Friday, May 30, 2008 |
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A quiet weekend...
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Maybe it's the lull before the storm, but there aren't a lot of shows going on this weekend. Tonight's highlight is undoubtedly Boston's Bang Camaro, a neu-pseudo hair metal band emulating a style made famous by KISS, Quiet Riot, Stryper, you get the deal, the usual bunch of '80s stomp rockers. I'm reminded of Rye Coalition, though Rye did it first and did it better. It's when BC gets away from the hair-metal clichés that things at least become interesting, but those are rare moments. Tonight at Slowdown Jr., $12, 9 p.m. Tomorrow night's top show is Box Elders and Bent Scepters at O'Leaver's. $5, 9:30 p.m. Also, Saturday night, Satchel Grande is playing way out west, at Bar Fly. $5, 9 p.m. What am I missing? Let me know here. --Got comments? Post 'em here.-- |
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posted by Tim at 11:00 AM |
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Thursday, May 29, 2008 |
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Talkin' Mountain, Stolen Kisses at Barley; Cordial Spew at TWR tonight...
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I'm listening to a Stolen Kisses track right now. Very '60s Phil Spector low-fi VU garage fun. They're playing at The Barley St. Tavern tonight with monster mask marauders Talkin' Mountain and Lincoln's Pharmacy Spirits. 9 p.m., Free. Meanwhile, over at The Waiting Room, it's the return of '80s hardcore punks Cordial Spew with The Upsets, Youth and Tear Gas, Officially Terminated and Richard Schultz. $5, 9 p.m. And over at The Saddle Creek Bar, it's Naked and Shameless, the self-proclaimed "undisputed acoustic punk kings of kitsch rock." 9 p.m., Free. --Got comments? Post 'em here.-- |
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posted by Tim at 10:51 AM |
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Wednesday, May 28, 2008 |
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Column 175: Cowardly Traveller Pt. 2; Joan of Arc tonight...
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There's even more to the interview with Simon Joyner than made it into these columns, but most of it is below and in last week's installment. One detail that didn't make it in concerned the "Peel Incident." I asked Joyner what the other album was that Peel had played in its entirety. He said he heard that it was a Fall record, but that someone also told him it was a Bob Dylan record. I guess we'll never know for sure. One thing's for certain, with the advent of technology, no one will ever have the power Peel had to discover and focus attention to new talent.
As I mentioned in a recent collection of CD reviews (here) Joan of Arc's new album, Boo Human, is the first thing in years that a Kinsella has been involved with that I could listen to more than a few times. It has its wonky moments; it also has some rather startlingly beautiful moments. Get a preview of it tonight at The Waiting Room when Joan of Arc plays with Future of the Ghost and Omaha's own Capgun Coup. $10, 9 p.m. --Got comments? Post 'em here.-- |
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posted by Tim at 5:36 AM |
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Monday, May 26, 2008 |
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Live Reviews: TPC, Basia Bulat, Devotchka; Tally Hall tonight...
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I think after they count the receipts from last week, Slowdown will have had one of its best week's ever, what with two sold-out Rilo Kiley shows and nearly (if not actually) sold out shows Friday and Saturday by Tokyo Police Club and Devotchka. It should be pointed out for those of you who haven't been to Slowdown for awhile that shows there now start at the stroke of 9 or very shortly thereafter. It would be easy to blame the all-ages ordinance -- after all, the parents that signed those consent forms expect their kids to be home at a decent hour, and really, why push the show back an hour (or more) when there's no one buying drinks? Ah, but that's a cynic's point of view. This is really just a long-winded way of saying I showed up at Slowdown Friday night at around 10:45 and missed Criteria's entire set. But I did manage to catch all of Tokyo Police Club. Alsop's comments about the band now traveling with a light show seems quaint considering what they had on stage that night (and considering what Devotchka would boast the following evening). The stage behind the band was decorated with vertical light strips made up of rows of small LEDs that would blink and switch colors during songs, while the band was lit from below by colored strobes that reminded me of early Mercy Rule shows. TPC will look back fondly on that lighting in the years to come. Musically, their set was as expected, about 50 minutes of well-performed songs from their full length and their debut EP, each song rounding out at under three minutes -- short, sharp bursts of energy separated by brief pauses, all of which added up to a sort of fatigue after about 20 minutes of the set. I like Tokyo Police Club and I like their new full