So I'm standing there next to the wall that divides The Waiting Room's stage area with the rest of the bar, next to a video camera that was recording The Third Men's entire set, wondering how anyone was ever going to hear this band's music.

Like I mentioned before, Boost is one of the best CDs I've heard this year, released on Speed! Nebraska records, eventually available from iTunes and Rhapsody and other online sales points. That's a lot of availability, but still, who would go out and buy this disc? Here we were at their CD release show with maybe 50 people. The band was pleased with the turn-out, but I thought it was kind of light. What did I expect? It was a Thursday night and there had been very little pre-show hype (My item in The Reader was useless, seeing as the paper apparently hadn't been distributed that day -- there certainly weren't any new copies at TWR last night). I'm watching them run through their set of songs from the new album, and this guy tells me, "These guys are the most accessible band in Omaha. I could play this for my friends (He was a youngster) or my folks and all of them would be able to get into it." He was right. And it was because of that accessibility that Third Men music would work so well on radio. But we all know that will never happen.

Neither would serious touring. Here was a band whose style would work well in rock clubs around the country. I can imagine them opening for Matthew Sweet or R.E.M. or Wilco (talk about dreaming). Still, every member of the band has a real job/career and isn't about to let that go to hit the road (well, unless Matthew Sweet or R.E.M. or Wilco called).

On top of that, I also know that Boost will never get reviewed in Pitchfork or any of the mainstream music publications (not that the band sent copies to them anyway). What would Pitchfork think of this album? It's not indie, it's not electro-dance, it's not freak folk. It wouldn't get reviewed. Believe me -- I get a lot of CDs in the mail. As hard as I try to listen to them all, I'll never have that much time. Imagine how many discs Pitchfork gets per week? I assume they shuffle through them and decide which to review based on being familiar either with the band or its label. Any copies of Boost sent to Pitchfork would wind up in a bin with all the other CDs from bands and labels that the editors never heard of.

So how does The Third Men's music get heard? On stage, at shows like last night's. Hopefully people who went will tell their friends and the next time they play, the crowd will be a bit bigger (though their next show, at TWR Dec. 20, will be part of a night of cover acts -- i.e., they'll only be playing cover songs). At that pace, without radio, without touring, The Third Men's record will be lucky to sell a few hundred copies. Which is probably enough for these guys, anyway. Still, it's a shame that it'll likely never get heard by a bigger audience, an audience that would eagerly embrace this band…

Anyway… onto the weekend, which starts tonight with McCarthy Trenching at The Waiting Room with Alina Simone, Brad Hoshaw, & Reagan and The Rayguns. Sounds like the only full band on the bill is The Rayguns, everyone else is either playing solo acoustic or with only one or two side players. $7, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, down at Sokol Underground, it's the Nebraskafish Rising showcase featuring Sam Martin (Capgun Coup), No, I'm the Pilot, Ingrid Blood, Outlaw Sin Bandana (Brendan Hagberg), Robert Cook and FTL Drive. $6, 9 p.m.

Tomorrow night could be tricky if we get hit with an ice storm. Hopefully it'll miss us and I'll be able to make it to The Barley St. where singer/songwriter Todd Grant is scheduled to play a solo set accompanied by some of the area's best troubadours including Scott Roth (Roth canceled, he's being replaced by...) Ted Stevens, Cary Smith and Jake Bellows (Neva Dinova). Grant, a former member of '90s band Compost, will unveil a set of new material as well as songs recorded with Tim Kasher (Cursive) and, for the first time in years, will perform songs from his critically acclaimed 1995 solo album, Strangled Soul, an album which I still listen to regularly. Todd Grant shows are always unpredictable, and I suspect this one will be as well. 9 p.m., absolutely free.

Meanwhile, down at Slowdown, it's Dischord Records band Antelope with The Stay Awake and Bring Back the Guns. Antelope carries on the Washington D.C. punk tradition, sounding like Fugazi meets pre-dance Rapture. The Stay Awake are one of Omaha's best math/punk bands. Only $5, 9 p.m.

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The last few times that I've seen Domestica play -- whether at O'Leaver's or The Waiting Room or wherever -- I was a tad disappointed in the volume level. Among the things Mercy Rule was known for back in the old days was Jon Taylor's hugely loud, all-encompassing guitar sound -- massive yet tuneful, and never painful (as long as you took the proper precautions, which Slowdown now sells over by the photo booth for 50 cents a pair). Taylor told me during our recent interview that he'd decided to tone the guitar down with this new band, that it wasn't necessary to prove his guitar might by turning it to 11. So while past Domestica shows have been great, there was always something missing. Well, it wasn't missing Saturday night at Slowdown. I can't remember Taylor's guitar ever sounding that loud. It was freaking crazy LOUD, beautifully LOUD. During the set, a local guitar pro walked up and said, "I've never heard anything like this before. It's loud and I'm wearing earplugs." Was this insane volume necessary for Domestica to work? No, but it sure was fun.

