Lazy-i Blog Archive

Live Review: Bright Eyes/Simon Joyner at The Rose Theater – Dec. 28, 2003

Let me preface this review with a statement: Conor Oberst is a musician and a songwriter, but not an entertainer. At least he wasn't last night in front of a sold-out crowd at the historic Rose Theater, which, along with The Orpheum, is sort of Omaha's version of Carnegie Hall. Oberst was content to play his songs and get off stage, or so it seemed. He didn't say a word to the crowd other than to complain about the feedback and monitors until the third to last song of his set. Instead he just stood up there and played one song after another, never acknowledging the crowd. The person next to me asked, "Is he always this cold?" to which I replied "He's a musician and songwriter, but not an entertainer."

But before I get to him, the activities that led up to Bright Eyes.

We had driven past The Rose at around 6 p.m. on our way downtown for dinner prior to the show, and a line already had formed outside the theater. When we got there at 7:30 (The show was slated to begin at 8), the line had grown all the way down the street, almost to the corner. Regardless, it only took about 15 or 20 minutes to get through the line and a few moments more to get a beer. It was a happy, almost excited crowd, laughing and drinking in the downstairs and balcony lobbies. Hey, it's the holidays, right? It was kind of like being at a big Christmas party, waiting for Santa to arrive.

I expected the seating situation to be chaos -- all general-admission seating and sold out. Wouldn't there be problems finding room for everyone? I assumed people would be standing in the aisles or in front of the stage. Of course I was wrong. Everyone took their seats in an orderly fashion. I sat behind the back row, in chairs that had been set up along the wall. Right before Simon Joyner came out at around 8:15, I noticed there still seemed to be a few open seats in the main theatre area.

Onto the stage walked Joyner and his thrown-together band, The Wind-Up Birds, consisting of Dave Hawkins (ex-Mariannes) on electric guitar, classically trained Chicagoan Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello, eccentric gnome violinist Lonnie Methe and his sweater, drummer Brad Smith and super-bassist rockstar Mike Tulis (The Monroes, The Sons of…, River City Revue) in satin shirt and cowboy hat.

I've been following Simon Joyner for years and this easily was the best he's ever sounded. I credit The Rose and its acoustics for being able to really hear Simon's voice well for the first time. He's always sort of been a low-fi guy, really the first Omahan to use home recording and the low-fi sound on his records to full effect. So hearing him boom atop the full band was something of a treat and probably a shock to those who have never heard him before.

Joyner's music, while being rooted in traditional coffee-shop folk and Leonard Cohen, has its own unique, nightmarish, carnival fun-room quality. His vocals always seem slightly off-pitch and wobbly, like watching a child ride a bike for the first time, uneasy but determined. Then there are the songs and arrangements themselves, which leave you with a slight sense of a skewed reality. You know the songs should be straight forward ballads, but the bizarre arrangements give everything a three-day-binge hangover texture. While Lonberg-Holm's cello at times provided a clear, strong bottom, more often then not he joined with Methe to create acoustic feedback, purposely distorting their instruments to produce a harsh counter to Joyner's acoustic strumming. Methe, as per usual, spent the entire set seated with his back to the audience, which seemed a strange way to react to stage fright as it pulled even more attention to him.

The setlist was the strongest, most upbeat I've ever heard Joyner perform, with the best tunes from Songs for the New Year (a rocking version of "When Will the Sun Rise Again?"), The Lousy Dance (a driving "When She Drops Her Veil") along with a couple new ones which hopefully will be on his anticipated Jagjaguwar release Lost with the Lights On.

The crowd seemed into it. I stepped out toward the end of the set and saw only a few people having drinks in the main floor lobby (though the balcony lobby was absolutely packed).

After a brief staging change, on came Bright Eyes, starting the set with an acoustic number alongside perennial sideman Mike Mogis on mandolin, and guitarist Nick Zinner, who looked like a young Edward Scissorhands. Dressed head-to-toe in black, with white complexion and dyed-black Robert Smith hair, Zinner could have stepped right off the set of an early Tim Burton film (The Nightmare Before Christmas comes to mind). Striking and odd, he provided the perfect counter to Oberst, who's had his own peculiarities on stage throughout his career. Alongside the flamboyant Zinner, Oberst looked like a regular (albeit grown-up) guy in his black jeans and western shirt.

After the first tune, the rest of this version of Bright Eyes joined the trio on stage: Nick White (Tilly and the Wall) on piano; Casey Scott on bass; Gretta Cohn (Cursive) on cello; Maria Taylor (Azure Ray) on keyboards and backing vocals; Orenda Fink (Azure Ray) on trumpet and last but not least, Clark Baechle (The Faint) on drums. I say that because Baechle's driving, upbeat style held the entire operation together and changed the very sound of songs. When I've seen Bright Eyes in the past, the band generally looked toward Mogis for leadership since no one seems to know what Oberst will do next. But so forceful and in command was Baechle, that the band leaned on him for their cues.

And what a band it was. In addition to Baechle, the highlights came from Cohn, whose Cello provided beautiful, broad swoops beneath the jangling surface, and the always dead-on Mogis, who switched between songs from mandolin to pedalsteel to banjo. The band performed the best songs from the last couple records and a few promising new ones, including a solo acoustic number that included some lyrical snapshots of Oberst's life in NYC that was the highpoint of the evening.

Despite that, however, this was not one of Bright Eyes' best performances. Oberst appeared nervous and alone on stage, never looking at the audience let alone talking or singing to it. He seemed determined to get through the set list as quickly as possible, as if he had somewhere else to be that night. Strangely, it took to the very end of the set for him to even acknowledge the crowd, and when he did, there was little for him to say. Most of his comments came during the encore, when Oberst thanked 1 Percent Productions and The Rose for doing the show, and when he gave his usual anti-war let's-vote-Bush-out-of-office spiel. Everything else out of his mouth was centered on the sound problems the band faced on stage. At one time Oberst walked around between songs with his hands out as if vibrating in feedback.

Maybe the strangest acknowledgment came at the end of the set and encore: When Oberst finished his songs he took off his guitar and gently laid it on stage. It was a reminder of sorts to last summer's Bright Eyes show at Sokol Auditorium, when he finished the set by smashing his guitar on stage in a fit of rage and frustration. There was no such theatrics this time.

The Year in Review – Dec. 25, 2003

Well, I hope y'all got what you wanted for Christmas.

Anyway... I just posted the 2003 Year in Music article, complete with top-10 list, top local shows, and my perspective on the Omaha scene over the past year. Take a look. 2003 was a banner year for Lazy-i, as we watched our traffic numbers double for some reason, probably because of the launch of this-here blog space. The continued rise in popularity of Creek artists is another good reason for the traffic surge, as Lazy-i continues to be the ultimate source for Creek-related news (as well as news on Omaha's indie music scene). Thanks for reading, and keep coming back. Next up is the annual "predictions" article (which I skipped last year because of publication dilemmas), the CD review roundup, and the launch of our annual Year in Review comp CD giveaway.

Ah, the holidays... – Dec. 22, 2003

It's that time of year
When the world falls in love
Every song you hear
Seems to say...

What a pain in the ass. I spent the weekend trying to get shopping done. I'm about half-way there. As a result, I didn't get the year-end review story posted. I'll do it tonight. I've also been busy burning the annual "best of" CD compilation. I'll be giving away a copy or two again this year. Watch Lazy-i for details.

Live review: Fizzle Like a Flood, Little Brazil, Poison Control Center – Dec. 19, 2003

Shades of Athens, Georgia, circa 1990? For some reason I left The Ranch Bowl last night thinking about The Squalls, Love Tractor, Time Toy, bands that brought it heavy but had a loose almost organic flavor to their style.

Little Brazil seemed very loose indeed, and I mean that in a good way. These guys' music has a natural sense of melody, balanced between Landon Hedges' almost adolescent vocals and the second guitarist's laid-back counter melodies a la Pixies in surf mode. I couldn't hear that second guitar quite as well as I'd liked to have, thanks to the poor mix which hampered all the bands' sets (ah, but you could sure hear the drums loud 'n' clear).

I got there in time to hear Fizzle Like a Flood finish the last half of a solo acoustic set that included a few numbers from his soon-to-be-released EP. Doug Kabourek (the Fizzle in the Flood) had been talking about a new approach to his live shows that will include lots of prerecorded samples. He didn't unveil it last night, which means we're going to have to wait for his CD release show (with Criteria) Jan. 30. Doug seemed kinda loopy, and when he wasn't singing about dying kittens he was livening up the stage with his always amusing between-song banter. A natural showman is he.

There was another act on stage between Fizzle and Little Brazil. The electric guitar-and-drums duo apparently was a last-minute fill-in for a band that canceled, and I never caught their name. Considering it was their first gig at a "real venue" they weren't bad, but their almost tractor-punk style (as in Gary Dean Davis bands (The Monroes)) really begged for a bass to fill things out.

I like Little Brazil, enough to say that I think they're one of the best non-Creek indie-rock bands from around here. I have yet to hear any of their recorded stuff, but I dig their live set. Ironically, Hedges' guitar broke about halfway through their best number of the evening. He finished the song, then threw his broken ax down and strapped on another one, which also would wind up being thrown to the stage at the end of the set. Little Brazil's next gig is opening for the Statistics CD release show January 9.

Last was Ames, Iowa's Poison Control Center, an indie band that borders on prog featuring two guitarist, a cello, drums and a bass player who doubles on trumpet (for one song, anyway). While the music was unremarkable, their stage antics are colorful and lively -- kind of like watching a band of kittens. The second guitarist spent most of the set pulling backward somersaults, while the lead vocalist/guitarist repeatedly jumped off the stage and into the crowd. I don't know if they loose as much as just plain sloppy, but always interesting.