length, but their live set seems almost unstructured -- there was no ebb and flow, only one high-energy indie rocker after another, with very few people on the crowded floor dancing to the music. After all, aren't they supposed to be a dance-wave band? TPC came out for a brief preprogrammed 2-song encore, and that was it, something of a surprise considering the show was the last one of this North American tour. Seems like Omaha is becoming the stopping off point for tours. Basia Bulat announced that Saturday night's show was the last one on her and Devotchka's tour as well. We got there plenty early for this one, early enough to catch the opening set by rustic acoustic duo Born in the Flood. Seated main man Nathaniel Rateliff came off as an older, weathered version of Beck circa Sea Change, providing a world-weary view that matched his earthy yet down-and-out songwriting style. He was quickly followed by Basia Bulat and her band, who actually were the folks we'd come to see. Devotchka is 2006, while Basia Bulat is 2009 or 2010 -- yet to be discovered, on the verge of national stardom. It doesn't hurt that she's cute as a button, looking like that 13-year-old uber-talented girl next door that you always see carrying an instrument case on her way to school. She opened with an a cappella number that got the crowd's attention before hoisting an autoharp for the next few songs, eventually opting for an acoustic guitar. Her voice is very reminiscent of Natalie Merchant (10,000 Maniacs) while her music is Dixie Chicks without the twang or cheese. Backed by a ukulele, viola, cello, bass and her brother on drums, she leans more toward the commercial than indie music realm, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Judging by the crowd reaction, she's on her way. Then along came Devotchka. By this time in the evening, we had moved from the pit in front of the stage all the way to the back of the room just to get some air and space. Despite supposedly not being sold out, this show seemed more crowded than the Rilo Kiley show from earlier in the week. Devotchka knows how to put on a stage show, combining striking lights and a small string section to create a festival atmosphere that would seem at home at The Orpheum or Holland. In fact, at times I thought I was watching a Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert. Everyone eats up the ethnic coleslaw that is their music, and in fact it is impressive on first glance, but a little goes a long way. We lasted about 20 minutes before calling it an evening. Disturbing trend note: I think it should be pointed out by someone that hand-clapping is, well, getting out of hand. I don't mean clapping after a song, I mean bands that make theatrical efforts to include hand-claps into their music. The Spinto Band, TPC and Basia Bulat all featured a number of songs in their set that started with synchronized hand clapping. There was a time when that was cute and effective. That time is long gone. Spinto and TPC were much more annoying about it; Bulat can get away with it because, well, she's Bulat and everything she does is cute. But unless you're Sufjan Stevens, five guys shouldn't be standing around doing synchronized clapping to get their songs started. The only thing worse: I recently saw Carly Simon perform on one of the late-night chat shows -- her shtick: not hand-claps, but synchronized finger snapping. It looked and sounded as gaggy as you might imagine. * * * Tally Hall is a major-label (Atlantic Records) product of Ann Arbor, Michigan, a five-piece that flaunts its love for Queen-style harmonies sung over Ben Folds-flavored pop songs. At its best it scratches Guster territory, but only barely. They're playing Tuesday night at The Waiting Room with De Novo and Carolina Liar. $10, 9 p.m.--Got comments? Post 'em here.-- |
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posted by Tim at 8:28 PM |
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Friday, May 23, 2008 |
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Tokyo Police Club tonight; Devotchka tomorrow...
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Looks like it's going to be a Slowdown weekend. Tonight on Slowdown's big stage it's Saddle Creek's newest recruit, Tokyo Police Club, with one of Saddle Creek's older recruits, Criteria, and SF dream-pop band Minipop. $15, 9 p.m. Meanwhile, tonight over at Mick's, it's Doug Kabourek (ex-Fizzle Like a Flood), Landon Hedges (Little Brazil) and Sleep Said the Monster playing as a three-piece. $5, 9 p.m. Saturday night, Slowdown welcomes the ethnic-folk/polka-dance stylings of Devotchka with super-hot up-and-comer Basia Bulat and Born in the Flood. 9 p.m., $15. Meanwhile, over at O'Leaver's, it's Fromanhole, Landing on the Moon and Self-Evident. $5, 9 p.m. And at The Saddle Creek Bar, Portland indie shoegazer band Charm Particles plays with John Garcia. 9 p.m., Free.--Got comments? Post 'em here.-- |
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posted by Tim at 10:55 AM |
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Thursday, May 22, 2008 |
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Interview: Tokyo Police Club; Live Review: Spinto/Rilo Kiley; Swervedriver tonight...
