A detailed recap of this past weekend's shows/festivals will be encapsulated in this week's column (probably). I went to Nebraska Pop, Maha and Rat Fest. And as we all know, the weather was perfect, though it didn't help attendance that much, at least during the daylight hours at Maha (though I'm told it filled in somewhat after dark).

* * *

A bit of news that I had tucked in my e-mail that I missed reporting last week -- Homer's is closing its Saddle Creek store Sept. 19 (This even after I begged Homer's general manager Mike Fratt to keep it open or move it to Benson!).

"Leases are up at Lincoln and Saddle Creek, and based on their volume of biz and the ridiculous prices landlords still think they can get, we can't risk it by re-signing," Fratt said in an e-mail. He went on to say that Homer's is signing a new lease in the Old Market (but at a new location). "We're not going away, just positioning ourselves to remain profitable."

In fact, the Saddle Creek Homer's was profitable, Fratt said, but just recently slipped to break even. "To some extent, Old Market and Saddle Creek compete with each other."

He said Homer's tried going month-to-month on the Saddle Creek lease for the rest of the year, but the landlord "would not work with us. We tried to buy the space and they would not work with us."

OK, now this seemed strange. How could that little notch of property be worth holding onto, especially considering that when Homer's is gone, the converted Kwik Shop building likely will remain empty indefinitely, just like the sad old Target store that's been sitting empty right next to it for years?

Fratt said the property was owned by an oil company and it has changed hands six times since Homer's moved in. "That piece of land is bundled with over 100 other properties around the country and the current owner will only sell the bundled real estate package," he said. "But, as you say, it will likely sit empty because REITs (real estate investment trusts) are in big trouble right now ($3 trillion in commercial real estate loans are up for renewal in Sept., next bubble to burst?), so there are no buyers."

All right then, what about Benson? Surely it has better "foot traffic" than Saddle Creek, and we all know there are plenty of empty storefronts along Maple St. "I remain interested, but have concerns about what's happening in Benson right now," Fratt said, "Two restaurants closing, the bridal shop closing, no new food coming in to replace the losses. Also, Mick's closing has chased away affluent adults to some extent, and Espana, since the sale, is not doing very well, so it'll have to wait until the economy improves."

I suppose you could call it a "duck-and-cover strategy," and I can't say I disagree with it. "You won't find an indie like us, anywhere in the U.S., with more than two locations per metro," Fratt said.

Want more data? Here's Christine Laue's recap from the OWH. In it, Fratt says Homer's, as part of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores, has negotiated with the major music labels to be able to sell new releases at $9.99, or $2 below cost. He called the price drop "a game changer" that will help them compete with the big box stores (Wal-Mart, Target, etc.).

I hope he's right. For me, the big game changer continues to be the Internet, but not necessarily because of illegal downloading. Case in point: Who remembers the old days before the Internet and Myspace when it was impossible to hear a new album without buying it? It was so difficult, in fact, that you often bought albums sight-unheard just because of your curiosity -- you took a chance, and sometimes the chance paid off, sometimes it didn't.

With the Internet, that sort of blind commitment no longer is necessary. These days, if you wonder what a band sounds like -- and I mean any band -- you can just go to Myspace or Lala.com where you can hear their latest album for free.

This ease of availability has turned us into a nation (or world) of listeners with short attention spans. We click on a link and begin listening, and if the track doesn't turn us on in 15 seconds we click to the next track or click away from the recording entirely, deciding that it sucks, whether it does or not.

The mystery is gone, for better or worse. For the better, it means we no longer have to waste money on an album that turns out to be 95 percent dud (We've all done this before). For the worse, we're discarding a lot of music that we simply haven't given enough time to "sink in." Fact is, most great albums don't sound great the first time through. It takes repeated listens before we "get it." And, of course, it also means with fewer people willing (or needing) to make a blind commitment, that Homer's and other record stores are selling fewer albums.

That's just my theory, of course…

I'll miss that little store on Saddle Creek. It was like a miniature version of the Old Market location, complete with that horrible incense stench that permeated your clothes so that you were left smelling like a head-shop for the rest of the day. Saddle Creek didn't have the biggest selection, but it had whatever I was looking for. And the people who worked there were always cool, just like everyone who works (or has worked) at Homer's. Here's hoping they all land on their feet.

* * *

Tonight at O'leaver's, Little Brazil labelmates Roman Numerals (Anodyne Records) is playing along with fellow Kansas City band Waiting for Signal. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Over at The Waiting Room, it's indie hip-hop royalty Eyedea and Abilities, along with Kristoff Krane and Maxilla Blue. $10, 9 p.m.

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

From my perch on the top of the world, I can see the semi-trucks parked along the riverfront, preparing for tomorrow's MAHA Festival. A glance at my Yahoo! weather forecast indicates Saturday will be sunny with a high of 74, perfect conditions for an all-day outdoor event. The only thing in question: Will people come? At $29.50 per ticket, the jury's definitely out.

I intend to be there early for Appleseed Cast and Army Navy and a taste of the Kermit Brashear Local Stage. You already know the rest of the line-up, but here's the schedule anyway. The good stuff ends after when It's True leaves the stage (they're scheduled for 4:45), which gives you plenty of time to go home and get ready for the evening's three other festivals.

I'll get to Saturday night's festival showcases in a minute. First, tonight is Night 2 of the Nebraska Pop Festival at The Waiting Room. The line-up starts at 7 p.m. sharp:

Spiders For Love (Omaha, Nebraska)
Transmittens (Lawrence, Kansas)
Mr. and Mrs. Muffins (Jakarta Indonesia & Seattle, Washington)
Talking Mountain (Omaha, Nebraska)
Poland (Seattle, Washington)
Strega (NYC, New York)

Of the festival's four nights, this will be the one that I'll likely attend. Tickets are $10 for this benefit showcase, with money going to UNO Mav Radio.

There's also a show tonight at O'Leaver's, featuring Dance Me Pregnant, Old Panther and Bazooka Shootout. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Now onto the Saturday evening festival line-up.

Top on the list, of course, is RAT FEST being held at 8 p.m. at a warehouse at 2406 Leavenworth -- the former Faint and Tilly and the Wall practice space. The current residents have added a stage, sound system and a back-alley smoking patio. The 8-band lineup is:

Beep Beep (Saddle Creek)
Life of a Scarecrow
Coyote Bones (Coco Art)
Brimstone Howl (Alive)
Flowers Forever (Team Love)
Conchance (Slumber Party)
Brainworlds (I'm Drinking This)
Babes

No idea on the band order. The DJ's for the evening are W.E.R.D , Mello Mic, and DJ Rey. Admission is only $5. This one could get crazy.

