Heart Bones (Sean Tillmann), #BFF, Haybaby, Motherly (Sara Bertuldo) debut tonight; Wagon Blasters, Cayucas, Sam Valdez Saturday…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , , , — @ 12:34 pm July 5, 2019

Haybaby plays tonight at O’Leaver’s.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Hopefully the only fireworks we’ll hear this weekend will be coming from a stage.

Tonight at The Sydney Sean Tillmann a.k.a. Har Mar Superstar takes the stage with partner in crime Sabrina Ellis (A Giant Dog) as the fun-time electro-pop duo Heart Bones. They’ve got a few songs on Spotify that are bouncy and fun, but everything Tillmann does is fun. Dirty word opener Good Fuck kicks it off at 9 p.m. $12.

And as if you forgot, it’s Benson First Friday tonight. Since you’ll be in the neighborhood, drop by The Little Gallery, 5901 Maple Street (in the east bay of the Masonic Temple building), and check out the amazing work of Jun Lee, woodcut prints that will make your eyes fall out of your head. The opening runs for 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Come by and say hi.

Meanwhile, down at fabulous O’Leaver’s, Brooklyn indie band Haybaby (Tiny Engines Records) headlines (Here’s hoping they play their 6-minute grinder “My Mother Tells Me” off their new album They Get There). Also on the bill are Houma and the debut of Sara Bertuldo’s new band, Motherly. 10 pm., $7. There will also be a shitload of DJs and a drag show out on the patio. Crazy!

Saturday, The Wagon Blasters are playing at the Farnam House 5th Anniversary Bash. The day-show kicks off at 2 p.m. with Kevin Lloyd, followed by Ted and Alice Miller (3:30), The Mudpuddles (5 p.m.), Wagon Blasters (6:30) and closing out with Minne Lussa at 8 p.m. Food, beer, outdoor beer garden and more.

Saturday night The Slowdown has Santa Monica indie pop band Cayucas (Park the Van Records) and indie crooner Sam Valdez, whose voice and style bears a slight resemblance to a certain lady namea Lana. 9 p.m., $15.

Also Saturday night, O’Leaver’s has the return of Big Al Band, with Jessica Errett and Army of 2600. $5, 10 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 © 2019 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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When Particles Collide, #BFF tonight; Wagon Blasters, 24 Hour Cardlock Saturday…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , — @ 12:33 pm May 3, 2019

24 Hour Cardlock at Burke’s Pub, OEAA Showcase, Aug. 23, 2014. The band celebrates the release of its new album tonight at the Barley Street Tavern.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

One of the quieter weekends in recent memory…

Tonight, of course, is Benson First Friday. And as per usual, I beseech you to drop by our gallery — The Little Gallery located at 5901 Maple Street (the east bay of the Benson Masonic Lodge) — for the opening of Raw/Beauty, the works of Shaun Ilahi. The opening runs from 6 to 9 p.m. Booze. Treats. Come by and say hi.

Also tonight, I was given a head’s up about a show at The Down Under Lounge tonight — a Bangor, Maine, duo called When Particles Collide. A VERY well-respected Lincoln musician recommends this one (the duo played in the Star City last night). Also on the bill are Robo Dojo and Tame Suns. No idea what this costs but it starts at 9 p.m.

Tomorrow night, 24 Hour Cardlock celebrates the release of their new album, Semibicoastal, at Barley Street Tavern. The mighty Wagon Blasters open along with the equally mighty Korey Anderson. $5, 9 p.m.

Believe it or not, 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 © 2019 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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Mercy Rule goes online; Wagon Blasters, Domestica, Minne Lussa tonight; Priests Saturday; Murs Sunday…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , — @ 1:48 pm April 26, 2019

Mercy Rule albums God Protects Fools and Providence. Both are now available on major streaming services.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Caulfield Records yesterday announced that legendary Lincoln post-punk band Mercy Rule’s first two albums, God Protects Fools and Providence, became available for streaming at the usual services.