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Just posted, an interview with Tokyo Police Club's Greg Alsop, wherein Greg talks about how the band found Saddle Creek Records -- or more accurately, how Saddle Creek found them -- and why a bunch of Canada natives would sign with a label headquartered in Omaha Nebraska. Read it here. The only question that didn't make it into the story: How does it feel to be the label's sole dance band now that The Faint have jumped ship? It was the first time Alsop had heard the news. "Really?" he asked. "I don't know if we're a dance band like The Faint were. I consider our music more pop with a groove. It's so weird that people want to peg the word 'dance' in front of every genre -- dance pop , dance punk. We're not really a dance band. We don't use stereotypical dance beats. But if people can move their body in rhythm to our music, that’s great." I can see where Alsop is coming from -- TPC doesn't sound like a dance band to me, either. But that hasn't stopped a cadre of critics to proclaim them a "dance punk" band. The good news is that the rep comes as a result of the audience reaction at their live shows. TPC gets the kids jumping, and that's something any band would be proud of. I'm told there are still plenty of tickets available for Friday night's TPC show at Slowdown, though you'll save a couple bucks if you pick them up today (instead of tomorrow). * * * Speaking of shows at Slowdown… I arrived last night at around 9:35 and expected to find a queue draped around the corner to get inside, what with the new age-verification permission-slip policy in place. Figured there would be someone carefully making sure that the youngsters had their papers in order. But the line was only about a dozen people deep and moved quickly. The original plan was -- and is -- for Slowdown to have a computer set up for quick database verification. But a simple print-out is really all they need this early in the game. Permission slip numbers at Slowdown have gone from nine to 90 in the past couple of weeks, and will only continue to grow as the venue books more shows that attract an all-ages audience, like Rilo Kiley. I got in last night on Nik Freitas' list, and ironically, missed almost his entire set, which I'm told began at the stroke of 9 o'clock. I did catch the last couple songs, and they were nice, mid-tempo songwriter-driven rock. I got a copy of Freitas' new Team Love album about a month ago, and initially didn't think much of it, but recently rediscovered it and it's grown on me. It's smart, catchy middle-of-the-road indie music. The Spinto Band was next. How to describe them? Think back to the Charlie Brown Christmas Special, the one where the Peanuts gang puts on a Christmas play. Remember that scene where everyone's on stage, grooving to the Peanuts theme -- each character with his or her own specific dance move? That's exactly what Spinto Band looks like when they perform -- six guys each bouncing around to the music in his own unique style. Very energetic, very entertaining to watch. The music, well, not so interesting. The band consists of three guitars, a bass, keyboards and drums, and for one song -- which just happened to be their best song -- kazoos. That specific song opened with an up-tempo instrumental version of Tom Tom Club's "Genius of Love" before segueing into the kazoo-rock anthem. It was their best moment because the song held the strongest central melody (It would have been even better without the cheesy kazoos). For the most part, Spinto played wonky indie spazz rock that meandered like underage prog on too many Red Bulls. Some of the music kind of reminded me of Weezer, but not really. They also don't really sound Elvis Costello, but I'm becoming convinced that Elvis has become the most influential songwriter to this new generation of indie spazz rock bands. Certainly the melodies and the keyboard parts, as well as the intricate lyrics, sound influenced by early E and the Attractions. After their set, I got a chance to focus on the capacity crowd. Rilo Kiley's fan base certainly has changed since seeing them down at Sokol Underground back when they were still on Saddle Creek Records. Gone is the preponderance of bad-haired hipsters and urban punks, replaced by clean-cut suburbanites and Creighton students. More than 75 percent of the crowd was women. Rilo apparently has defined itself as a female-friendly band that guys don't mind going to see (if only to gawk at Jenny Lewis). The band took the stage a little after 11 and proceeded to get all the new, geeky dance stuff from their last album out of the way. It wasn't until later in the set -- when the focus shifted to older material -- that the crowd really came alive. Lewis and ex-boyfriend Blake Sennett make an interesting pair. They could be this generation's Buckingham Nicks, and certainly Sennett's songs emulate Lindsey's (right down to the hushed vocals and guitar tone). With their television background, they could also be the new Sonny & Cher. The common thread that runs between both examples is how the woman dominated the team -- Stevie and Cher were the show, Lindsey and Sonny were the sidemen. That holds true for Rilo Kiley as well. They sound good together, but it's really Lewis that people come to see. In the end, it probably won't matter. One guy I talked to last night said he thought Under the Blacklight was Rilo's swan song. After this tour, Lewis will focus on the follow-up to Rabbit Fur Coat, while Sennett will go back to The Elected, and eventually Rilo Kiley will fade away much like Azure Ray did years ago… Overall, it was a better show than their last concert at Sokol Auditorium. With Slowdown's stage going right up to the audience, Lewis was able to feed off the crowd of adoring female fans, many of whom sang along with her all night. * * * Tonight at The Waiting Room, Swervedriver with The Life and Times and Mr. Gnome. Blogger and radio host Dave Leibowitz is a huge Swervedriver fan, and recently did a podcast with frontman Adam Franklin, which is a good primer before heading down to the show. Check it out here. $15, 9 p.m. --Got comments? Post 'em here.-- |
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posted by Tim at 10:58 AM |
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Wednesday, May 21, 2008 |
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Column 174: A Coward's Return; Live Review: Heavenly States, Head of Femur; More Rilo Kiley tonight…
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When I found out that Team Love was rereleasing Simon Joyner's The Cowardly Traveller Pays His Toll I knew I had to interview Joyner about the record. It's been a decade since our last interview. Our talk focused almost solely on the album, and I got so much stuff over that hour on the phone that I knew I would need two columns to get all the best parts in print. So here is part one of my first two-part column. Look for part two next Wednesday.