Heck, you knew the whole night was going to be a fun when at 9 p.m. the Slowdown grunts pulled back the dividers to reveal a stage adorned in checkered flags, a Hot Wheels track and a sign that said, Welcome Racing Fans. The show started at around 9:45 with The Monroes. I've never heard a Gary Dean Davis-fronted band on such a large stage with such a large sound system. The result was as expected -- big and loud and sonically perfect. You felt every nuanced Lincoln Dickison guitar chord, every Gary Dean grunt and Tulis bass note. The most impressive difference, however, was Jesse Render's drums. In small rooms like O'Leaver's, Jesse can get buried and lost. For the first time, I could really feel his drumming and got a new appreciation for just how good he is. It was the best sounding Monroes set I've ever heard, but I have to admit that as pristine as it was, I would still prefer to see these guys at O'Leaver's or The Niner or any other of the city's smaller stages. It's a band that deserves a room where the crowd is standing right in front of them rather than seated somewhere beyond the shiny dance floor.

After The Monroes finished their set, the races began -- bracketed double-elimination Hot Wheels action. The double-lane track was draped from a table in front of the stage all the way across Slowdown's dance floor. The heated action was accented by a record played over the sound system consisting of race track noises. Sweet!

Ideal Cleaners took the stage after the first round of heats. Again, the Slowdown sound system allowed you to hear parts of songs that are missed at O'Leaver's or Sokol Underground. The band blew through a selection of tunes off Muchacho!, their just-released Speed! Nebraska full-length, before leaving the stage and resuming the Hot Wheel races.

Those races were still under way when Domestica began its set. Sound guy Dan Brennan certainly earned his pay Saturday night. With the first song, Taylor's guitar was absolutely huge, so huge that you couldn't hear vocalist Heidi Ore's sweet-angel voice -- and that's a big problem. Brennan, however, was on it, and by the third song, Heidi was brought higher in the mix, her gossamer soprano cutting through Taylor's low-slung guitar growl. This was how Domestica's music should always be heard -- big, mean, muscular. Here's to Taylor never turning it down, no matter where he plays.

I was told by Slowdown's owners that the bar originally wanted the show performed in Slowdown Jr., the small front-room stage, but that the bands insisted on the big stage and were willing to pay for it. In the end, it was the right decision if only to hear this music on such a mighty sound system. The final numbers were 106 paid at $6 a head, which was more than enough to cover facility costs and give the bands some cash to take home.

It's been a busy November for Speed! Nebraska Records. This Thursday, Speed! band The Third Men will host their CD release show at The Waiting Room for their new full-length, Boost. It's another must-see show...

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It's shaping up to be another weekend to be spent at Slowdown. Tonight, Landing on the Moon headlines the small stage with openers Acadia and the Asteroid out of Billings, and Bright Light Fever out of Sacramento. LotM's Oliver Morgan says look for a set of all new material, most of which will be on the band's next full length, slated for next summer (They're in the studio now). 9 p.m., $7.

Tomorrow night on Slowdown's big stage, it's the Speed! Nebraska Records Drag Race and Rock Show featuring The Monroes, Ideal Cleaners and headliner Domestica. This is a once-in-a-lifetime can't-miss spectacle for just $6. Show starts at 9.

It's not the only show tomorrow night. Punk band The Stay Awake plays at The 49'r with Latitude Longitude. $5, 9:30 p.m. Team Love band Flowers Forever plays at The Barley St. Tavern with UUVVWWZ and Dim Light, 9 p.m., free. While over at The Waiting Room, it's Sarah Benck and the Robbers with The Filter Kings and Son of 76. $7, 9 p.m.

Finally Sunday night, again at Slowdown Jr., it's Outlaw Con Bandana (featuring special guest Matt Rooney) with The Bruces and the Southpaw Bluegrass Band. $7, 9 p.m.

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Just posted, a nice long feature on Domestica (read it here). The story begins in 1999 discussing the reasons behind the break-up of Mercy Rule, and runs through their one-off reunion at The Brothers in 2006 and eventual step forward as Domestica. It's a heartwarming story that you can share with your families tomorrow at Thanksgiving dinner. The article was so long that I had to use this week's Lazy-i column space to get it all in (so no column tomorrow).

One part that didn't make it into the article: The story behind Mercy Rule's lighting. Anyone who ever saw the band in its heyday in the '90s will remember how Mercy Rule used flood lights mounted on the stage -- pointed straight up -- producing an eerie yet cool hatchet-lighting effect. Jon Taylor said he got the idea after going to a Flaming Lips concert. Before the band went on while the stage was still dark, the club was filled with smoke. An unseen voice came over the PA saying, "Don't breath the smoke." He thought he was going to suffocate when suddenly the stage lit up with blinding flood lights pointed directly into the crowd, cutting through the haze. Taylor liked what he saw.

