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Thursday, January 31, 2008

KIND FM meeting tonight; Oscillations; Slowdown on my iPhone, Blood on the Wall tonight...

No, the future of KIND FM (read about the station here) doesn't rest on whether or not anyone shows up tonight at 7 p.m. at PS Collective for the station's first public forum, but it's probably fair to say that if no one shows up for this meeting, KIND will be short-lived, if it happens at all. There's no way a radio station that hopes to broadcast 24/7 can survive without an army of volunteers and content providers (i.e., DJs). As I've said before, any frustrated DJ who had dreams of one day being heard on the air should be there tonight. So should anyone who's whined about Omaha lacking a station that plays local music. Yes, the signal will only carry 10 to 15 blocks, but KIND FM chief engineer Shawn Halpenny's dreams are much bigger -- and far-reaching -- than that. He says that he's currently building a second transmitter, one with a much larger range that "is standing in the wings waiting for the green light (FCC Approval and license)." Such a rare license, if ever made available, would cost a fortune, and who knows where the money would come from. But stranger things have happened.

* * *

I'm told that the short film "Oscillations" has been put to bed. The 20-minute headtrip (with no dialogue) includes music by a number of local musicians, chief among them being Kyle Harvey, who is credited below the title. "Oscillations" will be screened at the Omaha Film Festival as part of two nights of short film entries -- Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. and Feb. 23 at 5 p.m. Screenings are held at Westwood Cinema 8 (find out more about the fest here). Director Evan Blakely also plans to screen the film at an event sometime in the future that would include live performances. Stay tuned.

* * *

Hey, I can finally read theslowdown.com on my iPhone. The venue replaced its old, all-Flash website with a standard html model -- and it's about a million times better. All-Flash websites have always been a bad idea -- they're generally over-designed, hard to read, pages can't be bookmarked, rarely print well, can't be copied-and-pasted from, and lack other basic usability -- but are an even worse idea in the age of the iPhone, which doesn't support Flash. So check out the new site at theslowdown.com and tell Jason Kulbel the next time you see him, "Thank you for just being you."

* * *

Speaking of Slowdown, tonight at Slowdown Jr. it's the punk stylings of Brooklyn band Blood on the Wall, on the road supporting their just-released LP Lifers on Social Registry Records. They sound like Slanted-era Pavement to me, which is a good thing. Opening is Honeybee and TBA (featuring CJ Olson, Derek Pressnall (Flowers Forever), and others). $7, 9 p.m.

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


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posted by Tim at 10:46 AM

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Column 158 -- The Better Beatles again...

On top of everything else that's cool about this album -- its history, the music, the liner notes -- is the album artwork itself, which I've seen bring people nearly to tears recalling their youth. The art is a collage of ads for long-gone venues taken from a 1980s edition of The Omaha World-Herald. Among the venues, One Eyed Jacks, The Chicago, Shenanigans, Mr. Bill's, Miss Kitty's Saloon, Club 89, Carter Lake Warehouse and Matt's & Larry's Ranch Bowl. It's a snapshot of days gone by, just like this album. Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away...

Column 158: Better than the Beatles
A legendary band's long lost recordings resurface.

It dawned on me as I listened to their mechanical, dead-voiced interpretation of "Can't Buy Me Love" -- a reinvention of a free-wheeling love ballad into a robotic, bleating nightmare -- that there will never be another Better Beatles.

Thrust into the global consciousness for a few brief moments in the early '80s, The Better Beatles is one of the more colorful footnotes in Omaha's music history, remembered by only the tiny handful who were there. Like most of you, I'm just now learning of their existence, 26 years after their brief shining moment.

Consisting of Kurt Magnuson, Dave Nordin, Jean pSmith and Jay Rosen, The Better Beatles were four teenage punks who tried to tear down a cultural icon. Their weapon of choice was their 45-rpm interpretations of Beatles' classics "Penny Lane" and "I'm Down."

A review in Lincoln's Capital Punishment fanzine said it all: "As their name implies, they are better than the Beatles, reducing those time worn 'classics' to mechanistic rumbling. Gone are the 'Lets make love not War, everything's groovy' emotionalism of the '60s replaced by more realistic rhythms of repetition and emotionlessness. The synthesizer beats out a five-note sequence that makes up the whole song, while Kurt and Jay's instruments are barely audible. The real gem here is Jean's voice. She sings 'Penny Lane' in a stark staccato tone that is half frightening, half bored. This is the way the Beatles would sound if any of them were alive today."

Little did our heroes know that their record would get airplay all over the U.S. and beyond, including a spin by U.K. uber-tastemaker John Peel on his famous radio show. Even Village Voice music critic Robert Christgau gave the single a wizened nod.

The single was supposed to be only the beginning. The Better Beatles had recorded an entire album's worth of their New Wave anti-pop Beatles covers. But as quickly as their musical star rose, it faded. The rest of those recordings never saw the light of day. Until now.

Late last year, Oakland label Hook or Crook Records released the long lost Better Beatles recordings on a full-length album titled Mercy Beat. In addition to the single, that album includes the band's unique take on "Lady Madonna," "Baby You're a Rich Man," "Eleanor Rigby," and five more standards. You can pick up a copy at The Antiquarium record store.

Via e-mail from Berlin while on tour as the guitarist for The Legendary Stardust Cowboy, Better Beatles drummer/vocalist Jay Rosen told the story of the unlikely emergence of Mercy Beat. He said the last time all four members of the band were together in the same room was the November 1981 sessions that spawned the album. "Kurt and Jean moved to Seattle right after that in Kurt's old 1964 Chevy, driving across the frozen Midwest and Northwest," Rosen said.

Shortly after the session, a few record labels were interested in releasing the material. "There was a guy at Arista Records who was planning to put the record out," Rosen said. "The only problem is, that would have taken months! That is a long time when you are 19 years old playing in bands that are together for 10 or 12 weeks."

Instead, the band put out the single on their own Woodgrain Records label. "It seems like it was a minor hit on BBC and on some West Coast stations," Rosen said. "We were getting a lot of letters from Europe, due to John Peel playing the single." But the attention was short-lived, and the band members moved on. Years went by. Al Gore invented The Internet, and the next thing you know, new reviews of the single started showing up online. One review, Rosen discovered, included a comment posted by Jean pSmith. "A few days later, I got an e-mail from her," Rosen said. "I nearly fell off my chair. I had not heard from her since 1981."

All the web chatter piqued the interest of Hook or Crook's Chris Owen, who wondered about those lost sessions. "I had the tapes, but I was not sure they would still be intact," Rosen said. "There can be problems storing magnetic tape. It can come apart the first time you play it after years go by."

But the old Radioshack reel survived, Rosen said, and he and Jean set to work putting the album together. "I only had a cassette tape that was destroyed in 1984 by Krishna Copy center in Berkley, so I had not heard most of these for 23 years," Rosen said. "I'm glad to hear them again."

Despite the time that's passed, the recordings still hold their own as a critical comment on commercialism and idol worship from a band that considered The Beatles to be "an oppressive influence."

"I knew people that were riding Big Wheels when the Beatles broke up who still worshiped them like gods," pSmith said in an interview with the band by Jay Hinman from September 2007 (which is included in the album's liner notes). "Omaha has always been slow to change, being insulated by the rest of America's conservative bulk. I felt that the adoration of the Beatles had gone on quite long enough. Better Beatles stripped the songs of their sacred status, like saying 'We're not afraid of your gods!'"

She also said that the band didn't have any other material to play, "and this is just what we pulled out of our asses."

Regardless, the record is a reminder of a time when musical icons still existed for bands to denigrate. That time is long gone.

You can also purchase the album (vinyl or CD) online from the Hook or Crook website. For authenticity's sake, I recommend the vinyl. My last question for Jay Rosen: When is the long-awaited Better Beatles reunion? "I think that question could qualify as a zinger," he said. "I'm still kind of shocked that the record is out."

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


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posted by Tim at 5:15 AM

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

The voice of Lazy-i...

For those of you who have always wondered what my voice sounds like, check out the Worlds of Wayne podcast (here), featuring yours truly reading Column 155, where I talk about nearly missing my chance to hear singer/songwriter Brad Hoshaw because of my poorly held preconceived notions. It's part of an all-Hoshaw edition of WofW (Episode 39) where you'll also hear some of Brad's music, which by itself is reason enough to check it out. I have to admit having not listened to this particular episode, as I have a sort-of phobia about hearing my own voice! We did the reading in one take, and I never even listened to it on playback, trusting host Wayne Brekke that everything went fine. You tell me.