Also Saturday night at 7 p.m. is Night 3 of The Nebraska Pop Festival, featuring:

Electric Needle Room (Omaha, Nebraska)
Hanwell (Des Moines, Iowa)
Labrador w/ special guest Dereck Higgins on bass (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Mammoth Life (Lawrence Kansas)
Thunder Power (Omaha, Nebraska)
Cleemann w/ special guest Dereck Higgins on bass (Copenhagen, Denmark)

$8 adv./$10 dos. I'm told this will be the last local Thunder Power show until late November.

And for those of you into skanking the Reggae and Ska Festival is being held at Sokol Underground featuring The Super Colliders, Linoma Mashers, RC Dub, The Bishops and Rhythm Collective, all for $10 starting at 6 p.m.

On top of all that, there's a slew of great non-festival shows going on Saturday night.

At the Sydney, Reagan Roeder's new band Hubble is playing with The Wagon Blasters and Nicole Le Clerc. $5, 9 p.m.

At Slowdown Jr., John Klemmensen and The Party are playing with Lincoln's Ember Schrag. $7, 9 p.m.

At The Barley St., The Yuppies are playing with The Bassturds and Petit Mal. $5, 9 p.m.

And to top it all off, Dario Days is happening at Dario's as part of Dundee Day from 11 a.m. to midnight. Yes, there will be live music; no, I don't know who it is.

Whew!

That brings us to Sunday and the last night of the Nebraska Pop Festival, and maybe the festival's most impressive line-up:

Sweet Pea (Omaha, Nebraska)
Andrew K. Butler (Lincoln, Nebraska)
Cowboy Indian Bear (Lawrence, Kansas)
At Land (Omaha, Nebraska)
The Mother Z's (Chicago, Illinois)
Darren Keen (Omaha, Nebraska)

Tickets again are $8 adv./$10 dos. Show starts at 7 p.m.

Also Sunday night at O'Leaver's it's Circle K , Fergus and Geronimo, Teenage Cool Kids and Rainbow Party. $5, 9:30 p.m..

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

Maybe they should have called it the Nebraska Dream Pop Festival. I'm listening to the 19-song sampler (download here) of bands that will be performing at the four-day event, which starts tonight at The Barley St. Half the songs reminded me of laidback pop from such '80s and '90s bands as The Lilac Time, The Trash Can Sinatras, Lightning Seeds, The Sundays, House of Love, Everything But the Girl, you know what I'm talking about, and if you don't, well, look them up on AMG. The other half felt homemade and simple, able attempts at low-fi. Most of the bands on the sampler have a lighter-as-air quality (which isn't meant as a slam) combined with traditional modern-day indie and chamber folk that we've all become accustomed to living here in the former epicenter of indie music world.

So, the kick-off is being held at The Barley St. tonight starting at 7 p.m. The line-up, according to the Nebraska Pop Festival Myspace page, is:

Magic Crayon (Brighton & Hove, United Kingdom)
The Argyle Wishlist (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
The Sleepover (Lincoln, Nebraska)
Honey and Darling (Omaha, Nebraska)
The Tinycakes (Chicago, Illinois)
Pennyhawk (Ames, Iowa)

Tonight's show is $5. The rest of the week is being hosted at The Waiting Room and costs $8 adv./$10 dos. The whole weekend is a benefit for UNO's Mav Radio station, which just announced that it will soon be broadcasting over the air in HD. From this story in the UNO Gateway:

As university-based KVNO FM-1 gets set to transform into the metro's home for UNO athletics in the fall, KVNO HD2, 90.7-2 on your dial, will become student-run Mav Radio. The dial's digital channel will provide Mavericks fans a home for UNO men's and women's basketball games when UNO hockey is being aired on KVNO.

Mav Radio's official launch is set for Sept. 9. The station's production team plans to fill the broadcasts with satellite programming, likely jazz or blues music, during student holidays and other times where it will not be airing UNO athletics programming.

Conceivably, Mav Radio's on-air content also will include local and indie music. I guess we'll see, that is if any of us plunk down the cash to buy an HD receiver, which will be necessary to listen to the station.

This is an ambitious festival in that it 1) comes at the end of a long festival season in Omaha, 2) is four days long and 3) most of the (non-local) bands are virtually unknown in this market. It could be a hard sell, especially on Saturday when three other festivals are going on at the same time.

* * *

A clarification on an item that ran in Lazy-i yesterday: Karl Houfek wrote to say that last night's Boy Noise's show at O'Leaver's was the last show with Chris Rivera, who's moving to Austin and joining a new band called Loxsly. Houfek also is leaving Boy Noises in the near future, but the remaining members "might want to keep things going, so I told them I'd help them with the transition," Houfek said. Part of the transition will include the addition of Corey Broman (Dance Me Pregnant, ex-Art in Manila, ex-Little Brazil, ex-Kite Pilot), who will take over drums for the Sept. 12 Broken Spindles show at The Waiting Room.

* * *

Finally, tonight, singer/songwriters Sam Martin of Capgun Coup and Landon Hedges of Little Brazil join Blankenship at The Sydney. $5, 8 p.m.

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

Along with spotting the first robin, another sign of spring is when O'Leaver's disassembles its smoking hut (while its construction, sadly, symbolizes the onset of the long winter ahead).

Column 235: Smoke and Mirrors
You won't smell me later...

It dawned on me as I was driving home from the Box Elders show or the Eagle*Seagull show or the Matt Whipkey show or any of the other 200 or so shows that I've seen since last summer that I don't miss all that smoke in the bars.

I don't miss coming home smelling like a wet cat dunked into a wine barrel filled with nicotine. I don't miss having to strip off my clothes and place them in a smoldering pile on the bathroom floor, the smoke residue nearly visible like anger lines coming off a comic-book character's forehead. I don't miss having to wear my "smoking coat" to the club in the wintertime -- an old brown parka specifically dedicated to nights out, segregated from my other coats and clothes as to prevent infecting them with cig-stink.

I've thrown out the smoking parka. I don't need it anymore.

It's been over a year since the smoking ban went into effect in Omaha. When the hammer dropped in mid-June 2008, a gnashing of teeth was heard from the smokers along with a wave of warnings that the ban would result in systematically shutting down bars throughout the city.

They said that smokers would stay home and drink in their kitchens in front of their black-and-white TV sets, a mountain of butts ever-growing in their Bakelite ashtrays.

But a year has passed and all the smoking bars that were open back then still are today. People still file out of The Waiting Room between bands, cluttering up the sidewalk along Maple Street like halftime at a Philip Morris convention. And while it's true that the crowds at shows seem smaller these days, it may have more to do with our 21st Century Great Depression than a smoking restriction.

Marc Leibowitz, who runs The Waiting Room with business partner Jim Johnson, said it's hard to tell if the smoking ban affected their business. "I think it affects business, but not as (much) as it does non-music venues," he said.

For clubs like O'Leaver's, the solution was to create outdoor "beer gardens" that are little more than smoking porches. Drive by O'Leaver's on a show night and you'll see them packed into the wrought-iron enclosure like a herd of smoking cattle.