What's the deal with The Ranch Bowl? The room just seems to continue to decay. I've discussed the decor before on the blog -- the crappy chain-link fence combined with the crappy orange snow fence, apparently in place to divide the 21+ drinking area from the main floor (no booze beyond the bar). Who knows if they'll ever invest the cash to fix the place up? It's a shame because the venue has the potential to host a real cool, laid-back vibe. They don't need to drop thousands to make it better, just get rid of all that fencing. Why is it the only bar in Omaha that cordons off the youngsters from the drinkers (especially strange when there were only around 40 people there last night)? With a little vision, the Bowl could become Omaha's version of the 40-watt Club with its 5- to 8-band bills that mix touring bands with interesting local support, each playing 20-minute sets. But for it to work they'll have to start booking different bands then their more typical aggra-rap/hardcore staple. Maybe they're trying to define themselves as the next Cog Factory -- something that they'll never succeed at doing. Lord knows its location and staging make it a potential diamond in the rough, which I for one would like to see get polished.

My exhaustive Year in Review article (with my year's top-10 list) will go online this weekend. Check back.

As the year winds down...; Another Omaha Bright Eyes show – Dec. 16, 2003

The site's focus for the next couple weeks will be on wrapping up 2003, which means plowing through a bunch of reviews, writing a year-in-review and predictions story (which should be online by the end of the week) and putting together the annual "best of' compilation CD, which I'll, once again, be giving away in a contest on the site. For such a down year music-wise, I'm finding plenty of tracks suitable for the comp.

Briefly:

One percent productions announced yesterday "An Evening of Solo and Collaborative Performances with Bright Eyes, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, and M. Ward" Feb. 19 at Witherspoon Hall (in the Joslyn Museum). Jim James is the guy from My Morning Jacket. Reserved seat tickets are $15 and will probably go on sale by the end of the month. This one should sell out as fast as the Dec. 27 Bright Eyes show at The Rose Theater did. I suspect you'll be able to purchase tickets online at onepercentproductions.com.

Live Review: Azure Ray & Crooked Fingers – Dec. 14, 2003

There was a ton of people at the Azure Ray/Crooked Fingers show last night. I didn't get an exact count, but it looked close to a sellout, at least when Azure Ray was playing. I arrived right at the beginning of their set (Dave Dondero was on before that), and the rather large crowd was hushed, almost reverent. Even Roger Lewis, who was working the door, spoke in quiet tones as he stamped my hand. You sort of have to be quiet during an Azure Ray show because their music is so soft, whispery and withdrawn. Backed by the guys from Crooked Fingers (Eric Bachmann on keyboards), the duo stood with guitars and sang one quiet, languid waltz after another. This was the last stop on their tour and they were "glad to be home."

The performance was a spot-on perfect rendition of their recorded work, with little if any variation from the CD renditions. It was nice, as all Azure Ray shows tend to be, but relatively boring. At the beginning, it was so quiet you could hear the smoke-eaters blowing in the ceiling. But about halfway through the set, the crowd began to grow in the back of the room and the chatter level rose. I went to grab another beer and noticed that the couches in the "lounge" in the room next to the main floor -- which had been empty at the beginning of the set -- were now full. The fact that people took their conversation to the other room helped keep the chatter level down in the main room, but there were still plenty of loud conversations going on during their performance.

Strangely, I left wondering what would happen if Azure Ray ever decided to make a straight-out rock record. I doubt that there's much more they can do differently with their quiet-ballad style that they haven't already done. However, their vocals and presence would make for a real interesting (i.e., hot) rock record.

Then up came Crooked Fingers. Eric Bachmann, the band's frontman, looked like a giant standing in the middle of the stage, wearing a white T-shirt over a black long-sleeve and donning a Tomcat hat a la Richard Thompson, who he sort of resembled from the back of the room. Bachmann is tall and big, more like a full-back than a linebacker, with a frame that's the exact opposite of the stereotypical indie rock stickfigure.

Before the set began someone asked me if they were any good. I said, "Sure, if you like Neil Diamond." But the fact is, though Bachmann's voice at times is a spot-on replica of Neil's, the band's music isn't exactly "September Morn" stuff. I think Bachmann has an amazing voice, maybe one of the most distinctive voices in indie today, and one of the strongest. Unfortunately, it's hard to ignore the similarities to Diamond, though about a third of the way into the set, I began to. More so on Bring on the Snakes than his latest, Red Devil Dawn, Bachmann's songs have a way of all sounding the same. They didn't, however, performed from the stage. Bachmann made subtle little changes in the basic compositions, adding dynamics or dropping the band all together during specific passages, giving the songs much more depth and variety then on his CDs. His band included Bachmann alternating between keyboards and guitar (during one song he played a sample and sang the song from the crowd using a bullhorn), as well as guys on pedal steel, drums and upright bass, with Azure Ray helping out on keyboards, trumpet and harmony vocals.

I remember watching, thinking to myself that of all the indie bands that could make a real impact on television, Crooked Fingers could be the most effective. I saw Interpol and Bright Eyes on Letterman and left thinking that only their fans got what they were trying to do, that their songs simply didn't translate to the great unwashed masses and that they were viewed by the general public merely as oddities. But if Crooked Fingers was ever on Letterman, I am dead-sure that the performance would cause a stir because his songs and his voice have that thing that catches people's ears as something that's both unique and inviting. The band has that "who are these guys" attraction that makes people willing to take a chance on buying the CD.

Bachmann closed with a two-song encore in front of a crowd that was half the size of the one that had watched Azure Ray moments earlier. The show goes down as the last good touring indie show of 2003, with only the Bright Eyes/Simon Joyner gig to look forward to. Look for my annual Year in Review recap in the coming weeks.

Tonight: Azure Ray & Crooked Fingers; Sons of O'Leaver's – Dec. 13, 2003

I expect a near sell-out for tonight's Azure Ray/Crooked Fingers show at Sokol Underground. We'll see. If I'm there, look here tomorrow for a review. Meanwhile, The Sons of .... are playing at O'Leaver's, which means tonight's band will be called The Sons of O'Leaver's, starring Mike Tulis (The Monroes), Mike Loftus (Hong Jyn Corp, Sixty Watt Saloon, Shovelhead) and Mike Rutledge (The Great Dismal, Compost). They'll be called The Sons of The 49'r on Jan. 16. Get it?

Why the name 'Dudefest; ain't so good; and a correction – Dec. 12, 2003

I don't know if "Dudefest '03" was such a great name for tonight's show at Sokol Underground featuring Carsinogents, Race for Titles, '89 Chicago Cubs, and Carmine. I once almost got beat up by a Mexican guy in Cancun for calling him a dude. It went like this: I was walking through an open-air marketplace where various "merchants" were trying to sell us their wares -- silver jewelry, trinkets, crippy-crap, etc. So this Mexican guy walks up to me and my girlfriend and says "Hey, man, what you give me for this?" He was holding a watch or something. I said "No thanks," but he wouldn't give up. He kept following us through the market saying "Come on, man, offer me something. $20? $15? $10?" Finally, I turned to the guy and said, "No thanks, dude, I'm not interested." The guy freaked out. "I am not a dude," he said like a young Ricardo Montalban. "All right, man, I get it. You are not a dude." We kept walking. "That's right, I am not a dude." The word "dude" must mean something different in Mexican. He ended up following us around for another five minutes.

Anyway, it should be a fun show, as long as some girls show up, too.

I received a couple e-mails telling me that I misidentified Sarah Chang in the blog (below), and that her real name is Sarah Xiong. My apologies to Sarah. I blame SLAM Omaha for the mistake, since that's how they had her listed in their calendar. FYI, if you're looking for more detailed Omaha gig listings, check out either the SLAMOmaha music calendar, or for the best in regional indie shows, the wonderful Someday Never Omaha listing.

Consafos, Acoustic Fizzle – Dec. 10, 2003

Just placed online, a profile/interview with Consafos (read it here). I interviewed the band when they were headed to Omaha to kick off their brief tour that took them to the West Coast for a few dates opening for Crooked Fingers and Azure Ray. The story traces the band's history, including how singer/songwriter Stephanie Drootin found herself living in the heart of the heartland as a member of Bright Eyes and The Good Life, and how she finally wound up living in Chicago. In researching this story I found virtually no information about Consafos on the Internet. The only origin story, linked off the Sunflowertribe.com web site, was taken down a couple days after I discovered it, maybe because I mentioned to Drootin that I read it, prompting her to reply "That story's really old." Who knows, maybe it was a coincidence. Anyway, my story was originally slated to run only in Lazy-i, and was picked up for publication by The Reader, which explains why the timeline is a bit askew. Consafos has already finished the tour and Drootin's back here working on the next Good Life record. Judging by the single-digit temperatures outside, she probably wishes she was back living in L.A.

As my update at around 6 p.m. yesterday noted, the Stella Link show was cancelled due to bad weather. I apologize for anyone who read my blog and ventured out only to find the doors of Sokol Underground locked.

No word on tonight's show at O'Leavers but I have to think it's still on: An acoustic showcase featuring Fizzle Like a Flood and Sarah Chang, who, unless my memory is failing me, was pictured among the "Omaha women of Rock" that was printed along with this story in the Omaha World Herald. They didn't run the same photo with the online version, merely a pic of Azure Ray, who wasn't interviewed for the piece. But then again, neither was Chang. $3, 9:30, 1322 South Saddle Creek Road.

