Two Gallants tonight at Sokol Underground with Anonymous American and The Holy Ghost Revival. Just $7. Is it me or are prices going down for shows lately (Cursive shows for $2)? It's probably just me. Also tonight, Life After Laserdisque, Petracovich and Stephanie Rearick at O'Leaver's ($5, 9:30).

Tomorrow night, Oakland's The Heavenly States with Lincoln's Eagle*Seagull at O'Leaver's. I've heard a few E*S tracks online and am intrigued. $5, 9:30.

Sunday night, Austin Americana band The Black roll into O'Leaver's with Danica Newell. $5, 9:30.

It looks like the beginning of a long month at O'Leaver's. I clarified with owner Sean Conway the whole 30-shows-in-30-days thing. They're not doing a show every night in October, though it sounds like he tried to book it that way. He said he couldn't find enough bands to play every night. I find that hard to believe, especially in this town. Still, he's doing a lot of shows (check out their updated calendar) with the help of 1 Percent Productions, which, just glancing at their calendar, looks like they're doing a stretch in mid-October of 13 straight shows. They're putting it in road gear. Hang on.

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Nice turnout at O'Leaver's for movie night last night. Landon Hedges from Little Brazil told me at the bar that his band is headed out with Statistics for a brief tour in late October. In fact, members of Little Brazil will be Statistics -- that is, they'll be Denver Dalley's backing band for the tour. Though it's not listed on their site, Hedges said they hope to kick off the tour with a gig at O'Leaver's (probably around Oct. 25).

I source close to the action tells me that Simon Joyner and his band, the Wind-up Birds, will begin laying down tracks for a new album in the next week or so at an undisclosed location (not at a studio). Expect it to be a full-band recorded live. I'm also hearing that Joyner has been added to the Nov. 15 Rachels/Mariannes show at Sokol Underground -- no confirmation yet.

That Millions of Dead Cops show I wrote about weeks and weeks ago is tonight at Knickerbocker's in Lincoln. $10. Wear your Docs.

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Column 44 -- All in the Family
Two Gallants adopted by Saddle Creek family

I think I sort of freaked out the guys from Two Gallants.

I interviewed them a couple weeks ago when they were in San Francisco having just returned from a brief tour of England. They were getting ready to head out to Saddle Creek Records' CMJ showcase followed by Omaha.

So I'm on the phone with both of them -- singer/guitarist Adam Stephens and drummer Tyson Vogel -- and off I go about how Two Gallants is really the first band to get signed to Saddle Creek with absolutely no links to the label. They didn't grow up in Omaha, they didn't go to Creighton Prep, they didn't hang out at The Brothers, they never recorded at Presto! Studios or toured with any of the label's bands.

They just played their strange-yet-endearing personal brand of pirate-voiced blues-waltzes at a couple O'Leaver's gigs before opening for Beep Beep at Sokol last January. The hoopla generated from those shows caught the attention of Creek label chief Robb Nansel, who ran down a copy of the band's CD, The Throes, and the rest, as they say, is history. That chronology of events, I told the Gallants, was unheard of. It just doesn't happen. Don't you get it? Creek doesn't sign bands out of the blue like that.

I didn't stop there. I told them about the vote. "You guys had to be 'approved' by the powers at the label -- the Conor Obersts, the Tim Kashers -- all had to give you the nod," I said, my voice rising to a painful howl. "And only then -- only after the vote -- did you get invited to join the family."

Stephens and Vogel sounded startled (or maybe just annoyed). "So, do you think that we're worthy?" Stephens asked. "I guess it's kind of an honor."

Stephens said that he and Vogel already knew about the label before hanging out with Nansel in Austin a few weeks after their Sokol gig. "It was pretty comfortable," he said. "Robb wasn't trying to impress us by buying us a lot of drinks like most of the industry folks do. He just seemed like someone who enjoyed music. There wasn't any pretending going on."

Shortly thereafter, the deal was done. I don't know all the details. Nansel said that there was, in fact, a vote held. Would Creek be signing more "strangers" (my term, not his) to the label? "Yeah, but we don't have an active A&R department, so I don't know how active we'll be," Nansel said.

Two Gallants' music is a departure from Creek's usual singer/songwriter or angular punk or electro-dance style. Or maybe not. Come to think of it, Creek bands don't really have a specific "style." If anything, it's the songwriters' personal, diary-esque lyrics and their non-commercial approach that ties everyone together.

"The one way we do fit in is that most of the bands are different," Stephens said about Saddle Creek. "We don't sound like anyone else, and I think that's what's interesting about the label. They're not getting stuck inside a specific genre. I think that a lot of bands on Saddle Creek are going in a different direction than what's typically considered indie."

There isn't anything typical about Two Gallants. Don't mistake them for other guitar-and-drum duos like The White Stripes or The Black Keys. Their sound is rooted in a different kind of musical tradition. When I saw them last winter, their set consisted of long, three-quarter-time ballads that married Arlo Guthrie with Janis Joplin (sort of) to create a nasal-esque folk-blues 'explosion.' I mentioned that I could hear Janis singing every one of their songs, how she was influenced by people like Bessie Smith and Otis Redding and Big Mama Thornton. Did those artists influence them?

Silence.

"No, not really," Stephens said. "I can get down with some Bessie Smith, but I haven't heard much Janis Joplin. Both of us are deeply influenced by music from the '20s and '30s by people who actually experienced the blues. In terms of the evolution of the blues, I think of B.B. King as someone who has no connection with where it came from. His stuff wails and people dig it, and maybe it has heart and soul, but we're more into the people who lived the lives the songs described."

Somewhere, members of the Omaha Blues Society are collectively gnashing their teeth.

Check out the newest member of the Saddle Creek family Sept. 30 at Sokol Underground with non-Creekers Anonymous American and The Holy Ghost Revival.

