Before we get to the weekend, here are a couple interesting Internet tidbits you may or may not have found on your own.

Continuing the parade of Cursive interviews, each with a bit of a downer theme, here's an interview with Ted Stevens in the University of Toronto's thevarsity.ca. Among the notable comments:

(Says Stevens): "Originally, [Saddle Creek] was designed to be a communal thing that we all shared a part of. Those were naive dreams. Bright Eyes was the first band to sell lots of records, and that was when it became obvious that each musician had to work on their own thing. We needed a CEO to run major operations. It then broke off from the community aspect.

"The sense of community is still there, but the label, family, and bands are not the same as they once were. We have had to set up a new business model, instead of this utopian all-for-one mentality.

"The cynic in me believes that it’s not possible, once debt and revenue enter the picture. I started off as an enthusiastic spokesperson of what I wanted it to become, but now I am leveling off into a realistic position, mellowing."

Is it me or does Cursive seem disenchanted with Saddle Creek these days?

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The Reader's news editor, Bryan Cohen, sent me a link to this item at American Public Radio's Marketplace, a business-news show on the local NPR affiliate at 5:30 p.m. weekdays. I had heard part of this report driving home from work and wasn't sure what I was hearing (and missed the end), but it's an interview with Billboard Magazine news editor David Prince, where he and host Kai Ryssdal chat about the recession and how it's reflected in pop music. Where the interview goes off the tracks is at the very end, where Kai asks about indie music. From the transcript:

RYSSDAL: What about indie music? I mean some of the folks out there just doing their own thing.
PRINCE: You know, I think of indie music in a lot of ways as the most elitist and the most ignoring the recession and the economic realities. Because if you have the opportunity to really pursue a music career in this day and age and do nothing else, then you probably have some expendable income.
RYSSDAL: Expendable income. So it's kids who have some money, basically.
PRINCE: Indie yuppies is a phrase I think of a lot when I'm reading Pitchfork.

Wow. Indie Yuppies. I guess that accurately describes most of the indie bands around here, right? Seriously, you can't blame Prince, who sounds like he's never met a touring indie band before. Even the most successful ones I've interviewed have members that hold day jobs or second jobs just to survive. Strange comment, that of course ended up getting blasted in the "comments" section of the story. Amusing.

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For the first time in a while, there are no stand-out shows this weekend (except of maybe The Hood Internet, but that's not a band, is it). I blame the long, arctic winter, which seems to just go on and on and on. To be honest, we can't complain. We've done pretty well show-wise the past few months, a time which historically is slow in terms of decent touring bands. Local unsigned bands should take note that if you're working on an album next year, there are distinct advantages to a deep-winter release in that you'll have less competition from headline touring acts for your CD release show. That certainly would have been the case this weekend.

But that said, there are shows going on this weekend, including the aforementioned The Hood Internet, a couple guys who record dance-floor mashups. The duo is at The Slowdown tonight with Capgun Coup and Flowers Forever. $10, 9 p.m.

Everyone's favorite drunk house, O'Leaver's, has Gyromancer, Lightning Bug and The Power, a hot new Lincoln band (or so I'm told). $5, 9:30 p.m.

The best show of the night, however, is in Lincoln at The Bourbon Theater for a fundraiser for KRNU, 90.3 FM. On the docket is Ideal Cleaners, Pharmacy Spirits, The Machete Archive, Once a Pawn and coming off a glistening 12-inch release show at Slowdown last night (that I didn't attend because of work), Talking Mountain. $5 if your over 21, $7 if you're 19-20. Show starts at 9.

Tomorrow night The Hood Internet plays in Lincoln at The Bourbon. Meanwhile, back in Omaha, it might be a good time to check out the new Hole, formerly the Diamond Bar in downtown Omaha at 712 So. 16th St. It's hosting a benefit for Repower Nebraska featuring The Yuppies, The Prairies (members of Yuppies), Solid Gold, Peace and Space and Lawrence Kansas band Bandit Teeth (KS). $5, 7 p.m. (it'll be over by 11). Just a reminder, The Hole is a all-ages space and doesn't serve alcohol.

Also Saturday night, The Answer Team plays at The Sydney with Auternus and Masses, $5, 9 p.m.; and Ground Tyrants play at The Barley Street with Citizens Band and Chantilly Reign. $5, 9 p.m.

Like I said, quiet weekend.

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