Saddle Creek release sched; Stella Link and snow, WoodEe award – Dec. 9, 2003

For the 10 or so readers who are not on the Saddle Creek mailing list, here's the Creek release schedule for 2004:

Azure Ray - New Resolution CD Single (January 20th, 2004)
Now It's Overhead - Fall Back Open CD (March 9th, 2004)
Broken Spindles - full-length due out in May 2004
Desaparecidos - EP or full-length due out in May 2004
Rilo Kiley - full-length due out in April 2004
The Good Life - EP due out in May, full length due out in August 2004
The Faint - full-length due out late August/early September 2004
Son, Ambulance - full-length planned for second half of 2004
Cursive - b-sides collection tentatively planned for Fall 2004
Bright Eyes - single/ep in Fall 2004 - next full-length early 2005

The label originally sent me a list without the Son, Ambulance or Bright Eyes dates. It's good to see that we'll be getting something from both of them this year. If last year was a slow one for Creek (and who says it was), this year is a knuckle-buster, some might say a make or break year, though I have a feeling Creek will be around for as long as the bands stay put and look away from big-time label offers. The only new act listed is Broken Spindles -- a "signing" we reported here a number of months ago. I think The Broken Spindles recording is already completed (Joel somehow got out of his deal with TigerStyle), as is Son, Ambulance (part of which was recorded months ago). The Desa is working on their CD now, as is The Good Life (according to Stephanie Drootin). I'll pass on more info as I get it about these releases.

Who's missing from the 2004 list? Sorry About Dresden and Mayday.

~~Tonight's show at Sokol Underground is Stella Link with Coast of Nebraska~~. Update: The show's been cancelled! Scroll down to the Nov. 17 entry for a review of Coast of Nebraska's last gig. Stella link is a four-piece that includes members of Season to Risk and Dirtnap. Opener is Call In Call Out, who I've never heard of. $7, 9 p.m. I want to go, but probably won't venture out if this snow keeps up.

Check out the December WoodEe Award winner. More to come, as we get the WoodEes back on schedule.

And I'll be putting the Consafos story online tonight (finally). Drive carefully.

Bill Hoover tonight at The darkRoom; Up Up Down Down, Burgess Shale; where's that Consafos thing?– Dec. 5, 2003

I wrote a relatively long backgrounder in The Reader on tonight's Bill Hoover / The Bruces / Ted Stevens show at darkRoom Gallery (616 South 11th St., 8 p.m., $5), which basically was a composite of three stories (linked above). The only unique copy: The show marks the 10-year anniversary of the release of Hoover's first solo recording, a tape called Baby, Don't Be Messing with Those Arabs in my Head. And this point which I didn't include: Along with Simon Joyner, Bill Hoover is among the biggest influences of the current roster of Saddle Creek songwriters, including the Oberst/Kasher/Baechle trio. He is beloved in here in Omaha, and with good reason. Get there early, the place is pretty small (seems like I'm always warning y'all about these tiny venues).

Two new CD reviews: Up Up Down Down (it's a long name) and Burgess Shale (the intern again). Someone get Up Up Down Down booked in Omaha, preferrably with Criteria.

And where's that Consafos article I promised you earlier this week? Well, The Reader has decided to run it, so I'm doing revisions. You'll see it here in the next day or so. Sorry about the false advertising.

Concerning tiny bars that are becoming music venues... – Dec. 2, 2003

Well, as you can probably guess, I didn't go to that Snakehandlers' show at O'Leaver's Saturday night. I drove by the venue around 11 and noticed people in line waiting to get in. I figured if there was a line to get in, I can only image the crush scene inside the place. No thanks. O'Leaver's is among a number of small-sized venues (which were never designed for live music) that are now hosting shows, and while I think it's great for the local music scene, it doesn't necessarily mean that those venues are conducive to an enjoyable listening experience for the audience. Bands, on the other hand, love it. I've talked to musicians who will only play tiny places like O'Leaver's, O'Shea's, Ted & Wally's, etc., saying that the "room vibe is amazing." Of course it's amazing -- for the band! The band doesn't have to deal with trying to find a place to stand, or struggle to get a beer. It's one of the reasons why I haven't seen The Monroes for such a long time -- they generally only play at The 49'r -- a great neighborhood venue. Unfortunately, The Monroes draws more fans than The 49'r can comfortably serve. The 49'r is packed on Friday and Saturday nights without a band. Add a band and the place is intolerable unless you get there at around 8:30 and get a table. Look, there really isn't a point to this rant. Like I said, more venues -- tiny or not -- are a good thing for local music. They're just a bitch for us lazy, cranky types who don't like to wait in lines and be forced to stand along the back wall and try to see what's happening over a room full of bobbing heads.

Anyway...

Look for a site update tomorrow morning (I'm told by my service provider that there is a scheduled server outage tonight at around 10 p.m., so the site will be down for a brief time). The update will (hopefully) include a fresh new interview with Consafos, as well as some new CD reviews.

Preston Love retrospective; Snakehandlers, Neutrols at O'Leaver's – Nov. 29, 2003

Just placed online is an interview with Omaha jazz legend Preston Love and drummer/producer Gary Foster that focuses on the new Preston Love retrospective CD (read it here). The story was printed in The Reader in October in support of the Omaha Press Club's "face on the floor" ceremony; but the CD I believe just became available. Lot of people 'round these parts don't know who Preston Love is, though he's performed with some of the greatest names in popular music, not the least of which include Frank Zappa, Sonny and Cher, Janis Joplin, Buddy Miles, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Aretha Franklin, the list goes on and on, all the way to Love's role in Count Basie's Orchestra. But beyond that is Love's contribution to the development of '60s funk, including work with Johnny and Shuggie Otis (he's the guy that wrote "Strawberry Letter 23"). A number of those funk tracks are included on the new retrospective, and they're absolute head-turners-- no cheese here -- this is pure, teeth-rattlin' funk that sounds like it came right out of the soundtrack of a blaxploitation film. It's unbelievable to me that Preston Love is so unknown or so forgotten around Omaha. He is a true living legend. If this piqued your interest, there's also a 2000 Lazy-i interview with Love that discusses his entire career and includes his rather controversial comments about today's "blues" and "jazz" music.

I'm spending the day writing CD reviews when I'm not shopping. Look for updates over the next couple of days.

Tonight's red-hot show of choice is The Neutrols and The Snakehandlers at O'Leaver's, 1322 S. Saddle Creek. The Reader just did a feature on the venue and I'm dying to check it out myself, along with these two bands. The Snakehandlers fancy themselves a punk-n-roll outfit, while The Neutrols is pop with guitars and organs. If I go, you'll read about here tomorrow.

Live Review: Consafos, 1989 Chicago Cubs at Sullivan's – Nov. 27, 2003

I was pleasantly surprised at Sullivan's at 39th and Farnam. I've never been there before and had heard the place was small, cramped and the absolute wrong place to see a band. That description couldn't be more off. Sullivan's has a classic long-bar layout. As you enter, there's a bar to your left that runs about a third of the length of the place, with a few tables along the opposite side. Where the bar ends the space opens. The band's play back in this area, which isn't really a stage as much as a clearing, with a few tables directly across. The bathrooms are all the way in the back, which means you have to cross the band to get to them. It's not huge, but it's decent size, and for some reason it reminded me of the old Howard St. Tavern -- it has that same clean, cool vibe.

I expected a crush scene and in fact it did get a bit crowded during the 1989 Chicago Cubs' set. It was definitely old-school night at the bar, with lots of mid-town band members in attendance. "Midtown" is a term I use to describe the Creek scene plus the quality bands that live or hang out around Dundee or the Gold Coast (a broad area on either side of Dodge St. between 30th and Saddle Creek, which, in my screwed-up logic includes such Omaha landmarks as The Blackstone, UNMC, Brother's, Sullivan's, etc.). Everyone was blowing off steam knowing they had a day off to look forward to. So, yeah, it was crowded, but nothing like the SRO shows at The 49'r where you have to struggle to find a place to stand up, let alone struggle to talk to the person next to you or even get a beer. There was plenty of space in Sullivan's, and the bar service was terrific -- on par with The Brothers. I have no doubt that people were circulating between the two bars throughout the evening (Brother's is just up the street).

Anyway, onto the show. I didn't realize that there were three bands scheduled. The first was a singer/songwriter acoustic guy named Steve Bartolomei. It was typical acoustic fair, nicely sung, sort of lost in the crowd. He was followed by the 1989 Chicago Cubs, sounding nothing like the band I had heard a few months ago at Sokol Underground. It's almost as if they wrote an entirely different set of music which was much more experimental while at the same time more melodic. The problem with Sullivan's is that the sound system is less than optimum (to say the least). All the performances sounded tinty and bright, slightly overblown, probably because the bands were essentially playing directly into a wall across from them -- instead of having the bands in the back of the long bar facing front, they were situated along the one of the two side walls, facing the opposite wall, which would work fine for an acoustic set, but not for an electric rock band like The Cubs. That's where The 49'r has an advantage from a live-performance standpoint. I was seated by the front door, about as far away from the band as you could get, which obviously wasn't the best vantage point. But for me to have gone up and watched them closer would have meant blocking someone else's view (and I'm very, uh, blocky).

Finally, up came Consafos, a four-piece from Chicago (Incidentally, I interviewed lead singer Stafanie Drootin yesterday, so expect a full interview/profile this weekend or early next week). Included in their line-up is guitars / mandolin, stand-up bass, and drums in what was essentially an acoustic set with touches of other sounds. I like Drootin's voice (especially on the recordings I've heard), and the band was very tight, both musically and considering in the small "stage" they had to play. They handled the challenging acoustics quite well, helped in part by the fact that a large portion of the crowd had left after the Cubs' set. This opened up the space around front of the band and cut down on crowd noise. It turned into a rather casual, intimate set that was a perfect launch to a holiday weekend.

I liked Sullivan's a lot -- both its classic tavern layout and its flexibility for live performances -- though I think the place is better suited for acoustic shows than electric rock. It's becoming another important character in the unique a Omaha music scene that seems to be built around comfortable familiarity.

Look for more updates over the holiday and weekend -- mostly CD reviews. Gobble gobble.

Consafos is TONIGHT; Sun Kil Moon, Stone 500 – Nov. 26, 2003

I got an e-mail from Stefanie from Consafos yesterday afternoon saying that there were too many problems with the Friday date and that their show with the 1989 Chicago Cubs is actually tonight at Sullivan's. I'm trying to wrangle an interview with her, keep your fingers crosssed. If I go tonight, I'll report about it tomorrow morning. Regardless of the date change, this will still be a crush scene.