That BBC Radio 1 program -- titled One World -- that's focused entirely on the Omaha music scene (for which I was interviewed a week or so ago) was broadcast yesterday and is now available for your listening pleasure via the Internet at this site. Click on the "Listen again to this week's show" link, or click here. The producer took the clever approach of discussing something about Omaha for every letter of the alphabet ("B is for Bright Eyes" "K is for Kite Pilot" "V is for Venues" etc.) The difference between this 2-hour show and the majority of national (and international) coverage of the Omaha scene is that producer Jimmy Devlin actually went out of his way to gather material about bands and elements outside of the Saddle Creek sphere of influence. The program's track listing includes Simon Joyner, Kite Pilot, Little Brazil, Ladyfinger, Mousetrap and Statistics, as well as the usual Creek suspects. You will finally be able to hear what your favorite Omaha music journalist sounds like as my comments are used throughout. The quote that I'm most please with: My gritty, real-life description of O'Leaver's that I'm sure will elevate the venue's profile to that of CBGB's or the 40 Watt Club. Sean, prepare for the multitudes. Check it out -- it's an accurate, interesting depiction of our scene that includes some nice touches about our history.

Tonight's big show is heavy indeed: Back When, Race for Titles, Precious Metal and Father at Sokol Underground. It's being billed as "the return of Race for Titles after months of hiatus." It's also another opportunity to hear Precious Metal, the side project of Faint guitarist Dapose. Bring your earplugs, it's gonna be loud. $8, 9 p.m.

Also, an early head's up for the monthly Rock Movie Night at O'Leaver's, which is tomorrow night (Wednesday). This time it's "The Boys are Back in Town" -- an October 1978 performance by Thin Lizzy at the Sydney Opera House in Australia. Read more about it here. It's fun and it's free.

Tomorrow morning, look for my feature on Two Gallants that talks about how the band found itself signed to Saddle Creek.

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A couple quickies to pass on over lunchtime:

I caught Landing on the Moon Friday night and never had a chance to type up my thoughts over the weekend. To put it simply, I dug them. LOTM is a five-piece anchored by drummer Oliver Morgan (Little Brazil, The Quiet Type) with two guitars, bass and his wife Megan on keyboards (who also was in The Quiet Type). Stylistically, there's nothing like these guys 'round town. First, no one is kicking out original ballads, not like this. LOTM closed their set with one after having played a cover of The Zombies' "Tell Her No" that was as good as it gets. Their sound is all over the board. The opener had a Bowie vibe going on, while the second or third song reminded me of an old Reset tune, which makes sense since two of the band's members were in Reset. There's even a TV on the Radio thing that happened a couple of times. The two guitars play opposing picked counters anchored by a solid bass and Morgan's usual perfection on the sticks -- though he's more reserved and precise here than in his other bands. He seemed a bit surprised when I told him after the set that LOTM reminded me nothing of The Quiet Type. It's more reserved in a good way, more musically formal. "More grown up?" Oliver added. Yeah, that. In a world where indie seems to be the rule of the day, there's nothing indie about Landing on the Moon, and that's the whole point.

Also playing that night at O'Leaver's was Kite Pilot and Mariannes, which explained why it was so damned crowded. I left right after LOTM though, not because I don't dig those bands, but because I had to be at work early the next morning, thanks to Hurricane Rita.

Overheard that night: O'Leaver's is apparently doing 30 shows in 30 days in October, throwing caution to the wind, taking the plunge, putting the hammer down, doing whatever it takes, blah blah blah. Now if they'd only start updating their online calendar...

Tonight, it's Matador band Pretty Girls Make Graves at Sokol Underground with Ladyfinger and Latitude, Longitude, all for a mere $8. Expect a crowd.

--Got comments? Post 'em here.--

Of course the most notable event this weekend is Lincoln Calling. Two marquee shows tonight: Neva Dinova, Tilly and the Wall, Dave Dondero and Orenda Fink at Knickerbockers; Ladyfinger, Bombardment Society and Ideal Cleaners at Duggan's (The Stay Away is staying away, apparently). As far as I can tell, there are no individual ticket prices listed on the Lincoln Calling site, I guess as an incentive to buy the $20 all-access weekend pass, available at Homer's in the Old Market.

If you're staying in Omaha tonight, check out Landing on the Moon (Oliver Morgan of Little Brazil and his wife, Megan, among others), Kite Pilot and Mariannes at O'Leaver's. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Tomorrow's marquee Lincoln Calling event: The Prids, For Against and Eagle Seagull at Duffy's. If I go to one show surrounding this event, it'll be this one, though I fear it'll be so packed in Duffy's that I won't be able to get in. No idea what the ticket price is, and there's nothing listed on the Duffy's site, though I'm told no show will exceed $10.

Sunday's Lincoln Calling main attraction: Little Brazil, Her Flyaway Manner and Life After Laserdisque at Duffy's with an unannounced opening set by Landing on the Moon. Nice. A few blocks away Anonymous American is playing at Duggan's. Again, the full Lincoln Calling schedule is here. They've also added some film events and a rock poster show (discussed here).

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Column 43 -- The First National Bank of Rock 'n' Roll
Comp CD (tries) to reflect local scene.

Looks like the bank is getting into the rock 'n' roll business.

When I say "the bank" I'm obviously talking about First National Bank, because let's be honest, FNB dominates the financial landscape 'round these parts, thanks in part to aggressively sponsoring community-based cultural events. So leave it to the great grey institution to have the wild idea of putting together a compilation CD that attempts to capture our nationally recognized Omaha music scene.

FNB Second Vice President Clint Sporhase, 33, said the bank's involvement in One.one, the compilation in question, isn't really any different than their support of other cultural events like the symphony or opera. Says Sporhase, "What a great way to do something that supports a segment of the arts in Omaha that also reaches out to that younger, twentysomething demographic."

Ah, those twentysomethings -- a demographic that historically has viewed white-collared stuffed-shirted institutions like the bank as "The Man." You want them to let down their guard? Better start speaking the language. Hence, the CD. Sporhase, however, is the first to admit that pop music is a language that he and most of The Suits in the white tower downtown don't understand.

That's where Homer's comes in. Sporhase says the record store was the first place that came to mind when guys in the board room were kicking around the idea. A phone call was made to Homer's president Mike Fratt, who called his Saddle Creek store manager Marq Manner. Not surprisingly, both were happy to lend a hand.

To their credit, the duo didn't do a "call for entries" and openly solicit bands to contribute. Instead, they relied on their own knowledge and taste to come up with the track listing. "We didn't want any one type of music," Fratt said. "My objective was to make a compilation that represents the best of what's going on in Omaha."