As winter began to encroach last year, the carpentry staff at O'Leaver's built a hand-made Quonset hut out of plywood that had about as much charm as a cooler in a Nazi prison camp. Inside, people huddled like weary GIs around a tall chrome space heater, the butts shivering between their lips.

The Sydney in Benson followed O'Leaver's lead and just finished building its own "beer garden" behind the bar. They're waiting for the city to give the final OK before it can open. The ban was in full effect when The Sydney opened for business this past January, said bar owner Jamie Massey, so he couldn't say if it impacted his business. "I think if people are going to smoke, going outside isn't a deal breaker if you want to get a drink," he said.

So, was all the doom talk about the ban crippling the bar business nothing more than smoke and mirrors? Not so, said Trey Lalley, the owner/operator of Omaha's best non-live-music rock bar, The Brother's Lounge at 38th and Farnam. "I know business is down everywhere and that there are bigger factors in play," he said. "but as far as my business goes, the smoking ban has impacted it."

Lalley said when the ban first went into effect, people didn't mind going outside for a smoke. "Now they're going other places," he said. "They're not coming here. I've had people tell me they're going where there's a beer garden."

Like The Waiting Room, The Brothers doesn't have anywhere to build a beer garden. "The only thing we could do is float a hot-air balloon above the bar," Lalley said.

But it's more than just fewer patrons. On a busy night, Lalley said 35 to 40 people are standing outside The Brothers smoking... without a drink in their hands. "Those people used to be inside, drinking," he said. "So we may be as busy, but they're not spending as much."

Trey said he won't know the ban's true impact for a few more years. "We just have to embrace the people we still have," he said. "It's not devastating, it's just a little hiccup. We just have to work through it."

As for the ban's benefit: "I feel great," he said. "I'm going to live longer, but I'm going to have to work all those extra years to make up for the lost business."

Playing tonight at O'Leaver's is some of the best and brightest new talent on the Omaha indie-rock scene: Sweet Pea, Boy Noises and Honey & Darling. This had been rumored to be Boy Noises' last show ever, but I see that the band is scheduled to play at The Waiting Room Sept. 12, opening for Broken Spindles and Pharmacy Spirits. Go ahead and check them out tonight for only $5. Show starts at 9:30 p.m.

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

In an already crowded festival season, one more has just been announced, presumably by The Rat King himself:

"To all my rodents with a pointy noses and sparsely haired tails that sometimes spread diseases, to all my people who hang out at the mall food court all day, to all who have been called treacherous, disloyal, or despicable, to all that are dirty and smell bad, to all who have short hair except a long strand of hair protruding from the back of their scalps. And to everyone else in the City of Omaha. The time has come...RAT FEST!!!"

Rat Fest is being held this Saturday night at 8 p.m. at a warehouse at 2406 Leavenworth. The 8-band lineup includes Beep Beep (Saddle Creek), Life of a Scarecrow, Coyote Bones (Coco Art), Brimstone Howl (Alive), Flowers Forever (Team Love), Conchance (Slumber Party), Brainworlds (I'm Drinking This) and Babes -- all for $5.

"Plus DJ's all night, rat masks, rat drinks, live drumming, live guitaring, live masking, The Rat King shouting at you through a megaphone, gyrations, dreams come true and any and everything else you can think of!!!!"

Oh my.

The message was forwarded to me by Flowers Forever frontman Derek Pressnall, who explained that the Leavenworth property is the former Faint and Tilly and the Wall practice space as well as the former studio of photographer Bryce Bridges. The current residents have fixed up the space with a stage, sound system and a back-alley smoking patio. The DJ's for the evening are W.E.R.D , Mello Mic, and DJ Rey.

The marketing for Rat Fest already has exceeded MAHA and the Nebraska Pop Festival. Why? Because this actually sounds like fun. Could Rat Fest become Omaha's Lollapalooza? Very unlikely. Still, it could become another sordid annual event like the Aksarben Coronation. Imagine, say, the guys in MGMT talking to their agent about next year's tour schedule: "Let's see, we've got Pitchforkfest in Chi, followed by Lolla and All Tomorrow's Parties, and then we have Rat Fest in Omaha…." Believe it.

More info as it becomes available, presumably from The Rat King...

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

The draw to Eagle*Seagull Friday night was stoked by Kevin Coffey's Q&A with the band that appeared in the OWH last week (here), where they touched upon the Starbucks label ordeal that concluded with frontman Eli Mardock saying, "What is important is that we’ve got the rights to our record, and we’re going to release it." This would imply that after their deal with Starbucks fell though that E*S had to reacquire the rights to The Year of the How-To Book. We've all heard the story before with other bands; hopefully reacquiring the rights didn't put them back financially…

Anyway, that's not why I went to Slowdown. I've heard the band perform songs off How-To for the past two years (or so it seems) and wasn't really in the mood to hear them again. Well, Mardock apparently wasn't in the mood to play them, either. "It’s actually the tunes from (The Year of the How-To Book) that I’m really sick of," he said in the OWH story. "That’s why for this show I think a large portion of our set will be songs we’re preparing for our third album."

And that's exactly what we got. E*S played a number of new songs that carried on the thick-beat-dance style from the best of How-To, but with more atmospherics, more layered tones, more nuanced melodies (Hooverphonic came to mind). The new material sounds more sophisticated than the older stuff without losing the thread that runs through all E*S music -- Mardock's unique vocal style and the band's celebratory arrangements. The crowd of 130 (that's a guess) was definitely into it.

The story of Eagle*Seagull is definitely one of peaks and valleys. I remember when they first kicked off back in '05, the buzz was so extreme that it was generating resentment (and jealousy) from other local bands. Everyone thought E*S was going to launch like a rocket and be the next big thing out of Nebraska. Rumors of the Starbucks deal only fueled the hype. And then, things just seemed to go dark. The songs off How-To showed up on Myspace and the band began playing them live to an adoring audience with everyone wondering when it was coming out and who was releasing it. But then word eked out that the Starbucks thing fell though. And those who had resented E*S were now quietly rooting for them.

Which brings us to the present. Said Mardock of How-To in the OWH story: "It's coming out in Europe this January or February. I reckon we'll release it in North America around the same time, too." I assume he means Jan/Feb 2010. Again, no word on who's releasing the CD. As much as he's tired of playing those songs, he can look forward to another year of touring them. Here's hoping that it actually happens this time; that E*S get the break it deserves.

* * *

Saturday night was the Matt Whipkey CD release show at The Waiting Room. I got there early to catch At Land, and am happy I did. At Land is Doug Kabourek (drums/vocals), Travis Sing (guitar/vocals) and James Carrig (bass). Kabourek is one of the best drummers in the Omaha music scene, whether anyone knows it or not. His throaty percussion drove everything, though Sing knows how to shred a guitar. That's right, I said "shred." Those of you who remember Kabourek's last great band, Fizzle Like a Flood, will be impressed/surprised at the power/intensity of this new band (His other new band, The Dull Cares, carries on the Fizzle tradition). But while this is indeed heavy stuff, there's a gorgeous sugar-pop sheen that coats everything with a smile. The closest comparison would be Monster-era R.E.M. meets early Weezer with just a hint of a twang on Travis' songs. Translated: This is the funnest band Kabourek's been involved in. Watch out for them.

