and has a mask requirement.

I went last year during the height of the the COVID-19 pandemic and saw their safety protocols firsthand, so I have no concerns about attending again this year. That said, you do what you do. The only thing that would make this gig safer is if they required proof of vaccination for entry (come on, Omaha venues, let’s make it happen).

The event takes place in the parking lot behind the Petfest building at 2725 No. 62nd St. Last year bands performed both outside and on the edge of the indoor space (the garage), essentially playing outside as well. Tickets are $20 today, $25 tomorrow.

The schedule:

Outside Stage:
2:00-2:20 – Anna McClellan
2:50-3:10 – Lightning Stills
3:40-4:00 – Those Far Out Arrows
4:30-4:50 – McCarthy Trenching
5:20-5:40 – Thick Paint
6:10-6:30 – Her Flyaway Manner
7:00-7:25 – Oqoua
8:05-8:35 – And How
9:15-9:45 – All Young Girls Are Machine Guns

Inside Stage:
2:25-2:45 – Magu
3:15-3:35 – Mike Schlesinger
4:05-4:25 – Miwi La Lupa
4:55-5:15 – Teetah
5:45-6:05 – CHEW
6:35-6:55 – Moon Pussy
7:30-8:00 – Benny Leather
8:40-9:10 – Ghost Foot
9:50-10:20 – Leafblower
10:45-11:15 – Universe Contest
11:30-Whenever – Crab Vs Kobra

More info at the event’s Facebook page.

Petshop actually gets things rolling tonight with a super-hot bill to be held partially outside (in the same space as Petfest). Atlanta experimental artist Salsa Chest (Joyful Noise/Gray Area Cassettes), whose latest was produced by Thick Paint’s Graham Ulicny, is on the bill with Thick Paint, Double Consciousness and headliner Mesonjixx. 8:30, $7.

AND

If you miss Those Far Out Arrows at Petfest during the day Saturday, you can also catch them at Reverb Lounge Saturday night, where they’re playing with The Darma Rose and Bad Bad Men — the supergroup featuring legendary punker John Wolf fronting a power trio rounded out by drummer Chris Siebken and bass player Jerry Hug. $8. 9 p.m.

One last show of note this weekend – Lincoln singer/songwriter Andrea von Kampen (Fantasy Records) has an album release show Saturday night at The Slowdown with Molly Parden. 8 p.m. $20.

And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it in the comments section. See you at Petfest.

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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.

Dave Nance Group at The Waiting Room, Nov. 13, 2018. The band was named Artist of the Year at the 2020 Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards (OEAA).

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The 14th annual Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards (OEAAs) ceremony was last night at The Slowdown, and there were some familiar names among the winners.

Chief among them was David Nance Group. The band took home crystal-like trophies in the Outstanding Rock and Artist of the Year categories. The band had a strong 2019 on the strength of its breakthrough album, Peaced and Slightly Pulverized (2018, Trouble in Mind Records).

Thick Paint, the project fronted by former Omahan Graham Ulicny, won for Outstanding Alternative/Indie. The band released A Perennial Approach to Free Time last year on Joyful Noise Records.

No Thanks took home the award for Outstanding Punk. The band self-released The Trial in 2018, but has gained a following for its live performances.

Other notable awards handed out last night include Clarence Tilton for Outstanding Country, Curly Martin for Outstanding Jazz, Glow in the Dark for Outstanding Progressive Rock/Experimental/EDM, Make Believe Studios for Outstanding Recording Studio and Dan Brennan for Outstanding Live Music Sound Engineer.

Check out the full list of award recipients at www.oea-awards.com.

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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.

Thick Paint at Slowdown Jr., March 30, 2018. The band has its bon voyage show tonight at O’Leaver’s.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Aaaannd…. We’re back.

I’ve been in San Diego since Sunday, and just got back. What they say about the weather is absolutely true, btw… Too bad you have to be a millionaire to live there.

You know how I like to keep up on Saddle Creek Records, the hometown label with a West Coast vibe? Well, the label announced yesterday that it’s releasing the solo debut LP by Hop Along’s Francis Quinlan on Jan. 31, called Likewise. Quinlan recorded it with bandmate Joe Reinhart. The collaboration features synthesizers, digital beats, harps, strings and a variety of keyboards, according to the press release.

Pre-orders are being taken now including limited edition signed art prints. What will they think of next? (Uh oh, looks like that’s already sold out!). The first track, “Rare Thing,” is below. Groovy!