This week's colunn focuses on The Better Beatles. Look for it online tomorrow...

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


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posted by Tim at 10:53 AM

Monday, January 28, 2008

Weekend in review: The Stay Awake, Perry H. Matthews, Fromanhole...

Most common question heard this weekend: Did you go to Cursive on Friday night? Everyone else did. And I planned on going, too. But I never figured that it would sell out. Well, by late Friday afternoon, all the Cursive tickets were gone, leaving me out in the cold. The consensus from the half-dozen or so people who told me they went: Cursive was phenomenal. Their new music seems to be taking a turn in a new direction, one driven in part by their new drummer, whose style is more straight-forward than Clint Schnase's. Can a different drummer really make that much of a difference to a band's sound? Absolutely. But can it really drive the songwriting process of people like Tim Kasher and Ted Stevens? I'd have to hear that to believe it. Everyone I talked to said Little Brazil played one of their best sets ever. Those same people also were confused about Baby Walrus. Everyone agrees that Chris Senseney could make great music by pounding two empty cardboard boxes together; they're just not sure that he can do it consistently. They don't "get" what Senseney is trying to do, which is more than write straight-up pop songs. Listen to his Coco Art CD and you'll either be inspired or frustrated by all the weird, loopy interludes between the pop songs. Senseney has a vision, whether anyone else can see it or not.

There Will Be Blood kept me from getting to The Waiting Room Saturday night in time to see the opening bands. Instead, by 11:15, headliner The Stay Awake already was tuning on stage in front of a respectable crowd of around 100. They proceeded to tear through their usual set of bottled-up anger/frustration/resentment in the form of acidic, angular bombasts at 110 mph. Listening to the Stay Awake is like watching the spazz kid you remember in high school who always got in fights after the last bell -- charging after the bully, head back, eyes pressed shut, swinging wildly like a punching windmill, hoping to hit whatever was in his path. He usually ended up flat on his back in the dirt with blood draining from his nose. He may have lost, but goddamn if he wasn't entertaining for those 15 seconds before hitting the ground.

The Stay Awake guys were in the surprisingly large crowd at O'Leaver's last night to catch a show performed by some kindred spirits. Three weeks ago at The Waiting Room, I lasted about 10 minutes into Perry H. Matthews' set. They sounded like shit, sloppy and confused, especially compared to an always-tight Bombardment Society, which had played right before them. Last night was a different story. PHM plays post-hardcore/noise rock with mathy overtones. You get the usual squall vocals -- mostly guys angrily yelling into the microphone. The appeal is in the wonky arrangements and their energy. The set-up is two guitars, bass and drums. A guy standing by the door described them as "Baby Shellac" -- a tag on their just-out-of-high school (probably) age and their Skin Graft style. Their anchor was firmly seated behind the drum kit, the only thing that kept them grounded from inside a squealing tornado of high-end guitars. More bass would have helped immensely. The bassist knew what he was doing, but he could barely be heard in the rather brash mix. PHM has the same unbridled exuberance that I remember from '90s bands like Mousetrap and Culture Fire, artful noise for an unsophisticated world, they'll soon realize that they're playing to a niche market, especially in Omaha. Keep an eye on them.

Obviously not targeting a niche was Chicago's Four Star Alarm, who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. They couldn't have known that they'd be sandwiched between two of Omaha's more atonal prog/punk bands. As a result, their made-for-radio emocore sounded silly and woefully commercial in comparison. Just as out of place was their rock star posturing, which I'm sure goes over just fine on a different stage with a different audience. Not last night.

And then came Fromanhole. Playing for the first time since last August, the only visible rust was in their uncertainty between songs -- what would they play next? The band has been around for over a decade, and though their core design remains unaltered -- intricate, complex rhythms, harsh/atonal melodies, precision drumming and banshee-yell vocals all wrapped in a stuttering, proggy package -- they've developed a more tuneful ear, whether they'll admit it or not. Sure, the usual whiplash start-stops are still there, but individual song sections develop more into throbbing grooves than before. The Brothers Kiser (Doug and Daryl) are tonally more in synch on bass and guitar (respectively), with the improvisation coming from drummer Doug Berger's ranging style. The product is amped jazz with shards of broken-glass vocals to keep you on your toes. The biggest surprise of the night -- one of their songs bordered on traditional structure, complete with backbeat and hooks, though you'd never mistake it for a pop song. I pointed this out after the set and Doug seemed embarrassed by it. He shouldn't be. He's always known that their style of music will limit their audience in Omaha vs. cities like Chicago or NYC that are more open to progressive music. Just by throwing in one or two of these more straightforward songs, they'd get more people at their shows here, where they could brace the unsuspecting victims to the wall and force feed their more radical stuff.

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


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posted by Tim at 10:46 AM

Friday, January 25, 2008

Cursive tonight, The Stay Awake tomorrow...

Ah, remember a time not so long ago when Cursive tried out their new material at places like O'Leaver's and Sokol for $2 to $5? Those were, indeed, the good ol' days. From now on, looks like we'll have to settle for $14 shows like the one tonight at that hoity-toity Slowdown, with its fancy state-of-the-art sound and lighting system. Come on, Kasher, don't you like singing into microphones that sound like you're screaming into a metal box? All right, all right, I guess it is worth the extra jack to see these guys on the city's finest stage, even if they seem oh so far away up there in the lights… Opening is the best of Omaha's Next Wave bands, Baby Walrus, along with the winner of the 2007 OEA Award for Best Alternative Band, Little Brazil. 9 p.m., $14. This will likely sell out at the window…

On a side note, Slowdown hospitality director Val Nelson sent out a press release last week stating that the bar is now serving sandwiches from Patrick's Market. "We have a vegan, vegetarian, and meat option. Also, the snacks have expanded to include pita chips, pretzels, and a few more savory items." Mmmm, savory items… I wonder where they're going to set up the deli counter. Food continues to be a problem for the entire Slowdown complex, as anyone who's gone to Filmstreams for a 7 o'clock screening can attest. There is nowhere nearby to get a bite to eat. I mentioned this problem to one of the Slowdown owners, who kindly suggested I try the recently opened Old Mattress Factory Bar and Grill. An enormous mistake, as there was a basketball game that night, which meant $6 to park in their lot and having to put up with Bluejay a-holes. No thanks. Eating in The Old Market also wasn't an option -- no way to park, get a table, get served and eat in time to get back to Filmstreams for the opening credits. (We ended up driving all the way to Panera on Saddle Creek (yuck!) and driving back downtown). The most obvious solution is also Slowdown's missing link -- a restaurant in the vacant bay that was supposed to house Yia Yia's Pizza. Am I the only one who thinks a by-the-slice pizza shop is a no-brainer? So why isn't anyone stepping up to the plate?

Moving on…

Tomorrow night's marquee event is, of course, The Stay Awake CD-release show at The Waiting Room with Bombardment Society and those crazy f--kers in Dance Me Pregnant. Prep for the show by re-reading my Stay Awake feature/interview (here). $7, 9 p.m.

Sunday night, it's back to everyone's favorite neighborhood stinkhole, O'Leaver's, for Omaha's favorite math-rock band Fromanhole, along with Chicago punkers Four Star Alarm -- a band that includes members of Strike Anywhere, Horace Pinker and The Bomb. Opening the show is a band that The Stay Awake's Steve Micek said is his favorite new act -- Perry H. Matthews. $5, 9 p.m.

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


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posted by Tim at 10:47 AM

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Column 157 -- KIND FM; Brad Hoshaw, Noah's Ark tonight...

The biggest question surrounding KIND FM remains "Will it happen?" I know all the details are below, but even after reading this, there are those who will still be skeptical, and I don't blame them. A single parent with two kids who runs/owns The Pizza Shoppe and PS Collective, how will the adorable Amy Ryan also have time to operate a radio station? The job of coordinating dozens of volunteers is a challenge that's too big for most people, let alone someone with so many kettles already on the stove. Luckily she also has the help from another go-getter in Shawn Halpenny. Even if they manage to get it going (and I think they will) an even bigger challenge remains: Keeping it going. And that's where you come in. Every broadcasting student, every frustrated DJ, every person who ever dreamed of getting involved in radio, here is your chance. Even if the signal only travels a mile, it's a mile more than we had before. And who knows where it'll go in the future?

Column 157: The Quiet Revolution
A community gets a broadcast voice.