"With four-band lineups, everyone looks the same," said Domestica frontwoman Heidi Ore (who's also Taylor's wife). "If you change your lights, you've already changed something."

"We were always the best lit band of the night," Taylor said. "Days after a show, we'd get a stack of photos in the mail from someone in the crowd, saying, 'You guys were really well lit.'" There's a photo of what it looked like in the story.

I admitted that whenever I went to Domestica shows I was a little disappointed that the lights were gone, as stupid as it sounds they added something special to those Mercy Rule shows. Taylor said he still has the lighting rig. Will we see it used again at this Saturday night's show at Slowdown? Keep your fingers crossed.

* * *

I've come to believe that hip-hop is best served as a recorded medium. At least that's always been my experience whenever I've gone to a live hip-hop show. Last night's Blue Scholars' gig at the Waiting Room, unfortunately, was no exception. All the cool instrumental counter-melodies, all the little subtleties heard on the duo's CDs, were lost amidst the bass-heavy mix. I know heavy bass is the language of hip-hop -- I drive next to the same ridiculous, bass-blasting SUVs that you do, the ones that force you to roll your windows up. I get it. I felt like I was riding in that SUV last night, the bass reducing the beauty of the songs to one long evening of thump-thump-thump. The other disappointment: the rapping. Unlike most hip-hop I've heard on MTV or wherever, you can understand every word of every Blue Scholars song… on disc. Blame it on the live setting, where half the battle is getting the crowd into it, but MC Geo's rhyming sounded forced and rushed, as if he was overextending himself to get above that bass. The only time I felt connected to the band was during the anti-war song "Back Home," and on one other song where Geo brought the sound down to a whisper before blowing it all up again. Strangely, the Scholars didn't sing their latest single, "Joe Metro," probably their most tuneful song which was just released as an EP. Who knows, maybe they kept it as an encore, which the Tuesday-night crowd of around 50 wasn't going to get, as Geo literally handed the mic over to Psalm One to begin her set.

* * *

Look, no one has to go to work tomorrow, right? So there's no reason to miss The Song Remains the Same at The Waiting Room with The Whipkey Three. I won't recast what I've already said about TSRTS, just go read this column, which explains the band and what they're about. $7, 9 p.m.

If I don't see you tomorrow, have a happy Thanksgiving.

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When Del the Funkee Homosapien came to Slowdown a few weeks ago, I got plenty of shit about not posting anything about the show on my site. Fact is, I'm not a follower of Del's. I barely know who he is. That doesn't mean I don't like hip-hop. Au contraire. I like hip-hop, I'm just excruciatingly choosy as to what hip-hop I listen to. You can count the number of hip-hop albums I own on two hands, and it's mostly old school stuff by N.W.A., Ice Cube, Ice-T, Public Enemy, as well as some stuff by Brother Ali, Justin Warfield (years and years before She Wants Revenge), Danger Mouse and those old white guys, the Beastie Boys.

And Blue Scholars. I got a copy of their debut in the mail back in 2004 and reviewed it in the matrix, saying: "I don't know a lot about hip-hop -- that's well documented. But I do know what I want when hip-hop comes to mind. Good, clean beats. The ability to understand at least some of the lyrics. A clear flow. I turn off bad hip-hop almost immediately. It better hold my attention. This did. It's well-produced. I like them horns. Reminds me of Pharcyde. From Seattle, with attitude."

I figured no one knew who they were, but I was wrong, as per usual. Blue Scholars have something of a cult following in the Pacific Northwest. Their songs are about life and living in Seattle; their name is a play on the phrase "blue collar," which is what they're all about. Their most recent full-length, Bayani, is a head trip rhymed in the language of a guy you'd meet riding the 49 Metro (Seattle's equivalent to a MAT bus) cross town -- with the same concerns and frustration of anyone just trying to make ends meet. Forget all the gangsta and bling-isms, Blue Scholars is honed, accurate social commentary from two very smart guys -- DJ Sabzi and MC Geologic -- who know their history and can tell you about it in a way that won't let you to sit still. They were named the best hip-hop act in Seattle Weekly's 2006 Music Awards Poll. Their just-released EP, Joe Metro, charted on CMJ. I never thought I'd see them on an Omaha stage, yet here they come tonight, opening for Psalm One and Articulate at The Waiting Room. $10, 9 p.m. Go!

In other news:

At Saturday's birthday party for Feirin down at Slowdown, Saddle Creek Records executive Robb Nansel told me that Slumber Party Records just signed a distribution deal with Saddle Creek that will dramatically increase the reach of that label, whose roster has included Capgun Coup (now on Team Love), Bear Country, April in Andalusia, Conchance, FTL Drive and Honeybee .