Whipkey fleshed out the songs on his new album, Instant Heart, with a full band that included most of the members of Anonymous American (except for Zip Zimmerman on drums). I walked away thinking maybe he should have waited and released a full-on band version of the album. It reminded me of hearing Brad Hoshaw's Live at Mick's album followed up by his debut with The Seven Deadlies. As much as I like that live record, the Seven Deadlies release really put air under those songs. The same was true with Whipkey's songs. With a full band, the music took on a different, more defined hue, turning a lonely, almost forlorn-sounding album into a macho exercise in Americana-Folk, with Whipkey once again proving that at his core, he's a consummate showman. Though only about 100 people were there to see it, the crowd got out of their seats and on their feet, and eventually filled the floor in front of the stage.

* * *

This is a quiet week in terms of live shows. O'Leaver's has a big one on Wednesday (Sweet Pea/Boy Noises/Honey & Darling), The Sydney has Sam Martin and Landon Hedges on Thursday (while Rev. Horton Heat is at Slowdown), but that's it until the weekend, when the Nebraska Pop Festival kicks off, along with the MAHA Festival on Saturday...

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

You'll have to make some tough choices tonight...

Eagle*Seagull is playing at Slowdown Jr. with Honey & Darling, Mighty Tiger and The Answer Team. The show is a benefit for The DailyER Nebraskan, the satirical newspaper of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln which I never heard of prior to this benefit. $8, 9 p.m.

Over at O'Leaver's, Outlaw Con Bandana is playing with Church of Gravitron and "one other guy." $5, 9:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, at The Barley Street Tavern, Lincoln singer/songwriter Ember Schrag is playing with Jake Bellows (Neva Dinova) and Nicole Le Clerc. $5, 9 p.m.

Looks like you're going to get two chances to see Jake play in Benson tonight. He's also playing a set at The Sydney along with Lee Meyerpeter (of The Filter Kings/Bad Luck Charm/Cactus Nerve Thang fame), Sleepy House and Comme Reel. $5, 9 p.m.

* * *

The big draw on Saturday night is the Matt Whipkey CD release show at The Waiting Room with Anonymous American and At Land. $7, 9 p.m.

Also Saturday night, Fortnight at The 49'r with Bazooka Shootout. $5, 9:30 p.m.

* * *

Someone who had read my recent MAHA column asked me what bands I'd like to see at an Omaha festival. I told them to consider the line-up for the Treasure Island Music Festival Oct. 17-18 in San Francisco. The second day alone features The Flaming Lips, The Decemberists, Beirut, Grizzly Bear, Yo La Tengo, The Walkmen, Bob Mould, Thao with The Get Down Stay Down, Vetiver, Spiral Stairs, Sleepy Sun, Tommy Guerrero, and Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. I would be happy if MAHA could get just the first five on that list. Treasure Island is a steal ticket-wise: Single-day tickets are a mere $65, two-day tickets (Day 1 headliner is MGMT) are $115. Considering how much lodging will cost, that low ticket price is probably a wash...

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

Just posted for your reading pleasure, an interview with singer/songwriter/haircut Matt Whipkey (read it here). Whipkey talks about his past projects and how they contributed to his new solo album, Instant Heart, which will be celebrated at a CD release show this Saturday night at The Waiting Room.

This is Whipkey's most intimate and straight-forward recording, mainly because he played all the instruments himself and recorded it alone in his basement over the course of three weeks (presumably nursing a broken heart…or maybe not). He said he was going for a low-fi, homemade sound (It was recorded on a 4-track analog tape deck), but it sounds as good as a formal studio recording. There will be (and has been) comparisons to Springsteen's Nebraska album. It's obvious to anyone who knows Whipkey's work that he's an unabashed Springsteen fan, and it shows through on these tracks.

Anyway, read the interview, and then get your tickets to Saturday's show. The evening includes an Anonymous American reunion, which is sure to confuse any of Whipkey's newer fans, and a performance by At Land, Doug Kabourek's new rock project. $7, 9 p.m.

* * *

Speaking of shows, tonight is the big Pretenders/Cat Power/ Juliette Lewis concert at Harrah's Stir Cove. I saw the Pretenders open for The Who at the Qwest White Elephant Barn a few years ago. They put on a decent, if not boring, show. Here's the review:

No one stood up during The Pretenders set even though Chrissie Hynde and her band probably sounded no different than they did during their '80s heyday. Wearing a crazy top-hat, elbow gloves and leg warmers, the 55-year-old Hynde tore through a set of the usual oldies, songs whose names I don't know because I was never much of a Pretenders fan. The only time the crowd got into it was during "My City Was Gone," where a few folks did a modified bump-and-grind in their seats. Thankfully, it was hard to see with the lights out...

The Pretenders' new album is rather dry; needless to say, fans will be hitting the port-a-jonny (or the dice tables?) when they roll out their "new stuff." I would love to see Cat Power, but not in that setting. Juliette Lewis should be comically entertaining.

Here's what I don't get: Tickets are on sale right now for $51, and had been on sale before that for $45.50 -- for those unfortunate enough to buy them early. I say that because last week Stir offered tickets online for $5. In fact, Stir has been known to give away tickets to shows that don't sell well.

Knowing this, why would anyone buy advanced tickets to a Stir show? The answer: From now on, no one will, except for those completely out of the loop. Had I bought tickets for $45.50 and found out that they were selling them for $5 (or giving them away), I would feel ripped off.

Needless to say, I didn't get in on the $5 tickets, and am now completely unwilling to spend more than $5 for this show…

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

So who came up with the name? "We wanted it to be kind of self-deprecating," said MAHA Festival organizer Tyler Owen said, "but we wanted it to describe the area, too. Bemis Press (a local design firm) came up with the name. There was some resistance, but it was better than some of the others we were considering. (The name) was a very contentious issue for the board for two months. It wasn't the name I wanted, but I like it. It's kind of a silly word that doesn't mean anything, like Bonnaroo and Coachella."

Column 234: MAHA Explained
The festival's organizer talks about compromise.

Tyler Owen, one of the key people behind next weekend's MAHA Festival at Lewis and Clark Landing, wasn't too happy with last week's column, where I suggested that the terribly named event was nothing more than a repackaging of the usual casino acts, along with a sprinkling of local bands that had to win talent contests to get on the Kermit Brashear (I-Love-Sarpy-County) Local Stage.