When word starts getting around about a new radio station that will actually focus on the community and its artists, people get excited. Very excited. Maybe too excited.

The rumor started leaking out about KIND FM a week ago -- a new radio station that would operate out of Benson and play local music -- yes, local music -- as well as other locally produced programming. For a community of musicians and artists that has been starving for such a broadcast voice for as long as I can remember, it seemed too good to be true.

And like all rumors, the story only got bigger and bigger. Before long, I was hearing that KIND would have a broadcast range of 50 miles. My god, you'd be able to pick it up in Lincoln! But wait a minute… that could only happen if one of the large commercial stations was to change format, and doesn't it seem unlikely that a money-generating FM station would switch to a non-profit community-based format?

The truth, while not nearly as big and bold, is still exciting in its own way.

The people behind KIND FM are Amy Ryan -- owner/operator of The Pizza Shoppe and PS Collective in Benson -- and WOWT senior writer/producer Shawn Halpenny -- the driving force behind the broadcast of the Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards for the past two years.

For Ryan, KIND is yet another effort to turn Benson into what she calls a "self-sustaining, harmless community." Give her a chance and she'll tell you about dreams of mounting power-generating wind turbines on the roofs of Benson buildings, about creating an all-inclusive community that nurtures artists and musicians. Her performance venue, PS Collective, is about "experiencing all perspectives of the human condition," she said. "That's the power and magic of creativity!" She plans to eventually turn the Pizza Shoppe and PS Collective into nonprofit businesses that provide work training for "people in transition." Some might call her a visionary; others, a hippie with a cause.

Ryan shared her vision with her old pal Halpenny. "At an impromptu meeting a few Saturdays ago, Amy asked me about how we could get the word out about Benson, and how Benson resembled Haight Ashbury circa 1968…" Halpenny said. "It just clicked… a radio station."

Not your typical radio station, an FCC Part 15 station -- a low-powered FM broadcast that Halpenny said is allowed to operate by the FCC without a license. "You don't need a license if your signal's power doesn't exceed 100 milliwatts," he said.

So what kind of range are we talking about here? Fifty miles? Twenty miles? "It will cover 10 to 15 blocks in every direction, if we're lucky," Halpenny said. "It's truly a community radio station designed just for the people of Benson."

Halpenny said the $150 transmitter and 40-foot tower were donated by his radiohead colleagues at WOWT. The PS Collective building will be the station's headquarters, housing the studio and transmitter, with the tower mounted on the roof. Halpenny and his TV friends will be the technical brains behind the station, while Ryan will coordinate programming and the volunteer personnel who will run it all.

"The station is designed to promote local art and businesses," Ryan said. Operated as a nonprofit, KIND won't accept advertising. It also won't play music registered with ASCAP and BMI -- which is most of the music heard on college and commercial radio stations. That means KIND will only air locally produced original music. What about local bands on labels like Saddle Creek? Their music may be aired if musicians sign a release form. Needless to say, Ryan and Halpenny already have lawyers involved who are familiar with broadcast rules and regulations.

Beyond music, Ryan said KIND also will broadcast talk shows and live performances not only by bands but by local theater troupes who have voiced interest in producing radio plays. It sounds like a mish-mash, but there will be plenty of hours to fill. Halpenny said programming will be surprisingly automated, utilizing Vara broadcast software tools. "People will be able to build their own master show using Audacity (software) and e-mail it to me as an mp3 file," he said.

The studio will be used for live interviews, performances and talk shows, including Halpenny's own show for M.A.P.S. Omaha -- the Metro Omaha Paranormal Society, which he helped found. Got an idea for a show? Ryan and Halpenny are open to anything, as long as it follows the rules.

So when's all it going to happen? Ryan and Halpenny couldn't say for sure. KIND literally is in its infancy, though all the pieces are slowly coming together. They both say the station could be broadcasting in the next few months, depending on the amount of help they get from volunteers. Anyone interested in playing a role in KIND is invited to an organizational meeting to be held at PS Collective, 6056 Maple St., at 7 p.m. Jan. 31.

Before I left the interview, Ryan played an mp3 file on her MacBook -- a station promo created by WOWT's Dave Webber. Amidst a blur of noise, Webber's sterling voice announced, "KIND FM, the revolution has begun."

It's a small revolution, one with a tiny voice, but a revolution none the less. And in a city internationally known for its creativity, where its own artists' voices have been effectively kept off the airwaves, it's a revolution that's a long time coming.

Tonight down at Mick's, it's the return of Brad Hoshaw, whose last appearance at Mick's became fodder for a Lazy-i column (here). You need to hear this guy's stuff. Headlining is the Southpaw Bluegrass Band. $5, 9 p.m. Meanwhile, down the street at The Waiting Room, it's once again, Noah's Ark Was a Spaceship with Dimas Lemus and Lincoln's Spring Gun. Noah's Ark plays more than any other local band that I've heard. If you haven't had a chance to catch them, then you're living in a cave (you're certainly not reading this). Here's another chance. Take it. $7, 9 p.m.

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


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posted by Tim at 5:23 AM

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

The Stay Awake exposed!

After walking away from the interview with The Stay Awake last week I figured I had a stone-lock exclusive. The band had told me they'd never been interviewed before. Then a couple days later at The Waiting Room, City Weekly writer Chris Aponick tells me he's doing a feature on The Stay Awake for The CW as well. I wouldn't be surprised if Niz has something in the pipeline at the OWH. So the Stay Awake go from nothing to everything press-wise in a week. Now all they have to do is break up after their CD is released to complete the typical rock 'n' roll circle.

Anyway, here's my stab at capturing the band in print. Steve, Robert and Mario talk about their mysterious origins, their new CD and why they do what they do. (read it here). To give you a taste of the overall tone of the piece, here's the first few paragraphs.

Omaha punk trio The Stay Awake has been around for five years. So why is this the first time you've read about them?

Probably because the band has never done an interview before, nor has it ever really wanted to.

"We never did much to promote ourselves," said bassist Robert Little over beers at O'Leaver's last Tuesday night. "It's just how it is."

"It's all a fucking game," said frontman/guitarist/cynic Steve Micek. "I can't do shameless self-promotion."

"For me, our music is a take-it-or-leave-it thing," added drummer Mario Alderfer.

On the surface, they sound like they don't care -- about the band, you, or if people listen to their music. But that's not entirely true. "I could say that people liking our music isn't a motivation," Alderfer added, "but I like it when they do." (continued)

It goes on like that for another 800 words or so. I had an editor read the piece who told me they should be called The Self Deprecating Three. These guys really don't care if you like what they do, which is a shame because they do it better than anyone in town. They were on my list of the 20 best bands of '07, and for good reason. Find out why on Saturday at The Waiting Room with Bombardment Society and Dance Me Pregnant. The band said they'd be happy if just their friends showed up along with a few other people. I think there's going to be a few more people there than that, now that they're media whores... And if you're wondering, the article's photo was indeed taken in the shitter at O'Leaver's. No idea who that guy is taking a wizz, but he's a star now.

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


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posted by Tim at 5:18 AM

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

The Brutes, Honey & Darling tonight...

Just a quick note to let you know what's going on the rest of the week. Tomorrow on Lazy-i, look for a profile of The Stay Awake, written in support of their CD release show this Saturday at The Waiting Room. And on Thursday, details behind KIND, the new Benson-based FM radio station, which is the subject of this week's column.

Tonight at The Waiting Room its Minneapolis indie band The Brutes with Talkin' Mountain, Tim Perkins and Honey & Darling. $7, 9 p.m.

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


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posted by Tim at 10:42 AM

Monday, January 21, 2008

Live Review: Box Elders' circus...