The 13-track end product certainly tries, but hardly represents the entire scene. How could it? Look, if you've ever put together a comp CD you know that no one is going to like everything on it. The same holds true with One.one.

FNB and Homer's get high marks for including some innovative acts, such as Little Brazil, Kyle Harvey, Le Beat and Ladyfinger. Fratt says more commercial bands like Eyes Catch Fire, Emphatic, Venaculas and Straight Outta Junior High got the nod in part because they're heard on 89.7 The River.

Like any good comp, there's a "discovery track" -- a pleasant surprise from a band you never heard before. From my standpoint, the honor goes to Civicminded, whose "Stoplight Traffic" is the bouncy alt-rock track that you've been waiting for. The CD is rounded out with songs by Anonymous American, Grasshopper Takeover, Sarah Benck and the Robbers, and Fratt's own Goodbye Sunday.

What's missing?

For starters, there's no hip-hop on One.one. Sporhase and Fratt both said that the two tracks they considered for the disc illegally used samples, which would have been too difficult to acquire rights to.

Next, it's hard to say any comp represents the Omaha scene that doesn't include at least one song by a Saddle Creek Records artist. Yeah, I know they've already received more than their share of visibility, but to most people locally and nationally, the Creek is the Omaha scene. Fratt said he didn't think there was any possibility that Saddle Creek would participate." He's probably right. We'll never know.

Finally, where are the Speed! Nebraska bands and the white-knuckle rockers like The Terminals, Bad Luck Charm, Race for Titles and The Philharmonic? "Some of the bands mentioned won't sell their product at Homer's," Fratt said. "We have to carry it if I'm going to hear it."

And some stuff didn't make the cut because it just plain sucks. Fratt knows there's going to be plenty of pissing and moaning from those left off the record. Where's the death metal? Where's the hardcore? Where's the Ukrainian string bands? At the end of the day, he's satisfied with the CD. So is Sporhase, who said "If the project is well-received -- if we feel good about what happens -- we would love this to be an annual project or a rite of passage for local artists."

About 7,000 copies of One.one will be distributed for free in the next few weeks at UNO, Creighton and other local colleges. Students should keep an eye out for related on-campus events. Copies also are available at Homer's with the purchase of any participating band's CD.

Onto the live review: Packed it was last night at Sokol Underground. It was sold out, and we'll leave it at that. Packed from stage to the merch table, wall to wall, a mass of humanity come to see Sufjan Stevens and his 8-person band of cheerleader musicians dressed in their Big "I" T-shirts, some holding pompoms, all playing a myriad of instruments, most singing. The pompoms weren't mere props. Stevens and crew began four or five songs with well-choreographed cheers, complete with arm signals and spirit fingers. It was that kind of set, a goodhearted rah-rah for ol' Illinois, all in celebration of his second "state LP," this one dedicated to The Prairie State.

Seriously, at times it was like listening to a choir led by a little guy in a Cubs hat with a voice that was a morph of Art Garfunkel and Ben Gibbard singing lullabies to Jacksonville, Decatur and Chicago. I didn't know what to expect from the arrangements, I knew Stevens would be hard-pressed to recreate the lushness heard on the CD. But by God, he captured the majesty thanks to the glockenspiels and brass (especially his trumpet player) and keyboards and battery of percussion and those four female cheerleaders whose angel-voices made the whole thing float. Listening to Come on Feel The Illinoise as I write this after the show, I think everything was a tad funkier live, especially "Decatur," which sported a nice bass riff and finger snaps and probably some sort of synchronized cheer-dance. After playing high school pep-rally standard "Varsity," the band came back and did a one-song encore that nicely rounded off the hour-long set.

--Got comments? Post 'em here.--

The usual Tuesday message: Too busy yesterday morning writing a feature on Lincoln Calling (it'll be online tomorrow) and this week's column (about the First National Bank comp CD, it'll be online Thursday) to write an update. Such are the pressures of deadlines.

Saturday night. Packed crowd at O'Leaver's (what else is new?). Ointments on stage -- that swinging Kyle Harvey, that commie Reagan Roeder, that madman Landon Hedges. Hedges looked like an emaciated Animal from the Muppet Show on drums, but man, could he play, swinging the lumber like a real pro, like a tribal warrior. It was Hedges' stickwork that fueled this revitalized version of The Ointments, along with the songs, of course. I just saw these guys a couple months ago at Shag and was only mildly amused. There's something about Shag and its big stage so far away from the audience that just seems to suck the life out of bands. The Ointments that played Saturday sounded like a different outfit altogether. Much more animated, much more soulful, much more into the crowd. And the crowd was into it right back. Roeder has a way of adding something filthy from his guitar at the end of every song. Feedback, squeal, static, like Crazy Horse but different. Their songs are, of course, pure indie pop that, as I mentioned before, reminds me of Big Star or Teenage Fanclub, especially on songs whose endings stretch out ad infinitum.

Then there was the Pomonas. No more slop for these guys. Nope, they're true professionals, now playing every note tight as a tick. Consider them a Midwestern version of GBV or Pavement but with poppier hooks and three-man harmony and playful hi-jinx usually involving a tambourine. A few people even came up from Lawrence to see the set (Don't know why, since they're from Lawrence). I grieve at the idea that it could be months until they come back to Omaha, though our friends at Someday Never swear that they'll do what they can to book them here soon. I was there when Joe from SDN told frontman Justin Ripley he was going to make it his personal mission to get these boys back on an Omaha stage toot-sweet. And now, through the power of the Internet, the whole world knows. Get on it, Joe.