Other assorted news:
-- Here's a story from Alternative Weekly about Sun Kil Moon, the new band by Red House Painters' frontman Mark Kozelek. Last week's issue of Rolling Stone also has a brief mention of the band. There's also a few tour dates listed (the closest to Omaha is Schubas in Chicago).
-- The backlash to the Rolling Stone "Top 500 albums of all time" already has begun. The following was received and posted on the Web board. It looks legit. Reply at your own risk. I probably will.
-- Lazy-i will be updated over the holidays. The time off gives me a chance to write CD reviews and other features. Look for the Preston Love story hopefully tonight.

As we veer toward the holidays...; Consafos – Nov. 25, 2003

Yet another week without an assignment from The Reader. As a result, I'll be posting my Preston Love feature on his new retrospective CD tonight (check back), it's the one that was printed about four weeks ago. There's no assignment because there's not a lot of shows going on this holiday week, and looking into the future, there ain't many 1 Percent indie shows through January. You have Will Whitmore next Monday at the 49'r, Stella Link (ex Season to Risk and Dirtnap) Dec. 9, Dudefest Dec. 12 and the sold-out Bright Eyes / Simon Joyner show Dec. 27. That's it. The 1 Percent guys are taking a well-deserved break after booking nearly 100 shows this year. Regardless, there will still be plenty of new content at good ol' Lazy-i, including the annual year in review article, predictions for 2004 and more interviews. Not to mention CD reviews -- I've got a buttload to get through.

Probably the hottest show going this week is Consafos / The 1989 Chicago Cubs at Sullivan's ~~Friday~~ Wednesday night (this has been moved up two days). Consafos is a four piece from Los Angeles and Omaha that includes members of such bands as Topeka, Ritual of Defiance and Glasscraft. Saddle Creek Records followers will recognize guitarist Stefanie Drootin, who also plays bass for The Good Life. The band's debut full-length, Such Is the Way of Things, was due out this month. This show was originally scheduled for Sokol Underground, but was shuffled to Sullivan's because the bands were apparently concerned that they would be playing for an empty room. I think they forgot that the show is the day after Thanksgiving and that there are literally no other shows that night. Now that it's at Sullivan's, which has a capacity of about 15, they are assured to play for a Standing Room Only crowd. It'll be a great show... if you can get in the door. The Sullivan's show is the first gig in a Consafos tour that takes the band to Denver, Las Vegas, L.A., Pomona and San Francisco, where they'll play with, among others, Crooked Fingers. Go to the Greyday website and hear one of the band's songs on MP3. I've got a request out to the band for an interview, but I'm not holding my breath...

Live Review: Ted Leo & The Pharmacists; GBV, Consonant – Nov. 23, 2003

Ted Leo was nothing less than amazing last night at Sokol Underground. Playing as a trio was Leo on guitar and vocals, and the Pharmacists, consisting of a guy who looked like Booger from Revenge of the Nerds (but with a poodle haircut), and the remarkable Gavin McCarthy from Karate on drums -- strong.

The 70 or so on hand stood close to the stage and got to see Leo rip out about an hour's worth of high-energy, fun-loving indie-pop, playing songs from Hearts of Oak and Tyranny of Distance along with some older numbers. Ted Leo's music has always reminded me of the brighter side of college rock, along the lines of Elvis Costello or Tommy Keene, even '70s rockers Thin Lizzy. It's upbeat, energetic, actually just right for radio, but it'll never get there because it's too smart and unique for radio programmers to give it a try.

How would I describe him: Leo sort of looks like an American version of Tim Roth (specifically the version that played Pumpkin/Ringo in Pulp Fiction), very energetic and funny on stage. He did a lot of between-song patter that was quick, clever and witty, punctuating comments with guitar chops. His guitar playing is simple but fast and can become rather ornate later in songs when he allows himself to stretch out on solos. While he's cranking away, he leans forward and puts everything in his vocals. Meanwhile, behind him, McCarthy brutally drives it all forward with skill and precision -- a marvelous drummer. The bass player, on the other hand, hardly moved while he was playing.

After about 45 minutes, they played their last song and the lights and house music came up. But Leo wasn't through yet. He returned to the stage and said "Usually when they turn the lights up that means no more music." For the encore, he played one song by himself, then invited the Pharmacists back for two more. It'll go down as one of the top five best live performances I saw this year.

Two more CD reviews just posted -- Guided by Voices "Best of" collection and the new one by Consonant (former Mission of Burma). They're linked off the Reviews page. I'll be writing more today, grinding through the stack as 2003 begins to draw to a close.

Live Review: The Rapture; Ted Leo at Sokol; The Diplomats at The 49'r – Nov. 22, 2003

And only The Rapture. I didn't get to Sokol Underground until 11:10. The Rapture came on at 11:15, which means I missed the three opening bands. The show apparently started promptly at 9, and one of the bands (I assume it was Underwater Birth) played in the room adjacent to the main floor of Sokol Underground -- a first, and probably a last considering they blew a fuse at the end of their set. By the time I arrived the show was officially "sold out." I'm told by someone who was there earlier that the crowd seemed bigger for The Locust, but regardless, it was pretty packed.

There's not much to say about The Rapture's performance. They were okay. Nothing terribly special. They played a variety of songs off both their Sub Pop EP and the new one. The band is really a 3-piece with our man Gabe Andruzzi switching between saxophone and various percussion instruments. For example, he played cowbell for "House of Jealous Lovers," one of the three songs played as an encore (The last song was the infamous Gary Glitter Jock Rock anthem "Rock & Roll, Pt. 2." -- lots of pumping fists in the air for that one).

The crowd seemed rather passive. They sort of got into it for the dance numbers, but it was hardly a dance manifesto. Andruzzi was right when he said in his interview that the band has it tough because they intersperse a few low-energy ballads in the middle a set that's equal parts no-wave punk and dance fodder. The ballads brought the room down, and it seemed like they struggled to get it back up. When they rolled out the electronics on the dance anthems, they sounded like a poor man's version of The Faint. The band played for an hour and left, making it an early evening.

Interesting side note: A number of the local band folk showed up in suits and sportcoats, apparently having just come from the wedding of Beep Beep's Chris Hughes. Rapture lead singer Luke Jenner awkwardly asked from the stage who got married, but never got an answer.

Tonight's Sokol show is Ted Leo / Pharmacists with El Guapo and The Close. The promoters aren't expecting a large turnout. I think they're in for a pleasant surprise. I know more people who said they were planning to go to Ted Leo than The Rapture. Attendance, however, may be hampered if we get a snowstorm.

The other big show of the evening is The Diplomats of Solid Sound, with The Monroes and Carmine at the 49'r. The Diplomats are unabashed Booker T and the MGs, James Brown and Meters fans, and their music reflects it. Bluesy, jazzy, funky, with plenty of surfy licks, the Iowa City 4-piece anchors its sound around Nate "Count" Basinger's Hammond and guitarist Doug Roberson's spy electric shuffle. The band just released a new full-length on Estrus Records called Let's Cool One! that continues in that tradition. According to their one-sheet, several tracks off the CD are featured on MTV's "Real World" -- now there's a selling point. I don't think I've seen an episode of Real World since Puck was in the cast. Expect another crush scene at The Niner. The Monroes can fill the place up on their own, and Carmine has also begun to pull together a following for their brand of SST-style punk.

Tonight: The Rapture; Fiel Garvie, Young People – Nov. 21, 2003

Not much to say, other than mention tonight's Rapture show at Sokol Underground. I plan on being there, so look for a review tomorrow morning. With Ted Leo on Saturday, this looks to be a looong weekend. There's other stuff going on, and I'll tell you about it when I have a bit more time. For now, read a couple new reviews. The intern turns his nose on Young People, while I turn my nose on the intern's opinion. Also a review of the new one by Fiel Garvie. Look for reviews of the GBV Best of, Consonant, The Holy Ghost and more in the next day or so, as the avalanche begins. Just in time for Christmas.

The Rapture, Miracle of 86 – Nov. 19, 2003

Just placed online, an interview with The Rapture (read it here). The guy I interviewed, Gabe Andruzzi, didn't really see a difference between what they were doing a couple years ago and what they're doing now, which I found puzzling. This show, which is Friday at Sokol Underground, should be pretty huge. Opening is crazy noise band The Locust. In fact, there's four bands on the bill, which means it'll probably start on time for a change.

The intern has provided yet another review -- Miracle of 86 (read it here). He's starting to earn his credit, but the semester is far from over. Expect a bounty of reviews in the coming days.

That's all for now. If I go to that Statistics/Little Brazil gig at the Niner, I'll post a review of it tomorrow. My attendance, however, seems unlikely if only because I don't like the crush of human bodies at The Niner. And I have to get early on Thursday. But you never know.

Statistics, Little Brazil tomorrow night... – Nov. 18, 2003

Thought I'd spend a few moments pimping tomorrow night's show at The 49'r featuring Statistics and Little Brazil. This show was originally scheduled for Friday night, but then word got to me that it was canceled (I'm told because they didn't want to compete with The Rapture show at Sokol Underground). In fact, it was rescheduled for Wednesday, which screwed me on covering it here and in The Reader. I plan on doing features on both bands in the near future. Regardless, I've already received a copy of the upcoming Statistics full-length, Leave Your Name, and can report that it, indeed, rocks. I'll have a full review here in the coming days. There is no release date on the one-sheet provided by Jade Tree, but I think I remember Denver Dalley (Mr. Statistics) telling me it doesn't come out until early 2004 (All Music Guide says Jan. 20). Curiously, it contains the same version of "Hours Seems Like Days" from the Statistics EP released last June. Also according to the one-sheet, "For touring, Dalley has a group featuring members of Omaha groups The 1989 Chicago Cubs and The Good Life." Hmmm. Ryan Fox, perhaps?