It wasn't the first criticism that Owen and the rest of the "YFC" committee have heard about MAHA. And word on the street (confirmed by Owen) is that ticket sales have been lagging in the wake of The River Riot and Green Day, which have siphoned off all of the extra lawn-mowing money from their target audience.

Owen called Sunday while driving back from a South Dakota vacation. His key message: The festival being held next weekend is not the festival that he wanted. The real goal is to make MAHA into a Midwestern version of the Bonnaroo or Coachella festivals.

Sound ambitious? He went on to say organizers envision MAHA as a three-day event held at a dam site that would be preceded by a week-long South by Southwest-style invitational hosted in Benson or the Old Market.

"The intent is to get this thing big and powerful enough to get Radiohead here," he said. But instead, they got G. Love and Special Sauce and Dashboard Confessional. What happened?

"We asked over 200 bands and ended up with the lineup we have, for better or worse," he said.

They thought they had The Flaming Lips, but that fell through. The list of targeted bands also included Fran Ferdinand, The Killers, Phoenix and Bob Mould, but because of their touring schedules -- and the fact that MAHA is an unproven quantity -- none would commit.

Add to that the fact that they got started three months too late, in February. One of their first decisions, Owen said, was hiring One Percent Productions' Marc Leibowitz -- easily the best promoter of local indie rock shows, who books The Waiting Room, Slowdown and larger venues such as The Holland and Anchor Inn. Owen said off the bat they had The Decemberists locked in, "but we became concerned about selling 3,000 tickets for them," he said. "So we went a little bit more commercial."

With that in mind, Owen said they dropped One Percent. "Marc is 100 percent indie, so we decided to wait and collaborate with him next year," he said. Instead, the YFC turned to Events Resources Presents, Inc., a company out of Green Bay, Wisconsin, whose festivals include Sioux City's Saturday in the Park Festival. Their headliner this year was Counting Crows. You can figure out the rest yourself.

So who is the YFC? Owen said the acronym doesn't stand for Your Festival Committee, as had been reported. "I can't reveal its true definition," he said without explaining why. The five-member committee includes Mike App, Trey Brashear (yes, he's related to Kermit), Mike Toohey and Traci Hancock. And Owen, who said he's worked in the music business in Los Angeles and has played in bands for 25 years. His current band, The Eye, has a new album coming out in December. These days Owen makes a living working in his family's steel business.

The MAHA Festival is a non-profit endeavor -- designated 501c3 -- and depends not only on ticket sales but donations and sponsors to make it work. Owen said a festival mission is to keep prices down "so it's not going to cost $150 for tickets" -- an admirable goal.

From a local standpoint, Owen said the YFC tried to get Cursive, Bright Eyes and The Faint on the bill, but had no luck. "We wanted Saddle Creek and the Slumber Party Records guys involved in the say in the local lineup," Owen said. But instead, they decided to go with a "battle of the bands" approach because "we thought it would be a good opportunity for people to get excited" about MAHA. The final local band line-up is Jes Winter Band, Little Brazil and Noah's Ark Was a Spaceship. It's True, which is also playing, got invited without winning a contest because they are "kind of a favorite" of the YFC.

Owen said that indie bands Appleseed Cast and Army Navy are his "favorite bands on the bill." So why relegate them to early afternoon time slots when no one will be there? "That's where we felt they fit in the overall lineup," he said, adding that G. Love and Dashboard got the plum 7 and 9 p.m. slots because "We kind of went by who we thought would pull the largest number of people."

"It was a hard decision to make," he added. "Were we going to hire a band for twice as much to play a festival environment that would be lucky to fill Slowdown on a Saturday night? Maybe we did this bigger than we should have. This whole thing is a learning experience."

In the end, this year's MAHA Festival has been an endless series of compromises, right down to the location. "Our first choice was Anchor Inn," Owen said. Lewis and Clark Landing was chosen because "it's plug and play, and we just wanted to get this first one under our belts."

Things will be different next year, Owen said. They're considering Levi Carter Park or Standing Bear Lake as possible locations, and plans call for forming a panel of local music experts to make recommendations for bands.

"The thing I keep coming back to with people not into the lineup is to go down and be a part of it anyway," Owen said. "Be a part of an all-day festival and help us become viable for the future."

* * *

Tonight at Slowdown Jr, it's Oakland, California low-fi garage punk-rock freak Nobunny. Check out his rabbit-masked hi-jinx on YouTube. Opening is Flamboyant Gods and Mr. Wizard. $7, 9 p.m.

Tomorrow: Whipkey

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

Thanks to the rain, the weekend was a giant bust. I went to no shows at all, but I did pick up three CDs at Homer's -- new ones by Wilco, Grizzly Bear and Dirty Projectors -- all are among the most-hyped indie albums so far in '09. I'll let you know what I think, but so far, the Wilco album is making the cut, the Grizz album started out strong but seems to meander and meander and meander. I haven't had a chance to listen to the DP album.

I also did a couple interviews -- Matt Whipkey, which you'll see online Thursday, and a member of the MAHA Festival committee reacting to last week's Lazy-i column, which will be online Wednesday. Very interesting indeed.

What else…

According to the Washington Post (here) Conor Oberst opened the Woodstock reunion concert this past Saturday "reprising Jimi Hendrix's electric guitar version of 'The Star Spangled Banner' that became legendary after he performed it at Woodstock." Conor is a strange choice for such an honor. He's about as well known for his guitar playing as Hendrix was known as a singer/songwriter.

Anyway...

O'Leaver's is kicking off a busier than normal music week tonight with Anaheim garage band Thee Makeout Party (who just got off the road with Nobunny), along with The Contrails and The Prairies. $5, 9:30 p.m.

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

Wasilla Alaska indie band Portugal. The Man is playing tonight at The Waiting Room with Landing on the Moon. Portugal's new album, The Satanic Satanist, kind of reminds me of low-end MGMT with some groovy rock touches and plenty of falsetto. If you're wondering about the name, Wikipedia says they were going for a "bigger than life" vibe. Says guitarist John Gourley, "The band's name is 'Portugal'. The period is stating that, and 'The Man' states that it's just one person," though there's more than one person in the band (more like five). They just played at Lollapalooza and did Bonnaroo earlier this year, so their star seems to be on the rise. Catch them for a mere $12. Show starts at 9 p.m.

* * *

A few newsy bits to pass along:

-- Capgun Coup announced yesterday that its sophomore effort, Maudlin, will be released Nov. 3 on Team Love Records. According to the publicist: "The new album is often a satiric commentary on the state of contemporary life, from the futility of sadness, self-pity, and ennui to economic and social inequities to the anesthetizing effects of technology. With dishwater-colored and cracked glasses, Capgun Coup are almost modern, Midwestern Holden Caulfields - howling with restless dissatisfaction in anguished, dissonant vocals and armed with guitars." Yeah, but does it have a beat you can dance to?