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A red hot rock show is happening tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Thick Paint is headlining and this is their last local gig before hitting the road for good. That’s right, Graham and Sarah are moving away. So consider it a bon voyage party. Joining them is the long-awaited return of InDreama, the art rock project fronted by Nik Fackler of Icky Blossoms/cinema fame. Rogue Moon and SGT Leisure also are on the bill. $5, 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. Copyright © 2019 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Oquoa at Farnam Festival, Sept. 12, 2015.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Today Omaha indie act Oquoa dropped the new video “Sunshine” off their just-released album, Timesquares. The band celebrated the album’s release during O’Leaversfest last Sunday.

In some ways, the show was a farewell party for Oquoa drummer Roger Lewis, who is moving in the coming days/weeks to Seattle. This is more than just another example of the Great Migration of local musicians from Omaha (mostly to the West Coast). Roger has been one of Omaha music’s cornerstones for as long as I’ve been covering music in this city. His loss is a pretty deep wound to the music scene.

Some of my earliest interactions with Roger were back in the ’90s when he was a fixture at shows down at Sokol Underground as well other venues that hosted indie rock shows. As a drummer, Roger’s played in a number of great Omaha bands, not the least of which include The Good Life, Neva Dinova, Conduits, Artsy Golfer and a ton more including Oquoa (not to mention his stellar work as DJ alias Tyrone Storm).

Oquoa frontman Max Holmquist agrees that it’s sad that Roger’s moving, but says we’ll still be seeing him ’round here. “We’re going to keep working with this current line-up (with) Roger on the drums,” Holmquist said. “He plans to come back to Omaha semi-regularly to do DJ gigs, and do short Midwest runs of dates and local shows with us for as long as it works for us all. It will force us to be more thoughtful and strategic about our shows, which is never a bad thing.

“We will miss him being nearby, but it’s a shrinking world and it’s worth it to us to keep working with him from a distance.”

No doubt.

What the hell is happening to the Omaha music scene and all the migration? Holmquist chocks it up to the standard ebb and flow of creatives in and out of Nebraska. If that’s the case, we are indeed at low tide.

But we still have Oquoa. Holmquist said the new album is now available at bandcamp for your downloading pleasure. Roger, what are we going to do without you?

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Three hot shows happening tonight:

Over at Midtown Art, 2578 Harney St., Thick Paint is rolling out some new music for what they’re saying is their second to last show of the year. Also on the bill is Oakland band Preening as well as the dynamic duo known as Pagan Athletes. $5, 8 p.m. sharp.

Meanwhile, over at Reverb Lounge, Chicago experimental rock band FACS headlines. The band’s lable is Trouble in Mind Records (home of David Nance Group). Fellow Chicago-ites Dendrons also are on the bill. $10, 8 p.m.

Right around the corner at The Waiting Room it’s the return of alt-country rockers The Nadas. An acoustic version of Pony Creek opens at 8 p.m. $20.

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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 © 2019 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Sasami at Reverb Lounge, April 19, 2019.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

My initial reaction to Maha 2019: It’s the best line-up they’ve ever had: Lizzo, Courtney Barnett, Jenny Lewis, Snail Mail, and best of all, Thee Oh Sees — a band that has been avoiding Omaha for as long as I can remember. Now you’ll get to see them in all their glory.

There’s about a half-dozen more acts. You can see the full line-up here. Two-day GA festival tickets are $80 (Plus an $11 fee!). Like I said, best line-up ever, but quality rarely equates to quantity audience wise… If they wanted to outdo last year’s attendance, they’d need another Weezer, which they don’t got (thankfully).

More thoughts on the line-up next Monday.

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Sasami at Reverb last night was a hoot. Rarely have I seen such a well-balanced trio, with every musician playing a crucial roll, and amazingly so. The drummer was mesmerizing, and the bass at times carried the melody, but at the center was Sasami Ashworth, who you could tell was having a great time playing for a room half-filled with young women, all of whom crowded the stage (while the old dudes stood in back).

I’m paraphrasing here, but she said something like, “I love this crowd. This is a million times better than last night’s crowd. Fuck Denver!” Then went on to say she has nothing against old white guys. “My Jewish manager is here and I love him, but fuck ya! Girls to the front!” Indeed.

There were more white-guy comments later in the set, and I suppose someone could have been offended but who cares? I was easily old enough to be the grandfather to most of the women dancing up by the stage, and you could argue I didn’t belong there, except for the fact that I’ve never thought twice about my age when it comes to music. Especially music as good as Sasami’s, which, with her soaring guitar riffs and soft, low voice (that at times struggled to be heard above the amp center stage) reminded me of Exile-era Liz Phair but powered by an amazing rhythm section.

Show highlights were scorching versions of “Free” and “At Hollywood” (where she substituted “Omaha” for “Hollywood” the first time through), both off her self-titled debut. While that record is great, it doesn’t come close to capturing her live energy (but few studio albums do).