Little Brazil, an indie rock project that features Landon Hedges, is one of the best live bands now going 'round these parts. I'm told they also have some sort of CD coming out soon, but I haven't heard it. I suspect that this will be an uncomfortably packed show, and that if you show up late, you're likely to be stuck standing in the back of The 49'r without a beer. Not good.

Check back tonight for an interview with The Rapture as well as a new CD review or two.

Live Review: The Appleseed Cast, the Belles, Coast of Nebraska – Nov. 17, 2003

A long night of music, and a decent crowd for a Sunday show at Sokol Underground, probably around 75 (but I'm guessing).

First up was The Coast of Nebraska, a trio of local boys that includes Jeremy Stanosheck, formerly of Magic Kiss (a tap-dance band that was the precursor to Tilly and the Wall). I didn't recognize the guitarist/vocalist and bassist. A fairly new band, they sounded pretty tight, and Stanosheck's drumming has improved since the old MK days. The person I hung out with most of the evening said they reminded him of a 1996-era Cog Factory band. To me, they epitomized what emo used to sound like -- melodic punk with slightly angular Cursive-style overtones. Not bad at all, though the vocal melodies sounded like they were written as an afterthought, as if the band had finished putting together the basic song structure and then told the vocalist to sing something over the top.

The Belles is another Lawrence band (where also hails Appleseed Cast) with a sweet, south-by-way-of-El Lay approach. Performing as a four-piece that sounded like a three-piece (I could barely hear the guy on electric guitar), their set mostly showcased the acoustic guitar-playing lead singer, Chris Tolle, who sounded like the spitting image of Don Henley, which was appropriate considering their songs had that same peaceful, easy feeling as early Eagles. Pleasant, though not terribly memorable.

Finally, The Appleseed Cast, playing what they said was the 26th show in 30 days, and the last of this tour. Singer Chris Crisci looked like a fully bearded Wayne Coyne wearing a once-fashionable John Deere trucker cap. Their sound was relatively formulaic, to say the least. Playing straight, mid-tempo 4/4, the mostly instrumental stuff consisted of three or four minor chords: One chord played for two measures (8 beats), then the next chord for 8 beats, then the next chord for 8 beats, then back to the first chord for 8 beats. Repeat that cycle for what seems like eight or nine minutes and you've got their basic song structure down pat. On about half the songs, Crisci sang a "melody" that complimented the chord changes. The immense delay (they were pleasantly loud) and chiming guitar tone reminded me of Disintegration-era Cure. I've heard other bands do this sort of droning, trancy, repetitious stuff before, but more effectively. Missing from the Appleseed Cast's songs was any sort of dynamics -- they started out at one level and maintained it throughout the entire song; everyone playing all the time, never dropping out to showcase an individual player (The only true standout was drummer Josh Baruth, who seemed to constantly try to come up with clever ways to keep the rhythm section interesting while trapped in these plodding, one-dimensional compositions). The result was an unending wave of shimmering repetition that hardly ever varied, and hence gave the impression that the songs were longer than they really were.

Amy Blaschke – Nov. 14, 2003

Briefly, there's a review of Amy Blaschke's new self-titled release right here. The intern didn't like it. I did. Go figure. Amy, if you're pissed, you can always march down to the Ranch Bowl tonight and kick Whipkey's ass. He's opening for that sell-out pop star Art Alexakis. Me, I might be at O'Leaver's where Jason Steady is playing tonight, with Fizzle Like a Flood's Doug Kabourek on drums. Or I might not be.

The Appleseed Cast in a Lazy-i exclusive! – Nov. 13, 2003

This Q&A with The Appleseed Cast's Chris Crisci (read it here) is the first full interview that is a bonafide "Lazy-I exclusive." It's exclusive mainly because the folks at The Reader said they didn't have room for it in this issue (Don't worry, they haven't fired me yet. I did an interview yesterday with The Rapture that will be in next week's issue). I figured that, even though The Reader didn't want it, I might as well put it online. Who knows, it may be the beginning of a lot more exclusive content. Like I've said before -- if I were in a band, I'd much rather have the story run online than in the paper. The Reader is front of the Omaha reading public for a mere week, while Lazy-i stories live forever on the Internet and are read by people from all over the world. Most publicists, however, have yet to embrace the e-zine model, preferring traditional press and alt weeklies.

This story was written in support of the Appleseed Cast's upcoming gig at Sokol Underground -- Nov. 16 with The Belles and The Coast of Nebraska. Sunday nights are tough for rock shows, but this one will be worth it. It's the Cast's last show of this tour and probably their last for 2003.

Things to look forward to...; Random notes – Nov. 12, 2003

Things like another site update tonight, including an exclusive interview with The Appleseed Cast, some new reviews and other stuff. I had hoped to get the ASC story written last night, but fell asleep instead. The intern has provided another CD review, which means I have to do a few myself or risk failing as a hard-working role-model. Until then, here are a few observations in passing:

-- Driving home from the grocery store last night I noticed a For Sale/Lease sign on The Music Box, which answers a few questions and raises a few more about the Omaha music venue that closed at the end of October. There were -- and are -- a number of rumors about what would happen to the building, which many believe is cursed to failure (Firmatures and Sharkey's are just two examples of previous belly-up operations). There had been talk that Joe Cascio, the landlord, was going to turn around and reopen the place as a night club with DJs and cover bands. There were rumors that another bar owner in town was going to take over the lease and continue The Music Box as a club for original music. And there was the story that the building was slated to be torn down, with a new, entirely different business rising in its wake. But with the appearance of that For Sale/Lease sign, it would seem that maybe all those rumors are unfounded, and that there are no plans for The Music Box. How long did it sit vacant after Sharkey's died?

-- Last night I received an e-mail from The Reader titled The Road to Austin. It appears that The Reader, The Ranch Bowl and SLAMOmaha are teaming up on a promotion that would allow local bands to sign up for the South by Southwest Festival even though the official entry deadline has passed. According to the e-mail "The deadline for bands to register for SXSW expired last Friday. We've got an extension until THIS THURSDAY." The memo goes on to say any band getting the SXSW application in to the Ranch Bowl by this Thursday with the photo, bio, CD and $30 gets to "play for the prizes at the Ranch Bowl the first two weeks of January" -- I'm not sure what this means, unless it's another "Battle of the Bands" type thing. "An august body of judges led by Reader critics will choose three bands to recommend to SXSW," the e-mail says. I don't think I've been chosen as part of that "august body of judge" since this e-mail is the first notice I've received about the promotion. Anyway, bands interested should realize that they will only receive "a recommendation" by The Reader and the other parties involved, which obviously doesn't guarantee that their band will be chosen to play a SXSW showcase.

I remember, sometime in the '90s, when playing at SXSW really meant something. It has since turned into just another industry hack showcase. This year's SXSW "keynote speaker" is Antonio “L.A.” Reid, the CEO at Arista who brought us such "quality" acts as Dido, Usher and Avril Lavigne. I'm sure he's just itching to sign a few hot indie rock bands to open for Usher on his next tour. These days, CMJ has taken the mantle as "thee indie music showcase," and The Reader says it's trying to work something out for that festival as well as NEMO.

Check back tonight. Late.

Who Turned out the Lights?, Denison Witmer, TV on the Radio – Nov. 10, 2003

So the site's back up after being down all weekend. Seems my service provider decided to do "server upgrades" without notifying anyone of the outage. As a result, I've dropped that service provider for a new one. The outage came as the site was receiving an avalanche of traffic for the Greg Dulli interview and live review (below) -- something like 500 reads over the course of a few hours. These outages always seem to happen at all the wrong times.

The intern comes through with a new review of the latest by Denison Witmer (read it here). He's got another one coming this week (Where is it, Matt?!).

Tonight at Sokol Underground is TV on the Radio. I know absolutely nothing about this band, other than they're supposed to be "real good." Opening is Lincoln's Bright Calm Blue, who I know are really good, on CD anyway. Birdland also is on the ticket, all for $7. If you go, let me know how it was.

Live review: The Twilight Singers, Marianas at Sokol Underground – Nov. 7, 2003

It will go down as arguably the best live show of 2003, and even more precious for the true Dulli/Whigs fans in the crowd (and there were plenty among the 165 on hand, judging by the age and the patter, the constant ongoing arguments over which was his best album, Black Love or Gentlemen or '65). A handful of people had been there an hour earlier to hear the soundcheck, Dulli apparently was rife with comments about buying cocaine and playing pick-up cover songs. Afterward, Dulli and his band wheeled off to Gorat's to get themselves a few platters of steak, prepping for a gut-wrenching night (I know those big fat steaks took their toll when, halfway through his set, Dulli said, "I need a nap.").

While they were gone, Marianas played their set. The Lincoln 5-piece that prides itself on meticulously arranged ambient songs seemed a strange match for a white-knuckle gutter bluesman like Dulli and Co. It ended up being an interesting contrast. Marianas' music is multi-layered, with two keyboardists, a guitarist, drummer and bassist/trumpeter. If they sounded like Tristeza on their debut CD, they sounded even more so live, like a blend with The Album Leaf and The Mercury Program. There were some obvious problems with their gear that the band must not have noticed from the stage -- the guitar was either out of tune or (as one person told me) had a problem with its pedal. The low-end was overpowering, either from the bass or from the keyboard/synth/drum machine, occasionally drowning out the rest of the band. While the drummer did a good job keeping in the middle of everything, I so wanted him to let go and really punish his set. Their best songs featured the bassist on trumpet, and a unique cover of The Velvet Underground's "Sunday Morning." I like this band, and would love to see them open for someone like Low or Her Space Holiday.

Five minutes after their set ended, Dulli and his band walked in and within minutes The Twilight Singers lifted off.