I first fell for Mercy Rule with their debut; while their 1999 release, Flat Black Chronicles (also available on streaming platforms), quickly become a favorite. I never gave Providence the attention it deserved, having owned it only on cassette. I must tell you, after listening to it this morning, it, along with the other two albums, have held up well after 25 years. Find out for yourself:

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Speaking of Mercy Rule, the band’s current incarnation, Domestica, plays tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s. It’ll be just like old times as joining them on the bill is Wagon Blasters, whose members include Gary Dean Davis, the former frontman of ’90s tractor punk band Frontier Trust, who often shared bills with Mercy Rule back in the day. Headlining is Minne Lussa, a band consisting of Eric Ebers (Ritual Device), Alan Legge, Matt Rutledge on vocals and guitar, and Pat Reefe. 10 p.m., $5.

Tomorrow night (Saturday), D.C. post-punk band Priests headlines at Reverb Lounge. The band played the Maha Music Festival back in 2017 – you can read a Ten Questions interview with them right here. Their latest, The Seduction of Kansas, was released earlier this year on Sister Polygon Records. German garage-rock duo Gurr opens at 9 p.m.

Also Saturday night, Denver garage rock act The Ghoulies plays at O’Leaver’s with headliner Orca Welles. Lincoln up-and-comers Histrionic open at 8 p.m. according to the listing (I’m dubious about that start time). $5.

Finally Sunday, legendary indie hip-hop artist Murs headlines at The Waiting Room. Openers are Locksmith and Cojo. $20, 8 p.m.

And that’s all I got. If I missed your show, put it inthe 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 © 2019 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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Weekend in Review: Almost Music (Pagan Athletes, Wagon Blasters), Matt Whipkey; No Thanks, Hussies tonight…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , — @ 1:51 pm February 4, 2019

Matt Whipkey and his band at Reverb Lounge Feb. 2, 2019.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

It was a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd at Almost Music Saturday night around 8 p.m., the store filled with revelers celebrating the unfortunate demise of an Omaha music store. Some of the book shelves had been moved out of the Solid Jackson side to make room for the crowds watching the bands. In back they were doling out what can only be described as “doses” of the Nite Owl “punch” that indeed packed one. It was a happy though solemn affair as we were all happy to see the bands and each other, and sad that it was the last day for Almost Music and Solid Jackson, a store that will never be equaled (Unless Brad decides to open one again some day).

So crowded was the store that we couldn’t see Pagan Athletes, who were performing on the other side of the room. The synth/drummer duo was knocking out crazy futuristic jams, hyper-kinetic instrumentals that held the crowd in a trance with its jittery swing. The fine young man standing next to me drinking the blood-colored punch from a coffee cup said the band consists of John Wolf’s sons! Wolf is nothing less than an Omaha music legend behind such great bands as Cellophane Ceiling and Bad Luck Charm (among others). No doubt talent runs in the family. Check out some Pagan Athletes demos below.

 

Wagon Blasters at Almost Music’s farewell show, Feb. 2, 2019.

Speaking of legends, Pagan Athletes was followed by Wagon Blasters, the next evolutionary step in the ever mutating genre of Nebraska Tractor Punk. Gary Dean Davis was in his usual fine form, as was the rest of the band, who I could barely see while standing  atop a three-foot step ladder, where I took the above photo (I never got a clear shot of Pagan Athletes).

We only hung around for a couple Blasters songs, overcome by ennui generated by the knowledge that we wouldn’t be able to stop into Almost Music again on Saturdays after lunch at Noli’s. Brad, we salute you (and by the way, you hit the nail squarely on the head with that Rat Columns album — primo!).

We headed cross town to catch Matt Whipkey’s set at Reverb Lounge. Whipkey has been performing in a variety of bands and projects for almost two decades, and while rock has always been the staple, his style has varied from Americana to heavy metal (or close to it). That variety makes for a fine selection of songs and styles, which we got a heathy sample of Saturday night.