* * * I've seen a number of different incarnations of Head of Femur over the years, but my favorite is still when the band played as a trio at Sokol Underground back in 2003. Femur ballooned to around eight musicians when they returned to Sokol a couple years later, opening for Rogue Wave. Last night they whittled that number down to five. But it was as a trio that the band was at its edgiest. Back then, they had a wind-blown, organic freedom that felt hand-made and improvised. Maybe it was just the newness of Femur that was showing through their set. Last night's ensemble, on the other hand, was the most competent -- every musician effortlessly hitting their mark, playing with a matter-of-fact confidence as if they'd been on the road nonstop for the past year. They sounded good, professional, an expert band playing indie prog that at times glowed with an Elvis Costello hangover, thanks to a few of the songs' intricate, clever lyrics -- good songs, but Femur is at its best on the ones with the bigger choruses, simpler hooks and fewer words. There clearly was a comfort level coming off the stage, probably because the crowd of around 60 or 70 consisted of a lot of family and friends, who frontman Matt Focht acknowledged throughout the evening. They came on rather late, around 11:30 after a jumping set by The Heavenly States, who played somewhat pedestrian indie rock that had enough ummph at times to get a few of the folks in front of the stage dancing. "They don't have a drummer, they have a cymbal player," remarked a guy standing next to me. Afterward, of course, it was impossible to ignore how their drummer did seem to have the drum set reversed, playing mainly on the cymbals and using the rest of the set as an accouterment. The result, as you might imagine, was rather bright and brashy. Still, I like the band's singer, whose voice reminded me Trip Shakespeare's Matt Wilson, and I liked most of their songs, though their set fell flat a few times. Playing the role of audience clowns were members of Poison Control Center, who left the stage before I got there. All bands need this kind of crowd fluffers to stand in front of the stage and interact both with the band and the audience, making people feel more at ease and willing to loosen up. All's they needed was an applause sign… * * * Tonight at Slowdown, night two of Rilo Kiley. The line-up is the same as last night, with Nik Freitas and The Spinto Band opening, and also like last night, the show is sold out. --Got comments? Post 'em here.-- |
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posted by Tim at 10:49 AM |
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Tuesday, May 20, 2008 |
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Another missed Cursive show; Head of Femur tonight…
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Somehow I've managed to miss both instances when Cursive has played music from their upcoming recording live. That's a first for me. When Happy Hollow was in its incubation stage, Cursive played a rough pre-studio version at O'Leaver's that was easily the best Cursive concert I've seen. So it was with great misgiving that I had to miss last night's Cursive show at The Waiting Room. I had no choice; I was working on this week's column - part one of two parts dedicated to Simon Joyner's Cowardly Traveller Pays His Toll, which was reissued on Team Love earlier this month. Part 1 will be online here tomorrow. Part 2 goes online next week. So, sacrifices had to be made, and it looks like I'll have to wait to hear those new Cursive songs. Anybody go last night? Let us know how it went, here. Tonight, two shows worth blowing a deadline for. Over at The Waiting Room it's the return of Head of Femur, who's out touring what I consider to be their best album, Great Plains. Opening is touring band The Heavenly States and Iowa City freak-out masters Poison Control Center, who I figured I'd never see on the Waiting Room stage as they were supposedly banned from Sokol Underground by the One Percent guys after a series of equipment abuse episodes. Why would One Percent want them to destroy the equipment at the club that they own? PCC usually plays at O'Leaver's and always puts on an entertaining, summersault-fueled rock show. $8, 9 p.m. Meanwhile, downtown at Slowdown, it's night one of two sold-out nights for Rilo Kiley. Opening is The Spinto Band, and Team Love recording artist Nik Freitas. Like I said, it's sold out, so don't even bother going down there if you don’t have a ticket. --Got comments? Post 'em here.-- |
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posted by Tim at 10:58 AM |
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Monday, May 19, 2008 |
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Cursive's Sound Opinions, tonight at TWR …
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A special treat for everyone but us poor folks who work for a living, Cursive is the guest for a live recording of NPR talk show Sound Opinions hosted by Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot this afternoon (at 3 p.m.) at The Waiting Room. The event will include both interviews and a live performance by Cursive, and best of all, it's free. You may want to get there right when the doors open at 2:30. For us working folk, Cursive will play a show tonight at TWR with The Stay Awake and Landing on the Moon. Tickets are still available (as of this writing (noon)) for $12. Get them while you can. Show starts at 9. --Got comments? Post 'em here.-- |
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posted by Tim at 10:53 AM |
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Friday, May 16, 2008 |
