PIXIES Live at Maha Music Festiva, Omaha, NE 8/2/25 (PHOTOS)

Pixies closed out the Maha Music Festival in Omaha, NE on August 2, 2025

Black Francis of Pixies at Maha Festival

Joey Santiago of Pixies at Maha Festival

Emma Richardson of Pixies at Maha Festival

Pixies at Maha Music Festival, Omaha, NE 8/2/25

REVIEW: Faster Pussycat LIVE at Waiting Room Lounge 2024 (VIDEO)

Welcome back, friends, and thanks for watching my latest video. This week, I caught the band Faster Pussycat at the Waiting Room Lounge in Omaha. When I was a teenager, I loved this band; but to be honest, I had lost track of them by about 1990.

I still have fond memories of Faster Pussycat, so I threw on their debut record from '87 to see what I thought today. I dug it. Very early Aerosmith vibe -- and lead singer Taime Downe's voice is a little bit Steven Tyler and a little bit Darby Crash. That sealed the deal, I was going to go to the show.

A lot of time has passed since May 1990 when I saw ‪Faster Pussycat open for KISS. The current version of the band features only lead singer Taime Downe from that period. I had no real expectations going in.

Faster Pussycat 2024 is a harder, grittier rock band than they were back in the day. They played an impressive set that featured all the classics from the first two records, as well as some newer material and a surprising cover song. It was a great night.

There were four openers for the show (way too many, imho), but I only caught two.

Neva Dinova, Doom Flower, Marcey Yates LIVE at Reverb, Omaha, NE 12/14/23 (PHOTOS)

 

Omaha rapper Marcey Yates

Jess Price of Chicago's Doom Flower

Three piece version of Neva Dinova

Great show last night from Neva Dinova. The new, three piece version was very tight. Opening the show was Chicago band Doom Flower, and Omaha rapper, Marcey Yates. Both were excellent.

REVIEW: Liz Phair LIVE at The Holland 12/5/23 Exile In Guyville at 30 (VIDEO)

Welcome back, friends. Wanted to do a quick recap/review of last night's Liz Phair show at Holland Performing Arts in Omaha. Liz's current tour is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the release of her debut album, Exile In Guyville. She is performing the entire album front to back for the first time ever (pretty sure that's true, don't quote me), as well as doing a "greatest hits" encore.

Liz was in amazing form at this show. I've seen her three other times over the last 30 years - including on her very first tour - and this was definitely the best show of hers I've seen. Seeing Liz fully embrace the album that made us all love her was exciting. It has always seemed to me that Liz was trying to run away from Exile, and to prove (as if she needed to) that she was more than just the one, decade defining album.

Liz was feeling the love from the crowd and seemed to be having a great time on stage. That's definitely different than 30 years ago.

Opening the show was folky Virginia singer/songwriter Kate Bollinger. She was good, but a little bit too mellow for me on this particular night.

Aimee Mann and Ted Leo as THE BOTH at Maha Music Festival 2014 (PHOTOS)

I'm a big fan of Aimee Mann. I used to love her 80s band, 'Til Tuesday, and I have loved her solo career, as well. Unfortunately, I have only seen her in concert one time. She performed with her short-lived band, The Both (her + Ted Leo) at the Maha Music Festival on August 16, 2014.

The Both: Aimee Mann and Ted Leo

A Night of Live Music (PHOTOS) // David Nance + Head of Femur

Hit two live shows last night (9/16/23). Caught the tail end of the Little Bo Backyard Bash down in the Little Bohemia section of Omaha. There was music all day, but I didn't arrive until close to 7pm. I did see an acoustic set from David Nance.

 

David Nance @ Little Bo Backyard Bash, Omaha, NE 9/16/23

Head of Femur at Pageturner's, Omaha, NE 9/16/23

After the Nance set, I hit Pageturner's for a show from Head of Femur. Seen HOF many times, but this was one of my favorite sets from them. They opened with a cover of David Bowie's "Station To Station," and then much of the set was new material. Great stuff.

L.A. Guns LIVE Clips + Review (VIDEO)

 

Here is my full length review of the recent L.A. Guns show (along with Tom Keifer Band) at Steelhouse Omaha. I wasn't planning to do an entire video about the gig, but ended up liking the show a lot more than expected. 