-- Speed! Nebraska announced that Techlepathy's debut CD is "at the plant" with more release info to follow. Techlepathy frontman Lincoln Dickison will be playing at noon this Saturday at famous Omaha craft store Mangelsen's along with The Wagon Blasters and Outlaw Con Bandana. It's free; bring the kids.

-- I just noticed that the Meat Puppets are slated to play at The Waiting Room Nov. 7. I've never thought much of these guys live, but caught them at SXSW and was indeed impressed with their over-the-top arena-rock sound.

* * *

This week's column is a slight retooling of Monday's blog entry, so if you read Lazy-i regularly, you've already seen this. I include it here for completist's sake. I'm told that Little Brazil and Noah's Ark Was a Spaceship won the talent contest and will be playing the Brashear LLC Local Stage, or as one clever reader suggested, perhaps they should rename it The Sarpy County Stage (see this OWH story for the punch line).

Column 233: Homeless in MAHA
Creek signs NYC singer/songwriter, MAHA hosts another talent contest.

Some bits and pieces from last week, culled from the blog...

Altsounds.com reported Sunday that Saddle Creek Records signed singer/songwriter Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson and will be releasing his new album, Summer of Fear, Oct. 20. MBAR has worked with a couple guys in Grizzly Bear and TV on the Radio.

I've never heard of MBAR. Looks like there was a rather large swell of press surrounding him last summer, including an item in SPIN and a Q&A in New York blog Gothamist that included this quote about his stint as a homeless person in NYC:

"Q: Are there any nights you remember distinctly from that time in your life? A: This album is not about being homeless in New York. Maybe if we're having a beer sometime we can bullshit about our past and tell drug stories but the repeated discussion of them in relation to talking about my music is beginning to bore me. I HAVE DONE A SHIT TON OF DRUGS AND I USED TO SLEEP OUTSIDE SOMETIMES. I ATE FOOD OUT OF THE GARBAGE AND SAVED FOUND CHANGE TO BUY MALT LIQOUR (sic). IF YOU DON'T ALREADY HATE THIS STORY YOU WILL SOON. Oh the unshakeable stench of cliché that surrounds me."

Poor, poor MBAR. I have to agree with him, his background certainly is sad and cliché, and there are those who will assume that the experience permeates his songs, whether it does or not. He better get used to being asked about living in a cardboard box because us poor, lazy music journalists -- dying to find some kind of hook to write around -- are going to ask about it again and again. It reminds me of a comment I read from a musician who had a different kind of pre-fame hardship: "Yeah, I lived in my car for a year, in fact I was parked right behind Jewel."

Checking out some of MBAR's music on Myspace, it indeed sounds like something that belongs on Saddle Creek. How did it all come about? Saddle Creek head honcho Robb Nansel e-mailed me to say, "Jeff Tafolla (who works at Saddle Creek) came across him online. We all really liked his music and he was looking for a label. Jeff and I met him and his manager at SXSW earlier this year." So, along with the recently signed Rural Alberta Advantage, it's yet another SXSW success story for Saddle Creek.

Creek is on a signing binge these days. The label announced last month that it signed Lawrence band Old Canes. It's as if they've decided to throw a handful of indie haircuts at the wall and see what sticks. Hopefully it'll turn into a big, sticky wig.

* * *

Yet another "talent competition"-style audition was held Monday night for the MAHA Festival (O! what a terrible name). This time it was Little Brazil, Noah's Ark Was a Spaceship, Anniversaire, Little Black Stereo and Conchance battling for a chance to play on the festival's "local stage."

Two of the five were to be chosen via audience ballot. I told members of one of the bands prior to the show that they should form a union and tell the MAHA organizers that it's all or nothing -- take all the bands or take none. All have moved beyond the "battle of the bands" point in their careers a long time ago.

The two "winners" will be joining a couple other local bands on the litigiously titled "Brashear LLP Local Stage." A similar audience-ballot process was conducted during the recent Omaha Entertainment and Arts Showcase. MAHA organizers issued a press release last weekend announcing that Jes Winter Band received the most ballots in that election. But it also said that "Another local band, It’s True, will appear after a collaborative effort between YFC, MAHA’s organizing committee, and 1% Productions earned them an invitation to play."

Don't get me wrong, I dig It's True, but what exactly is "a collaborative effort" supposed to mean? That they got together and just decided? That would be a refreshing alternative to this endless stream of talent contests.

By the way, who or what is "YFC"? Well, Google "YFC" and the first search results you'll see is Youth For Christ, which this ain't. Instead, YFC stands for the not-so-cleverly titled "Your Festival Committee." They may want to rethink that TLA (Three Letter Acronym).

The fest takes place at the Lewis & Clark Riverfront Landing on Aug. 29. Tickets are $30. On the bill are some Harrah's Casino-type bands including Big Head Todd and the Monsters, G. Love and Special Sauce and Dashboard Confessional. Guess they couldn't get The Spin Doctors or Crash Test Dummies.

There actually are a couple good national acts on the bill -- Appleseed Cast and Army Navy, two bands that I'd rather see perform at The Waiting Room or Slowdown. The bad news is that they'll be playing at 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. respectively. Of course no one will be there yet, so the organizers will feel justified in saying, "See, no one's here. Good thing we scheduled them early." And they'll be right, because no one who wants to see Big Head Todd knows or cares for Appleseed Cast.

I'm still waiting for someone to step up with a real festival that would include some truly vital bands, like Sonic Youth, Wilco, PJ Harvey, or a reformed Jane's Addiction. Waitaminit, that festival was held last weekend... in Chicago.

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

So who is backing Daniel Johnston tonight at The Slowdown? The mystery was solved last week when Kyle Harvey e-mailed me to say that Daniel's backing band would once again be The Rayguns -- Mike Friedman, Reagan Roeder, Scott "Zip" Zimmerman and Mr. Harvey himself. Those of you who missed Daniel's last Omaha performance (back in February 2008) can catch up on it with this review. Opening tonight's show is Hubble (Roeder's and Friedman's latest project) and Darren Keen (of The Show Is the Rainbow fame). Tickets are $18 and the show starts at 9.

Also tonight, indie dance pop band Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin (or simply SSLYBY) is playing at The Waiting Room with Joe Firstman and Brian Wright. $8, 9 p.m.

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

The Box Elders tore it up at their CD release show at The Waiting Room Friday night. Though we didn't get any green-foam-drooling, the crowd of around 200 (I'd hoped for a sell-out, and I'm sure they did, too) did get a scorching two-song encore. Opening band The Goodnight Loving was OK, but too many of their songs sounded the same (and their set was too long).

Saturday night I swung by The Saddle Creek Bar for a late-night drink(s) and saw The Pilots and Lawrence band American Lowlife. The Pilots played mainstream FM rock, while American Lowlife was trying for punk but relied too much on the same chord progressions and rhythms as Blink/Green Day, which is a shame because they could do more with it if they wanted to. They had one song with a vocal line that reminded me of Chavez. I mentioned this to the band afterward and of course they'd never heard of Chavez (but said they'd check it out). Total audience size at The Saddle Creek Bar, not including the help, was around five. BTW, I'd gone there to see Akita-Ken, who I'd been told played a good set at least week's OEA showcase, but the band didn't show up -- they didn't cancel, they just didn't show up.