Dulli looked like a lean, sweet, young Jake LaMotta, decked out black-on-black, his gleaming jet-black hair framing a face that is pure Italy by way of Greece, like a thin, fit John Belushi standing short beneath a microphone that was too high on purpose, forcing Dulli to squeeze upward with every note, while at the same time pulling down on his electric guitar.

There's not much to say about the set other than it was as pure an hour and forty-five minutes as you're going to hear from any performance. Dulli was in perfect voice; as if time had stood still since the day Gentleman was released 10 years ago. He was obviously having a good time, grinning at the crowd, at his band, at his guitar-tech who stood off to the side of the stage and poured him a plastic cup of Maker's Mark, constantly feeding him cigarettes between songs. The whole band was tight as a tic, the drummer was especially flamboyant and acted as a perfect foil to Dulli's wide-open front-man pose.

I've always liked the Afghan Whigs, and own Gentleman and Black Love, but I couldn't tell you the name of one of his songs. I recognized a few old Whigs tunes, and the tunes off the most recent Twilight Singers CD, which blended seamlessly together, along with a barrage of covers inset within the songs themselves, covering everything from Prince to Derek and the Dominos to Skip Spence (Moby Grape) to The Zombies. Regardless, I knew the purist would be disappointed without a set list, so I swiped one from the stage after the band finished its encores. Here it is, copied letter-for-letter:

Esta Noche
Teenage Wristband
Twilite Kid
That Bird Sings
Cloud Busting
Decatur Street
Love
Annie Mae
Papillon
Dixie Peach / Ying for Yang
Martin Eden
King Only
Jail
Black is the Color/Time of The Season
The Killer/Rhiannon/Layla
________________________
Uptown
66
Faded

Throughout the set, Dulli referenced Council Bluffs at least a half-dozen times, asking the crowd to join him there for a drink after the gig. He deserved it. We all did after that set. I left thinking that Dulli has one of the most distinct and awesome voices in the history of rock, the perfect instrument that can make you cower or cry or stand up straight right alongside him, wanting to testify to love both good and bad and every which way, a dark love that Dulli has seen and wants you to see with him.

Greg Dulli of The Twilight Singers – Nov. 5, 2003

There are two versions of this interview / profile of Greg Dulli a.k.a The Twilight Singers -- the one that's printed in today's edition of The Reader and the Lazi-i version (this one), which is about 600 words longer and includes Dulli's rants about everything from President Bush to the California fires to Ryan Adams to the record industry. And there was even more rants I didn't include, like his take on Bright Eyes (regarding Wynona Ryder and Bonnie Tyler), the Omaha scene ("I peed and bought cigarettes there once"), and his record label, One Little Indian ("Bjork is on the label, man. The guy who put it together walked away from Warners so the Flaming Lips could stay"). Talking to Dulli is like watching a bomb go off.

It'll be interesting to see if people are making the connection between The Twilight Singers, Dulli and The Afghan Whigs, who never played in Omaha before. Whigs fans should note that tomorrow night's Sokol Underground show will include Whigs songs among the scorching, smoky two-hour set. But in all honestly, it wouldn't matter, because this new Twilight Singers CD sounds like classic Whigs anyway. Get there early. Opening the show is Lincoln's Marianas, who I'm told are as good live as on their new CD.

D Plan remixed, Greg Dulli write-up (tonight), Flaming Lips panda scare – Nov. 4, 2003

Like I said... there's a new review of the Dismemberment Plan's just-released remix CD right here. Tonight I'll be posting my interview/feature on The Twilight Singers a.k.a. The Afghan Whigs' Greg Dulli, so check back. Until then, read this report from NME about the Flaming Lips' mishap with their dancing panda, as well as this report about the Lips return to the studio. I've never been a huge Lips fan (they may well be the most overhyped band in indie), but I wouldn't mind seeing them make their way to an Omaha stage someday.

Tonight's reeely big (tap) shoe; Bronwyn – Nov. 1, 2003

So you got yourselves Tilly and the Wall with Zykos and Statistics tonight at the Sokol Underground. It looks like Tilly will be the opener for a show scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. I'm not entirely sure who is backing Denver Dalley as Statistics. Last time I spoke with him, Denver said his band would consist of members of 1989 Chicago Cubs. I guess we'll see tonight, when hopefully he'll roll out a few of songs from his upcoming Jade Tree full-length. I know nothing about Zykos except that they're on Post-Parlo and have opened for Cursive before. I fear we'll have another situation where most of the crowd takes off after Tilly and Statistics finish their sets, leaving Zykos to play for 20 people after seeing the floor almost full when the other bands were on stage. That has to be disheartening, to say the least. If I'm there, look for a review here tomorrow.

Another hot show is the debut of The Sons of The 49'r (I don't remember them being called that, but that's the name posted on SLAM Omaha) opening for Hello from Waveland. The Sons include The Monroes' Mike Tulis and a bunch of local yocals. This one will be packed.

New CD review: The intern sounds off on the latest by Bronwyn.

Happy Halloween; an intern haunts the Lazy-i offices; Emily Easterly – Oct. 31, 2003

There's too many shows to mention going on tonight. The one I would attend if I went out on Halloween (which I generally don't do) would be Ex Modes w/Beep Beep and Dance Disaster Movement at "The Orifice," The Faint's practice space at 2406 Leavenworth. Sounds like it could be a real Warholian experience. I'm told costumes are in order if you attend. If I went, I'd go as the Elmwood Park moutain lion.

So, believe it or not, Lazy-i has an intern, and a lazy one at that -- it's halfway through the semester and I'm just now starting to get reviews from the guy.

The guy is Matt Whipkey, a journalism student at UNO who also happens to be be known 'round these parts for his work as a singer-songwriter and member of the now-defunct Movies and his new combo, Anonymous American. In his defense, he says he's been busy recording a new AA album. Whip says he'll be submitting two reviews a week -- I'll believe it when I see it (though Mr. Whipkey knows that if I don't get my reviews, he ain't getting his internship papers signed!). Here's the first one, a review of the last release by Emily Easterly. The rules are the same as when I've published reviews by other contributors -- you'll get their review and rating, and you'll also get mine -- I figure, if a band sends me materials asking for my opinion, it should get it regardless if a contributor writes the initial review. Also, since Matt's active in the local music scene, he won't be reviewing local bands -- we got our ethics around here, ya know.

Whip's first assignment was to provide a list of his 20 favorite CDs so you, the reader, could get a sense of what he likes before you dig into his reviews. Here's the list -- very heavy on freedom rock twangers, which makes sense if you ever heard his bands. To be honest, I expected a list of shit, but I agree with most of his stuff, particularly his Clash, R.E.M. Pixies and Beatles selections. Joni Mitchell's Blue is one of my top-10 favorite recordings of all time.

Matt Whipkeys 20 favorite albums (in no apparent order):

The Beatles- Revolver or The White Album
Bruce Springsteen- Nebraska, Darkness on the Edge of Town
Bob Dylan- Highway 61 or Blonde on Blonde
CCR- Green River
The Clash- London Calling
Joni Mitchell- Blue
REM- Reckoning
Uncle Tupelo- No Depression
Nirvana- Nevermind
Buddy Holly- Never really had an album, but any collection of his songs will do
Beach Boys- Pet Sounds
Bob Dylan- Blood On The Tracks
Neil Young- Everybody Knows This is Nowhere
The Rolling Stones- Let It Bleed
Ryan Adams- Heartbreaker
Simon Joyner- Room Temperature
Wilco- Being There
Miles Davis- Sketches of Spain
The Band- Music From Big Pink or S/T
The Pixies- Doolittle

Look for another Whipkey review tomorrow.

Live Review: The Black Keys at Sokol Underground; JR Ewing tonight – Oct. 30, 2003

Most modern day blues is more about the aesthetic then the music -- as in bands being more concerned that people recognize their so-called blues influences rather than just trying to make good music. I don't confuse it with what I consider real blues -- the early swampy shit, Lightnin' Hopkins, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson you know, the old southern black stuff.

Anyway. The Black Keys isn't blues. Not to me, anyway. The electric guitar-and-drum duo is pure heavy rock -- early Robin Trower meets Southern Gentlemen meets Cream meets early Hendrix. In fact, Keys guitarist/vocalist Dan Auerbach sounds exactly like Trower to me, which ain't such a bad thing if you're a Trower fan, which I was back in the day. Live, these rather slight, haggard-looking fellows put on a bombastic show that captures the essence of those white London "blues" rock monsters of the '60s. It's nothing new, but it's managed to capture the attention of a youth nation that hasn't been subjected to those earlier bands. Clearly the crowd at Sokol (around 220 or so) didn't consist of traditional blues aficionados. I spoke to one guy who hangs with the Omaha Blues Society crowd and he said he saw only one of "the society" there last night. It was an indie crowd, and I guess you could call The Black Keys indie-blues, for lack of a better term, though it really doesn't capture the spirit of indie or blues music. Maybe that's not such a good term to use after all.

If Auerbach looked tired it's because he spent most of the day traveling. "I flew from London this morning and have been flying all day to get to this show tonight, and I'm happy I'm here," he said between songs. "It's the first time we've ever done anything like that and hopefully the last." Obligatory cover song (that I recognized): The Beatles' "She Said, She Said." Nice. Yeah, there was some slight variance from song to song, including one real trancy number that was particularly good, but I didn't stick around to the end, having heard what I thought was essentially the same song played over and over for 30 minutes. You have to be pretty smashed to really get into this, and I wasn't.

Opening act Thee Shams reminded me of '60s garage rock a la The Animals or Them, and did it quite well, though none of their songs stood out.