Julia Jacklin LIVE at Slowdown (PHOTOS)

 

Julia Jacklin live at Slowdown, Omaha, NE July 25, 2023. Photos by Dave (©) The Dark Stuff.

Josh Caterer of Smoking Popes LIVE at Zipline in Omaha (PHOTOS)

 

Josh Caterer, lead singer from the band Smoking Popes, played an "intimate" acoustic set tonight at Omaha's Zipline Brewery. Back in the 90s, I wore out my CDs of Smoking Popes first two albums - Get Fired and Born To Quit. It was great to hear some of those songs again, and in such a unique setting. Caterer also played songs from newer Popes albums and the band's brand new single, "Madison."

I did shoot video, and that will be on my YouTube...eventually.

The Lemonheads LIVE + New Podcast Ep // See Through Dresses / Heyrocco // Dark Stuff Radio

 

The Dark Stuff Interview: Matt Focht (Head of Femur, Bright Eyes, Opium Taylor)

 

My So-Called Weekend

I only ventured out on Saturday to see this band

Had a very uneventful weekend. The only thing I actually accomplished was making a permanent indention in my living room couch. I barely ventured outside the entire time. 

There are barely any decent shows from now through the end of the year. On Saturday morning, I went to Rockbrook Camera and bought a new camera. Despite blowing over a grand on the camera, I still headed over to Half Price Books to look for records. I grabbed a used 'Best of Scorpions' record which features the band's music from the 1970s. I have never heard the really early stuff, and I liked it. I also grabbed a Heart record and a still sealed copy of Matthew Sweet's 'Sunshine Lies,' which is a double LP, gatefold with a CD inside. It was heavily marked down. Score!

Later that night, I hit Reverb Lounge to see my friend's new band. Unfortunately, I already forgot the name of the band. They were good -- a 90s math rock, instrumental band. The set was only about 30 minutes, and I soon retreated back home where I stayed the rest of the weekend.

Not much else to report. I will hopefully have my video for part two of my Top 20 albums of the year up in a day or so. I already posted part one.

Review: Dum Dum Girls @ Waiting Room 10/20/14

Dee Dee from Dum Dum Girls 10/20/14

As anticipated yesterday, I hit last night's Dum Dum Girls show at Waiting Room. This was my third time checking out DDG, and my first with them as a headliner. 

I wanted to get to the show a little earlier than normal because I wanted to try and get some of my records signed by Dee Dee. Fortunately, she was behind the merch booth chatting with fans, and I got her to sign my LP of Too True. In addition, I bought a 7" that I didn't have and had her sign that, too. We chatted briefly about her other band, Haunted Hearts, and about her husband's band, Crocodiles. I was hoping to get her to commit to coming to Omaha with a double bill of Dum Dum Girls and Crocodiles. I guess she'll take it under advisement. Dee Dee was very nice, but it was hard to have a real conversation with the loud music of the openers, and with her being inundated with autograph requests. Oh well, the life of a rock star!

There were two openers last night: Yes You Are and Ex Cops. YYA features a former member of Tilly and the Wall, so many old school Omaha scenesters were in attendance. To me, YYA sounded like a modern take on Linda Ronstadt. I don't mean that to sound negative, that's just my initial impression. Next up was Ex Cops, who were running very late and had a myriad of technical issues. I spent most of their set in the back and couldn't hear much. Asking around, I got mixed reviews as to the quality of their set.

Dum Dum Girls hit the stage sometime around 11 and proceeded to play the entire Too True album from start to finish. As a rule, I don't like it when bands play their entire new album in concert. If I wanted to listen to the record in order, I'd just stay home and play it, you know?

I could have handled the whole new album thing better if the band played with a little more...spunk. Or energy. Or enthusiasm. Something. 

For all practical purposes, Dee Dee is the band. She writes the songs, she sings the songs, and she decides who plays on the albums. For the most part, the rest of the "band" has been consistent over the last few years, but last night there was a change. Rather than sing and play guitar, Dee Dee gave up the guitar and just sang. She brought in a new guitar player to play her parts. I don't know if that was the problem or not, but last night, the band played quite lifelessly. 

