How Are You Celebrating National Slayer Day?

Are you interested in staging a "slay-out" and making a complete fool of yourself in public? Then join the ranks of the growing army behind NATIONAL DAY OF SLAYER. Scheduled for June 6, 2006 (6.6.06) the purpose of the day, according to the organization's official website is, "for everyone within earshot to understand that it is the National Day of Slayer. National holidays in America aren't just about celebrating; they're about forcing it upon non-participants."

To read more about what you can do on NATIONAL DAY OF SLAYER (that isn't limited to spraypainting Churches), head to http://www.nationaldayofslayer.org.

Tag: Slayer

Reunited Lemonheads Sign to Vagrant Records

According to Stereogum, The Lemonheads (who reunited -- sort of -- last year) have signed with Vagrant Records. Vagrant is best known as an emo label due to its association with Dashboard Confessional. The label has also released music from Paul Westerberg (ex-Replacements) and Eels.

Last I heard, the "new" Lemonheads featured leader Evan Dando on vocals and guitar, and Bill Stevenson and Karl Alaverez of The Descendents as the rhythm section. However, according to Wikipedia, drummer Josh Lattanzi (Ben Kweller) is now performing in the band.

In case you either don't know The Lemonheads, or only know them as the group that covered "Mrs. Robinson," I am posting an mp3 from their best album, Lovey. Lovey was the first Lemonheads album released on a major label (Atlantic), and the first of the Evan Dando-led version of the band. This song was released in 1990.

Lemonheads - "Ride With Me" (mp3)

Tag: Lemonheads

This Is Rock!

Here is a video I just found of Van Halen performing in Rio in 1983. They are playing the ZZ Top classic "Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers." It goes without saying that the only Van Halen was the original!



Tag: Van Halen

Get Your Ass To A Murs Show

So I have to admit that Yeah Yeah Yeahs were actually pretty good live. I was pleasantly surprised. According to my inside sources, lead singer Karen O was extremely sick all day and was having throat issues. She sounded fine on stage, though. I don't think she has such an amazing voice anyways -- it's very reminiscent of Siouxsie Sioux -- but for her syle, she was able to deliver it live.

I watched YYYs for about an hour before heading downstairs to Sokol Underground to catch Murs. I missed YYYs encore, which I heard was really good. But, one hour was enough for me.

Murs was fucking great! He jumped up on stage to rap on the last song of opener Supreeme's set. Then he just started his show. Zero downtime. Perfect. Murs did a lot of stuff from his brand new CD, Murray's Revenge, but he didn't neglect his old stuff either.

The crowd was a little light -- maybe 100-120 people. But, everyone in the place was jumping up and down and having a good time. It was a very enthusiastic crowd. I think more people would have turned up if there hadn't been a good show upstairs as well.

If you haven't heard Murs, I'll give you a little taste. Here is a track from the new CD:

Murs - "Murray's Law" (mp3)

Tag: Murs
Tag: Omaha concerts
Tag: indie

Your Concert Dilemma For Tonight

There are two big shows happening in Omaha tonight, and both are in the same building. Fortunately, due to my arrangement with the promoters, I will be able to check out both. The show that most people in town want to see is Yeah Yeah Yeahs at Sokol Auditorium. I think Yeah Yeah Yeahs are a decent band, but highly overrated. Opening the show will be Blood on the Wall and Precious Metal. I know nothing about those two bands, except that Precious Metal is the "death metal" side project from Dapose of The Faint. Tickets are still available, and they are $24.

The show that I, personally, am more excited about is Murs. Murs will be playing tonight downstairs at Sokol Underground. Murs is a great, underground LA rapper. He is also 1/2 of Felt (a rap group that features Slug of Atmosphere). Murs is no gun-totin' gangsta rapper, he raps more about real life. He has called his stuff "sitcom rap." Well, the show is half the price (only $12), and opening the show are Supreeme and Articulate.

I will be spending a lot more time tonight downstairs checking out Murs than upstairs with Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I hope I'm not the only one at the downstairs show. Murs deserves a good crowd.