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Midwest Dilemma, Dariofest tomorrow…
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Maybe it's because all the streets in downtown Omaha are torn up these days or the fact that I haven't been there in over a year, but Sokol Underground seems like a million miles away anymore. I guess I'm spoiled by the proximity of the Benson clubs and Slowdown (which is really just a straight shot down Cuming St. for me). Going to Sokol last night for the Joe "Madder" Kenny benefit seemed like a trek -- a trek that I'm not sorry that I rarely make anymore. Sokol Underground hasn't changed a bit, except for the quality of the show posters next to the staircase. Gone are the artistic screen-print posters used for One Percent shows, replaced with cheap Xerox fliers in a rainbow of colors. There was probably 60 people at the show when I arrived at around 10:30. The Filthy Few were on stage ripping through a set of shirtless tattoo punk. The Filter Kings were up after that, but for some reason, I just wasn't in the mood for any of it, maybe because of the reason we were there. I barely knew Joe Kenny. We'd corresponded a few times via e-mail. We'd only talked face-to-face twice, but I remember often seeing him at shows at O'Leaver's. When you go to shows by yourself (as I almost always do) the first thing you do when you walk through the door is to look for a familiar face. Joe was one of those faces, and I still subconsciously find myself looking for Madder when I go to O'Leaver's, before realizing that I'm never going to see him there again. * * * So what's going on this weekend? Well, tonight two bands on Kansas City's Anodyne label are playing at Slowdown, Jr. -- The Bellrays and The Architects. $8, 9 p.m. Tomorrow night's main attraction is Midwest Dilemma on Slowdown's big stage. The band is celebrating the release of their long-player Timelines & Tragedies. I'm still trying to get my mind wrapped around the disc. Its folk orchestra approach featuring more than a dozen musicians is unquestionably impressive. Opening is McCarthy Trenching, Thunder Power!!! and Black Squirrels. 9 p.m., $8. But before you head down there, head to Benson for Dariofest, part of this weekend's Dundee Spring Fling celebration. That little area right next to Blue Line will be roped off and turned into a beer garden/performance space with performances by Box Elders, Shiver Shiver and Outlaw Con Bandana. I'm told that Brent Crampton will be DJing starting at 3. The bands will start at 5:30. I went to this last year and got blotto on Dario's fancy-schmancy beers (that's what I get for drinking Rolling Rock all the time).--Got comments? Post 'em here.-- |
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posted by Tim at 11:41 AM |
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Thursday, May 15, 2008 |
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OMG, where's Slam? Madder tribute tonight…
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Across the city, web-connected musicians, bored office deadbeats and the hard-wired unemployed are moaning collectively over the apparent temporary capsizing of Omaha music social hub SLAM Omaha, which has been down since early last night. The site says that it's suffering from "database problems." But what does that really mean? Those of you suffering from SLAM withdrawals who are desperate for a place to vent your spleen (about a music-related topic) feel free to post away on the Lazy-i webboard. It's little solace, I know, but something tells me that SLAM will be back shortly, and better than ever. Of course tonight's big show is the Joe "Madder" Kenny tribute concert down at Sokol Underground. As I mentioned yesterday, the showcase features some of the city's finest punk acts, including The Deformities, The Upsets, The Shanks, Filthy Few, The Filter Kings and Brimstone Howl. Cost is $7, with all money going to the Kenny family. Doors open at 7, bands are at 8. Get down there and rock for a good cause. --Got comments? Post 'em here.-- |
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posted by Tim at 11:19 AM |
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Wednesday, May 14, 2008 |
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Column 173: A Faint imprint; Madder tribute tomorrow…
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Monday's announcement that The Faint are leaving Saddle Creek ends a two-year saga that, for me, began with this column. I never heard from my trusty "deep throat" source again after that story ran, maybe because things got a little hot (a number of people were asking (nay demanding) to know who s/he was. I, of course, never gave up my source). Today, that old column seems rather harmless, though its aftermath has had a long-term negative impact on my ability to write about a certain band…
Someone asked what was meant by the word "imprint" rather than "label." The word "imprint" has been used to identify boutique labels that are connected to major labels. For example, Rilo Kiley's Brute/Beaute was an imprint under the Warner Bros. umbrella. In the publishing industry, an imprint is a brand name under which a work is published. One single publishing company may have multiple imprints; the different imprints are used by the publisher to market the work to different demographic consumer segments. The Faint's use of the term "imprint" would imply that blank.wav is part of something larger, maybe the organization that will house The Faint, Enamel studio, blank.wav and other Faint-related business endeavors. Who knows? Maybe the band's publicist simply is misusing the term. I was told yesterday that blank.wav will, in fact, be its own independent label and not a so-called "imprint" or subsidiary of a larger label. We'll see as August rolls around… * * * This is an early heads-up about the Joe "Madder" Kenny memorial rock show being held tomorrow night at Sokol Underground. This tribute to one of Omaha's biggest rock fans and local music supporters showcases the city's finest punk acts including The Deformities, The Upsets, The Shanks, Filthy Few, The Filter Kings and Brimstone Howl. Cost is $7, with all money going to the Kenny family. Doors open at 7, bands at 8. See you there.--Got comments? Post 'em here.-- |