It’s become known in some circles that Whipkey has been working on a secret project, and sure enough he rolled out one of those songs last night — a punk version of “Fred, You’re Dead” (of which there’s a slower version on his last album, Driver). When will Whipkey reveal this full punk project? Only time will tell…

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Tonight Cam Stout celebrates her birthday at The Brothers Lounge. I don’t know who Cam is, but I like her taste in music, as the bands No Thanks and Hussies are both performing in her honor. $5, 10 p.m. Happy Birthday, Cam…

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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.

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Scary Cursive video; Bud Bronson & The Good Timers, Wagon Blasters, Dross tonight…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , , — @ 12:51 pm October 31, 2018

A screen cap from Cursive’s “Life Savings” video, featuring a killer Tim Kasher.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Not only do I not go to horror movies, I don’t watch them when they’re on TV. I just don’t like knife-kill flicks, gore and blood, violence-porn, etc. I get that people dig that stuff, it’s just not my thing.

So when I saw that Cursive’s brand new video for “Life Savings,” a track off the just-released Vitriola album, was a take off on gorror flicks I dreaded having to watch it. But then I saw a screen cap of frontman Tim Kasher getting hatcheted (oops, spoiler alert) and thought “OK, I can handle this.” I mean, who hasn’t wanted to take a hatchet to Kasher at some point, right? Not to mention that mega-star Jake Bellows also has a star-turn as a victim. It’s gross fun! Check it out below, and get a copy of this fine, fine album.

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Tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s Denver’s Bud Bronson and the Good Timers headline a special Halloween program. The band is on the road touring their new album, Between The Outfield And Outer Space, which came out a couple weeks ago.

This will be our second LP, our fourth time in Omaha, and the last show of our album-release tour,” said Good Timer Brian Beer.  “As it is Halloween, we will also be wearing costumes.” That doesn’t mean you have to, of course, but you know… Also on the bill are the always amazing Wagon Blasters. Dross, featuring members of Noah’s Ark Was a Spaceship and Mint Wad Wall, opens at 9 p.m. $10.

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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.

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Wagon Blasters, Filter Kings, Ebony Tusks, Bodeans tonight; Dario Days (Miwi La Lupa, Satchel Grande), Ben Eisenberger Saturday…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , , — @ 12:38 pm August 24, 2018

Wagon Blasters at Lookout Lounge April 30, 2016. The band plays tonight at The Down Under.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

There are a couple neighborhood festival-type thingees happening this weekend. Dundee Days is Saturday (but all the good music will be at Dario Days), and Hutchfest is going on in the so-called “new north makerhood” at 11th and Nicholas. There’s a live music component to Hutchfest, but the bands are still not listed on their website, so…

Anyway, let’s get on with it…

Tonight at The Down Under our ol’ pals The Wagon Blasters headline. The band is out supporting its sublime new four-song single, Pandamonium Paradise (which I assume was meant to be an ode to pandas, based on that unique spelling). Gary Dean Davis and his tractor-punk brigade will be blowing the doors off this little venue, along with openers 24 Hour Cardlock and Michael Campbell. This eclectic bill starts at 8:30; no price listed.

Tonight also sees the return of The Filter Kings. It’s been a long while since Omaha’s favorite outlaw country band took the stage. They’re opening for a Johnny Cash tribute band at The Waiting Room. 8 p.m. start time, $12.

Right around the corner at Reverb… Who remembers Cowboy Indian Bear? Well that band’s frontman, Marty Hillard, is now fronting a hip-hop outfit called Ebony Tusks, which is opening tonight for Yuno. $12, 8 p.m.

And we can’t forget that Bodeans are back in town, this time at The Slowdown for a benefit for NorthStar Foundation. Mike Glabicki of Rusted Root opens. $50, 8 p.m.

Then comes Saturday and Dario Days, a mini music festival located in the parking lot of Dario’s in Dundee that competes head-to-head with Dundee Days. The line-up, starting at 4 p.m.: Cubby Phillips & John Evans, Dirt House, Miwi La Lupa, Tom Bartolomei and Satchel Grande. Watch out for those Belgian beers, they sneak up on ya. $6.