Actually, it wasn't much of a circus. It did, however, contain elements of a freak show. I guess I got there too late to see most of the evening's carnival events. When I walked into The Waiting Room Friday night, The Shanks were on stage putting on a blistering freak show of their own. I don't know if it was the big stage or the big crowd, but the band was remarkably subdued compared to their usual beer-strewn, violent romps. No fighting. No broken glass. No blood. Just some gritty punk done up loud and sloppy, the way it should be. The Shanks have an unstoppable, almost plodding power, like watching a Frankenstein monster on meth stomping toward you with blood in his eye. Beyond their sheer power, the beauty of a Shanks' performance is in its unpredictable nature -- you never know what you're going to see on any given night, and Saturday night was no exception, though I have to wonder if they're beginning to mellow. Maybe it was because Johnny, their drummer/guitarist (they all switch instruments throughout the set) was getting over the flu. On a side note: The band was selling copies of its single, but were out of their 5-song CD/EP, Urine Heaven, which is one of the best local punk recordings I've heard in years. Johnny said there was no chance that they'd ever press additional copies, which is a shame…

After The Shanks, This Is My Condition played a set to the left of the stage, which I couldn't hear from my vantage point back at the bar. He was followed by one of the evening's carnival acts "Johnny Mayhem," who did the usual array of body mutilations including sticking things up his nose, sword swallowing, walking on broken glass, all the customary stuff leading up to a bit where members of the crowd could staple dollar bills to his body. I think he had a twenty stapled to his forehead, as well as a dozen or so other bills stapled to his arms, chest, etc. -- a profitable evening for him, no doubt.

Finally, after midnight, Box Elders took the stage with flaring garage-rock panache. Is there a more energetic musician in town than Dave Goldberg? The answer: No. He's a frickin' freak of nature playing keyboards while slamming away behind a drum kit. The Brothers McIntyre provided their usual Ramones-style non-harmony vocals sung to an upbeat garage sound that borders on NYC punk. Simple, yet effective. Their 4-song single, which was being celebrated that night, sports a gorgeous red, black and white screen print and is worth the $5 for the artwork alone. I've yet to put it on my turntable, but will this week…

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


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posted by Tim at 10:45 AM

Friday, January 18, 2008

Box Elders circus tonight, the weekend, and the winners are...

Before we get to the weekend, congratulations are in order for three lucky Lazy-i readers, this year's winners of a copy of the Lazy-I Best of 2007 compilation CD. They are:

Daniel Tijerina, San Marcos, Texas
Courtney Anderson, Ohsweken, Ont, Canada
Christopher Van Buskirk, Omaha, NE

Your CDs will be dropped in the mail Monday. Thanks to everyone who entered!

* * *

Now, onto the weekend. It's a busy one, especially tonight.

The marquee event is "Box Elders… After Dark" at The Waiting Room. Not content with any ol' release show to introduce their new 7-inch on Grotto Records, Dave Goldberg and The Brothers McIntyre decided to instead put on a friggin' circus featuring balloon artists, acrobats, ventriloquists, and much, much more, including performances by Mr. Wizard, This Is My Condition and those crazy-ass punkers The Shanks. The highlight, of course, will be a performance by The Box Elders themselves. That's a lot o' entertainment for $7. Brave the cold and get there at 9.

Also tonight, the Wise Family Benefit Show at O'Leaver's featuring Landing on the Moon, No Blood Orphan, Tritone Substitution and Father of the Year. I'm not sure of the cover, but it'll at least be $5. Show starts at 9:30.

Meanwhile, down at Slowdown Jr., it's the return of Black Tie Dynasty with The Crash That Took Me and FTL Drive. $7, 9 p.m.

Saturday night's highlight is an art show/performance down at Bemis Underground featuring art created by a plethora of local musicians, including members of Eagle * Seagull, Tilly and the Wall, The Faint, M Ward, Spring Gun, Capgun Coup, as well as Gillian Welch, D. Bushon, Darren Keen, Nik Zinner, Andy Lemaster and Orenda Fink, among others.

Performing live are Flowers Forever, 4th Of July and Coyote Bones. The show runs from 7 'til 10, so you can hit it and still have plenty of time to make it to The Brothers for drinks. Bemis Underground is the lower level of the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, 724 South 12th Street. More details here.

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posted by Tim at 10:36 AM

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Column 156: Webboards and feedback; Little Brazil tonight; DEADLINE TODAY to enter the Lazy-i Comp CD Giveaway!

This week's column is a riff on the traditional mailbag column, focusing on the Lazy-i webboard (and webboards in general), so for regular board readers, it's old hat. Fact is, it was a last-minute column written with my back firmly braced against my deadline. Strangely, a couple people who read it said that it was helpful in explaining Lazy-i's relationship to The Reader. If anyone is still confused -- The Reader isn't affiliated with Lazy-I (and vice versa). It just so happens that my writing appears in both publications. Incidentally, this was written prior to Kyle Harvey's post on my webboard concerning local radio. I'm following up on that now...

Column 156: Enter the Fray
Better than a letter?

And now a peek into the ol' mailbag... sort of.

Actually, I rarely get letters these days via the U.S. Post in care of The Reader. I'm sure The Reader gets plenty of letters (at least one hopes), but none of them are addressed to me and none of them are published. Most of the feedback from this column and other articles I write for the paper comes by way of a webboard linked from lazy-i.com -- the online repository (some might say, dustbin) for all my music writing (and yes, The Reader also has a website where my columns are posted).

Webboards have been around in one form or another for as long as there's been an Internet (and even before. Who remembers BBS?). They're the modern-day equivalent to the town square, where anyone in the world can read and react to whatever is on their minds, anonymously or otherwise. Webboards and blogs are replacing the old fashioned "letters to the editor" pages at most progressive newspapers and publications (which means you likely won't see them at Omaha.com).

Lazy-i's webboard is focused almost exclusively on indie music and the Omaha scene. By far, the most common posts -- or "threads" -- announce bands' upcoming gigs, CD releases or other music-related news that slipped through the cracks. Some posts point out typos or errors in my writing, of which there is a multitude. Some are kudos; others let me know what an asshole I am. I welcome both roses and rocks tossed in my direction.

Perhaps the most interesting posts are those that ask questions that strike at the heart of the music scene. Here are a few recent ones:

-- "JJ" posted on Dec. 28: "Who's the ONE Omaha band that is going to break through on a national level in 2008? Be honest."

Of the 24 replies, the most common response was Baby Walrus, whose debut album is about to be rereleased on Slumber Party Records -- a new Omaha label distributed by Saddle Creek. Capgun Coup, who records for Conor Oberst's Team Love label, and Noah's Ark Was a Spaceship also got nods. My take: The breakout band will be the one that gets off their asses and tours. Playing three days a week in Omaha will certainly get you noticed around town, but will keep you anonymous beyond the state's borders, regardless of your hundreds of Myspace friends. I know, I know -- but what band? My guess: Eagle*Seagull or Ladyfinger.

-- "Bartlett" posted on Jan. 6: "…Omaha has no real radio station representing the sound of the city and no real representation of good local music (outside of Planet O). What would it take to get a good radio station here in town?"

It's a question that's been asked for over a decade. "Boris" replied: "There are a few options: Someone buys a broadcast license for a few hundred thousand (million?) dollars and then invests another million more to establish a new radio station. Someone who already owns a broadcast license decides to change their format to indie rock. I'm not aware of any over-the-air broadcast commercial indie rock stations in this country. (Or) a college or university establishes an indie-themed public radio station. The options are UNO (not happening with classical KVNO already established); Iowa Western (They already have the shittiest radio station in town, which they consider "alternative"), Creighton (indie rock is the devil's music); KIOS (NPR affiliate that recently added a news staff of one, would never take the risk). In summary: It'll never happen." I wouldn't be so sure.

-- "JJ" (again) posted Nov. 28: "The Future of Omaha Music, hype or hope?" This simple question was one of the webboard's most popular threads, read more than 3,300 times with 91 replies. Most pointed to the Hotel Frank bands as being both the hope and the hype (or the overyhyped). Hotel Frank is a popular house show location. HF bands include Capgun Coup, Baby Walrus, Bear Country, Coyote Bones, Flowers Forever, The Family Radio, Hyannis, Talkin' Mountain, Dim Light, Honeybee, and a number of bands that never actually played there before but have been lumped in with them just the same.

My posted response: I don't know what people mean by bands being "overhyped." Too many people like them? Their fans/friends are too vocal? They're getting showered with undeserved press? There haven't been very many stories written about HF bands in the "formal press," certainly none in the OWH. The only place they get "hyped" is in blogs (and webboards) -- and why shouldn't the writers cheer on their favorite bands and friends? I prefer that over the endless discussion threads on certain webboards where people go on and on about how much they hate a specific band or scene or whatever…

Which brings up the downside to this new electronic town square -- its propensity to turn into a haven for bitching and whining. If it goes unchecked, the constant negative vibe eventually drives people away. That certainly has happened to a couple of local webboards. But it won't happen to mine -- criticism is fine, but outrageously hateful and/or slanderous comments are immediately deleted, and the person posting the comment is banned from posting again. When it comes to webboards -- especially the one that I administer -- the First Amendment doesn't apply.