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posted by Tim at 10:41 AM |
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Tuesday, May 13, 2008 |
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Son Ambulance's Deja Vu in July; Brad Hoshaw's deja vu tonight at O'Leaver's…
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As per usual on a Tuesday, not a lot of time for an update. My take on The Faint leaving Saddle Creek will be online tomorrow as this week's column. You can catch up on the story here. The Faint aren't the only ones announcing their first new album in four years. Son Ambulance today announced that Someone Else's Deja Vu, the followup to 2004's Key, will be released on Saddle Creek July 8. The 13-track album will be available digitally, on CD or as a super-sweet double-vinyl collection. CMJ has all the highlights here. Looks like the official album release show will be at Slowdown July 11. Speaking of deja vu, Brad Hoshaw is repeating last week's triumphant full-ensemble performance tonight at O'Leaver's. Also on the bill are Cedarwell and JP05. Show starts at 9:30, and will cost you $5. Do not miss this. --Got comments? Post 'em here.-- |
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posted by Tim at 12:01 PM |
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Monday, May 12, 2008 |
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Weekend wrap-up (or the lack of one); Girl Drink Drunk (karaoke) tonight; all-ages update...
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Allergies kept me out of the clubs this weekend. If you saw something that was particularly hot and want to expound upon it, let your feelings be known on the webboard. * * * Girl Drink Drunk -- The Waiting Room's answer to Lincoln's Shithook Karaoke -- is tonight. If you've been dying to stand up and belt out one of your favorite songs alongside one of the city's best rock bands, well this is your chance. And it may be your last chance for awhile, as GDD is going on a short hiatus. * * * Chatting online last week with a Slowdown staffer, I was told that a total of nine youths have had their parents sign and submit a notarized authorization that allows them to get into all-ages shows at Slowdown. Not exactly a land rush of consent forms, especially after all the hoo-ha surrounding it, but I have no doubt that the numbers will grow as we get closer to Rilo Kiley and Tokyo Police Club, and after the next serious under-age-drawing band gets announced (Tilly and the Wall, perhaps?). I've also been told that a third venue -- The Saddle Creek Bar -- has submitted paperwork to host all-ages shows. Any other clubs out there getting into the all-ages fray? --Got comments? Post 'em here.-- |
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posted by Tim at 10:47 AM |
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Friday, May 09, 2008 |
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Tomato a Day, Spring Gun tonight; Whipkey Three tomorrow...
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Welcome to another weekend, and another list of shows worth pondering, starting tonight: -- Top of the list (for me, anyway) is at Benson Grind where Brian Poloncic's Tomato a Day is celebrating the release of a disc three years in the making -- The Moon Is Green, released on local art-noise label, Public Eyesore, recorded by Alex McManus at Fried From Sound studio, featuring musicians Dave Nordin, David Downing and Allen Hug. As I said in yesterday's review, there's something lost and lonely about Poloncic's acoustic folk confessions, which plow the same stark territory as, say, Husker Du's Candy Apple Grey or sad Replacements or Todd Grant's yearning solo album. Also on the bill are Dave Nordin (doing a solo set), A. Boardman and Psychic Campfire. The show is free and starts at 8 p.m. -- Also tonight, down at Slowdown Jr., it's the return of Spring Gun with Hyannis and Honeybee. $5, 9 p.m. -- At old favorite O'Leaver's, it's garage-rock wonders Brimstone Howl with The Monocles. $5, 9:30 p.m. -- And over at The Waiting Room, it's night one of two nights of U2 tribute band Me2. $10, 9 p.m. On top of the marquee Saturday night is The Whipkey Three CD EP release show at Mick's. Joining Whipkey and Co. are Corey and Chris Weber. $5, 9 p.m. -- Over at The 49'r, Reagan and the Rayguns perform with Bazooka Shootout and Michael Wunder. $3-$5, 9:30 p.m. -- And finally, down at Slowdown V2 recording artist Josh Ritter plays with Dawn Landes. $12, 9 p.m. --Got comments? Post 'em here.-- |
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posted by Tim at 10:37 AM |
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Thursday, May 08, 2008 |
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Column 172: CD Roundup; Live Review: American Music Club, Brad Hoshow band; VHS or Beta tonight…
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Before we get to a recap of last night's festivities, here's this week's column wherein I tell you what I've been listening to lately...