Saturday night Ben Eisenberger (guitarist for Screaming Plastic, FiFi NoNo, Hussies) headlines a night of music at Almost Music in the Blackstone that also includes Dan McCarthy and Noah Sterba. 9 p.m., $5.

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.

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Wagon Blasters record release show, Candy Boys tonight; The Love-Birds, David Nance Saturday…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , — @ 12:23 pm July 13, 2018

Wagon Blasters at Lookout Lounge April 30, 2016. The band plays tonight at Brothers Lounge.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

It’s been too long since the last Wagon Blasters 7-inch came out — like five years too long. Well, they’re back on vinyl with a new 7-inch, Pandamonium Paradise E.P. (2018, Speed! Nebraska), four geetar-powered tractor punk ditties that are sure to be the soundtrack to the hottest summer on earth.

You can pick up your copy tonight at The Brothers Lounge, where Gary Dean, Jesse, Will and Kate will be rifling through the new songs and a ton of old favorites. The sea-glass vinyl record is limited to 300, so you better get yours quick.

If you can’t make it to the show, you can order one online at the Wagon Blasters’ fancy new Bandcamp page that not only features their full discography by a boatload of Speed! Nebraska merch including new seed caps and super-fast-looking racing-stripe Tees (I need one of those in large, Gary, make it blue).

Joining Wagon Blasters tonight is fellow Omaha act The Broke Loose and Lincoln pals Domestica. $5, 9 p.m.

Also happening tonight is the debut of The Candy Boys — the new band fronted by John Klemmensen (which you read about yesterday) — at fabulous O’Leaver’s. Joining them is Not Funny and Not Ben Shin. $5, 10 p.m.

Saturday night Almost Music in the Blackstone District is hosting an in-store concert with San Francisco jangle-pop summer-of-love band The Love-Birds. Dayton noise act Stress Test opens along with Omaha’s favorite psych-rock troubadours David Nance Band. $5, 9 p.m.

Sunday night Bazile Mills plays at Reverb Lounge with The Ruralists. $7, 5 p.m.

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.

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Southern Culture on the Skids, Wagon Blasters, Those Far Out Arrows, Effluvium tonight…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , — @ 12:46 pm May 22, 2018

Those Far Out Arrows at The Brothers Feb. 17, 2018. The band plays tonight at Burke’s Pub.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

It’s busy for a Tuesday night show-wise…

At The Waiting Room surf-punk twang-masters Southern Culture on the Skids headlines. It’s been a couple years since their last album, The Electric Pinecones, was released. I gotta believe they have new stuff up their sleeves. I know opening band Wagon Blasters definitely has some new material if not available than on the way. $20, 8 p.m.

Meanwhile tonight at Burke’s Pub in Benson, the BFF crew is hosting a launch party for Omaha Gives (which is tomorrow). The stellar line-up includes Those Far Out Arrows, Hussies, FiFi NoNo and DJ Tyrone Storm. The fun starts at 8 p.m. and it’s free. More info here.

Finally, over at Brothers Lounge, Effluvium performs with Houston noise duo Adam Goodwin & P. Gkika and Mighty Vitamins. $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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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Justin Townes Earle, Boner Killerz tonight; Wagon Blasters, Marmalakes Saturday…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , — @ 12:24 pm May 11, 2018

Wagon Blasters at Lookout Lounge April 30, 2016. Gary Dean and the gang play Barley Street Saturday night.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Not much happening this weekend. No touring indie bands, very few local shows of note. Maybe because it’s Mother’s Day weekend? No, that’s not it.

Let me see what I can find…

Steve Earle’s son Justin Townes Earle headlines tonight at The Waiting Room with Blake Brown. $25, 9 p.m.

The Boner Killerz are opening a show at Barley Street Tavern tonight with three bands I’ve not heard before: Robo Dojo, Catberet and When Particles Collide. $5, 9 p.m.