This is a band that I love, performing an album that I love, and yet I was bored. Every band has off nights, and this seemed like one to me. Everyone played their parts, but they didn't seem to be playing together. Dee Dee's voice sounded great, but she was being backed poorly last night. I ended up leaving early! WTF.

The last two times I saw Dum Dum Girls they were amazing live. Last night, however, they were just off. Maybe I am being too nit-picky, perhaps; because a listener of my radio show emailed from the concert thanking me for turning him on to this band and saying how much he loved the show. I'm glad he had a good time, but I was a little disappointed.

Dum Dum Girls TONIGHT at Waiting Room

LA's Dum Dum Girls return to Omaha tonight for a show at Waiting Room. The girls are on the tail end of their tour in support of their third album, Too True. It's been a while since I've seen Dum Dum Girls. The last time, I believe, was at the MAHA Music Festival in 2012.

Few people remember the time before that when DDG opened for Girls at Waiting Room on their first tour. They blew Girls off the stage, and have been a favorite of mine since then. Tonight's show should be quite good, even though it's a Monday night.

Opening the show will be Ex Cops and Yes You Are. Tickets are still available for $15.

J Mascis and Lulac TONIGHT at Waiting Room

Alternative rock legend J Mascis is performing tonight at Waiting Room here in Omaha. J performs solo tonight - without his band Dinosaur Jr. - in support of his newest album, Tied To a Star. Opening the show is the Australian folk duo Lulac.

Both J and Lulac record for the Sub Pop label, and both have new albums out. Obviously, I'm going to see Mr. Mascis. Dinosaur Jr. is one of my favorite bands ever, and I never miss an opportunity to see Mascis perform.

J last appeared in Omaha as a solo artist at the MAHA Music Festival in 2011. He came through with Dinosaur Jr. in 2012.

Here is J's most recent video for "Every Morning":
See you there tonight!

Drakes Hotel Live Tonight at Barley Street Tavern

Omaha band, Drakes Hotel, is performing tonight at The Barley Street Tavern (2735 N. 62nd St). This is a rare Omaha appearance from the band, who have been playing out less lately.

I got word from the band that they will be playing first, so their set should start around 9pm.

Before hitting the show, make sure to check out Drakes Hotel's appearance on The Dark Stuff Podcast #108:

Sebadoh / See Through Dresses 9/28/14 @ Reverb Lounge

Despite being dead tired from my Arizona/Replacements experience, I hit up the brand new Reverb Lounge to catch the official opening show night. The club got a pretty impressive band for its opening -- indie rock legends, Sebadoh. Despite having a close connection to the new venue, I had not seen the space since it had been demoed a few months ago. I didn't see the progress of the construction. Now that it's finished, it looks amazing.

There are separate rooms for the bar and for the performances. This is great if you want to see only one of the bands, or want a break from the volume. The bar room is upscale, hipster. It looks really nice. Lots of vintage guitars hanging on the walls, and a comfortable environment. There is a high probability of overcrowding, however, if people come to the bar who aren't actually there to see a show. This is probably not a concern for Reverb since more people = more money. But, being a little claustrophobic, I worry about those things.

The show room is small intimate by design. It's purpose is to host shows that are too small for the nearby Waiting Room. The room is sleek and modern, with tall, grey walls and a high ceiling. Framed photos are hung around the room at about eye level, but that is the only decoration, at this point. The stage is adorned with a tall curtain only. The room has a feel of a practice space or rehearsal studio. It almost feels like you are a voyeur secretly spying on a band's private practice time.

Overcrowding could be a problem, but as of now, the club is limiting tickets to 115 or so per show. At the peak point of Sunday night's sold out show, when the crowd was at its largest, I could still move around the room with relative ease. Hopefully, it will remain that way. There were a few sound issues, but that is to be expected with a brand new space. I am sure they will be worked out in short order. I'd also like to see some more decoration or artwork on the walls. It's a little too grey at this point. Again, I am sure this will be addressed shortly.