Finally, there was the White Stripes version of Fizzle Like a Flood, featuring singer/songwriter Doug Kabourek on drums and guitarist Travis Sing on, uh, guitar. The gig was celebrating the rerelease of Golden Sand and the Grandstand, a lush, multi-layered opus that combines 40 tracks on each song. Needless to say, the version heard Saturday night in no way resembled that recording. Kabourek stripped it all down to raunchy guitar chords and big-fisted drumming while he struggled to sing along Don Henley style. The new arrangement completely changed the complexion of the music, not necessarily in a better way, but in a different way. Kabourek is said to be putting together a bigger supporting line-up for when he opens for Okkervil River later this year. He even talked about making a rock record. This could get interesting…

Speaking of interesting: Last week I was interviewed for about a half-hour by BBC for a 2-hour program dedicated to "the Omaha scene," but with an emphasis on Saddle Creek Records (of course). The chat took place in a studio off 110th and Mockingbird, where we were patched in to Ireland via an ISDN connection. Very high tech. It was kind of fun answering questions for a program that I probably will never hear (The interviewer said it'll air at 3 a.m. sometime in the future, no specific date was given). They wanted to know about old days circa mid to late-'90s. They asked about Mousetrap. They asked about Simon Joyner. They asked about how Creek influenced the whole scene. They asked about other Omaha bands not on Creek and said they were going to play some songs from them (Kite Pilot was one mentioned, as was Ladyfinger and a few others). They asked about the hot venues (I described O'Leaver's to the Nth degree, mentioned Sokol, etc.). They asked if there was any resentment about Creek's success -- how could there not be? And on and on. This was apparently the same producer that posted on the Saddle Creek webboard a few weeks ago, asking for people to call and give their impressions of their favorite Creek bands. He told me no one called, probably because no one wanted to eat the international long-distance charges. Or maybe because they may never hear the finished program. I'll let you know if they let me know when it'll air.

Tonight at Sokol Underground: Sufjan Stevens with Liz Janes. This will be the first time Stevens has ventured into this part of the Midwest. I'm told by our friends in The Pomonas that despite selling out three nights in NYC, Stevens was unable to sell out The Bottleneck for a recent gig. Something tells me this one will either sell out or be damn close. Get there early if you want to get in. 9 p.m., $14.

--Got comments? Post 'em here.--

This is a briefer-than-normal review, mainly because I'm running late (not because of the quality of bands). There were a good 50 or 60 on hand at O'Leaver's last night (which equates to SRO), surprising considering that The Vibrators/Bad Luck Charm was going on over at The 49'r. Fine, Fine Automobiles a.k.a. Landon Hedges was backed by a band (at one time referred to from stage as The Decepticons). Kyle Harvey was among them, and they changed the complexion of Hedges' usually sweet, withdrawn, personal acoustic songs to laid-back rock ditties that perfectly complimented the other bands on the bill. With the band, the songs were fleshed out, and FFA could be the The Good Life to Little Brazil's Cursive, which would be somewhat ironic for those of you that know Landon's history. Afterward, Hedges said he only recently threw the players together; that they only had practiced a couple times. And that he plans on swapping them out for another band in sort of a rotating fashion. Kite Pilot, for example, might back him next time; Someday Stories the time after that, etc., constantly providing a new interpretation of songs from band to band -- I guess sort of like Bright Eyes, which would be somewhat ironic for those of you that know the history…

Arthur Dodge and the Horsefeathers were up next. Dodge is a grizzled veteran and sounds like one, with a voice like a Midwestern Randy Newman singing bluesy, Dylan-y rock songs that demand your attention -- attention I couldn't give them from my perch at the bar, boxed in behind a wall of people ordering drinks. I should have stood up, but there was nowhere to stand up. I should have bought a CD cuz I can tell I'd like the lyric sheet. Someone should bring back these troubled souls (preferably someone like Mick's).

Lastly was David Pound and his band, which consisted mostly of Horsefeathers. The two acts are touring together, so it makes sense to share the horses, especially when these horses have such strong backs. I have a confession to make: I had no idea going in what Pound's current music would sound like. I haven't seen or heard from him since his grunge-rock Vitreous Humor days. Mr. Pound is all grown up and playing grown-up music a la '70s-era southern Cal-style groovy rock that's all about telling stories in a laid-back (though still rocking) vibe. I loved it. Pound is a helluva songwriter, and this band of horses could power any late-model muscle car (I'm thinking maybe a '69 Pontiac GTO a.k.a The Judge). Especially Jeremy Sidener, who never failed to provide jaw-dropping bass lines on ever song he played for either frontman.

Hmmm… that review ended up being longer than I expected.

Anyway. This weekend:

Tonight: You lucky Lincolnites have The Third Men with Strawberry Burns and The Static Octopus at Knickerbockers. You Omahans, it's worth the $12 in gas to drive there (it'll cost another $5 to get in the door). If you're too lazy to visit the capital city, then why not motor over to Counciltucky, where The Lepers, The Stay Awake and Virgasound (formerly The Philharmonic) are playing at Mike's Place (162 W. Broadway)? I've never been there. They tell me it's nice.

Saturday afternoon is Mavfest, which I discussed in yesterday's blog/column. Drop by and drop some cash for a good cause.

Tomorrow night: The Pomonas w/The Ointments and Fizzle Like a Flood, who is celebrating the rerelease of his Golden Sands and the Grandstand album on Earnest Jenning Records. Methinks The Ointments will open, followed by The Pomonas, then Doug and Co. will be last (it's their party, after all).

Close out the weekend Sunday night with Fromanhole and Kieskagato at O'Leaver's. Ah, but if you're in Lincoln, check out Tangelo and The Holy Ghost at Duffy's. Lately I've been getting into The Ghost's Welcome to Ignore Us… it's damn good.

That's all for now.

--Got comments? Post 'em here.--

Column 42 -- An (Old Country) Buffet of Music News
Saddle Creek, Cursive, Ladyfinger and MavStock

This week, a few observations, rumors, suggestions and hyperbole -- the stuff that make columns worth reading.

-- In Saddle Creek news: Touched by the devastation and need coming out of the Gulf port states, Omaha's premiere record label is putting together a compilation CD whose proceeds will go entirely to The Red Cross for Hurricane Relief. Among those signed up are a cadre of local superstars, including Bright Eyes, Cursive, The Faint, The Good Life, Mayday, Orenda Fink, Maria Taylor, Broken Spindles and Criteria. The Creek says the collection will be available on iTunes shortly, while the CD version will be available for order from saddle-creek.com in the coming days. It's just another way to do your part to help get the Gulf and its people back on their feet.