The Barley Street might be the place to be this weekend actually, as tomorrow night (Saturday) The Wagon Blasters play with Anonymous Henchmen and headliner Big Al Band. $5, 9 p.m.

Saturday afternoon Hi-Fi House is hosting a listening party for Austin band Marmalakes new album Please Don’t Stop, which comes out today on Austin Town Hall Records. The band consists of Chase Weinacht (guitar/songwriting) and Josh Halpern (drums/production). Halpern plays with Shearwater and Palo Duro, while Weinacht performs with The Hermits. The listening party runs from 4 to 6 p.m. It’s a shame they’re not going to perform.

UPDATE: Marmalakes are playing a gig Saturday night at Lucy’s Pub, 8932 Blondo St. (which isn’t a pub at all, rather it’s the location for house shows) with Bokr Tov, Oatmeal 97 and You Doo Right.

Also Saturday night at fabulous O’Leaver’s Lawrence folk-rock band The North Fork plays with Mr. E and the Stringless Kite. $5, 10 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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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The Broke Loose, Wagon Blasters, Closeness, Twinsmith, Clarence Tilton tonight; TFOA, Lupines, Bad Bad Men (John Wolf) Saturday…

Category: Blog — Tags: , , , , , , — @ 1:06 pm February 16, 2018

Twinsmith on the Maha Music Festival main stage back in 2014. The band plays tonight at Slowdown Jr.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

It’s a packed weekend for local shows, not much from a national-touring-indie perspective, but what else is new? It’s February, after all. Who wants to tour through Omaha in February? Apparently no one.

Anyway…

The Brothers Lounge is really stepping up its game, hosting two shows this weekend. Tonight’s headliner is The Broke Loose. The band released a single this past January called “Flatlands,” and another in February called “Cold As Hell.” Both were recorded with Rick Carson at Make Believe Studios. Frontman Glenn Antonucci said they’re the first in a series of nine singles, all recorded at Make Believe, that they plan to release one by one over the course of 2018.

Why release a single at a time versus a full album?

“Well, a couple reasons,” Antonucci said. “For one, we thought many of the individual tracks that came out of this session had a distinctive feel, and could stand on their own. And of course, it also gives us the ability to offer up something new each month (or thereabouts), rather than drop an album on people all at once and then retreat into silence for a year or more.”

I like it. It’s like the old days or rock ‘n’ roll when bands released 45s then compiled them into albums. Too bad Broke Loose songs aren’t being released as 45s, but imagine how much that’d cost…

Opening for The Broke Loose tonight is legendary tractor-punk band Wagon Blasters (Gary Dean Davis and crew) and Ottumwa Iowa basement rockers X-Ray Mary. $5, 9 p.m.

Also tonight Closeness headlines at The Sydney in Benson. Seems like we haven’t heard from the dynamic duo of Todd and Orenda Fink for quite a while. Will we be getting a glimpse of new Closeness music tonight? Opening is Lincoln’s Universe Contest and garage-punkers FiFI NoNo. $5, 9 p.m.

That’s not all. Tonight Saddle Creek Records band Twinsmith headlines at Slowdown Jr. The Sunks open at 9 p.m. $10.

And also tonight at fabulous O’Leaver’s it’s another shit-kicker of a bill headlined by Omaha’s finest alt-country band Clarence Tilton, who just released a split LP with Monday Mourners. Opening for Tilton is fellow boot-scooters The Eletroliners and 24-Hour Cardlock. $5, 10 p.m.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) it’s back to The Brothers for a special night of rock headlined by Those Far Out Arrows. The always awesome Lupines hold the second spot while a new band called Bad Bad Men, featuring John Wolf (Cellophane Ceiling, Bad Luck Charm), Chris Siebken (Lude Boys) and Jerry Hug (Ritual Device), has the opening slot. Lots o’ curiosity about these bad hombres. $5, 9 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 © 2018 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

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