So, you got something to add? Go ahead and drop a letter in the post or send me an e-mail. Or better yet, go to the lazy-i.com webboard and enter the fray.

* * *

Tonight at The Waiting Room, it's Little Brazil with local hip-hop guy Articulate, Old Boy Network and Jamazz. $7, 9 p.m.

* * *

THE DEADLINE IS TODAY to enter to win a copy of the coveted Lazy-I Best of 2007 Compilation CD! Just e-mail me (tim@lazy-i.com) with your name and mailing address and you'll be entered into the drawing. Tracks include songs by Stars, Interpol, Rilo Kiley, Wilco, Les Savy Fav, Justice, Baby Walrus, Bright Eyes, The Good Life, The Monroes, The Third Men and many more. Details and track order are right here. Enter now! Again, the deadline is today. The winners will be announced on tomorrow.

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

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posted by Tim at 5:17 AM

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Snowbound evening?...

So are we going to get four inches, six inches or just a dusting tonight? I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the dusting, as there are a couple good shows going on around town. Over at O'Leaver's, those crazy somersaulting punk-rock wonders Poison Control Center are taking the stage along with Bazooka Shootout and El Diablos Blancos. Expect some microphones to get broken. $5, 9:30 p.m. Meanwhile, over at The Waiting Room, it's Scott Severin and his band, the Milton Burlesque, along with Omaha legend Dereck Higgins (The Family Radio, Digital Sex, etc.) and Electric Needle Room. $7, 9 p.m.

What else…

There's an interesting interview with The Good Life at prefixmag.com (read it here). Nothing really new, but the webpage also includes a video snippet from the interview. Strangely, the text reads as if this was written last summer, though it was posted online only yesterday.

* * *

Today and tomorrow and that's it! Get your entry in to win a copy of the coveted Lazy-I Best of 2007 Compilation CD! Just e-mail me (tim@lazy-i.com) with your name and mailing address and you'll be entered into the drawing. Tracks include songs by Stars, Interpol, Rilo Kiley, Wilco, Les Savy Fav, Justice, Baby Walrus, Bright Eyes, The Good Life, The Monroes, The Third Men and many more. Details and track order are right here. Enter now! Deadline is January 17. The winners will be annouced on Friday.

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posted by Tim at 10:46 AM

Monday, January 14, 2008

Live Review: Actors & Actresses, Race for Titles; new Bob Mould...

It was nice to be back at O'Leaver's Saturday night. It's been quite a few weeks since I leaned against the rail inside everyone's favorite mid-town stinkhole. As the marquee says, "Voted Best of Nothing. Thanks Omaha!" It was, however, voted best place to see a live show by a certain dumb-ass who writes about music for The Reader. Yes, The Waiting Room has a superior stage, sound system, lighting, everything. Slowdown is an absolute marvel, a wonderland for live music. But O'Leaver's, well, you just can't beat it for its low-down, intimate vibe. You never know what you're going to get on any given evening. It could be absolute shit; it could be one of the best performances of the year. Saturday night's show was the former. Actors & Actresses, a three-piece that drove up from Kansas City, rifled through an amazing set of gritty, fuzzy, feedback-smeared slow-churners. Shoegazer on steroids. Someone referenced Sigur Rós. I was reminded of classic '90s Lawrence band Zoom, though at a much slower pace. This was head-trip music. As one guy said, "I should have taken that acid before the set." They were the first band in a long time that showed a video during a performance that actually enhanced the experience -- the collection of shots ranged from show-motion explosions to grainy b&w landscapes to atmospheric, decaying set pieces, all of which could have been used in a Joy Division video. Well-edited and always interesting, and a perfect compliment to their sound. And speaking of sound, the audio level also was perfect -- loud, but not painful. There was no need for earplugs. There also was no escaping its intensity, which is another thing I like about O'Leaver's. At TWR you can always retreat back to the bar for relief. Same with Slowdown. But there's no place to hide in O'Leaver's. You cannot escape the music, and as a result, you're forced to pay attention (for better or worse).

Actors & Actresses was followed by headliners Race for Titles. And as if on cue, just as the band was setting up, the place got packed like it always does at around 11:30. I haven't seen RFT in over a year because other than a couple very recent shows, they haven't played in a year. That hasn't stopped them, however, from writing new material. My main gripe about RFT always has been: 1) Their droning sound, while interesting, can become repetitive (and boring), and 2) the vocals are more like improvised three-note tonal wailing than singing. That's changed with this new material. The opening song featured drummer Matt Baum tapping out rhythms on the rims and cymbal stands. The riffage was most awesome, a departure from the usual semi-shoegazer Cure-ish minor-key wave-of-desolation dirge rock. Still, there was plenty of that, too, as if the band cannot escape their droning, ethereal past. I preferred the more up-tempo, riff-oriented rock. My guess is there will be plenty of both on their new album, which the band tells me is pretty much in the can. You'll get a chance to check out the new stuff when RFT opens for Neva Dinova at Slowdown Feb. 23 along with Noah's Ark Was a Spaceship.

* * *

I know, I know… After reading all that, you're feeling lonesome for a little O'Leaver's love. Well, you can get some tonight as Omaha's Favorite Stinkhole hosts Forbidden Tigers, Estrogen Highs and Fucken Snakes. The fun starts at 9 and will run you $5 clams.

* * *

On the news wire… Looks like Bob Mould has a new record coming out, according to CMJ (here). Says the article: "Mould somehow found time to craft what is being described as a return to his flying V-centric days. While Mould's projects always come with promises to his longtime followers that this one will please longtime followers, District Line may be the closest in sonic similarity to his catchy, Sugar/Husker Du guitar-based bash-aways." I'll believe it when I hear it. Looks like the closest he's coming to Omaha on this tour is Minneapolis (First Ave.) and Chicago (Metro). Something tells me he'll be through here sometime this year, though.

* * *

Seriously folks, the clock's ticking. The deadline is Thursday. Get your entry today in to win a copy of the coveted Lazy-I Best of 2007 Compilation CD! All you have to do is e-mail me (tim@lazy-i.com) with your name and mailing address and you'll be entered into the drawing. Tracks include songs by Stars, Interpol, Rilo Kiley, Wilco, Les Savy Fav, Justice, Baby Walrus, Bright Eyes, The Good Life, The Monroes, The Third Men and many more. Details and track order are right here. Enter now! Deadline's January 17.

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

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posted by Tim at 10:48 AM

Friday, January 11, 2008

An Octopus Weekend; Neva tonight; Third Men, Race For Titles tomorrow, Orenda Sunday...

I didn't know anything about what this weekend's three-day benefit for The Octopuses Garden Art Alliance was about until I read Niz's article in yesterday's OWH (here). It certainly sounds like a worthy cause. It's also one of the best benefit line-ups I've seen in Omaha. The breakdown:

Tonight: Stefanie Drootin, Outlaw Con Bandana, Bear Country, Neva Dinova.
Tomorrow: Baby Walrus, No Blood Orphan, Johnny Clash, Groove Gov'nors.
Sunday: Orenda Fink, Jake Bellows, Josh Audiss, Benjamin Komar, Derek Andersen, Matt McLarney, Michael Wunder, Joe Knapp, Dan McCarthy, Stefanie Drootin.

All three nights are at The Waiting Room. Admission is $7 per night, and the shows start at 9, except for Sunday's mega-show, which starts at 8.

That alone should be enough to fill your weekend music needs, but there are some other quality shows going on as well. Tonight Slowdown Jr. is hosting a free show featuring Thunderpower!!!, Spring Gun and Dan McCarthy. Starts at 9.

Saturday night, Slowdown Jr. hosts The Third Men along with Ideal Cleaners and The Pendrakes. $5, 9 p.m., while over at O'Leaver's it's Race For Titles with Actors & Actresses. $5, 9:30 p.m. Reports of O'Leaver's musical demise have been exaggerated. The smelliest bar in Omaha is hosting five shows this month. The schedule is here. I, for one, couldn't be happier.

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posted by Tim at 5:14 AM

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Netherfriends, Talkin' Mtn. tonight...

It's been kind of quiet as we head into a busy weekend. Tonight at Slowdown Jr., Chicago's Netherfriends take the small stage with Talkin' Mtn., Sam Martin (Capgun Coup) and Oui Bandits. Netherfriends are followers of Animal Collective and Man Man, and it sounds like it -- jangly, spacey indie rock. Not bad. It's worth $5 just to hear Talkin' Mtn. play "Abominable Abdominal Snowman." $5, 9 p.m.