In addition to distributing their own products, Saddle Creek also distributes products for Range Life Records (White Flight, 1,000,000 Light Years, Fourth of July) and Team Love -- all of which, are in turn, distributed by ADA. Go to the Saddle Creek online store and there's already a link to the new Slumber Party Records online store. Nansel said the first release under the new distro deal will be Baby Walrus on Feb. 5.

* * *

According to an item at the Minneapolis Star-Tribune website, Conor Oberst will be performing for three back-to-back nights at The 400 Club in Minneapolis -- not as Bright Eyes, but only as Conor Oberst. According to the Trib article (here), "Word from 400 Bar management is that Oberst wants it explicitly known these won't be Bright Eyes shows – i.e., he won’t be doing any of those songs! He will be playing new material with a different backing band." Is that the band with M Ward or the solo project with Jake Bellows that Omaha City Weekly's Hildy Johnson referenced in last week's issue (here, scroll to the bottom of the page)? Guess we'd have to go to Minneapolis Dec. 27-29 to find out.

Tomorrow: Domestica. Be here.

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I snuck into The 49'r last night just in time to see The Coffin Killers' set. It's the first time I've been in the Niner in probably a year or more. The only thing that's changed is the lighting. It was darker in there than I remembered, as if the overhead lights had been turned off. I liked it. What hasn't changed is the enormous crowds. As always is the case, if you get there late (as I did) you're going to have a tough time finding a place to watch the band without being in someone's way. I lucked out and noticed that no one was standing in front of the trashcan along the wall by the pickle machine and found my spot for the evening, just a foot or so from the band -- actually, a great spot.

Coffin Killers play old school punk with a guitar rock attitude. In other words, there's plenty of melody and actual singing that float on top of the constant barrage of classic punk guitar riffs. While I love punk rock, I've never had an encyclopedic knowledge of the genre. Sure, I know the usual dozen or so British and NYC '70s punk bands that everyone else knows, but I don't know the obscure stuff by rote like I assume most of the people who were standing in the first three or four rows did. Or maybe I'm just assuming they were punk experts by their tattoos. Regardless, my forced comparison for CK comes by way of '90s-'00s rock act The Explosion, who actually had a similar sound to The Loved Ones, U.S. Bombs and Strike Anywhere, and who counted Social Distortion among their biggest influences. Any band fronted by Lee Meyerpeter is going to get a few Social D comparisons because his voice so closely resembles Mike Ness' voice. That said, of all the bands I've seen Meyerpeter play in, this one was the least Ness-ian of the bunch. It's also my favorite. Don't get me wrong, I like Bad Luck Charm and The Filter Kings, but I enjoy listening to this straight-out melodic punk more than BLC's cacophony and FK's southern-fried rural punk. This is power rock with a punk snarl, the kind of music that gets people in the mood to fight. The set-up is simple -- Meyerpeter on lead guitar and vocals, looking like a construction guy, his eyes covered by dock worker's stocking cap. Backing him were bassist Ryan McLaughlin (Race for Titles) and drummer Matt Baum (ex-Desaparecidos, ex-89 Cubs). Baum replaced legendary drummer Jeff Heater, who was celebrating his birthday somewhere in San Diego last night. Meyerpeter toasted Heater in his absence, and the crowd joined in. Few people can match Heater for his over-the-top all-over-the-place drumming style that cranks up the sweat and energy to 11. Baum pumps things up just as effectively, but does it more simply. He's got a rugged drumming style, bashing the cymbals as hard as he can while wearing what appears to be shooting range ear muffs. Baum is well known for getting up between songs and yelling at the band and the crowd, but he never got up last night, and he didn't do any yelling until the final song. Rounding out the four-piece was another guitarist, a young guy that looked like a member of The Clash. I don't know his name, but I'm told he either is or was a member of Cruisin' Rosie -- blazing second guitar that churned it out while Lee did his solos. The band only played for about a half-hour and closed with rocker doused in feedback that still buzzed through the monitors while Baum began to tear down his drum set. Great stuff, indeed.

So what's going on tonight?

If you've been to a One Percent show, chances are you've met Feirin, who's been known to take your money down at Sokol Underground. Well, Feirin and her brothers are celebrating their birthdays tonight at Slowdown with a stellar lineup that includes a slew of the city's hottest new bands: Conchance, Capgun Coup, Bear Country and Honeybee. It looks like they're hosting it in the big room, so this may be the best chance you'll have of seeing Omaha's Next Wave of indie bands all in one night. $5, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, down at The Saddle Creek Bar, Sarah Benck (acoustic) and Bleeding Ophans (apparently a derivative of No Blood Orphan) are opening for the Big Al Band CD release party. The Big Al Band is Al Hatfield on guitar and vocals and Metal Barbie on bass and vocals playing noise metal. The first 100 through the door get a free CD. $5, 9 p.m. Other than a Dec. 15 benefit show, this is the last gig currently scheduled for the Saddle Creek Bar, according to their website. Enjoy it while you can.