Tag: Omaha concerts

Song of the Day: Ambulette 'Fall'

I have been writing about and singing the praises of Ambulette for over a year now (see here, here and here). Last year, when they were called Bella Lea, I saw them four times in concert. Well, due to some unexplained legal reasons, the band is now called Ambulette and their debut CD EP is finally available. The new CD, The Lottery, is not quite as good as seeing the band live. That's nothing unusual. They were recently selected as a SPIN Magazine "band of the day" and this is what they said about them:

"The Lottery EP, named after a Shirley Jackson short story about fate and death, is packed with glowering atmospherics, surging guitars, and frontwoman Maura Davis's seductive delivery that's reminiscent of PJ Harvey. Like Massive Attack and Morcheeba, the moody set is driven more by desire than angst."

Ambulette - "Fall" (mp3)

Tag: Ambulette

More Details on the New Slayer CD

(The Gauntlet) More dates have been confirmed for the Slayer-headlined "Unholy Alliance Tour - Preaching to the Perverted" which will kick off on 6.6.06 in San Diego, CA. The seven-week trek boasts what has got to be the genre's coolest line-up - joining Slayer will be Lamb of God, Mastodon and Children of Bodom (who will rotate the second and third slots), and Thine Eyes Bleed who will open the shows.

For the most part, Slayer - Tom Araya/bass, vocals, Kerry King/guitars, Jeff Hanneman/guitars, and Dave Lombardo/drums - have finished recording tracks for their as yet untitled new album due out this fall, and will begin the mixing process this week. This album is the first new studio album since 1990's Seasons In The Abyss that features the entire original Slayer lineup (drummer Lombardo left the band in 1992 and rejoined in 2003). Rick Rubin, who helped solidify the much-emulated Slayer sound beginning with their genre-defining 1986 classic Reign In Blood, is executive producing, and Josh Abraham (Korn, Velvet Revolver, Atreyu) is producing.

Tag: Slayer

If You Haven't Seen It Yet...See 'Walk the Line'

I skipped The Stills' show last night, and instead, ordered Walk the Line on pay-per-view. What a great movie! Joaquin Phoenix was a great Johnny Cash. His voice was pretty close, and he had many of Cash's mannerisms down pat. The film only focused on Johnny's life from his time as a young boy in Arkansas through his infamous concert at Folsom Prison in 1968. The story is more about the courtship of Johnny and June Carter (Reese Witherspoon), than it is about Johnny's legendary music career. I would have liked to see a little bit about Johnny's tough commercial times in the 1970s and 1980s, and his comeback in the 90s. But, the director didn't want a 4-hour movie, so they had to be selective. But, hell, Ray was three hours. Surely, Johnny Cash deserves as much of a movie as Ray Charles. Right? Still, I would strongly recommend the movie whether or not you're a Johnny Cash fan.

Tag: Johnny Cash

Ladyfinger Makes It Official

They've made it official. Omaha noise rockers Ladyfinger are now signed to Saddle Creek Records! On the band's MySpace blog, they have stated that September 26 will be the release date for their full-length CD. They promise to post two new songs on MySpace in a short while. It's about time! I have pretty much worn out my copy of Ladyfinger's 4 song demo CD.



Tag: Saddle Creek

Don't Forget to Catch Ghosty Tonight!!

If you live in the Omaha area, don't forget to hit Sokol Underground tonight to see Ghosty. The Lawrence, Kansas band is making another Omaha appearance. This time, they are playing first. Ghosty will be followed by Crystal Skulls and John Vanderslice. Tickets are only $8.


Tag: Ghosty

TiVo Alert! Fiona Apple on 'Charlie Rose' Tonight!

Just got an email announcing a last minute appearance of Fiona Apple on the Charlie Rose Show tonight on PBS. Fiona will be interviewed, but it is unclear as to whether or not she will be performing on the show.

Other guests on tonight's show are: Joe Klein, Peter Beinart, Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA), and Leslie Gelb.

Tag: Fiona Apple

Living Blue at O'Leavers

Despite the fact that virtually no one else was there, I had a pretty decent time at last night's The Living Blue show at O'Leavers. In concert, this Champaign, Illinois band was a lot more raw and energetic than on their CD, Fire, Blood, Water. The show was opened by Lincoln band Brimstone Howl.