Tonight at Sokol Underground is JR Ewing with The Panthers. I got an e-mail from their press agent yesterday saying, "JR Ewing are 5 restless young men from Oslo, Norway. Comparable to bands like Drive Like Jehu, Antioch Arrow, The Who, Shellac, etc." I agree with the Antioch Arrow comparison, and maybe Jehu, but not The Who or Shellac. They apparently just got off the road with The Mars Volta and are going out again with Dillinger Escape Plan. Their new one, Ride Paranoia on Gold Standard, is some heavy, loud shit. I know nothing about Panthers except they're from Brooklyn and supposedly sport a D.C. sound a la Fugazi. Bring your ear plugs (I forgot mine tonight and am regretting it now).

Tilly and the Wall – Oct. 29, 2003

Is there a band more destined to make it big in the cloistered indie world than Tilly and the Wall? They just started performing (on a serious level) this year and already had an opening slot on a Bright Eyes tour (with more to come) and Head of Femur. Add to that the "mysterious" unnamed record label the will be releasing their debut full-length early next year and methinks you'll be hearing a lot more about these guys in the national media (they've already been mentioned (with picture) in Jane). Well, you can be ahead of the curve by reading this Lazy-i profile/interview. Get the scoop before Rolling Stone and Magnet get a whiff of their tap-and-roll stylings. The band opens for Zykos and Statistics this Saturday at Sokol Underground, when they'll also be celebrating the release of their new 7-inch. Get 'em while they're hot.

I'll be announcing a new contributing review writer (who's actually a summer intern) later today. Check back. Fun!

Bright Eyes Omaha holiday extravaganza – Oct. 28, 2003

Seems like every year around Christmas time in Omaha there's a show that features a special star-packed line-up. Down in my basement I have the Kozik poster for the 1994 "holiday show" that took place at the now-gone Capitol Bar & Grill and featured Clayface, Secret Skin, Frontier Trust, Mercy Rule and Ritual Device. Every year since then there have been other holiday shows, most of which I've forgotten. This year's, however, should be rather unforgettable.

Marc Leibowitz of 1 Percent Productions just informed me that Saddle Creek recording artist Bright Eyes has been scheduled to play a concert at The Rose Theater Dec. 27. Opening the show is Omaha indie-folk artist Simon Joyner. It's been a personal dream of mine to see these two performers together on The Rose stage. And you can bet there will be tons of unannounced special guests. This could wind up to be Omaha's version of The Last Waltz (without the permanent connotations).

"There aren't many artists that have the flexibility to play different types of theaters," Leibs said. "Bright Eyes is one of those artists. It's a beautiful room and should be a great show." It should also be a relatively quick sell-out. The Rose's capacity is around 900 (I think), and tickets are only $12. The concert is a first for The Rose, which hasn't hosted anything like this since, well, Peter Buffett (the son of billionnaire Warren Buffett) played a benefit concert there for UNMC -- a horrible show put together by none other than Robert Redford, whose son, Jamie, was hospitalized at UNMC for major organ surgery. Usually The Rose's stage is reserved for children's productions, plays and whatnot. There's no more regal stage that I know of around these parts. I'll pass on more details (ticket sales info, etc.) when they become available.

Check back tonight for a interview/feature with Tilly and the Wall as well as a few new CD reviews and other fun stuff.

Live Review: Team Rigge, Broken Spindles, Radio Berlin; Evil Beaver, Azure Ray – Oct. 25, 2003

Where to begin…

The team of Team Rigge consisted of two people tonight -- Clark Baechle (The Faint) and Ian McElroy (Desaparecidos), looking like two suburban indie kids half-heartedly rapping over their pre-recorded beats, karaoke style. To be fair, the crowd seemed hesitant; McElroy even said, "You can bob your heads to the beat if you want to" a couple times, which resulted in a few slackers nodding to the thump-thump-thump, but only momentarily. Their beat style was distinctly old-school -- radio-friendly '80s hip-hop -- pleasant and safe and oh so white.

Look, it wasn't bad, in fact, it was kinda fun. But it bordered on novelty and the duo's goofiness only lent itself to laughter, which is maybe what they were after, I couldn't tell because I couldn't keep up with the lyrics. It certainly didn't have the weird, isolated suburban angst/tension of the pre-reel track on the Criteria CD. It also lacked that song's layered complexity. Most of these tracks, while reasonably head-noddable, were pretty sparce in composition. Add to that a set that lasted what seemed like 15 minutes and it was disappointing. The crowd of about 140 (the peak for the evening, which slowly drained away until the end) politely "got into it," but this wasn't great hip-hop and everyone knew it, including the guys on stage.

That's not to say Rigge don't have potential. Clark and Ian's delivery ain't half bad, and their interplay is downright endearing. They just have to get themselves into it more, and they gotta try like hell to get the crow to wake up. It's all about stage antics, fellahs. You remember the Beastie Boys? They tore it up on stage; they went to any level to clown the crowd. They gave a shit. At the end of the day, Team Rigge came off as just another side project.

Next up, Broken Spindles a.k.a. Joel Petersen also of The Faint. Petersen's multi-media set-up seemed more sophisticated than last time I saw him play, a year ago at Sokol Underground. A digital rear-screen projector shot a movie onto a fold-out silver screen set on the edge of the stage while Petersen switched between guitar and bass, playing along to the intricate prerecorded electronica. The first tune was a new one that was hands-down better than anything on his debut CD, sporting the same static-clean percussive sound over a throbbing beat. There is a stark, naked-white quality to Broken Spindles' music, almost antiseptic compared to the stuff Petersen plays with The Faint, which is naturally warmer due to Todd Baechle's vocals.

Petersen's guitar and bass felt secondary to the prerecorded music, almost unnecessary in the first half of the set, where the real focus was on the video -- a selection of vaguely colorless images superimposed with words presented in plain typewriter font, unfolding a story about finding / meeting / not meeting the "100 percent perfect girl." After about four or five songs, reading the "story" became tiresome. I would have preferred straight images or design vs. reading a story about self-effacing reticence, doubt, and regret. In fact, I didn't read the whole story, having gotten up to move around the venue. Toward the second half of the set, Petersen began focusing on his guitar, taking a more active role in the performance, peaking with a grating noise treatment.

His new songs were genuinely amazing. Petersen said after the set that he's finishing a new album that will be released next year on Saddle Creek (not Tiger Style, who released his debut). He also hinted at what lies ahead with his other project -- not The Faint, but Beep Beep, who have been working on some new studio recordings which I'm dying to hear.

By the time Radio Berlin rolled on stage, the crowd had dwindled to maybe 40 people. It was obvious that most had come to see the openers. They missed out on what ended up being a very heavy set by a four-piece that has a serious jonze for Psychedelic Furs, Joy Division, Flock of Seagulls, and, inevitably, Interpol. The highlight was the drummer, who managed to take relatively simple songs and drive them forward with his intense, intricate rhythms. I thought the mix was muddy. The guitar was lost in an ocean of overbearing keyboards and bass -- just the exact wrong approach for a style of music that begs the elemental detachedness of each instrument.

Anyway...

Saturday night's hot show -- Evil Beaver (these bass-lovin' mamas must be seen (and heard) to be believed) and Members of the Press at Oleavers on south Saddle Creek. What's the deal with these new venues popping up around town?

Before you go, check out a review of the new Azure Ray CD, just placed online (read it here).

Team Rigge (and Broken Spindles, Radio Berlin) at Sokol Underground; Carmine at the Niner; whaddya think of this new board? – Oct. 24, 2003

So I'm hearing that tonight's version of Team Rigge that opens the evening at Sokol Underground probably won't include Conor Oberst as he's still in NYC. Maybe he'll fly in for the gig? Maybe Jenny Lewis, also reportedly part of the Team, will be there, though I'm told she's living large in L.A. Don't matter, really, as long as Clark and Ian are there tonight, showing off their def beats. There's a discussion about Team Rigge on the Lazy-i Web board that talks about the band's origins, make-up, etc. -- read it here (local Creek historian and rock god M Bowen chimes in). I've got a copy of the new Radio Berlin CD but haven't had a chance to listen to it (hey, I've been out of town, remember?). I'm told it's very Faint-like. And you already know about our boy Broken Spindles (if not, read this Lazy-I profile). I expect this to be another big Saddle Creek coming out party, so wear nice shoes. If I'm there, I'll tell you about it tomorrow here. Those of you into old-school Husker Du-style SST rock should check out Carmine tonight at The 49'r -- primo good.

So I'm thinking of switching over my Web board services to a new board (I think it's the same board that Star City uses). Take a look and let me know what you think. The problem with my Bravenet board is that it seems to be censoring dirty words, and I can't figure out how to shut the censor off. I'm still not sold on this new board, though, which is why I haven't linked to it. Your feedback is valuable. Really.

Believe it or not, a flood of new CD reviews is on the way, so be patient. I also just bought an i-pod and will be sharing the experience with you as I learn how to use it. Look for a new interview next week, the Preston Love interview this weekend and some other goofy things.

Okkervil River (and Clem Snide, Califone) at Knicks, The Lepers at Oleaver's – Oct. 23, 2003

A very good show tonight if you're in Lincoln -- Clem Snide, Califone and Okkervil River are playing at Knickerbockers (9 p.m., $8). Clem Snide is a very slick semi-alt country outfit that played to about 50 people at The Music Box a year or so ago. They get a tremendous amount of press -- always on critics' lists, etc., but seemed to have faltered in growing their fan base. They're touring in support of an album that came out in June on Spin Art called Soft Spot, which I haven't heard. Califone played in Omaha last year as well, opening for someone at Sokol Underground. These are the guys that were in Red Red Meat -- it's your typical droney indie rock schtick. But the band I'd want to see if I was going to this show is Okkervil River. Their 2002 CD, Don't Fall in Love with Everyone You See, topped my "best of" list for that year (Like I said: "The Austin, Texas, combo's music is rural and slightly southern, more backwater than wheat field, with a nod toward slow bluegrass and dustbowl folk. Consistent songwriting from track to track makes this my favorite CD of '02"). Their new album on Jagjaguwar, Down the River of Golden Dreams, is more of the same, but not as interesting as Don't Fall... Still, these guys put on a great show. I've seen them live twice (at the now-defunct Junction), playing killer sets for maybe 30 people. I'd love to see them play down at Sokol Underground some day.