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Here's tonight's best bets.

At The 49'r: The legendary Coffin Killers, a band that features Filter Kings frontman (and ex-Cactus Nerve Thang member and Bad Luck Charm member) Lee Meyerpeter at the helm. I'm told this is a departure from the Filter Kings' twang-punk to something that's more punk-punk. As we all know, CK's drummer, Jeff Heater, has moved to fire-prone San Diego (Is it a coincidence that the town was set ablaze shortly after his arrival?). Taking his place is the equally incendiary Matt Baum (ex-Desaparecidos, ex-'89 Cubs). The Killers get it rolling at 10 and are followed by School of Arms. No idea on the door, but probably $5 or less. Go.

Meanwhile, down at Slowdown Jr, it should be a tad more mellow with Eric Bachmann (Crooked Fingers), Kyle Harvey and Adam Hawkins. Bachmann came through here a year ago with Richard Buckner and it was a terrific show (review). $10, 9 p.m.

It's twang night over at The Waiting Room, with Lincoln honky-tonk rockers Forty Twenty, The Black Squirrels and Western Electric. $7, 9 p.m.

And last but not least, down at Filmstreams, it's opening night for the Joy Division biopic CONTROL. Directed by Anton Corbijn, the film has been getting rave reviews all over the world. Do not miss this limited engagement. 4:30, 7, 9:30. Go to Filmstreams.org for more info.

I'll give you the run-down on the rest of the weekend tomorrow morning. Check back!

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It been kind of quiet the past few days musicwise. Something worth mentioning... Remember how I said there were only four shows slated for O'Leaver's for the balance of the year? Turns out the bar just hadn't gotten around to updating their myspace calendar. That number has doubled (actually, one of those dates is a chili cookoff), and includes a Cloven Path show tomorrow night, which should be interesting as the band recently lost its singer and was contemplating either finding a new singer or going without one as they had for so long before Kat showed up.

And... that's all, folks. Tomorrow's column discusses the bleak vision so many people seem to have for the future of the music industry. As pre-reading, go find the current issue of Rolling Stone. You can't miss it, it's the magazine with the giant holograph for a cover.

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I didn't get rolling until 10 on Saturday, so it came down to: 1) I've never liked Trail of Dead, 2) That Nirvana Tribute will be packed/require waiting in line to get in, 3) that touring band at SCB probably already played (as SCB has touring bands open so as not to get Omaha'd). That left The Rayguns/Sleep Said the Monster at O'Leaver's, which is where I intended to go in the first place, specifically to see the Rayguns. I got there just in time for their last song -- a Jazz Odyssey-style noise symphony that reveled in its own improvisational excess. I'm told it wasn't a typical Rayguns' song, and made a note to make sure I get to The Waiting Room early on Nov. 30 when they open for McCarthy Trenching.

Reagan and friends were followed by Nashville band Happy Birthday Amy, a four-piece fronted by a woman seated behind a keyboard. By her side, a bassist, drummer and a guy who plays a variety of horns (trumpet, trombone, other brass that I wasn't familiar with). The music felt like indie cabaret, with leader Amy Smith belting out one rousing ballad after another, sort of like an alt-Bette Midler meets Joanne Newsom. Rocking enough where you didn't miss the lack of electric guitar.

Sleep Said the Monster played last. A guy watching the set next to me screwed up my evening by saying, "Don't they sound just like Coyote Bones?" I've seen SStM a few times and that comparison never dawned on me. Afterward, it was all I could think of, though honestly, their songwriting style is somewhat different. Coyote Bones' songs have a stronger central melody; SStM sounds more closely married to traditional indie rock. The biggest similarity sonically comes from their keyboard arrangements; whereas similarities performance-wise come from their frontman (don't know his name/it ain't on their myspace) who's stage presence is equal to or eclipse's CB's David Matysiak's. SStM's frontman pushes his music with his eyes and facial expressions -- I mean, when was the last time you saw a singer's eyes at O'Leaver's? He sings well, too, but his performance style makes you think he's belting it out in front of a TV camera, reaching out to those viewers watching at home. On the minus side, I can remember what SStM sounds like, but I can't remember a single song from their set. They still need to write that song where, when you're talking to someone about them, you can say, "They're the guys that do that song about…" Halfway through the set, someone asked me what I thought. I passed on that Coyote Bones comment, and afterward, he told me that's all he could think about, too. Sorry dude.

Looks like a quiet week ahead...