Omaha band See Through Dresses opened the show

Omaha's own, See Through Dresses, opened the show. They were great, as usual, and their 90s influenced sound was a perfect compliment to Sebadoh. STD's set was too brief, in my opinion, but openers typically don't do sets of epic proportions. (Editor's note: Check out See Through Dresses on the Dark Stuff Podcast here)

Sebadoh's Lou Barlow singing "License To Confuse"

After a brief break, Sebadoh hit the stage, and immediately there were problems. Lou Barlow complained that his vocals were not loud enough (they weren't), and that he couldn't hear himself on stage. After struggling through a second song, Barlow took off his guitar, said goodbye, and walked off the stage. The crowd was stunned, and so were Barlow's band mates. He returned in less than 30 seconds, however, and resumed playing. After another song or two, the sound issue was fixed, and the crowd showed its appreciation.

Sebadoh's set drew heavily from the band's celebrated album, Bakesale, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Non-Bakesale classics like "The Freed Pig" were also played, alongside cuts from the band's most recent album, Defend Yourself.

Jason Lowenstein takes a turn at the mic

Barlow and Jason Lowenstein each had their own mini-sets where they handled lead vocals. They would alternate every 5-6 songs or so. Overall, Sebadoh performed for over 2 hours. The crowd of dedicated fans seemed to love every minute of it. Later in the set, Lou Barlow apologized for his earlier behavior, and said that sound issues are common in a new venue, and he was certain Reverb would be a fantastic place.

The mighty Sebadoh

Before Sebadoh actually ended, I popped over to the nearby Waiting Room to see The Dandy Warhols. When I walked in, I was shocked by the mellowness of both the band and the crowd. I was told that Dandy's lead singer, Courtney Taylor Taylor, had all but blown out his voice and had trouble singing a lot of the band's older songs. To compensate, the band played only its slower material, as well as songs that were more suited to Taylor's new, limited range. Though the crowd seemed to be enjoying the show, I found it sort of sad and depressing. I only stayed for about 10 minutes.

Overall, it was a great night, and a great way to open a new venue. I'm certain that I'll be writing a number of reviews of shows from Reverb over the next few months and years.

The Dark Stuff Podcast 116: Orenda Fink (Part One)

For episode 116, we have part one of my interview with Orenda Fink. Orenda has just released her third solo album, Blue Dream, on the Saddle Creek Records label, and is about to embark on her first tour in a few years.

Orenda's musical journey began when she met singer/songwriter Maria Taylor at a performing arts school in Alabama. The two began writing songs together, and eventually formed the band Little Red Rocket. LRR was signed by Geffen Records while Fink and Taylor were barely out of high school! Following some personal tragedy, LRR broke up, but Fink and Taylor stayed together and formed the band Azure Ray.

It was around this same time that Orenda became involved with the Omaha music scene, and Azure Ray was signed to Saddle Creek Records, which was home to Bright Eyes, The Faint, and Cursive, at the time. Orenda would eventually re-locate to Omaha, and marry Todd Fink, who is the lead singer of The Faint.

When Azure Ray went on an extended hiatus in 2004, Orenda Fink began her solo career with the 2005 album, The Invisible Ones. Her restless artistic spirit had her continuing to form new bands and collaborations, and she also recorded with Art In Manila, O + S, and toured as a member of Rilo Kiley.

In our interview, Orenda and I discuss the inspiration behind the new album, Blue Dream, as well as the making of the record and her upcoming tour. We then delve into Orenda's entire career, including the reunion of Azure Ray. Our discussion was pretty long, so I have decided to make this a two-part episode. Part Two will be episode #117.

This episode contains portions of the following songs: "Blue Dream," and "This Is a Part of Something Greater" by Orenda Fink, and "New Resolution" by Azure Ray. The music underneath my voice in the intro and outro is "Holy Holy" by Orenda Fink. All songs ©the artist.

Thanks for listening. Enjoy.

©2014 The Dark Stuff Podcast

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New Conor Oberst Video: "Common Knowledge"

This is the newest video from Conor Oberst's newest album, Upside Down Mountain. The track is called "Common Knowledge," and the video was directed by David Altobelli.

Free Orenda Fink Show + Podcast Posts Monday!!

Omaha readers: Orenda Fink will be performing songs from her new album, Blue Dream, tomorrow night (September 5) at the Saddle Creek Shop (721 N. 14th St). She will begin around 7 pm.

Remember, Orenda is my guest on the next episode of The Dark Stuff Podcast. Part one of her interview will be posted Monday, September 8. Make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss it!