-- And speaking of getting back on their feet, so is Saddle Creek band Cursive. The scuttlebutt was that the band had been preparing to hit the road. Now in a move reserved for the likes of The Rolling Stones and U2, they're performing as an opening act under assumed names for a mini-tour leading up to the CMJ Music Festival in NYC (where they'll be a surprise "special guest" at the Saddle Creek showcase at the Bowery Ballroom Sept. 15). Cursiverarmy.com spilled the beans late last week with this post on its homepage:

"You should look for the following bands in the next week or two: Flippy and Hambone, T Lite & the Heavies, Jazz Hessian, Cursifix, Stuffy Dumbfuck, and Sgt. Snippy, in these cities: Chicago, Columbus, OH; Wilkes Barre, PA; New London, CT, North Manchester, IN, and Lansing, MI. Oh boy, if you like seeing Cursive you should really see these shows."

-- So who is the pseudo-Cursive opening for? None other Ladyfinger -- Omaha's current "It" band. I caught Ladyfinger's pre-tour warm-up at O'Leaver's last Friday with The Third Men -- themselves a pop-rock gem the combines Matthew Sweet pop, Replacements bar, dB's cool and a little bit of The Feelies irascibility thrown in for good measure.

Maybe Ladyfinger can do what another gutter-groove band from the past was unable to. That band was Ritual Device -- one of the city's Golden Age icons, the band that often gets left out of the who-influenced-Creek discussions though they, along with Mousetrap, undoubtedly laid the foundation for the label's heavier acts (Beep Beep comes to mind). Ladyfinger is the Second Coming of Ritual Device except they're faster, and in some respects, harder than RD ever was. But in spite of their fleetness, they bare RD's unmistakable knack for finding a head-bobbing groove via their rhythm section and chop guitar. What they don't have is a frontman like Ritual's Tim Moss, who was not only a stage ham, but a real factor in RD's overall sound. Not so with Ladyfinger's vocalists Ethan Jones and Chris Machmuller. Blame the mix, blame the sheer volume of the band, but I could not hear their vocals all night, and when I did, they were mere wisps before a hurricane. They certainly have the vocal chops -- by god they both can sing better than Moss (Hell, I can sing better than Moss).

-- And finally, there is MavStock. As an alum, I feel compelled to talk about this one-day, six-band music festival to be held at UNO's Milo Bail Student Center Sept. 17, if only for the charities involved. Proceeds reaped from your $5 attendance fee will be split between the American Red Cross and MavRadio. The student-run station has a transmitter on UNO's North Campus broadcasting at 93.7 FM. It can only be heard, however, on campus. Their biggest potential audience comes from those who listen via the webstream at mavradio.org. As I type this, the station is playing Spoon "I Turn My Camera On," leading into Aqualung, "Brighter Than Sunshine." Imagine if this station ever got a real license and transmitter. Dare to dream...

MavStock begins at around 3 p.m. The all-local lineup includes Liquid Static, Endeavor, Dielated, Emphatic and Smilin Liar, and headliner Venaculas. Find out more at mavradio.org.

Just placed online, a nice story about a nice little band from Lawrence called The Pomonas (read it here). I saw these guys last winter at O'Leaver's and was knocked out by their sloppy-yet-fun set, so much so that I told them afterward if they ever come through town again, let me know and we'll do some press. Well here they come, this Saturday at O'Leaver's with Fizzle Like a Flood and The Ointments. Among the stuff that didn't make it into the article are comments about making of their EP, Jubilation, specifically the part about how it was recorded in 24 hours in the all-analog studio run by Tom Wagner of rock band Conner. "It was recorded on the same reel-to-reel machine that was used to record Jefferson Airplane's Volunteers album," said guitarist Andy Gassaway. "Tom collects vintage recording equipment." The band recently acquired a practice space where they'll record their next CD using conventional digital equipment -- i.e., a computer and some microphones. "The sound quality won't be what the EP was," Gassaway said. "We all dig low-fi recordings. We really latched onto Guided by Voices." He said the band loves Omaha, even though they didn't like their performance the last time they were here. "Afterward we got invited to this fun house party. The next day we ate at this burger place called Big Daddy's." Big Daddy's? What the hell is Big Daddy's?

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No update yesterday (there rarely is one on Mondays anymore) because I was feverishly finishing a feature on The Pomonas, which will be online tomorrow, and a grab-bag column for Thursday. I hear from Mr. Whipkey of Anonymous American that his gig at Shag did well and he moved 50 copies of his AA/Whipkey split. Not bad. That said, here are a few interesting headlines/stories from the 'net:

Brainy 'geek rock' is posting smart sales numbers -- New York Daily News -- There's no question that indie rock needs a different name other than "indie rock," but I don't think "geek rock" or "dweeb rock" is it. Bright Eyes is mentioned, of course. Pompous quote from SPIN editor Doug Brod, who calls where-are-they-now star Chris Cornell "larger than life": "Frankly, these guys are nerds in sweaters and polyester pants who sing sensitive songs. That can only take you so far."

Onion's A.V. Club gives Criteria a "buy it" rating -- For whatever reason, Criteria is now being compared to Foo Fighters in reviews and interviews, a comparison that I don't get.

For example, here's one from U of Missouri-Columbia's Maneater, except it's actually Criteria's Stephen Pedersen making the comparison. "We get a lot of people saying that we sound like the Foo Fighters, too," Pedersen said. "I don't really listen to much of their stuff. I just hear it on the radio. They're a great band though, and we get compared to them sometimes." Don't encourage them, Steph-o.

311's SA Martinez makes an off-hand remark about the Omaha music scene in this story from The Oklahoma Daily. The writer asks "How has it been being one of the bands that has really gotten a scene going?" referring to the Omaha scene. "It's gone in cycles. When we were coming out, there was a scene goin' on in early '90s—late '80s. Now there's a new independent music scene centered around people like The Faint. It's like every town. Scenes come and go. They're the bee's knees, you know? To each his own." Not sure what that means...

Tonight's show of note: Aqualung with The Perishers and Tracy Bonham at Sokol Underground. Aqualung has been herded into the Radiohead/Coldplay category. I think they sound something closer to a quiet Ben Folds, but who knows? The Perishers are equally laid back. $12, 8 p.m.