Opening act Ellis was a good match as a tour mate, with a similar songwriting style and a voice that also was hard to hear over the band. She ended her set with a song called “The Fuzz” that started with just her and her electric guitar, and you could hear every word: “The sky was big and it was dark / A picnic table in the yard / I still remember how it felt / When the sky came crashing down.” And then the band came in and that was the end of that. I made a note to find the song after I got home to find out what happened next.

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I’m happy I went out last night because there ain’t dick going on this weekend. Since when did Passover/Easter become such a dead holiday show-wise?

There is one gig you won’t want to miss and it’s Sunday night.

Local heroes Thick Paint celebrate the release of their debut full-length Sunday night at Reverb Lounge. This one’s a long time coming, and I guess it’s a self-release, though I know there were labels sniffing around last summer. Who needs labels in the digital age, right?

Opening the show is Portland band Ancient Pools. 8 p.m. and $7. Expect a crowd.

That’s all I got. If I missed your show, put in the comments section. Have a mighty fine holiday.

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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 © 2019 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

The Faint, Egowerk (2019, Saddle Creek)

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

The Faint’s new album Egowerk (2019, Saddle Creek) came out last Friday and the reviews are already coming in.

AllMusic.com, the longest-running online music reviews website (and about the best place to find data about a disc, along with Discogs), gave the record 3 1/2 stars. Their conclusion:

“Todd Fink has never been a particularly emotive singer, but his detached croon and dystopian lyrics lend a verisimilitude to the retro feel of the 11-track set. Simultaneously laconic and engaged, his presence — like the LP itself — feels spectral; the last being standing amidst an empty room filled only with decibels and discarded glow-sticks and wrist-bands.”

OK then.

Pitchfork was more pointed and, at the same time, more complimentary, giving the album a middling 6.5 rating. Their conclusion:

“Toward the end of Egowerk the songs grow thinner and more obvious in their ’80s references. Gary Numan synths flutter over the four-on-the-floor electro-funk of ‘Young & Realistic,’ the album’s most faithful callback of the Danse Macabre days, while ‘Automaton’ robot dances the record to the finish line with no particular ambition to awe. A little bit of the Faint goes a long way, but as long as there’s technological angst — and it’s impossible to imagine a time when there won’t be — there’s always going to some life left in this sound.”

Pitchfork has never been big fans of the Faint. Egowerk is the highest-rated Faint record at Pitchfork since Dance Macabre scored a massive 7.8 way back in 2001.

More to come.

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Virtuoso guitarist Dick Dale passed away over the weekend at the age of 81. Dale made Nebraska a regular tour stop in the latter years of his career. I got the chance to interview him way back in ’98 and he was as boisterous with his words as he was with his guitar.

Here, he recounts being approached by Quentin Tarantino about the use of his masterpiece, “Misirlou,” in the classic Pulp Fiction:

“Quentin makes movies from the energy of songs. He said, ‘I’m one of your biggest fans.’ He said, ‘Misirlou is a masterpiece. I would love to have your permission to make a movie that will be a masterpiece that will complement the masterpiece of Misirlou.’ I knew when he did Reservoir Dogs and the shit he had to go through that he was no bullshitter. I’m a very good judge of character.”

And here is as good an epitaph as you’ll likely find. From the article:

“I don’t play pyrotechnic scales. I play about frustration, patience, anger. Music is an extension of my soul. If you go to a Dick Dale concert you’ll see skinheads, tattoos, androgynous people, tribes of all the lands, college professors… That’s where typical musicians fail — they try to show off and play more technical to impress other musicians. But I’m playing for the people who are working for $3.50 an hour, the carpenters, the ditch diggers, the grass-roots people.”

RIP, Mr. Dale.

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Tonight, D.C. slacker rockers BRNDA play at The Brothers Lounge. The four-piece has a pretty cool Pavement-esque indie pop sound. Dig. Opening is our very own Thick Paint, who will be rolling out some new tunes as they kick off a tour with Delicate Steve, who ain’t playing tonight. Who is playing tonight is Nathan Ma Band. All this for a mere $5. 9 p.m.

Check out the new Thick Paint track! Hey Graham, who’s putting out the new record?

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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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Bloodcow at Reverb Lounge, March 7, 2015. The band returns to Lookout Lounge Saturday night.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Pretty hot Friday night line-up and one show on Saturday. Let’s get to it.