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Another lonely night at The Saddle Creek bar. Like O'Leaver's, SCB isn't getting out of the live music business altogether, they're just going to become extremely choosy as to who they let perform on their stage, a stage that unfortunately never lived up to its potential. I was hugely excited when I heard more than a year ago that someone was taking over the venue and turning it into a club that would cater to all types of music, including indie. The size and location are made to order. You can come up with your own list as to why so few people ever came to shows there. I point to the booking, the ever-changing sound system and the fact that the club was launched by a guy who came from outside the current music scene. Mike Coldewey is a musician who's played in rock bands for years, but none of them were part of Omaha indie collective. As a result, most of the bands that I talked to about SCB always looked at the club as an oddity among all the other clubs doing shows these days. So, as I said, Coldewey says he'll still do music, but only shows that he thinks are positively going to draw well. He can't afford nights like last night, where by the end of the evening, the headlining band was essentially only playing to the other bands on the bill and a couple stragglers like myself. The irony of it all is that the PA never sounded better. Part of the reason has to do with the bands themselves, who know how to make the best out of any PA.

I only caught the last three Scott Severin and the Milton Burlesque songs, which included a cover of Ian Hunter's "Once Bitten Twice Shy" (you probably remember the version covered by Great White). I need to see an entire Severin set, but from what I could glean from last night, he's trying to create something in the purest essence of rock 'n' roll (and he has the history and chops to pull it off). I'm redundant with this comment: The Matt Whipkey Three is the best band that Whipkey's ever been involved in, and after last night, that includes The Movies. I'm an enormous fan of perfectly balanced trios. It doesn't get more balanced than this. If you like alt-Americana rock, you'll be hardpressed to find a better band. Last might was more proof that they should have been in The Reader top-20. Something tells me that if they get this new album recorded and get out on the road (all three work at Dietz, so there's nothing stopping them other than booking the tour), I have no doubt they'll be on that list next year.

As for the Saddle Creek Bar, well, they've got another show going on tonight -- Midwest Dilemma and the Southpaw Blues Band, and according to the Saddle Creek website, St. Louis band Grace Basement, which was chosen as the Best New Band of 2007 by The Riverfront Times. The band's new album, New Sense, recalls Wilco, Kinks, and laidback indie rockers like The Reivers. Grace Basement frontman Kevin Buckley's work includes contributions to the new New Pornographers album. Check out their myspace. $5, 9 p.m. It would be a shame if they played to 10 people, but with everything else going on tonight, that's what will probably happen. The only things left on the SCB calendar is Sarah Benck next Saturday and a benefit show Dec. 15.

So your choices again tonight:
-- the SCB show just mentioned,
-- Reagan and the Rayguns opening for Sleep Said the Monster and Birthday Amy at O'Leaver's
-- the Nirvana tribute showcase at Slowdown
-- and Trail of Dead with Virgasound at The Waiting Room.

Something tells me I'll be doing some bar-hopping...

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Well, if you missed the show last night or got there late like I did, then you missed the last-ever performance by Kite Pilot (for real this time). Whether the band is breaking up or not isn't the question. Todd and Erica Hanton and Jeremy Stanosheck have instead decided to simply quit playing Kite Pilot music. Call it a long-term hiatus, though the chances of the three of them playing again as Kite Pilot are slim outside of a reunion show in eight years. They aren't giving up music altogether. Instead they say they're going to explore new sounds that are a long way from conventional guitar/drum/bass rock music. Erica also said that she's tired of fronting a band, preferring to simply be in the background. What will they come up with next? Stay tuned.

I showed up halfway through Aqueduct's set. I thought I'd seen them before, but I would have remembered their style -- straight-up melody-driven rock (indie or otherwise). The highlight was their cover of Warren G's "Regulate," (You know, the one with the sample from Michael McDonald's "I Keep Forgettin'"). It's a perfect example of why a band shouldn't cover a song that's more memorable than their own material. Afterward, I heard a couple people say how much they liked the cover, but neither mentioned Aqueduct's own songs, which included a number of tunes off Or Give Me Death, their latest album. Aqueduct is a great match for a band like Georgie James -- both bands obviously have a love for '70s rock.

This was the first night back for Georgie James after a break due to illness. They sounded tight, running through songs off their new Saddle Creek album, Places, essentially replicating the recording almost too much to a T. Maybe it was because they haven't stepped into the ring for awhile, but they seemed to be going through the motions, finishing the last song and then saying goodnight somewhat abruptly.

* * *

You've got a lot of choices this weekend, starting tonight. Let's just go down the list:

At The Waiting Room it's Toronto band Do Make Say Think, yet another act coming through town associated with Broken Social Scene. Their music is moody instrumental fare, and to be honest with you, I like the opening band, Apostle of Hustle, a little more. Lead apostle, Andrew Whiteman, also has played with BSS. $10, 9 p.m.

At Sokol Underground it's Portland punk trio The Thermals with Reporter and Thunder Power!!!. Judging from the scuttlebutt the past few weeks, this one will be well attended. $10, 9 p.m.

Finally, over at The Saddle Creek Bar, it's The Whipkey Three, Scott Severin and the Milton Burlesque, and Kyle Harvey. The Third Men originally were on this show but apparently had to cancel. $5, 9 p.m.