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It was a night of light and darkness at O'Leaver's. Light in the form of The Third Men, who, by the way, now include a woman on keyboards (she doesn't seem to mind the band's moniker -- hey, it was there before she joined, right?). By 10:30 or so O'Leaver's was already elbow-to-elbow packed and not with people watching the Ohio-Pitt game on the plasma (which guitarist/vocalist Matt Rutledge turned off with 10 seconds left in regulation and Pitt driving -- good thing I wasn't paying attention). I'm not entirely sure the crowd was there to see 3rd Men either, but they were there nonetheless and got what they deserved -- a scorching set of tightly wound pop rock from a group of laid-back veterans too cool to care if you don't like their sunshine-vibe (One guy next to me kept saying "Come on, where's Ladyfinger?" before he disappeared -- his loss). I liken them to an groovy combination of Matthew Sweet pop, Replacements bar and dB's cool with a little bit of The Feelies irascibility thrown in for good measure. These are songs with top-down hooks and lots of grins. And if their own pop ditties weren't enough, the band threw in two covers -- Mott the Hoople's "All the Young Dudes" and McCartney/Wings' "Jet" -- that's right, "Jet" -- with bassist Mike Tulis barking out the dog's name like a Midwestern Jerry Lewis. Gold.

Then came the darkness in the form of Ladyfinger. Has there been another band in the Omaha scene that bears their gutter-groove mark of the devil? The answer is yes. That band was Ritual Device -- one of the city's Golden Age icons, the band that often gets left out of the who-influence-Creek discussions though they, along with Mousetrap, undoubtedly laid the foundation (or at least provided the bad influence) for the label's heavier acts (Beep Beep comes to mind). As I've said in this here blog a few times before, Ladyfinger is Ritual Device's second coming, although it's a thoroughly different revelation. Ladyfinger is faster, and in some respects, harder than RD ever was. But in spite of their fleetness, they have RD's unmistakable knack for finding the head-bobbing groove in the rhythm section, bass and chop guitar, all blended into a very dark brew. The other huge diff -- Ritual Device had a frontman in Tim Moss that was not only a stage ham, but a true factor in that band's overall sound. Amidst the chaos there was always Moss's throaty voice, mumbling, growling or yelling (not screaming) twisted, obscene lyrics about nightmare sex visions and John Wayne Gacy child molesters. When I think of Ritual Device, I can hear Moss' voice like the memory of a bad dream. Not so with Ladyfinger's vocals, shared by two frontmen. Blame the mix, blame the sheer volume of the band, but I could not hear Ethan's or Chris' vocals all night, and when I did, they were mere wisps before a hurricane. Those guys need to lean right in there and spit it out, over the band, over the crowd. Else they become another edgy instrumental band, of which there are too many already. They have the vocal chops -- by god they both can sing better than Moss (who got by on intensity, not range). Their voices -- and whatever ideas they convey -- must be heard if this band is going to break through to our nightmares.

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Before we get into the weekend, a couple notable items that crossed my inbox. First, the Chicago Tribune interviewed me for a story about the new Saddle Creek DVD (the story is here, but you have to register to read it, which is free). Writer Patrick Sisson chatted with me over my lunch hour a couple weeks ago, mainly asking me about the history of the Omaha scene pre-Creek, and the nature of scene today. Not surprisingly, he didn't mention anyone other than the Creek bands in the article (which I guess makes sense since the DVD only briefly discusses pre-Creek Omaha). Sisson called the DVD "a mosaic of old video footage, concert fliers and interviews with the production value of a 'Real World' confession." I get a pitch in for ol' Caulfield Records and make a nice comment about Creek bands' lack of commercial interest when they write their songs. Sisson says that Digital Ash and Wide Awake have sold a combined 600,000 copies so far.

A friend sent a link to the myspace page for The Lodge Club, a Portland band that includes "4 Nebraskans and 1 Californian...no one under the age of 30." One of the Nebraskans is former Frontier Trust and Darktown House Band drummer Joe Kobjerowski. The other members are "Dave, Nancy, Ben, and Alex." I don't know their last names but I'm sure someone reading this does. The band has four songs available on their MySpace account (which is here) and even list a gig tonight at Portland's The Town Lounge. With four Nebraskans in the band, you'd think someone could lure them down here for a show one of these days.

Well, if you're Omaha instead of Portland tonight, your best bet is catching The Third Men (ex-The Sons of…), and Ladyfinger tonight at O'Leaver's. Ladyfinger now draws SRO shows at O'Leaver's, so get there early if you want a seat. $5, 9:30 p.m.

As for the rest of the weekend: Tomorrow night (Saturday) the only show of merit is Shelterbelt and Papers at Knickerbockers in Lincoln. It's Papers' CD release show. $5, 9 p.m. Sunday night is Anonymous American and Matt Whipkey at Shag for their CD release show. Korey Anderson opens the early show, which starts at 7 p.m. ($6). Could be crowded, seeing as AA performed live on Z-92 yesterday morning. If you're curious about Shag, here's a review of the joint from a couple months ago.

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Column 41: Brother, Can You Spare $3.30?
Gas prices slowing down bands on the road

So I'm talking to rock guy Matt Whipkey and he tells me he's flying to Chicago for his next gig. Flying? Since when did Whipkey become such a big-ass rock star? Who does he think he is? Springsteen?

"Flying will cost me half as much as driving to Chicago," Whipkey said. What's the matter? Hadn't I seen the price of gas lately?

Ripples from the disaster known as Hurricane Katrina has made it all the way to the gas pumps, where for the first time we're seeing $3 per gallon gasoline. As shocking as that is to drivers of gas-guzzling ego-machines like Escalades, Expeditions and Hummers, it's a painful reality to touring bands. As if driving around the country in a metal furnace called a van isn't bad enough, now bands will pay for the torture in something more substantial than sweat.

Whipkey gave me the easy numbers. Driving to Chicago for his gig would have cost him $170 if he rented a car. If he drove his van, it would have cost $270. Meanwhile, a round-trip ticket on Southwest was a mere $80. "When my band (Anonymous American) played Madison and Milwaukee, it cost us $180 in gas. Touring has never been a money-making prospect, but this is hilarious."