* * * Despite everything, American Music Club sounded terrific last night at The Waiting Room. Too bad only 50 or so people were there to see it. The band played a short set, maybe 35 or 40 minutes. Frontman Mark Eitzel said thanks and goodnight before starting into their last song. After its climax, they left the stage without comment, leaving the crowd wondering if they were coming back for an encore. The mystery lasted about 20 seconds before the house music came up and people started heading for the door. The usually chatty Eitzel only graced the audience with one story, about how the band formed as the result of members being fired from Celine Dion's Las Vegas act because they refused to sleep with her (Eitzel said he slept with Celine's husband). Someone asked me afterward if Eitzel was kidding when he said he wrote a Celine song used on the Titanic soundtrack. I said as far as I knew, he was. It was that kind of evening. The highlight (for me) was the openers. The Third Men did their usual rollicking set of originals with a few covers sprinkled in. Their high-energy rock seemed like a strange lead-in to AMC's usually dour, introspective music. Brad Hoshaw, on the other hand, fit right in, and for the first time, a crowd got to see how Hoshaw's acoustic numbers would sound backed by a full band, put together specially for this gig. The result left me wondering why Hoshaw doesn't work with a band all the time. Though as many as seven people were on stage, the arrangements were kept simple, never getting in the way of the songs' core elements. A tune like "Powdernose," which is powerful enough as a solo acoustic piece, was transformed into a dark rock anthem, while simple songs like "Blue Bicycle" were only slightly accented by additional players. Hoshaw said he recorded the performance, which I'd love to hear. Maybe we all will someday (His remarkable Mick's acoustic set from this past January is now available on CD). Someone came up to me afterward and said, "This guy is New West / Lost Highway material." Yeah, he is. Actually, his approachable style of songwriting is broader than what those two labels could offer, but you have to start somewhere. Hoshaw is in the very top tier of Omaha singer/songwriters and deserves to be heard by a national audience. Someone needs to make this happen. * * * Tonight at The Waiting Room, it's the return of the electro-dance-rock stylings of VHS or Beta, along with Tigercity and Omaha's own masked crusaders Talkin' Mountain. $10, 9 p.m. --Got comments? Post 'em here.-- |
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posted by Tim at 10:40 AM |
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Wednesday, May 07, 2008 |
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American Music Club, Brad Hoshow band tonight...
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American Music Club is tonight at The Waiting Room. It's a show that people should be excited about, but if it's like last time they came through town, back in Nov. 15, 2004, the turnout will again be light despite the fact that AMC is a legacy indie band that records on indie super-label Merge (who released The Golden Age this past February). For the record, let's step back in time and see what I said about that 2004 show:
I remember that show as if it were yesterday. If Eitzel could struggle through all the technical problems that night at Sokol and still manage to entertain the crowd, just imagine how he'll sound on TWR's premium stage. It will be different, though, as everyone who played that night is gone except for Eitzel and Vudi the mad vulcan. Also tonight at Slowdown Jr. it's Syracuse, New York band Ra-Ra-Riot with The Little Ones and The Fourth of July. $10, 9 p.m. --Got comments? Post 'em here.-- |
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posted by Tim at 10:57 AM |
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Tuesday, May 06, 2008 |
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Dios Malos tonight...
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I have only the briefest of moments to tell you to go see Dios Malos tonight at The Waiting Room. No, they're not the headliner (Vagrant band Murder by Death is), but they should be. Last time they were here, way back in October 2005 at O'Leaver's, they blew the place away. Here's the review from way back then:
Other than an iTunes-only 5-song EP, I don't think Dios has released anything since that O'Leaver's show. No matter. If they merely repeated that show, it would be worth the $10. Also opening is Gasoline Heart. Show starts at 9. --Got comments? Post 'em here.-- |
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posted by Tim at 10:59 AM |
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Monday, May 05, 2008 |
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Weekend in review; Cut Copy at TWR; Manner gets old before our eyes...