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posted by Tim at 10:50 AM

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Felice Brothers to Team Love...

The good news about last night's Honeybee show at The Waiting Room: A number of people told me they came out specifically to see Honeybee - a testament to the level of interest in the band. The bad news: Honeybee didn't perform due to illness. Instead, a cute member of Honeybee did a nice solo acoustic set. Looks like I'll have to keep waiting to see these guys. With an early morning on my agenda, I left before Noah's Ark and Baby Walrus played.

In signing news: Team Love announced yesterday that it signed NYC twangsters The Felice Brothers and will release their self-titled debut March 4, followed by a double-vinyl version in April. The band opened for Bright Eyes last year, including the famed Radio City Music Hall performance. The term "Sunday BBQ sing-alongs" is used on their one-sheet and accurately distills what this 4-piece is all about. You'll be able to check them out for yourself when they open for Drive By Truckers at Slowdown Feb. 25. They'll be touring with labelmates McCarthy Trenching in March.

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posted by Tim at 10:48 AM

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Last weekend pt. 2, Column 155 -- Preconceived Notions; Slumber Party showcase tonight...

The continuation of yesterday's weekend recap is summed up in this week's column, below, which also will be published in Thursday's issue of The Reader. Here it is a day or so early...

Column 155: Preconceived Notion
What are we missing?

So Saturday night rolled around and looking through the listings I saw that Lincoln Dickison was doing a rare solo acoustic show at Mick's. Dickison is renowned locally for his guitar playing in The Monroes, and within the last year as the bass player in Bombardment Society not to mention his work a few years back as frontman for the chaotic noise-punk trio Putrescine, which sadly no longer exists.

I'd heard about the show from members of The Black Squirrels a week earlier while backstage at the first OEA awards show at The Scottish Rite Hall. The Squirrels also were on that Mick's bill, and I made a mental note to clear my calendar for Saturday night.

Also on the bill was a guy named Brad Hoshaw, but looking at the band order on the listing, I figured if I timed it right I could miss Hoshaw altogether and just see Dickison and the Squirrels. Nothing against Hoshaw, he just wasn't for me. I was introduced to him briefly a few years ago by Matt Whipkey at a show at O'Leaver's. Hoshaw, with the well-groomed beard and the ponytail, looked like a cleaned-up, Midwestern hippy. Whipkey said he was one of the city's best singer-songwriters who played a lot at Mick's and other places around town that showcase acoustic music. He was a nice, affable person with an honest, warm smile, but I never bothered to check out his music. I'd seen more than my share of these guys who sing about their personal pain to the tune of the same boring, dusty acoustic chord progressions. Thanks but no thanks.

We're all guilty of bearing preconceived notions about people and music and places and things. Maybe not all of us. There are a few of you with an open mind who never make those prejudgments. But you're very rare. Most of us see something or hear something and write it off as more of the same ol' bullshit before we really get to know it. Nowhere is that more true than with music. We hear about a band or see their picture and immediately think, "Been there, done that, moving on." Let's face it, life is short and we don't have time to explore every path of discovery in search of that golden nugget of artistic relevance, especially after so many wind up being I-told-you-so dead ends. After all, aren't most stereotypes dead accurate? Aren't most first impressions absolutely true?

Somehow I managed to avoid Hoshaw ever since that first meeting. It wasn't hard to do. I rarely go to Mick's because while I love good acoustic folk, I generally enjoy listening to it in places that don't sound like German beer halls during Octoberfest. It's the height of irony -- Mick's showcases the quietest music performed in our scene, and it also has the chattiest crowds in a room with the worst crowd acoustics (i.e., you can hear every gory detail of Buffy-in-the-back-of-the-room's last date while sitting at the tables right next to the stage).

As it turned out (and often is the case) the band order didn't reflect what was printed in the paper. We got there at 10 and Lincoln Dickison already was on stage. We made our way to the only open table in the place -- on the floor to the left of the stage. I knew better than to expect Dickison to be spitting out rowdy, angry punk. Lost in his other projects is his quiet, personable voice and a songwriting style that's summed up by the cover he chose to play at the end his set -- a rambling version of Richard Thompson's "Cooksferry Queen."

Instead of the Black Squirrels, Hoshaw strolled onto the stage with his beat-up acoustic guitar. I turned to Teresa and said, "Good god, prepare for the worst. We can always sneak out of here between songs if this sucks, and I know it will."

Hoshaw took a moment to tell the crowd about that old guitar, how the crack in its back seemed to be getting wider, and I could see from my seat how its finish had been worn through from thousands of nights just like this one.

And then Hoshaw started playing, and I quickly realized what an ass I had been, and felt a pain of regret in the pit of my stomach.

Hoshaw's music was simple coffee shop acoustic folk but with a few important differences. His somber melodies were gorgeous, and his voice was honest and without affectation, similar in tone to Damien Jurado's but uniquely its own. He used the same introduction for a number of his songs: "This one comes from an album that was never released." Later he added, "That's what I'm good at, making albums that no one ever hears."

He took a sip from a shot of Johnny Walker neat and started playing "Powdernose" (the song's name I discovered afterward by scouring his Myspace page). More than just another lonely drinking song, it was a stunning portrait of liquefied regret, with the line, "I wonder what Jesus would think if he caught us alone with powdernose?" Hoshaw finished with a cover of a song by his pal Kyle Harvey; its delicacy lost in a sea of Mick's chatter.

I left that night depressed. I'd found the acoustic singer-songwriter that I'd been searching for, but who I had ignored because of my own jaded lack of vision. I wondered what else I'd been missing all these years because of assumptions. And what I'd never get a chance to hear or see again.

* * *

Tonight at The Waiting Room, a veritable Slumber Party Records showcase featuring two bands from the label, Baby Walrus and Honeybee, along with Noah's Ark Was a Spaceship. $7, 9 p.m.


Hey, don't forget to enter to win a copy of the coveted Lazy-I Best of 2007 Compilation CD! All you have to do is e-mail me (tim@lazy-i.com) with your name and mailing address and you'll be entered into the drawing. Tracks include songs by Stars, Interpol, Rilo Kiley, Wilco, Les Savy Fav, Justice, Baby Walrus, Bright Eyes, The Good Life, The Monroes, The Third Men and many more. Details and track order are right here. Enter today! Deadline's January 17.


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posted by Tim at 10:54 AM

Monday, January 07, 2008

Last weekend: The Hype, The Showman, and The Forgotten Genius (and my own regrets)...

This past weekend started out in typical fashion -- a perusal of the usual calendar of events at all the usual venues followed by a series of decisions. I started out Friday night at The Waiting Room which boasted a bill that included sludgefest idols Dim Light, old-school (as in '90s-style) punk rockers Bombardment Society, new kids on the block Perry H. Matthews and the hottest of the hyped Next Wave bands, Capgun Coup, who I hadn't seen since last summer at Slowdown. Dim Light was on stage when I got there, a four-piece fronted by a guy who looks like a cross between freak-folk hero Devendra Banhart, indie stalwart Jim James and The Unibomber. Their sound was deep-brown sludge-core, loud and grim, tipped by the atonal bleating of a guy on trumpet whose only job was to create a sonic echo as an afterthought. I love sludgecore, that is if I'm in the right mood. Only 15 minutes earlier I had taken a couple ibuprofen for a nagging headache, and Dim Light's turbulent waves of gloom were only adding to the pain and making me slightly nauseous. That's not a criticism of the band -- the closest I've heard anyone come to their sound was the Tim Moss-led stoner rock act Men of Porn a half-decade ago (and that's not a criticism, either).