* * *

Altsounds.com reported yesterday (here) that Saddle Creek Records has signed Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson and will be releasing his new album, Summer of Fear, Oct. 20. MBAR has worked with a couple guys in Grizzly Bear and TV on the Radio.

I've never heard of MBAR. Looks like there was a rather large swell of press about him last summer, including an item in SPIN and this Q&A in Gothamist that included this quote about his homeless stint:

Q: Are there any nights you remember distinctly from that time in your life? A: This album is not about being homeless in New York. Maybe if we're having a beer sometime we can bullshit about our past and tell drug stories but the repeated discussion of them in relation to talking about my music is beginning to bore me. I HAVE DONE A SHIT TON OF DRUGS AND I USED TO SLEEP OUTSIDE SOMETIMES. I ATE FOOD OUT OF THE GARBAGE AND SAVED FOUND CHANGE TO BUY MALT LIQOUR. IF YOU DON'T ALREADY HATE THIS STORY YOU WILL SOON. Oh the unshakeable stench of cliché that surrounds me.

Poor MBAR. I have to agree with him, his background is sad and cliché, and there are those who will assume that the experience permeates his songs, whether it does or not. He better get used to being asked about it because us poor, lazy music journalists -- dying to find some kind of hook to write around -- are going to ask about it one way or another. I like how Gothamist broached the topic. It reminds me of a comment I read somewhere from a musician who had a different kind of pre-fame hardship: "Yeah, I lived in my car for a year, in fact I was parked right behind Jewel."

Check out some of MBAR's music on his Myspace page. Sounds like something that belongs on Saddle Creek. So how did this all come about? Saddle Creek's Robb Nansel e-mailed me just now to say, "Jeff Tafolla (who works at Saddle Creek) came across him online. We all really liked his music and he was looking for a label. Jeff and I met him and his manager at SXSW earlier this year." So yet another SXSW success story.

Creek appears to be on a signing binge these days. It's like they're throwing a handful of spaghetti at the wall and seeing which piece sticks. Hopefully it'll turn into a big, sticky pasta puck.

* * *

Tonight is another "talent competition"-type audition for the poorly named MAHA festival. This time it's Little Brazil, Noah's Ark Was a Spaceship, Anniversaire and (last-minute addition) Conchance battling for a chance to play on the festival's second stage. The show is at The Waiting Room at 8 and is free of charge.

Two of the four will be chosen via ballot. I told members of one of the bands that they should form a union and tell the BLAHA organizers that it's all or nothing -- take all four bands or take none. They all have moved beyond the "battle of the bands" point in their careers a long time ago. I wonder if any of these bands will be getting paid for performing tonight. I wonder if they'll get paid for performing at the BLAHA Festival or if they should "just feel lucky" that they've been given a chance to play in front of what organizers believe will be a large crowd.

I'm also trying to figure out who's actually behind this event. The BLAHA folks issued a press release a couple days ago announcing that Jes Winter Band received the most ballots during the OEA Summer Showcase, and will be performing at the fest. But it also said that "Another local band, It’s True, will appear after a collaborative effort between YFC, MAHA’s organizing committee, and 1% Productions earned them an invitation to play."

Don't get me wrong, I dig It's True, but what exactly is "a collaborative effort" supposed to mean? That they got together and just decided? That would be a refreshing alternative to this endless stream of talent contests.

By the way, if you Google "YFC" the first search results you'll get back is Youth For Christ, which this ain't. Instead, YFC stands for "Your Festival Committee." You guys may want to rethink that TLA (Three Letter Acronym).

Anyway, you can find out more about the BLAHA Festival here. On the bill are a couple of Harrah's Casino-type bands including Big Head Todd and the Monsters, G. Love and Special Sauce and Dashboard Confessional. Guess they couldn't get The Spin Doctors or Crash Test Dummies.

There actually are a couple good bands on the bill -- Appleseed Cast and Army Navy, two bands that I'd rather see perform at TWR or Slowdown. The bad news is that they'll be playing at 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. respectively. No one will be there yet, so the organizers will feel justified in saying, "See, no one's here. Good thing we scheduled them early." And they'll be right, because no one who wants to see Big Head Todd knows or cares for Appleseed Cast.

The fest takes place at the Lewis & Clark Riverfront Landing on Aug. 29. Tickets are $30.

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

Here's what I have for the weekend...

Tonight at The Waiting room it's the Box Elders CD release show with Hercules and The Goodnight Loving. Methinks this one will draw very well indeed, especially for a mere $7. Show starts at 9 p.m. Get there early to see a rare club appearance by Hercules.

Also tonight, Chris Kramer, the former member of Talking Moutain who as you all know moved to Chicago earlier this year, is back in town tonight for a very special performance by Stolen Kisses at The Barley Street Tavern with Darren Keen (TSITR), Adam Robert Haug and The Red Burros. Quite a line-up for $5. Starts at 9.

Down at Slowdown Jr., singer/songwriter supreme Kyle Harvey opens a show for Vago and 24 Hour Cardlock. $7, 9 p.m.

Saturday night, Pete Yorn, who recorded a ton of his new album right here in Omaha at ARC studio with Mike Mogis, heads to Council Bluffs to perform at The Whiskey Roadhouse at the Horseshoe Casino. $22.50, 8 p.m.

Also Saturday night, Akita-Ken and The Pilots open for American Lowlife at The Saddle Creek Bar. No idea on the cover, but the fun starts at 9 p.m.

Finally on Sunday, The Breeders return to Omaha to perform at The Slowdown with Times New Viking. Tix are $17, show starts at 9 p.m.

Also Sunday night, the incomparable Thunder Power plays at O'Leaver's with Sleeping in the Aviary, Cloud Dog and Adam Robert Haug. 5, 9:30 p.m.

See you tonight at The Waiting Room.

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

I easily could have written 2,500 words on Box Elders, but the paper just didn't have the room. Such is life. Instead, this streamlined 1,000-word epic (which you can read here) covers the origins of the band, the sibling characteristics, the new album and the stage show. Read it, then get your tickets to tomorrow night's CD release show at The Waiting Room featuring Hercules and The Goodnight Loving, all for a mere $7.

* * *

A reader pointed out on the webboard that I forgot to mention in yesterday's column -- where I talked about how bands from a number of labels, including Slumber Party Records, didn't take part in the OEA showcase -- that Thunder Power (which played the showcase) is actually on Slumber Party Records. Not only that, but Thunder Power has a new EP called And Everything After that just came out on the label that includes three songs that previously were only available on that hard-to-find split EP the band did with Alessi's Ark. Check it out at slumberpartyrecords.com.