When I first heard about this show, I didn't understand why these two bands were paired up. Brimstone Howl is a raucous, noisy, garage band; while The Living Blue is more of an indie pop band. But TLB was just as rockin' as Brimstone -- just a little catchier in the tune department.

I got a touch drunk at the show. I guess I should have eaten something before going out, but I got a tooth filled earlier in the day and was pretty much unable to chew. Having those three drinks before the show at the Holiday didn't help. Regardless, this was a good show and it's too bad only about two dozen other folks witnessed it.

Tag: indie

Song of the Day: Lilys "Black Carpet Magic"

Today's song of the day comes from one of my favorite bands of the 90s, Lilys. The band is really just Philadelphia native Kurt Heasley. He is the only remaining original member of the group. Kurt "retired" from music a few years back to spend more time with his wife and kid.

Thankfully, Mr. Heasley has found enough time to make a new CD. The newest Lilys' CD, Everything Wrong Is Imaginary, has just been released. It is reminiscent of their earlier stuff -- lots of shoegazer fuzz and feedback to accompany their intricate, layered pop songs. Don't be fooled by the cover, Lilys are not a political band, and they certainly aren't Maoists. Let me know what you think of this song.

Lilys - "Black Carpet Magic" (mp3)

Tag: mp3

Sonic Youth on 'Gilmour Girls'??

(Billboard) Sonic Youth principals Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon, plus their daughter, Coco, on shakers, will appear on the season finale of the WB drama "Gilmore Girls" to perform an acoustic version of the new song "What a Waste."

The show, of which the Moore/Gordon family is a professed fan, will be taped Friday (April 7) in Los Angeles and will air May 9.

"What a Waste" can be found on Sonic Youth's next album, "Rather Ripped," which will arrive June 13 via Geffen.

In other Sonic Youth news, Moore has been chosen to curate the Nightmare Before Christmas edition of the All Tomorrow's Parties festival later this year. The event will take place December 8-10 in Somerset, England, and will feature performances by Sonic Youth and Iggy and the Stooges. The full lineup will be announced in the coming months.

Before it begins a short West Coast tour opening for Pearl Jam in July, Sonic Youth will perform April 20 in Paris and June 18 at the Bonnaroo Festival in Manchester, Tenn.

Tag: Sonic Youth

System of a Down Goes to Washington to Stop Genocide

(AntiMusic) Serj Tankian and John Dolmayan of the Grammy Award-winning band System of a Down will travel to Washington, DC on April 24th for a three-day campaign to urge Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert and other Congressional leaders to end their complicity in Turkey's ongoing denial of the Armenian Genocide.

On the evening of Monday, April 24th - starting at 5:00pm - the multi-Platinum-selling group members will join with the Armenian National Committee of America and Armenian Youth Federation in leading a grassroots demonstration outside the gates of the Turkish Embassy at 2525 Massachusetts Ave, in Northwest Washington, DC. The Turkish government, through its Embassy in Washington, spends millions of dollars each year to bully, threaten, and blackmail the U.S. government not to recognize the Armenian Genocide.

The band members will devote Tuesday, April 25th to providing interviews to the political media in Washington, and, in the evening, hosting a Congressional screening of "Screamers," a new documentary by filmmaker Carla Garapedian about the band's worldwide campaign for Armenian Genocide recognition.

On Wednesday April 26th, System will meet with key Members of Congress to urge them to allow a vote on legislation recognizing the Armenian Genocide, and - at 5:30pm - will participate in the annual Capitol Hill commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. This event, now in its 11th year, is regularly attended by over 30 Members of Congress, diplomats, ethnic community leaders, human rights activists, genocide prevention advocates, and Armenian Americans from across the country. (read more)

Tag: System of a Down
Tag: Genocide

Correction: BRMC on 'Carson Daily' This Thursday

A couple of weeks ago, I reported that Black Rebel Motorcycle Club would be performing on NBC's Last Call with Carson Daily on March 27. It didn't happen. Hope you didn't stay up for nothing.

But I got an email from the band saying that their performance will air this Thursday, April 6 on the very, very late night show. Set your TiVo instead of staying up to catch it.

Tag: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club