After their set, my headache slowly began to subside. The excitement in the mostly underage crowd (judging by all the X's on their hands and the bad haircuts) was coming to a fever pitch as Capgun Coup was about to take the stage. But what's this? Capgun Coup, originally slated as the evening's headliner, consisted only of frontman Sam Martin sitting on a chair with a guitar. Throughout his set, I stood next to a guy (one of the few old enough to drink) who had never seen Capgun before and was curious to see what all the hub-bub was about. Within two minutes of the first couple songs, he turned to me shaking his head with a puzzled I-don't-get-it look on his face. Martin's wonky off-pitch singing made Simon Joyner sound like Michael Bublé in comparison. His electric guitar playing was, to say the least, rough and sloppy. "This guy needs to go back and practice some more," the drinker said. I told him that the wonky effect was probably exactly what Martin was going for. In fact, Martin reminded me of a young Simon Joyner or even, yes, an early incarnation of Conor Oberst, who's post-Commander Venus acoustic shows were hit and miss (and mostly miss). The kids back then, however, loved Conor and rejoiced in his ineptitude. The same holds true, it seems, for Martin. Despite the sloppy atonal caterwauling, the kids in the crowd were mesmerized. I explained to the guy next to me that this wasn't really Capgun Coup, whose music is typically somewhat keyboard-heavy. "So this is the next big thing?" the drinker asked. So it would seem. Capgun Coup has been ordained by The Conor himself, embraced within the group-hug known as Team Love and is headed on the road in April with no less local superstars than Cursive. Martin is Omaha's unlikely Luke Skywalker, the hope for the future of a music scene mired in stagnation. But for me, the jury is still out. Capgun Coup is 1 for 3 for live performances (He got on base that one time at Slowdown).

Maybe it's an age thing. Maybe the drinker and I were too old to get it. After all, I loved Bombardment Society, who came on next and proceeded to tear the place down with their abrasive post-punk SST-flavored rock. Bombardment probably are viewed as "old guys" by Capgun fans. I wonder what they thought of this style of straight-forward punk. Did they immediately discount it as passé?

Last up was the four-piece band Perry H. Matthews (by the way, which one's Pink?), but by then, I was getting tired of all the noise. Matthews also plays post-punk but with an even more abrasive, atonal style and glaring vocals that cut like shards of glass. I turned to the drinker and said, "I'm going down to Barley St. to catch Scott Severin." He replied, "I see. I guess you want to hear some real music."

It's always been a matter of bad timing that I've never caught a full set of Severin and his band, The Milton Burlesque. In all honesty, I've never cared for Severin's recorded music. But I found out that Severin is a much different animal on stage than on those recordings, thanks in part to a super-tight band of seasoned pro's who know every turn, every lick of Severin's old-school, NYC-flavored rock. For that evening, The Barley Street was transformed into a Brooklyn lounge because of Severin's knack for showmanship, something that has been long dead in the indie world. Most of the slumped-shouldered bands I see at TWR or Slowdown stumble on stage in their T-shirts and jeans and then start playing their janglepop, rarely acknowledging the crowd other than to say "We got one more." They leave the stage and you wonder if they're coming back, until the lights comes up and everyone turns to leave.

Severin, on the other hand, commands a room as if he knows and loves everyone there (and considering there were only 20 people in the bar, he very well might have). Vocally, he commits a slight twang that reminds me of John Hiatt, a rocking singer/songwriter that his sound resembles. There were a couple times when his music caught a more progressive groove, including one tune with a repeated outro that seemed to (pleasantly) go on and on. His music is urban but not gritty, almost traditional in its style, a far cry from indie or punk, but still entertaining. The best part was how he ended the evening: While the band continued to play a rendition of "On Broadway," Severin set his guitar down and picked up a jacket and slung it over his shoulder. He introduced the band -- member-by-member -- then asked for a cigarette and a light, leaned forward into the microphone and thanked the audience before leaving the stage while the band played on. It was a New York thing or a cabaret thing, and it was great. It was entertaining. And in an era when so many seem to have lost sight of what that word means, it was a welcome oddity.

I'm running a bit long. Tomorrow, part 2, and Brad Hoshaw…

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


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posted by Tim at 10:41 AM

Friday, January 04, 2008

OEAs' winners and sinners; Two Gallants last night, Capgun Coup tonight...

And so ends the second annual Omaha Entertainment Awards. Better than the first annual event? No, not really. Technically, there were even more fuck-ups this year than last year. On a couple occasions, presenters opened the wrong envelopes and announced the wrong winners - which resulted in a chorus of boos from the attentive, well-dressed and slightly inebriated audience. It all got sorted out, eventually.

Other than that and a few audio miscues, the show was about the same as last year's. It was the same unique crowd -- a mix of younger music fans and older theater-going types. I noticed fewer politicos on hand, probably because of that other awards show going on -- the Iowa caucuses. And there were fewer winners there to pick up their awards this year, specifically for the theater categories, which seemed to dominate the night's proceedings. The evening's running joke: The envelope would be read, and after a few pregnant moments when it became obvious that the winner wasn't there, someone from the winning production would run up to the podium and announce "That's right, I'm not so-and-so…" It happened over and over and over.

The OEA organizers appeared to have learned from last year's mistakes and dovetailed the music awards with the arts and theater awards, instead of grouping each medium together, which last year resulted in all the theater folks leaving after their part of the evening was over. Strangely, the dovetailed awards still didn't work, and by the last hour of the program, two-thirds of the sold-out floor seating was once again empty. Come on, people, the least you can do is stick around to honor your comrades in arms… Is there anything more selfish than leaving directly after your individual category has been announced?

I left the show last night thinking that the OEA's focus had shifted to dance, art and theater awards, with music as a novelty afterthought. I'm sure this was by design -- an effort to get even more of the "creative community" involved in the event. Too bad that noble outreach was met by an audience of winners who didn't show up and losers who left early.

I went to the event stag -- Teresa has the flu or some other sort of ailment. So I spent the night texting to a friend of mine who also didn't go. Here are my notes from my iPhone:

-- John Nicely and Tracey Madden presented the best hard rock/metal/punk category. Nicely seemed lucid and attentive, unlike his usual sedated demeanor on the evening news. The winner was Venaculas -- the second year in a row. During their acceptance speech one of the band members said he was surprised anyone remembered who they were.

-- Matt Whipkey presented the best Hip-Hop award, which went to Breathless, who arrived on stage with an 8-person "entourage."

-- We were all treated to a scene from a play that was embarrassingly trite and poorly acted. They need to stop doing these dramatic performances during the show. I realize they're trying to be "inclusive," but these are horrible.

-- Two other TV news "personalities" announced the best ethnic award, which went to Mariachi Luna y Sol. For whatever reason, the OEAs cannot let go of this idea of having members of the media present these awards -- they are the last people who should be up there.

-- The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented by Luigi Waites, who won it last year. Luigi, who got a standing ovation, was hilarious. The winner was Bob Rogers, who runs Gallery 72 and who I'm guessing 95 percent of the audience never heard of.

-- I stepped out and got a $5 Morgan and Coke during a performance by a local "jazz" band, and missed Best Folk/Roots/Americana, which went to Bright Eyes, and Best Jazz, which went to Luigi (thank god). The crowd in the lobby was as big as the crowd inside the auditorium. Most were drunk or getting there.

-- Unfortunately, I returned in time to see a performance by Anchondo. They are worse live than I could ever imagine. I thought they broke up years ago. Like the Coyote Bones performance earlier in the evening, the sound mix was horrendous -- overly bassy -- at least from my lonely perch in the balcony. Sarah Benck and the Robbers would have the same problem when they performed.

-- The Best Blues award went, again, to Kris Lager, who looked like Molly Hatchet accepting the award.

-- One of the more awkward awards of the evening, Best Rock, went to Matt Whipkey and Anonymous American, beating out Ladyfinger and Oxygen, among others. Not awkward in that Whipkey and Co. didn't deserve the award -- they did -- awkward in that the band rarely plays together anymore now that Whipkey has moved onto his new band, The Whipkey Three. This led to some uncomfortable back-and-forth during the back-stage interview, when one of the 620 VJs kept prying Whipkey about AA's future. "So, have you guys been writing some new songs?" Uh...

-- In an unscripted moment, a big black guy with a pink Mohawk ran onto the stage while AA was accepting their award and tried to make a speech. Whipkey pushed him aside, and eventually the geek left.

-- Poor Michael Campbell was the presenter who was given the wrong envelop during the Adult Alternative award. He read the name "Little Brazil," the crowd booed, and he and his co-presenter exited stage left. I'm sure he was pissed (I would have been). The winner was Sarah Benck and the Robbers, who accepted the award a few minutes later.

-- The best R&B/Funk/Soul Award went to Satchel Grande -- a pleasant surprise.

-- Finally, Little Brazil was given their award for Best Alternative/Indie. Landon Hedges accepted, saying something like, "People like to talk shit about our music scene," adding that after going on the road on tour that he realized "We have the greatest fucking music scene!" I hope the TV people were quick with their buzzer. I can just see them stumbling over themselves in the truck, screaming "Go to break! Go to break!!!"