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The Shanks. A punk band. A spectacle. A throw-back to an era of anger as theater. A form of entertainment that makes you rethink your definition of what entertainment is. To the uninitiated, The Shanks are nothing more than a bunch of drunk guys with their amps turned up too loud screaming at each other and the crowd. To the rest of it, each show is an example of entropy and schism and human frailty. There were a few shows at O'Leaver's over the past month where I thought The Shanks were beginning to, well, mellow. Sure, their music was just as abrasive and shrill, but they appeared almost professional on stage. That wasn't the case Friday night at The Saddle Creek Bar, a venue whose own strange DIY sound system makes it almost tailor-made for The Shanks. I caught only the last couple songs by The Terminals, their lack of a bass player (usually no prob as Dave handles it well on the keyboards) was accented by SCB's odd midrange-heavy acoustics. You could not escape the midrange. Then along came the Shanks in a cloud of painful, whistling feedback that never went away. Their set began in a blaze of white noise/heat, and before long, off came their shirts -- as good an excuse as any for a couple of the guys in the band to make out with each other on stage. I'm told this is not new to their act, though I've never noticed it before. If this were, say, Pansy Division, the effect would be different, and the crowd would likely be even more shocked. Instead, everyone wrote it off as typical punk hi-jinx. The show began to devolve halfway through, as the band argued with the crowd and itself, starting and stopping songs, stepping into chaos, and then just as quick, they got their shit together and began playing in earnest, like a phoenix from the ashes. It's best not to over-think The Shanks. Just watch and listen. It turned out being one of the best Shanks shows I've seen, albeit without blood. Then, a few moments after the set ended, while I was chatting with a fellow music writer, a fight ensued between the drummer and the guitarist, people holding each of them back as threats of "The end of the Shanks" were being yelled across clinched forearms. Blame the booze. Blame the violent music. As far as I know, The Shanks are alive and well… I spent Saturday night down at Slowdown Jr. As I warned, the show sold out and no one was getting in without a ticket. I asked the door guy why they didn't just open the big room. He said you could have a half-empty big room or a capacity small room. The vibe, he said, would be better with a serious crowd, and he was right. At capacity, with the tables pushed out of the way, Slowdown really does seem like a rock club instead of candle-lit lounge. I got there in time to see The Cops rip through their set of angsty punk, harder than I remember it. Then at around a quarter to 12, Criteria took the stage, looking and sounding exactly like they looked and sounded two years ago. It was as if time had stood still. I and everyone there had missed the band and its music, and it was a trip to get to see and hear it again. The new songs sounded as epic and regal as the old songs. It seems the band hasn't skipped a beat in spite of its hiatus. Frontman Stephen Pedersen announced that Criteria will be opening for Tokyo Police Club at Slowdown at the end of the month, so if you missed them Saturday night, you'll get another chance to see them in a few short weeks. * * * Two noteworthy shows going on tonight: At The Waiting Room it's the dance stylings of Australian trio Cut Copy. You like pretty dance pop? You'll love these guys. Opening is the band that has been designated as "the next big thing," Jacksonville's Black Kids. See them before they explode. Also opening is Mobius Band. $15, 9 p.m. Meanwhile, down at The Barley St., local celebrity and all-around man-about-town Marq Manner is celebrating his birthday with an evening of music by singer-songwriters Kyle Harvey, Scott Severin, Matt Whipkey, Brad Hoshaw, Adam Hawkins, Justin Lamoureaux, and more. The show is free and begins at 8. Drop by and buy Marq a celebratory cup of coffee. --Got comments? Post 'em here.-- |
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posted by Tim at 11:01 AM |
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Friday, May 02, 2008 |
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Destroyer/Mal Madrigal, Monroes/Domestica, Shanks/Terminals tonight; Cops/Criteria tomorrow…
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posted by Tim at 11:21 AM |
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Thursday, May 01, 2008 |
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Column 171: Here come The Cops; Indian Jewelry is tonight...
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Ever have one of those days when your internal clock was set one day ahead? That was me yesterday. For some reason I kept thinking it was Thursday instead of Wednesday. As a result, I got a couple shows wrong on da ol' blog. Indian Jewelry is tonight at The Slowdown Jr., not last night. So if you're bummed because you thought you missed it, well, here's your second chance (and if you went down there thinking it was last night, well, all's I can do is apologize). More details after the column. During my interview with Mike Jaworski, he off-handedly mentioned that Criteria is the "special guest" playing at The Cops show Saturday at Slowdown Jr. with Little Brazil and Race for Titles. But, Jaws added, the info was to be kept on the down low as Criteria frontman Stephen Pederesen wanted it to stay a secret for reasons even Jaws didn't know. So I contacted Pedersen and asked if I could mention Criteria in the column, and he said he'd been strong-armed by the fine folks at Slowdown to make the information public on Thursday, and that, yes indeed, it would be fine to mention it in the column. Well, by Wednesday, everyone I talked to already knew that Criteria was playing, and the data had been posted on a couple local webboards. It'll be the first time Criteria has played in Omaha in a couple years, so I suspect this show will quickly sell out Slowdown Jr. Get your tickets today... Maybe we'll get lucky and the Slowdown folks will move the show to the "big room."
So, like I said yesterday, tonight at Slowdown Jr., it's Houston drone-masters Indian Jewelry. According to Wikipedia, the band "is known for its droning vision music and seizure-inducing stage show." The few tracks I've heard were indeed dark, throbbing and psychedelic, yet… strangely catchy. Opening is Lymbyc Systym and Dim Light. $7, 9 p.m. Meanwhile, over at The Waiting Room, bluesy folk master William Elliott Whitmore plays with Triggertown and Lincoln Dickison (The Monroes, Bombardment Society, Techlepathy). $8, 9 p.m. Really. I mean it this time. --Got comments? Post 'em here.-- |
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posted by Tim at 5:03 AM |
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