FYI... don't bother to read the Kurt Morris review of Don't Fall... in the online All Music Guide. Morris gives the CD 2.5 stars and goes out of his way to compare it to the so-called "No Depression" acts, etc. As with most of his reviews, Morris is off the mark. I don't know where All Music finds their critics, though I'm sure if Morris reads this (very unlikely) he'll be happy to send me an e-mail listing his credentials.

Those of you who stay in Omaha can see The Lepers tonight at Oleaver's with Tiny Lund and Portland's The Planet The ($5, 9 p.m.). Some nights The Lepers' sets can be cathartic, other nights they can be a jangling mess. Which version will show up at this highfalutin' volleyball bar on the south end of Saddle Creek Road is a mystery.

Back in black – Oct. 22, 2003

Those of you wondering why there hasn't been an update in the last few days -- I've been out of town, in Hartford, CT, for a wedding. The indie scene in Hartford appears to be rather, uh, limited. I'm sure there's some clubs and record stores out there, I just never found them.

The Web chat boards are rife late yesterday afternoon with unconfirmed reports of the demise of Elliott Smith, though reputable music sites have still yet to report it. Overnight an obituary appeared at http://www.sweetadeline.net/. Then this morning, elliottsmith.com's homepage was replaced with the words "goodbye elliott" and remembrances. Finally, NME and The Guardian both posted reports of Smith's death, with the comment "The official cause of death is currently unclear." Smith, though a celebrity in indie music circles, clawed his way into public conscious through years of touring, finally breaking through (to some extent) when his song "Miss Misery" was included in the soundtrack of the film "Good Will Hunting" and was nominated for an Oscar. I still remember Smith's performance on the Academy Awards broadcast, looking slightly nervous and out of place, but still providing the evening's best entertainment. Keep your eye on the web for more news about this -- other than Pitchfork, there still appears to be no U.S.-based reports on what happened.

Thee gigs of the weekend, David Bowie – Oct. 16, 2003

So what do we have going this weekend? Here's a look at some of the more interesting gigs:

-- I Am Spoonbender, Young People, The Show is the Rainbow -- tonight at Sokol Underground. $8. 9 p.m. You'll want to get there early to see TSITR (see story). Young People might be the hottest of the hot right now, much hotter than Spoonbender. Let me put it this way, The Liars (minus our Nebraska heroes, Ron Albertson and Pat Noeker) unveiled their new line-up at a Sept. 27 gig at NYC's Knitting Factory opening for Young People (according to Time Out New York it was some sort of "secret show"). Young People will return the favor, opening for Liars Oct. 30 at Bowery Ballroom.

-- Friday night's a bit, uh, thin... I suggest you go to The Brothers lounge and enjoy some good jukebox and booze. If anyone knows of any good shows, you can post them here. You may wanna traipse up to Lincoln for another TSITR show with Kissing Tigers and Rent Money Big at Knicks.

-- Tractor Punk icons (Their term, not mine. I prefer the more modular phrase "Tractor Punk heroes") The Monroes are playing at The 49r Saturday with They
Were Expendable (from Des Moines) and Ideal Cleaners (from Lincoln). $5. 9:30 p.m. The same night, Minus the Bear, These Arms Are Snakes, The Velvet Teen, & Race for Titles are playing at Sokol Underground. $8, 9 p.m. Do I need to remind you that it's also Game 1 of the World Series? Sorry Cubs fans...

-- Sunday's also kinda thin. If you haven't had enough of Lincoln, drive up to Duffy's and see Bright Calm Blue with Ideal Cleaners. The new BCB CD is hella good, I just haven't had a spare moment to review it -- angular punk fun.

Our illustrious guest review, Stephen Sheehan, contributes a review of the new one by David Bowie. Read it here.

The Show is the Rainbow, Rocket Fuel is back – Oct. 15, 2003

Here's that feature/interview with Lincoln one-man music machine The Show is the Rainbow I mentioned last week. If you get a chance to catch him as he travels around the country on his various tours, do it. Darren Keen lives up to his weird hype (he's opening for I Am Spoonbender and Young People this Thursday at Sokol Underground). What I didn't do in this story was properly describe his music. I don't have the split-7-inch (with Troubled Hubble) or a copy of Spoonbender sessions, just his EP which he recorded early in "career" (translated -- late last year). Keen's live show doesn't reflect what he's done in the studio. He doesn't sing on stage as much as sort of yell/rap into peoples' faces. The CD, on the other hand, features his quite lovely voice singing over midi-heavy tracks, and I dig it. Why he didn't sing when he was in his former band, Musico, is a mystery. I felt a little guilty during our interview at The Dundee Dell (I recommend their Cream of Tomato soup). When we set it up, I thought Keen lived in Omaha. In fact he lives in Lincoln -- so he drove all the way to Omaha just to do the interview. He'll learn how to deal with us unsavory media types over time.

All you early Internet trollers remember when Rocket Fuel was thee indie 'zine of record (and back in the days when punkrock.net was thee music board)? Well, looks like they're back and better than ever, with a new site design and content. I always liked their rather snarky reviews (This from the review of Scout Niblett's latest: "And, frankly, Ms. Niblett has a voice that could make next year’s tax code revisions sound compelling." Mean.). I'll have to keep an eye on this to see if they keep updating it. I remember heralding the triumphant return of usagainsthem.org, only to see it quickly return to dormancy in a few short weeks. If I only had a dollar for every 'zine that went belly up... anyone remember Addicted to Noise?).

Check back tonight or tomorrow morning for a fistful of new CD reviews. BTW, as you can tell, I didn't make it to Mountain Goats, Enon or Unsane, and I'm not gonna be able to see The Show is the Rainbow and Spoonbender, either. My next live experience will probably be Radio Berlin / Broken Spindles / Team Rigge on Oct. 24, which is sizing up to be a rather huge event.

Live Review: Criteria's industry mixer; Mountain Goats tonight – Oct. 12, 2003

Weird vibe at last night's Criteria gig at Sokol Underground. It had nothing to do with the bands - everyone was great. Karl Hendricks Trio kicked things off sounding a lot like what they sound like on their new CD -- a mix of Silkworm and Dinosaur Jr., though the vocals were a bit muddy. Despite his noisy guitar, Hendricks looks like a quiet, reserved guy, and after his set, he sat by himself behind his merch table wearing with a lost, 1,000-mile stare. I didn't see him sell a single thing, which is a shame because his music is solid. This wasn't the right crowd for what he does.

Next up was The Carsinogents. They always put on a great show, even though they've cut back on the pyro and the other colorful staging gimmicks. No more tiki torches, no more video projector. Just the band, with the florescent sign on the keyboard, blowing smoke. They don't need the flashy stuff anymore, they've got enough stage charisma and knee-cracking songs to carry the show on their own. The only criticism is their set selection -- I've been hearing some of those same songs for what seems like three years.

The weird part of the evening was the crowd. During the Carsinogents set, I noticed that, though there were a lot of people watching the band, there was a huge crowd in the other room isolated from the stage, talking and drinking and doing whatever. I asked someone what was going on, and they said "It's the Saddle Creek people." There were members from just about every Creek band at the show, apparently there just to see Criteria. I'm also told there was a few other label guys in tow, a couple from Sub Pop were in town, and a few other industry folks. Seems they made that second room into an industry mixer.

They came back 'round the corner when Criteria took the stage. The band's set is essentially the same as the last time I saw them play in June. As Stephen Pedersen said from the stage, they don't have enough material for a full set, just the songs from their debut album. Because of their upcoming tour with Cursive, Pedersen said the band has written some new material, and played one of the songs toward the end of the set -- a typical Criteria song, complete with pounding rhythm section, solid melody, and Pedersen and AJ Mogis belting out the vocals. The band sounded tight, though the interplay between Pedersen and Mogis was rough at times and slightly off key. They will only get tighter after a couple weeks of hard roadwork.

Maybe I'm just imagining things about the crowd, but it sure seemed like there were a lot of people not paying attention to what was happening on stage. The show turned into an industry networking session, which was probably a natural continuation of the Saddle Creek invitation-only party that took place the night before in celebration of Bright Eyes' Lifted album selling 100,000 copies (and receiving a commemorative "wooden record"). Is a scene that was once just a gathering of friends brought together around music turning into a hip insiders' club? I hope not.

I don't think we'll see quite the same crowd at tonight's Sokol Underground show featuring The Mountain Goats and The Mariannes and Poison Control Center. Then Monday night is Enon. When will I get some sleep?

Live Review: Fleetwood Freakin' Mac at the Qwest Center – Oct. 10, 2003

First off, before we get to the rock, about the facility itself. All this talk about the Qwest Center being difficult to access (parking, lines, etc.) was not experienced by me. We drove right down Cuming St. (we left at 6:30) and got directed right into a parking space. The $6 fee is typical for evening downtown parking. Whiners who complain about that never come downtown for anything anyway.

It took about 15 minutes to get through the line and into the venue. The place still looks half-finished to me, but maybe that's the "industrial" design of the architecture -- lots of exposed wire and conduit, cracked unfinished floors, exposed unpainted concrete, etc. The concourse around the outside of the seating (below the tier) has plenty of food places, but not much variety foodwise. Still, I got a cheeseburger, a pulled-pork sandwich, an order of cheesefries and a large beer for less than $20, so I can't complain. Note to beer drinkers -- the beer is a buck cheaper at the side restaurants vs. the beer carts.

Once seated, it doesn't look that much larger than the Civic Auditorium, but I guess it has to be. There's not much else to say -- it's a freaking arena. The seats are nice -- kinda like cheaply upholstered car seats -- but with no drink holders! The sightlines were good from my vantage point (I was seated on the other side of the arena, almost directly across from the stage, four rows up in section 113).