Marcey Yates at Burke’s Pub as part of Benson After Dark, July 30, 2016

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Benson’s getting crazy. Saturday night’s Benson After Dark crowds were impressive, but activity on the streets was over the top. But it’s getting that way almost every weekend in Benson. Now if they could just figure out a way to get a little biz in the daylight hours.

Here’s another observation from this weekend: For the first time I can remember, Benson Days worked. After the parade, Maple Street from down by the post office up to the Masonic Lodge was lined with tents and food trucks (maybe the most food trucks I’ve seen at one Omaha event). Hundreds of people crowded the streets. It was… surprising, exciting. When I came back later that afternoon, around 3 p.m., the crowds were still hanging on.

I have no idea if Benson After Dark was a success because the bars would probably have been jam-packed anyway. The venue where I spent a couple hours — Burke’s Pub — had a steady stream of people paying to hear the music.

I hung out at Burke’s not only because my wife was working the door, but because Marcey Yates was on the line-up. Actually, I’m not positive the project is called “Marcey Yates.” Op2mus? The Dilla Kids? Stdnt Body? All those names were used at one point.

The group consisted of a drummer, bass player and two guys with microphones, one of whom controlled samples. Not every song used a sample; some merely featured bass and drum and voices. That minimal, spare production gave them breathing room for the rhythms and backing track.

On a musical level, Yates’ is enticing. Warm, subtle rapping atop the beats. It’s a pleasure to see live instruments at a hip-hop show rather than someone yelling over pre-recorded tracks. The rap flowed smooth from one man to the next; and the room bounced  with the rhythm. The drawback (for me, anyway) was I couldn’t make out a word either of the rappers were saying. I could hear them just fine, rhythmically they were a smooth force, but the meaning was lost, and that’s a shame.

I need to hear and understand the words to get to the next level. Maybe not “understand” as much as comprehend what’s being said. My favorite hip hop (and it’s a short list) has easily recognizable lyrics that take me to wherever the artist is living. Kendrick, for example, can race along at a furious pace and I can still make out every word. Friday night the lyrics were lost on me. Maybe it was the PA, though this morning I’m listening to some of Yates’ Bandcamp stuff and while the production is first class it’s still a struggle to catch all the rhymes.

But I love the groove. So much so I’m contemplating hitting up this Friday night’s New Generation Music Festival at Aksarben Village featuring the Dilla Kids (Marcey Yates and XOBOI). Read more about the event in today’s Hear Nebraska blog entry.

* * *

Wavves returns to The Waiting Room tonight. Seems like the band is making Omaha a regular tour stop. This is the fourth time they’ve played here, if my math is correct (2011, 2013, Maha 2015). Tonight they’re playing with Philly act Steep Leans (Ghost Ramp Records) and Party Baby. $23, 8 p.m.

* * *

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 © 2016 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.

Pleasure Adapter

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

Oh my god it’s like rock show heaven tonight. And if you work for the railroad, you don’t have to go to work tomorrow, which means bar-hoppin’ baby. Apologies to the shows I missed last night, but my head felt like someone slid a 12-inch needle above my right eyeball and into my brain, and then jiggled it all night long. Those of you who suffer from sinus headaches know what I’m talking about. No amount of ibuprofen and/or jagermeister will dampen the agonizing, bright red pain.

I swear to god even if it keeps up, I’m not going to miss frickin’ Pleasure Adapter tonight. The band has been on top of my must-see list for over a month but somehow has managed to allude me every time. In the meantime, they’ve slowly but surely begun to generate an army of fans into their style of dark wave, electronic post-punk. Hear Nebraska has some of their backstory here. Read it. And check out two of their songs below:

Now go see them tonight at Slowdown Jr., where they’re headlining a show with fellow noise/punk bands Goon Saloon, Worried Mothers and New Lungs, all for a mere $5. Show starts at 9. Get there early.

But that’s not the only show happening tonight.

Wavves returns to The Waiting Room tonight. Their new album, Afraid of Heights (Mom + Pop/Warners) just clocked in with a 74 at ATOY. But for me, it’s the undercard that’s the draw. Fidlar (which stands for Fuck it dog, life’s a risk) is a garage band from Los Angeles also on Mom + Pop Records. Opener Cheatahs are a U.K. band on Wichita Records. This would be must-see at SXSW, but we have them here together for one night for $15. Show starts at 9.

Also tonight fabulous O’Leaver’s is hosting a Slow Burn Production: The charmingly named Fat History Month is opening for Pile. Video Ranger also is on the fight card, all for a mere $5.

* * *

In this week’s column, who remembers Jodie Dallas? (If you do, you’re probably as old as me.) So how did Jodie impact America’s view of the gay lifestyle? Find out in this week’s issue of The Reader, or read it online right here.

* * *

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.

Best Coast at The Waiting Room Feb. 11, 2011.

by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

In the battle last Saturday night between Wavves and Best Coast at a sold-out (and packed) Waiting Room, it was Wavves that walked away the victor (at least in my humble opinion).

Both bands are sharing headlining chores over the course of their tour, and both bands are smoking hot right now, though I have to admit having heard little of either of their music before this show (I did hear snippets of Best Coast on NPR).

Wavves rolled out of the gate sounding like a morph of modern post-punk, low-fi, garage and So. Cal surf music. I was reminded of The Pixies, The Ramones, Descendants, Nirvana, Buzzcocks and Jay Reatard. One guy mentioned Dead Milkmen, another mentioned British ’80s punk. The trio blazed through its set with frontman Nathan Williams burning like a San Diego skate-punk. While there was an obvious similitude to their short, sharp, shock numbers, there also was an undeniable knack for melody that kept the set from becoming ho-hum. Certainly the throngs of Omaha youth were enthralled as they leaned against the stage while all the older folks (and there was a surprisingly large contingent of them) watched from the back of the room. Loud, fast, fun.

Best Coast had better songs, but were a downshift energy-wise. Cutie-pie frontwoman Bethany Cosentino’s sweet girlie voice rang out like Belinda Carlisle meets Liz Phair, backed by another guitarist and a drummer (and no bass). While the music was forcibly low-fi with tinges of surf and garage, there was more depth below the surface melody-wise, but not so lyrically, as the songs leaned toward banal Go Go’s rather than confessional Phair. Cosentino made a point of saying she had roots in Omaha, even calling out her family who were standing somewhere in the mob off stage left, presumably near Congressman Lee Terry who I’m told was in the house.

The fact that the kids (a lot of the staged-pressed crowd looked under 21) are getting into faster, funner, punkier music is a sign of hope, especially after the last few years of droning, lifeless schlock like Animal Collective. Too bad they just stood there and stared at the bands like hypnotized cows. I saw only a couple young groovies doing a shag in the back of the room. Nothing wrong with letting loose once awhile, kids…

* * *

Be the first in your neighborhood to own a copy of Bright Eyes’ The People’s Key by attending tonight’s pre-release party down at Slowdown. Copies of the CD will be on sale for $10; vinyl for $18. They’ll be spinning the disc starting at 8 p.m. and giving away pizza.

And then tomorrow, the bomb goes off…

* * *

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.