Saturday is just as crowded:

Slowdown Jr. is hosting a Nirvana tribute featuring more than 11 bands including Baby Walrus, Flowers Forever, Coyote Bones, Bear Country, The Shanks, Thunder Power!!!, Outlaw Con Bandana., Steph Drootin, Jake Bellows, Flamboyant Gods, and Ascetics. Each band has chosen a different Nirvana song to cover (there will be no duplicates). Should be interesting and you can't beat the price -- FREE. Starts at 9.

Still not sold out (surprisingly) is … And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead at The Waiting Room with Virgasound. Odd, considering that this band has drawn huge over the past few years. $12, 9 p.m.

Sadly, if you look at O'Leaver's online calendar, there are only four shows listed through the end of the year. Saturday night it's Sleep Said the Monster with Happy Birthday Amy (from Nashville) and Reagan and the Rayguns. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Of course Sunday you've got your Meat Puppets with Ha Ha Tonka at The Waiting Room. $13, 9 p.m.

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Just placed online, an interview/feature with John Davis of Georgie James. Davis talks about his love of soft rock derived from a life growing up in the radio business. His father, Don Davis, even did a tour of duty in Omaha at the now-defunct WOW FM, a short-lived rock station. Davis also discusses Georgie James' influences, the break-up of his former band (Q and Not U) and getting signed to Saddle Creek Records. Read it here. Some tidbits that didn't make into the story:

-- Tomorrow night's show at Slowdown Jr. is the first one back after the band took a break due to "illness." James said he's now nearly 100 percent, that constant touring without a break took its toll on him. "I'm not normally an anxious person, but it's starting to wear me down," he said last Saturday. "At this moment, I'm fine."
-- While Georgie James is primarily Davis and Laura Burhenn, the band also includes bassist Michael Cotterman, who used to play in Kid Dynamite and The Loved Ones, and drummer Andrew Black, formerly of The Explosion. "Those guys are the live band," Davis said. "The reason it's presented as a duo is that Laura and I do the writing and recording. Originally it was just the two of us for a year. These guys have been friends of mine for a long time."
-- The band's name, Georgie James, is a play on Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames. "We kicked names around for three months," Davis said. "What about Tall Grass? What about The National Zoo? We were desperate. I always thought Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames was a great name. I'm not a huge Georgie Fame fan, but what an awesome name. I suggested Georgie James because I just read a book about James Taylor. Laura liked it."
-- Though Q and Not U broke up in September 2005, Davis said the breakup had been in the works from the beginning of that year. "We half-assed a tour. It didn't go well and afterward we said, 'See? Our time's up.' It was intentional on our own part; it gave us a reason to get out of it. Harris (Klahr) and I were feeling the same thing about not wanting to do it anymore. We felt if we kept the band together when we were doing new things, the (new projects) wouldn't get the attention we wanted them to get. People would say, 'Oh, the side project is great, but when are you going to get back to the real stuff?' Forget that."
-- Davis is a vinyl music fan and is proud that Places has been released on vinyl. "I think in some ways it's a better format, both the way it sounds and the bigger artwork. It's just a better experience," he said. "In an era of free downloading, vinyl has its place. You can't download vinyl."

Now go read the whole darn article, and go down to Slowdown Jr. tomorrow night for Georgie James along with Kite Pilot and Aqueduct. It's only $8 ferchristsake... But before you do, go down to Slowdown Jr. tonight for Reagan and the Rayguns (that's Reagan Roeder's band) when it opens for Will Hoge along with Brad Hoshaw. $12, 9 p.m.

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Relapse Records, home to such artists as The Dillinger Escape Plan, Mastodon, Cephalic Carnage and Alabama Thunderpussy, announced yesterday that it signed Vverevvolf Grehv, the one-man metal project of Faint guitarist Dapose (a project formerly known as Precious Metal). "Metal has always been the most extreme form of music since its creation, and I've always felt a calm and a peace from it," Dapose said in the Relapse press release. "Something like the intensity of a Buddhist monk's chant, or the sounds one hears when riding a train, relentless repetition becomes meditative and allows a reflective process aiding our well being. Which to me is why many people in the metal world are among the nicest people you'll ever meet."

Dapose's Relapse debut, Zombie Aesthetics, is slated for release March 4. Omahans may get a sneak peak at Dapose's new album when VG opens for The Show Is the Rainbow at Slowdown Dec. 8.

Tomorrow, look for an interview with John Davis of Georgie James.

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Nearly 400 diehard Stars fans got more than their money's worth last night at Slowdown -- a set that lasted nearly two hours. The whole time, you could tell that Torquil Campbell and the rest of the band were thrilled to be there. In fact, they told the crowd so, over and over throughout their set, saying such glowing things like Slowdown was a gem "built on music." All night, band members would make their way to the microphones and say how proud they were to be there. It was kind of sweet and charming.