It's not just the little guy who'll feel it says Eric Dimenstein of Ground Control Touring, the company that books fish both big and small, including Statistics, Bright Eyes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Sonic Youth. "I've heard some of the smaller bands mentioning it can be tough," Dimenstein said of gas prices. "(I) would guess it hits them harder for the obvious reason there is less money coming in and more money going out. But it's an added expense end of day for bus tours as well."

Dimenstein, who deals with local promoters like Omaha's One Percent Productions, says he hasn't worked the cost of extra gas money into any bookings yet, "but who knows."

One Percent Production's Marc Leibowitz says he hasn't seen the impact of high gas prices on his costs. "I think it would affect the smallest bands the most," he said. "That means bands playing places like O'Leaver's have an even harder time making it to the next town with $60 or whatever."

So what can bands do to combat high gas prices? Not much, said Criteria frontman Stephen Pedersen. His band is poised to head out in their van on a 40-day tour in a few days realizing that they're going to take the cost of touring right in the shorts.

"Our guarantees (the amount they're paid for performances) are set in stone," he said. "We're not getting any extra money because the price of gas is going up. We just eat peanut butter more often."

Passing on the extra expense to promoters in the form of a fuel surcharge isn't even a consideration. "Promoters will just pass the cost onto the kids in the form of higher ticket prices," he said. "As a band that's looking to build a fan base, the last thing you want to do is increase the cost of shows."

Pedersen says Criteria's GMC Sierra 15-passenger van gets about five to six hours of travel time per 31-gallon tank -- that's about 13 miles per gallon. Their last tour -- a brief five-day jaunt -- cost them $200 in gas, and that was at pre-Katrina prices of around $2.29 per gallon. A dollar more per gallon equates to about $70 per day more for gas, which means Criteria will spend anywhere between $1,800 and $3,000 on gas for their upcoming tour, Pedersen said.

"Typically, for us, our guarantee is used for gas and food," he said. "There's also merch money, a percentage of which goes back to Saddle Creek (their record label). We use the remainder to pay rent and bills. Hopefully in a month, when we're two weeks into the tour, gas prices will go down. I think we'll be safe from operating at a loss, but beyond that, I don't know what to expect."

At the end of the day, however, Pedersen realizes the costs are nothing compared what New Orleans is facing. "The price of gas is relative to what's happening in New Orleans," he said. "One situation is a nuisance, the other is a tragedy."

Just placed online, a profile of Anonymous American via an interview with Matt Whipkey (read it here), which is appropriate because the new EP for which they'll be hosting a CD release party at Shag Sunday is credited as "Anonymous American / Matt Whipkey" -- a combo of band and solo stuff, all on one disc. There was a ton of information that didn't make it into this story because of the space limitations placed by The Reader. Stuff about what the songs are about (mostly an old girlfriend and the breakup); that the band doesn't like the "alt-country" label ("It carries the same weight as the term 'indie.' Everyone has their own idea what it means, but you don't really know. Anyone would get frustrated with being labeled"); their plans to line up a distro deal ("My goal is to sell 1,000 CDs; that should be enough to lure a distributor") and the possibility of major labels ("I'm not going to quit chasing them"). And then there was Whipkey's comments about gas prices and touring, which you'll read tomorrow as I used them in this week's column about gas prices and touring.

Tonight's show de jour is The Terminals and Plastic Letters at O'Leaver's. It should make for a night of hard, fast punk-ified fun. 9:30, $5.

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Not a lot to report from the weekend past. The only show I attended was One Mummy Case at The Pizza Shoppe in Benson on Sunday night. It was a nice turnout and good music (not to mention good pizza). Like I mentioned in an earlier review, these guys are the next generation of Omaha singer/songwriters (the youngest member is 15). It's the band that Creek begot, so to speak, and is definitely worth keeping an eye on. The Pizza Shoppe isn't a bad place to see a show, except that they made the band turn it down after their first song. I guess there are people living upstairs. That'll put a damper on things.

Look for a new interview with Matt Whipkey in Lazy-i tomorrow morning as he prepares for his CD release show at Shag this Sunday…

The Fruit Bats, Spelled in Bones (Sub Pop) -- More than a mere Elephant 6 retro rehash but still in the same category of Sub Pop soothers as The Shins. Sub Pop is riding this psychedelic throwback rock craze for all it's worth. The Fruit Bats fit the bill. It's trippy stuff with '60s keys and a style that reminds me of Cat Stevens ("Traveler's Song") but without Cat's wrenching personal take. I like it, though I think the arrangements are a bit too heavy handed at times. I would have preferred a more stripped-down approach, but that ain't their style. Rating: Yes.

This is more of a review of The Goofy Foot than Eux Autres, but I'll get to them in the course of things. I'd never been to "The Goofy" before. I knew that it was in the old Neon Goose building on 10th St. just before Pacific. I'd been in the Stork Club once back when fake swing was all the rage (If you missed Omaha's "swing revival," you missed nothing. Few things are more repulsive than fake swing). First off, where to park? There is no parking lot that I could find. That leaves 10th St. -- not a bad option since traffic was sparse when I got there. I parked across the street from what I hoped was the bar. There was no sign on the outside, just a lot of brushed aluminum that stands out next to the gray of the darkened adjacent building (which, I guess, was actually the old Stork Club).

The "no-sign" policy was an indication of what lied within. I think The Goofy is going for that whole Manhattan-lounge thing, but on an extreme budget. The place was dark-dark but not pitch. I was told last night that the building is one of the oldest in the city, a throwback to the old rail station days. Despite the lighting, it still had plenty of Old World flavor. My recollection of things seen: oak floors, tin ceiling, oak paneling and exposed brick, ceiling fans, a Soundgarden concert poster, lots of draped cloth (sheets, Don't Tread on Me flag, bolts of black cloth draped above the stage, etc.). Split down the middle, the south half of the bar is divided by an exposed-brick structured wall where there are a couple pool tables and booths. The north side has tall tables and the serving bar. The defining element, of course, is the second-hand furniture scattered all about -- easy chairs and couches of dirty cloth and leather, no two matching, arranged haphazardly and used to fill in open corners.

Which brings us to the "stage," because there is no real stage at The Goofy Foot. Instead, a space has been cleared in the back of the room where overhead hangs a couple amps. Directly in front of where the band plays sits a large square coffee table covered with ashtrays and candles surrounded by couches and crappy wingback chairs. This poor-man's living room ensemble creates a natural barrier between the band and the bar tables further back.