Tonight at Reverb Lounge Omaha act Bokr Tov celebrates the release of their new album Nothing Is Immune. The five-piece plays a laid-back style of indie folk that kind of reminds me of acts like Susto and Whitney. The album was produced by Nate Van Fleet and engineered by Matt Carroll, both of See Through Dresses. Opening is red hot local act Thick Paint and Bed Rest. $10, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, Lookout Lounge is hosting ’90s punk rockers Smoking Popes. The band blew up in ’95 with their debut, Born to Quit. Their new album, Into the Agony, was released in October on Asian Man Records. Opening is KC band Company Retreat, Omaha’s Wrong Pets and A Summer Better Than Yours. $15, 8:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, tonight over at fabulous O’Leaver’s, High Dive recording artist Those Far Out Arrows opens for KC garage/psych-rock act Momma’s Boy. Omaha’s Magu headlines. $5, 9 p.m.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) it’s back to Lookout Lounge for the return of Bloodcow. I thought these guys hung it up, but it turns out they’re only on hiatus and have dusted off their instruments for one night as a tip o’ the hat to headliner Super Moon who is calling it quits after this show. Trench and Night Push open at 8 p.m. $5.

Finally, if you miss tonight’s Bokr Tov show at Reverb, the band is opening Sunday night for Minneapolis singer/songwriter Nick Costa at Reverb. Minne Lusa opens this one at 8 p.m. $8.

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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Young Jesus at O’Leaver’s, Oct. 28, 2018.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

On the surface, Saddle Creek Records’ addition of Young Jesus to its roster would appear to be a real thinking-outside-the-box moment for a label that’s prided itself on releasing some of the best singer/songwriter indie rock over the past 20 years.

Young Jesus’ new album, The Whole Thing Is Just There, has the auspicious honor of including the longest track ever released by a Saddle Creek band, “Gulf,” a tune that clocks in at just over 20 minutes. On first blush the entire record seems experimental bordering on art project. That said, The Whole Thing… also has the honor of being the highest-rated Saddle Creek release reviewed by Pitchfork, coming in at a staggering 8.1 rating. In Pitchfork terms, that’s genius level.

The Whole Thing… is about as far away from being a pop album as anything Saddle Creek has released since Beep Beep back in the ’00s. And on first listen, it can be a challenge, but I have to admit the record goes down better after seeing these guys live last night at O’Leaver’s. Following what sounded like an improvised jazz-rock instrumental, they launched into “Green,” the opening track off their Saddle Creek rerelease S/T, which, yes, sounds like an indie rock song.

The rest of the set included songs off the new album, including standout track “Deterritory” and set closer, “Gulf,” whose center section consisted of a free jazz improvisational noise collage that bent back into the opening chords and took all of its 20-plus minutes.

After the set. the house music was tracks off the Cap’n Jazz anthology Analphabetapolothology (Jade Tree, 1998) that someone aptly pointed out was appropriate considering the similarity between the bands’ sounds. While possible free-form at its core, there’s obvious structure to Young Jesus’ songs, a method to the madness that made me rethink the album (which I listened to again on the drive home). I don’t know if it will be a big seller for Saddle Creek, but it adds credibility to their vision of releasing music not necessarily for commercial sake, but because they love it.

Thick Paint at O’Leaver’s, Oct. 28, 2018.

I caught the last half of Thick Paint’s opening set and it was the usual amazing, intricate, tuneful rock that they’ve become known for. A different player on bass (usual bassist Sarah Bohling is on the road with David Nance, I believe) didn’t throw off their game a bit. Call it indie prog. The mystery continues as to who is going to put out this band’s next album.

Ian Sweet at O’Leaver’s, Oct. 28, 2018.

Last night’s show, which was originally scheduled to start at 6, didn’t get rolling until after 7 because the bands were late getting to town. As a result, headliner Ian Sweet didn’t go on until after 10. Playing as a three-piece, the set was harder and more abrasive than what I was expecting having heard her new album — i.e., it rocked, at least for the four songs I caught before I headed home.

Hey O’Leaver’s, I love these early Sunday shows. Keep them coming!

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Jason Steady and the Soft Ponies at Burrito Envy, Oct. 26, 2018.

I think I might be the only person I know that likes the food at Burrito Envy. I had three tacos, chips and salsa and a couple fine margaritas there Friday night before I caught a set by Jason Steady and the Soft Ponies.

All the way back to the Talking Mountain days, Steady’s style has been funny, friendly, good-time jangle rock with a slightly disconcerting message just below the surface, a message that’s hard to decipher when he and his ponies — a guy on a stripped-down drum kit and a backing vocalist/percussionist — are making you bounce in your seat to their sunny, good-time music, that included a couple country-esque indie pop ditties. Fun.

Steady is a natural showman, punctuating his set with between-song banter that makes you think he’d be the perfect host for a Pee-Wee’s Playhouse-style children’s program on Nick or PBS Kids. All he needs is some puppets, and anyone who knows Steady knows that’s well within his reach. Nothing would make my Saturday mornings better…

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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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.