* * *

Tonight at The Waiting Room it's Magnolia Electric Co. with The Donkeys and Thousand Arrows. $10, 9 p.m.

Meanwhile, down at Slowdown Jr. it's Little Brazil with The Valley Arena and Anniversaire. $5, 9 p.m.

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

Other thoughts about the OEA showcase:

For the most part, the bands ran on schedule, sometimes too much so. I missed The Answer Team because apparently The Barley St. was running the schedule on bar time rather than human time. Only two bands canceled. The smaller venues sounded great, specifically The Barley and Burkes. Burkes was hampered by having the bands set up next to the front door -- there must be a reason they don't set them up in the back of the room.

Though I say below I didn't hear any complaints from the bands, I did hear one -- at some clubs (maybe all of them?) performing bands had to pay for their own drinks. This seems to be a slap in the face considering they're already not getting paid to play. At the very least, bands should be given drink tickets that can be used at all the venues, or better yet, a laminate that would give them access to a venue's green room where free refreshments would be on ice. Considering that 60 bands were scheduled to perform, each with an average of four members, that equates to 240 potential lost paying booze customers, which means this idea will never materialize.

Column 232: OEA Redux
The showcase enjoys its best year ever.

MarQ Manner, the organizer of last weekend's Omaha Entertainment and Arts (OEA) Summer Showcase, must be pleased.

By the looks of the crowds (and the lack of available parking throughout Benson) the two-day showcase of mostly unsigned local bands was a big wet success -- at least on Friday night when a downpour fell halfway through the night's docket of bands.

This is the third year for an OEA-related festival held in Benson. Cash generated from wristband sales went to the non-profit organization, apparently to help pay for all those heavy crystal trophies that will be handed out at the annual awards presentation this January.

As per usual, the bands who played got nothing except exposure to the same people who they expose themselves to during non-festival nights at the very same venues, but I didn't hear any complaints. No one held a gun to their heads and said they had to play the showcase.

The weekend's real beneficiary, of course, were the clubs involved -- The Waiting Room, Burke's Pub, The Sydney, The Barley Street Tavern, and PS Collective. They got two days' worth of free entertainment on their stages and kept every penny of the booze sales, which had to be staggering judging by the zombie-like patrons seen stumbling along the sidewalks toward closing time.

By the way, this wasn't an official "qualifying round" for this year's OEA awards. That showcase, where nominated bands perform for the OEA's "music academy" (of which I am a member), takes place later this fall, but will likely be a rerun of what we got this weekend.

With 60 band performing, it was impossible to see them all. Here's my personal scorecard:

-- Boy Noises -- Consisting of former members of Sleep Said the Monster, these guys have awoken into a Franz Ferdinand-flavored big-beat dance band. If It's True is Slo-Fi Records' Bright Eyes, Boy Noises is their Faint. Word has it that the band's days are numbered, as their drummer is moving and their keyboard player wants to focus on his other band (the aforementioned It's True, and who can blame him?). Catch them while you can (Pssst... Sept. 12 at TWR with Broken Spindles and Pharmacy Spirits).

-- Anniversaire -- I tweeted that they are "a baroque Ben Folds w/cello and giant bass drum," and that's about right, though their songs go for "slow building epic" more than Folds' "sing-a-long," and could do with a bit of editing (as if that'll ever happen). They're playing Aug. 6 at Slowdown Jr. with Little Brazil.

-- Brad Hoshaw and the Seven Deadlies -- Sporting the best local album released so far this year, Hoshaw is bound to take home more of those OEA crystal penises. The Seven Deadlies have been cut to three, but they're just as deadly. Maybe even deadlier. Hoshaw now has no reason for not getting this tightly hewn unit onto the road (and I mean roads outside of the quad-state area).

-- Sweet Pea -- Chop pop upbeat dance rock that at times seemed to be trying for a fun (rather than dour) Pixies vibe and at other times bordered on cabaret (or Broadway). They could be theatrical if they wanted to be, but they just want you to forget about them and dance. They're almost there.

-- It's True -- Adam Hawkins and his crew are blowing up. They drew the largest crowd of the weekend (that I saw, anyway), bringing The Waiting Room close to capacity and then killing it with their epic soundtrack. I remain quietly amused that these guys and Hoshaw are not signed to a mid-sized indie label (including one that resides in their hometown).

There was more. The Midwest Dilemma Orchestra played half unplugged resulting in an exuberant performance that turned The Sydney into a heated gypsy orgy. Goodbye Sunday went out in style, playing their farewell show to an adoring Burke's crowd. Honey and Darling pulled the short straw and got gypped by PS Collective's inferior sound, while Fortnight got buried beneath a muddy mix at TWR. My weekend ended by watching DJ Brent Crampton getting the shorties moving with his thick-ass beats (I Zimbra indeed).

Manner said around 850 paid over the weekend, but that numbers seem light if (as he said) they sold 500 wristbands on Saturday alone. Regardless, the showcase is the organization's most successful to date. Still, whether the OEA folks want to admit it or not, many are starting to consider the OEA's as "a Benson thing" that only involves the neighborhood's bands.

Which brings us to that point in the story that you've all heard from me before. Most of the city's best bands continue to be missing from OEA events. There were no Saddle Creek, Slumber Party, Speed! Nebraska (except for The Filter Kings) or "Goldberg bands" (you know who I'm talking about) playing on either night. It wasn't for lack of trying. As one band that declined an invitation told me over the weekend, they don't need exposure in this market, and they'd like to get paid for what they do.

But they never will, not at this event, which means you'll likely never see those bands play an OEA showcase, and that's OK. The OEAs are doing just fine without them.

Tonight is busy show-wise.

At The Waiting Room, Athens GA trio The Whigs (on ATO Records) plays with London trio Band of Skulls. Should be nice and loud. $10, 9 p.m.

At O'Leaver's, The Lepers are headlining a show with Giant Squid and Grayceon.$5, 9:30 p.m.

Down at Slowdown Jr., locals Honey & Darling and Akita-Ken are opening for One for the Team. $8, 9 p.m.

And finally, Midwest Dilemma is playing at The Barley Street Tavern with Long Shadowmen. $5, 9 p.m.

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

What can I say, I've been busy. My recap of last weekend's OEA showcase will be online tomorrow and it'll also be my column this week in The Reader. Also this week (Thursday) I'll be posting an interview/feature with/about the Box Elders in support of Friday night's CD release show at The Waiting Room. Apologies for the delay, but your patience will be rewarded.

So until tomorrow, enjoy some images from last weekend's OEA showcase by way of my iPhone:

-- Anniversaire at TWR.
-- Goodbye Sunday at Burke's.
-- Brad Hoshaw and the Seven Deadlies at TWR.

* * *

Tonight at The Waiting Room, the always entertaining Perry H. Matthews opens for Anavan and Dazzler -- two bands I've never heard of. $8, 9 p.m.

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