The place was packed and I had no idea where to stand except behind the couch (but in front of the rest of the seated patrons). I saw a couple people I knew and asked if it was okay to stand there. "Sure," they said. I don't know if I was in the way or not -- I suspect I was, though no one seemed to care. If there's one quality about The Goofy that stands out, it's the laid-back crowd: I felt like I was smack in the middle of the hipster/indie nation -- a world that I know I'll never really be cool enough to inhabit. But that's okay, the citizens are willing to tolerate me even though I look like an off-duty cop.

A few other things before I get to Eux Autres: Though they have ceiling fans, there's no ventilation. The Goofy is in the same league as The Brothers and O'Leaver's in regards to smoke -- you'll be stripping down when you get home. My Rolling Rock set me back $3.25 -- which puts it in the middle of a market where Rocks are $3 at O'Leaver's and either $3.50 or $2.50 at Sokol Underground (depending on who's behind the bar). I'm not sure why Omaha bars consider Rolling Rock a premium beer. It isn't. Not by a long shot. On the East Coast it's considered an Old Style / Olympia-type beer. Here it's treated like Samuel Adams.

So I got there at a quarter to 11, just before the Larimers took up instruments. Heather in her retro dress looked like Parker Posey sitting behind the drum set, while brother Nick was dressed in a suit and tie, probably because their parents were crouched somewhere among the scenesters. They played most of the songs from their CD, along with a cover of B. Adams' "Summer of '65." It was kicky fun, though most folks just seemed to slouch and stare at the band (a couple girls next to me were dancing). I'm not sold on guitar-and-drum-only combos. It was like sitting in a forest of shimmering midrange. I yearned for bass, though there was no bass to be had, and considering the style of music they play (K Records indie mixed with retro-Zombies garage rock) there really isn't a reason not to have a bass except that they don't want to deal with a third band member. A second guitar would also be cool, but not a deal-breaker. As a two-piece, they're interesting and fun but unnecessarily minimal to the point of lacking. I asked the guy next to me if he missed not having a bass. "Who cares. I'm watching the drummer." Nuff said.

What's up this weekend?

Tonight it's the newly named Virgasound (formerly known as The Philharmonic) with Ideal Cleaners and The Jealous Lovers at O'Leaver's. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Saturday's pick is Steve Bartolomei, Kyle Harvey and Brad Hoshaw at Mick's. $5, 9 p.m.

Sunday it's Of Montreal and The Management in what could end be a sold-out show at Sokol Underground. $10, 9 p.m. But if that doesn't float your boat, check out One Mummy Case at The Pizza Shoppe in Benson. The 7 p.m. show is free. Might as well go to both.

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The 49'r Takes Five
You can't stop the music at the midtown tavern.

Within the past few years, The 49'r has established itself as one of the city's more important music venues, hosting a few national acts but mostly concentrating on providing a stage for up-and-coming local bands. It's arguably the best place to see snarling, hard-ass rock and punk from bands like The Monroes, Anonymous American and Race for Titles.

So when word leaked out a few weeks ago that The Niner was cutting back on live music, it came as a disappointed both to the bands and the fans of those white-knuckle acts.

Rumor and conjecture did abound. Had The 49'r reached the end of the live music business cycle? A cycle that goes something like this: A bar suffers from a lull in business. A few bands that hang around the place ask if they can play some gigs there, and the owner figures why not, it could help drum up some business. More bands are booked and crowds grow like kudzu. Before long, folks start coming out just because they dig the bar, the staff and its jukebox, and before you know it, the live music becomes a nuisance for the regulars who just want to drink in peace. Seeing an opportunity to cut costs, the venue puts an end to the stage show.

That theory, in this case, is only partially correct, says Mark Samuelson, owner of The 49'r. During the height of his nightclub business, Samuelson ran four successful Omaha bars simultaneously: The Partners on 42nd and F, the legendary Howard St. Tavern in the Old Market, its "upstairs bar" called The White Rabbit, and the good ol' 49'r at 49th & Dodge.

Today only The Niner remains, which Samuelson still operates along with his other businesses, Aksarben Fixture and Supply, an ATM business and some real estate ventures. The degree in which he operates The Niner, however, has changed. Samuelson says he's somewhat removed from the bar's day-to-day operations.

"I listen to my help," he said when asked about the shift in the venue's live music policy. "I think we got over-saturated, and every band wanted to play here. The staff was hearing that we were doing a little too much music. Now we're only choosing the best bands that really draw people."

He pointed out that The Niner's live music policy differs from the way the Howard St. was run. Back then, Samuelson said he started booking new music acts because blues was such a tough sell. And it didn't take long for the club to become a national tour stop for tomorrow's superstars.

"We had the Smashing Pumpkins come in for a $140 guarantee and two vegetarian pizzas," he said. "It's crazy to think about that today."

Unlike the Howard St, The 49'r doesn't offer guarantees. Instead, bands take home whatever cover charge they can generate. "So if you're just playing for the door, it doesn't make sense for the big bands to come here," he said.

There are exceptions, however, such as when the staff wanted to bring in New York Dolls guitarist Sylvain Sylvain. "If they have a good idea, I just stay out of the way," Samuelson said. So far, it's worked well.

But if anything, The 49r's biggest draw is its location in the heart of Dundee, or as their matchbooks used to say: "In the middle of everything and no place to park."

"We're not in the middle anymore. We're downtown," Samuelson said, laughing. "We're so busy because we have so many people who live close to here. The .08 (drinking) law is really hurting a lot of clubs. No one wants to risk it."

Better to tie one on at The Niner and safely stumble home then to get behind the wheel of a car.

So does the bar's already-packed weekends without bands spell the end for The Niner's live music? Hardly. In fact, Samuelson said the venue will get back into the swing of things later this fall. "It's gonna pick back up," he said. "I anticipate doing more than just a couple of shows a month like we're doing now."

And really, how could he ever stop? For it was at The 49'r back in the early '70s that a 15-year-old Samuelson's own band, Hat Trick, had its first gig. Ironically, the band's second gig would be at The Howard St. Tavern.