The beaches of San Juan…

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Well, I’m back from San Juan. And I can report that while not all things are back to where they were before Hurricane Maria, they’re pretty close… in the resort areas. We didn’t venture inland or go beyond Old San Juan (which looks virtually untouched, though I’m told it suffered greatly). I’ll talk more about what we saw in next month’s column in The Reader.

In this month’s column I reminisce about 25 years of The Reader and why alternative publications are so important, especially in a city that’s dominated by one traditional news source. The big 25th Anniversary issue of The Reader is on newsstands throughout the city right now, but you can also read the column right here.

* * *

Those of you who yearn for another performance of the Conor and Phoebe Show on national television should tune in tonight to The Late Late Show with James Corden. BTW, the show listing in no way mentions Better Oblivion Community Center. Did they drop the awkward moniker?

* * *

Tom Bartolomei and Ben Eisenberger are hitting the road together and tonight is their tour launch show at Pageturners. You should go. 9 p.m. and no price listed (Pageturner shows are usually free, but if I were those guys, I’d have a tip jar out in an attempt to generate some road cash.).

* * *

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.

MiWi La Lupa at Dundee Days at Dario’s, Aug. 25, 2018.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Dario Days — or Dundee Days at Dario’s, which is how it’s referred to now — was the usual good time. Dario’s set up a stage in the parking lot just west of Blue Line along with tables and benches and poured delicious beer while bands played.

MiWi La Lupa was on stage when we arrived at around 6 p.m. For whatever reason I’ve never caught his set despite the fact that he’s played around town numerous times. His is singer/songwriter style that compares to Simon/Garfunkel / Windham Folk / Harry Nilsson / Cat Stevens, upbeat and personal and in no way old sad bastard music.

I dug it, and for the rest of the weekend conducted additional research via Spotify, where I discovered his most recent album, Beginner’s Guide (2016, Tigershrimp Records), which I’ll file under “better late than never.” in terms of my discovery. Miwi has a great voice, which was showcased during this solo acoustic set that took place before Dundee Day’s main stage fired up.

Tom Bartolomei, left, accompanied by Stephen Bartolomei at Dario Days, Aug. 25, 2018.

Instead, Tom Bartolomei, joined with his cousin, Stephen Bartolomei, got the brunt of the “overblow” from Dundee’s main stage, at one time asking the Dario’s audience, “Is that Bon Jovi?” Yes, Tom, it is, but it also isn’t. Tom played a set of low-key, quiet singer/songwriter folk on his acoustic, with Steve adding some fine touches via his electric.

Many of you probably remember Stephen as one of the central players in Mal Madrigal (along with Ben Brodin, Ryan Fox, Dan McCarthy, John Kotchian and Mike Saklar). Steve moved to NYC years ago, lived in Queens, but now he’s back to Omaha for good (They all come back, don’t they?).

BTW, Stephen Bartolomei will be playing Wednesday night at Pageturners, opening for Sun-Less Trio’s record release show. More on that later.

* * *

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.