-- Best New Artist went to the band that I voted for last year for best R&B/Funk: Satchel Grande, who have been around for a few years -- another screw up by the nomination committee.

-- Paria performed next and were the only band other than a mariachi band that sounded good on stage. For some reason, the sound mix complimented their metal performance, only heard by the few people still left in the auditorium.

Finally, at around 10:30, the last two music awards were announced. Album of the Year and Artist of the Year both went to Bright Eyes, who wasn't there to accept the award. Instead, artist Jay Lynch, looking like a hip version of the Zig-Zag man, accepted for Conor. One assumes that Oberst was busy stumping for last night's other big winner, Barack Obama (Seriously, check out all the coverage and the scary Conor picture here).

I'll have more comments about the OEA's in next week's column. Stay tuned.

My night ended at 12:30 watching Two Gallants on the Jimmy Kimmel show - which had been pushed back due to the caucus coverage. They sang "Despite What You've Been Told." There's always something wrong with these network shows sound-wise. Last night it was the drums, which could barely be heard in the mix. Instead, we got a lot of guitar and vocals. Adam Stephens spit out the lines with earnest defiance, shaking like he was being electrocuted or about to go into seizures. His guitar sounded terrific, though, and he sang well on a song that sounded jittery and nervous. Kimmel acted like he genuinely liked it.

Tonight at The Waiting Room, it's Capgun Coup with Perry H. Matthews, The Bombardment Society, & Dim Light. $7, 9 p.m.

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


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posted by Tim at 10:37 AM

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Visions of 2008; Omaha Entertainment Awards -- Who should win, who will win (probably)...

Here's what you've been waiting for -- my annual music predictions for the coming year (read it here). I think I said in the article that last year's predictions were the toughest, but in retrospect, I actually did better with my predictions last year than I did the year before. Odd. As I say in the article and in my Year in Review piece, 2007 was the year for monumental change in the Omaha scene. I don't see a lot of dramatic stuff happening in '08, just more of the same. Most of this year's predictions are just common-sense hunches. Still, there are a few surprises...check it out.

* * *

Speaking of predictions, here are my picks for tonight's Omaha Entertainment Awards, along with how I voted (I am an "academy member" ya know). The "big show" is being held at The Holland Center. If you can't afford a ticket, you can watch along at home (if you have Cox digital cable) by tuning into Cox 248 at 7 p.m. Here we go:

Best Adult Alternative: This is the so-called "singer/songwriters" category, which of course makes no sense. I would never consider Anchondo or Oxygen "singer-songwriter" bands. And, uh, where's Bright Eyes? In fact, where's Saddle Creek, whose roster consists almost entirely of singer/songwriters? Obviously, Oberst is the best singer/songwriter in Omaha (as well as best "adult alternative," whatever that means), but he wasn't nominated, so I voted for Sarah Benck. The winner will be John Henry.

Best Alternative/Indie: Hard to vote against Bright Eyes, especially considering that Cursive and The Faint didn't release albums last year. I like Little Brazil and Tighten the Noose, but not as much as Cassadaga. Bright Eyes will win.

Best Ethnic: Based solely on their OEA showcase performance, my vote went to Mariachi Luna y Sol. The Turfmen will probably win.

Best Hard Rock/Metal/Punk: Like Bluegrass/Country, here's another example of where the OEA folks decided it would be a good idea to roll different categories into one. Obviously none of the nominees play punk. A. Symbiont is more of a hard rock band. The rest are metal. It's a mess. That said. I voted for Paria, and Paria will take home the OEA crystal dildo.

Best Folk/Roots/Americana: These categories also don't belong together. Folk and Americana are very different animals. Black Squirrels comes closest to folk, Bright Eyes and Whipkey come closest to Americana. Filter Kings and the Mercury's are twangy rock (maybe Americana?). None of them are "Roots." I voted for Whipkey. Bright Eyes, of course, will win.

Best Jazz/Standards/Easy Listening: I have to think that a few local jazz fans will see how this category was put together and cringe. Jazz isn't "easy listening" (at least not good jazz). Having heard only a couple of these artists, I didn't vote in this category. The winner will be the ever-joyless Heidi Joy (who doesn't sing/play jazz nor is easy to listen to).

Best Hip Hop/Rap: I didn't vote in this category, either. The winner will be Breathless (But wouldn't it be great if Buck Bowen could do another acceptance speech?).

Best Blues: Another non-vote for me. Sarah Benck and The Robbers isn't a blues band. Sarah Benck and the Robbers will win.

Best New Artist: Coyote Bones got my vote. Despite being on Conor's record label, Capgun won't win since few people know who they are. Instead the award will go to Tim Wildsmith, who I'm told got more public votes than any other performer in the nomination process.

Best R&B/Funk/Soul: Satchel Grande blows away everyone in this category, and of course, got my vote. That said, The Wholes, who don't play R&B or Funk (judging by their performance at the OEA showcase) will take the prize.

Best Rock: Rock should be, well, heavy music -- hard, fast, angry. And no nominee plays harder, faster or angrier than Ladyfinger, who got my vote. The winner will be the odorless, colorless, flavorless gas we call Oxygen.

Local Album of the Year: I voted for Cassadaga, which also is the biggest selling local album (nationally, anyway) among the nominees. In a tight vote, Bright Eyes will pull this one out.

Artist of the Year: Again, how do you vote against Bright Eyes? It's the only band among the nominees that charted on Billboard, that toured throughout the U.S. and the world, that locally drew more people to their shows than any other nominee. The rest of the Academy will see things the same way.

See you at the show (maybe).

* * *

What are you waiting for? Get your entry in to win a copy of the coveted Lazy-I Best of 2007 Compilation CD! Just e-mail me (tim@lazy-i.com) with your name and mailing address and you'll be entered into the drawing. Tracks include songs by Stars, Interpol, Rilo Kiley, Wilco, Les Savy Fav, Justice, Baby Walrus, Bright Eyes, The Good Life, The Monroes, The Third Men and many more. Details and track order are right here. Enter today! Deadline's January 17.

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


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posted by Tim at 10:45 AM

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Happy New Year, Oberst at the 400, At Land prepares for landing...

Hope y'all had a good, drunken New Year's Eve. Me, I never go out on New Years. It's never a good holiday for live music. Most venues book cover bands (or bands that sound like cover bands) because that's what the masses want, and who can blame them? One music-related resolution this year is to try to do better with CD reviews -- a difficult task under the already large pile of writing that I'm doing. I do listen to the CDs that come my way. I rarely write about them if they suck. This year I may begin to merely issue "No's" without comment on the lousy ones just to get through the pile. "Yes's" often are covered in feature stories and reviews, but they take more time. There's nothing less satisfying that reading a review that simply says, "Check these guys out." We'll do better next year.

Some catching up news-wise: A number of Minneapolis papers printed reviews of the Conor Oberst solo shows at the 400 Bar last week. Among them, this one from the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Sounds like Oberst's band included Rilo Kiley drummer Jason Boesel and guitarist Nik Freitas, who opened the show. No M. Ward. "Musically or lyrically, the songs weren't a radical departure for Oberst, but they traded Bright Eyes' orchestrated and dramatic flavor for a rawer, looser, more roadhouse vibe." Sounds good to me. City Pages published a slideshow of the concert, here.

Chatting backstage at last week's OEA awards deal, Black Squirrels' bass player Travis Sing mentioned that he's in a new band with Doug Kabourek (Fizzle Like a Flood) and James Carrig called At Land. The trio already has a couple tunes up on a Myspace page (myspace.com/atlanders). Travis mentioned "Brit-rock" in his description -- they sound more like a reincarnation of The Replacements to me. Travis also mentioned that he's working with Matt Bowen, Matt Rutledge and Pat White on a "punk/new-wave 'karaoke' band at the Waiting Room." Shithook karaoke? Fun! Look for the launch in mid-February.

And look for my annual "Predictions" article right here tomorrow. It's a doosy.

Hey, don't forget to enter to win a copy of the coveted Lazy-I Best of 2007 Compilation CD! All you have to do is e-mail me (tim@lazy-i.com) with your name and mailing address and you'll be entered into the drawing. Tracks include songs by Stars, Interpol, Rilo Kiley, Wilco, Les Savy Fav, Justice, Baby Walrus, Bright Eyes, The Good Life, The Monroes, The Third Men and many more. Details and track order are right here. Enter today! Deadline's January 17.

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

0 comments

posted by Tim at 10:37 AM

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