The band came on at around 10:15 to a stage adorned with bouquets of flowers and abstract artwork on easels. It almost looked like a funeral, except for the computer-controlled strobes that blared from behind the stage. Talk about your theatrics, at one point Torq strolled out in a jacket covered in lights, looking like a walking Christmas tree. Glam!

I'm not a long-time fan of Stars, having only discovered them with this last album. Obviously they have a strong back-catalog judging by what I heard last night. I had a couple people tell me to check out Set Yourself on Fire, which I'll definitely do after hearing some of the lush songs performed last night. Gorgeous stuff. The six-piece included a guitarist, bass, drummer, keyboard player, Torq on a Casio-style keyboard, trumpet and vocals and Amy Millan on guitar and vocals. It was the best-sounding set I've heard on Slowdown's big stage (and that includes Cursive, Two Gallants and The Rentals). They finished at around 11:15, then went on to play an encore that lasted nearly 45 minutes. I didn't get out of there until midnight.

A few notes about Slowdown while I'm thinking of it. First, they've installed a huge, white Habitrail-looking piece of artwork that hangs from the ceiling over the main floor (see homepage pic). The installation is from Brooklyn artist Jason Peters who currently is working at The Bemis. I'm told that the tube actually lights up in different colors. For some technical reason, it didn't light up last night, but it was still impressive and fit right in with Slowdown's overall aesthetic. It's not a permanent feature. Proprietors Nansel and Kulbel tell me that it'll only hang in the rafters for about a month, but that we can expect to see more artist installations in the future.

The other bit of news is the new capacity rating for Slowdown. The city originally gave the room a capacity of around 470. The new number is a whopping 615. That's a huge jump based solely on having the inspectors come out and take another walk through the venue. There's no question that the new number will have a positive impact on the size/stature of bands that One Percent and Slowdown can book for the venue.

Tonight at O'Leaver's, Athens band Casper and the Cookies with Pat Fleming. $5, 9:30 p.m.

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I know what you're wondering and the answer is yes, I was there, too. I actually heard about it a lot earlier than most, but I couldn't get over there until around 11, and by then, well, as expected the place was packed. They started off by thanking the crowd for coming out and then tore into a number of songs off their last record, which made the crowd go completely apeshit. In fact, I thought there was going to be a riot when they said that their next song would be their last, but as luck would have it, they had time for one more (which I think they had intended to play anyway). When they finally finished, everyone was on their feet begging for more, but that was it, not only for last night, but forever.

Waitaminit. You didn't think I was talking about the Broken Social Scene show at Slowdown last night, did you? I heard about that one, too, at around 10:30 last night, but as much as I like BSS, there was no way I was going to miss LALD's last show ever. From what I can tell, Omahype was the first to get the scoop online, and also is the only one with a full review of the show, complete with pics. Check it out. It will go down as another in a series of amazing "secret shows" that everyone will say they were at, but few actually were. The same will be said for LALD's last show, too. What's the old adage? The biggest crowds that bands play for are at their CD release show and their farewell gig. That probably also was the case with LALD. It was the biggest show I've seen at O'Leaver's in quite a while. It was also the best performance I've ever heard from the band, so good, in fact, you wonder why they're hanging it up. I'm sure they have their reasons, and I'm sure we'll be seeing these guys performing around town again in other bands in the near future.

Tonight, the not-so-secret Mountain Goats show at Slowdown, or the pop-rock stylings of Black Tie Dynasty at The Waiting Room.

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Is it me or has Slowdown put some giddy-up in their booking? Remember when Robb and Jason said they were only going to do two or three shows a week? Just glancing at their calendar, I think that's headed out the window, and why not? It's a shame to let the venue's two wonderful stages go to waste. But before we get to that, tonight is the farewell performance of Life After Laserdisque. I'm not sure why the band has decided to hang it up, but they're going out in style, headlining at O'Leaver's with Kansas City's The Dark Circles (Anodyne Records) and Ketchup and Mustard Gas (Mark from Dance Me Pregnant, Dustin from Paria, Andy from Capgun Coup). Will there be special guest appearances by Eric Clapton or Bob Dylan? Highly doubtful. 9:30, $5.

Also tonight, Hyannis, Talkin' Mountain, Electric Needle Room and Top Hat at Shea Riley's. It's the CD release party for ENR. $5 if you're over 21, $8 if you're not (but are over 18). 9 p.m.

Saturday night, The Mountain Goats return to Omaha, this time at Slowdown with Bowerbirds. Anyone remember what happened the last time the Goats came through? You can reminisce here, and then look for Donovan lurking over by the photo booth, ready to pounce. $12, 9 p.m. Also Saturday night, Dallas-based '80s-inspired rockers Black Tie Dynasty plays at The Waiting Room with A. Symbiont. $7, 9 p.m.

Sunday night it's Stars at Slowdown with Magnet. $15, 9 p.m.

Did I miss anything? Post the show here.

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