Outlandia 2024 Behind the Scenes Recap: Flaming Lips, Buffalo Tom, Men I Trust, The Faint & MORE! (VIDEO)

Welcome back, friends. Thanks, as always, for watching my videos. This week's video is my behind the scenes recap video of this year's Outlandia Music Festival. Since the festival's inception in 2022, I have been fortunate enough to work as the stage manager for the two day event. So, this video will show you a little peak behind the scenes in the set up of the festival, as well as some close up video of many of the artists that performed.

Fortunately, the weather cooperated this year, and we didn't reach skin melting temperatures. All of the bands were excellent, and their accompanying crews were great to work with. My personal favorite set this year was from Buffalo Tom. I've been a fan for nearly 35 years, but had never seen the band live until now. By the way, if you are a BT fan, did you see my catalog ranking video on them:  https://youtu.be/sWJFjR8UgpY?si=ZgwqLC5H1uAffmk3.

Unfortunately, Dinosaur Jr. was forced to cancel at the last minute due the death of a very close friend of J. Mascis. Buffalo Tom, Flipturn, and The Revivalists each played an extra 15 minutes to make up for the absence (to the extent it could be). While speaking to Chris Colbourn of Buffalo Tom before the show, he told me that J had planned to join Buffalo Tom onstage to play a couple of songs with them. They are old friends, and in fact, J. Mascis produced the first two Buffalo Tom albums way back in the 1900s.

Here are all the artists who performed this year: The Flaming Lips, Men I Trust, The Faint, Vacations, Twinsmith, Ex Lover, The Head and The Heart, The Revivalists, Flipturn, Buffalo Tom, Devotchka, and The Eye.

Ranking the Albums: BUFFALO TOM (VIDEO)

Fans of Alternative Music from the 1990s no doubt have some fond memories of the band, Buffalo Tom. They were the quintessential "college rock" band; and the albums 'Let Me Come Over' and 'Big Red Letter Day' were a big part of the soundtrack of the "Alternative Nation" (R.I.P.) and the '120 Minutes' eras. 

Buffalo Tom emerged from the same Boston/Northeast US music scene that brought the world Dinosaur Jr., Pixies, The Lemonheads, Throwing Muses, The Lemonheads, and many others. While BT may not have had the mainstream success of some their peers, the band's 90s albums rank among the era's best. It's not possible to discuss the best 90s music without throwing in singles like "Soda Jerk," "Taillights Fade" or "Velvet Roof."

At the band's commercial peak, Buffalo Tom's music was on numerous TV and movie soundtracks, most notably in 'My So Called Life.' However, this band was much more than background music to television shows about angsty teens. 

Over the course of their nearly 40 year career, Buffalo Tom has made some of the most compelling, guitar rock of any era. Though the group's output has slowed down quite a bit, BT has just released their 10th album, Jump Rope, and will be touring this Summer ('24). 

Buffalo Tom's current line-up is the exactly the same as when they started back in 1986:

Bill Janovitz, guitar/vocals

Chris Colbourn, bass/vocals

Tom Maginnis, drums

Buffalo Tom will be appearing at the Outlandia Festival along with The Flaming Lips, Dinosaur Jr., The Head and the Heart, and many more.

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!

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.

My (Better Late Than Never) Wrap-Up of MAHA 2011

The mid day crowd at MAHA 2011 during Rev. Horton Heat

This year's annual MAHA Music Festival is history, so I figured I should get my two cents in on the event before it becomes ancient history, and talk turns to MAHA 2012. This year's festival was great, despite the mixed bag of a line-up, and the strange use of the "local" stage. I will explain what I mean later on.

The weather was beautiful for the festival, and I really could not have asked for more. Well, actually, I could have, but it is doubtful I would have gotten anything different. Stinson Park at Aksarben Village was a great spot for the show. It was my first time to the area, and I liked it. The only drawback is that the park is so new that all of the trees are infants. There was literally no shade in the entire park. In 20 years, this won't be an issue, but in the meantime, bring sunscreen! Because the entire area is covered in grass, it is a better spot for sitting and watching the show than Lewis & Clark Landing where previous festivals were held (before the flooding).

As I said before, the line-up was a mixed bag. I really don't like Matisyahu, and his inclusion on the bill changed the nature of the festival slightly. He definitely put some butts in the seats, as it were, but I doubt his fans were all that into folks like J. Mascis and Guided By Voices.

There was a decent representation of local/regional talent at MAHA this year; but once again, the main stage spot given to a newer local/regional band is the worst time slot of the entire day. For example, Des Moines indie rockers, The Envy Corps, was given a main stage spot (like It's True had been the year before). They went on first with almost no one in attendance. Because the local stage was located just to the left of the main stage, and nothing runs concurrently, locals who played later in the day on the smaller stage, had a much better crowd. If given the choice between the main stage at 1 pm or the local stage at 5pm, the local stage is clearly the better deal. I wish there was some way to fix that and to make an early main stage spot better, but I'm not sure how they could avoid this issue next year, too.

J. Mascis gave an impressive performance despite sitting the whole time

So, I missed The Envy Corps, and any locals who played before the second main stage act, Reverend Horton Heat, took the stage. I've never been a big fan of the Rev, so I hung back and scouted out the park while he played. Local band So-So Sailors played next on the side stage. SSS is the new band featuring Ladyfinger (ne) lead singer, Chris Machmuller. He really gets a chance to show his musical diversity and his vocal range in this band. They were good, and I will definitely be seeing them again.

Indie rock legend J Mascis was up next on the main stage. No one seemed to know, for sure, whether the Dinosaur Jr. frontman was doing a "solo acoustic" or "solo electric" set. Turns out, it was a bit of both. J played sitting down with a music stand in front of him, and strumming an acoustic guitar. However, the acoustic guitar was plugged in with an electric rig which gave him the ability to switch between a more traditional acoustic sound, and one with distortion and effects. Mascis switched back and forth effortlessly. On many songs, he would start off acoustically, and with the help of some sort of digital delay, would loop his rhythm part, turn on the distortion, and rip an electric solo. It was just like having two guitar players up there.

Mascis's set consisted of cuts from his newest solo record, Several Shades of Why, and many Dinosaur Jr. classics. "Get Me" was a highlight, as was his cover of "Friends" by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians. Despite my contention that artists should never sit down during a concert, I still really enjoyed J's set.

GBV's "classic" line-up: Tobin, Bob, Mitch, and Greg

After Mascis and another local on the side stage came Cursive. Living in Omaha, I am able to see Cursive more frequently than most. This show was special in that original drummer, Clint Schnase, returned just for this event. Still, I must admit that I hung back in the concession area and talked to friends during their set. It sounded great (and loud), but visually, I saw nothing.

After a truly awful local jam band called Somasphere (I literally could not tell when one song ended and the next began), Guided By Voices was next up on the main stage. Though GBV was technically the headliner of the festival, they played before Matisyahu due to his unwillingness to play before sundown (in keeping with his religious beliefs). A decent sized core of obsessive GBV fans (myself included) lined up in front of the stage, anxiously awaiting the start of what was said to be the band's third-to-last ever performance.

Robert Pollard and Mitch Mitchell rock out!

GBV hit the stage around 8:15 or so, and the crowd went nuts when they walked out. For an older guy who used to be a 4th grade teacher, Robert Pollard has a serious swagger! The band ripped through hit after hit from their "classic" period (92-97), and rarely slowed down to take a breath. Pollard was a little light on the banter, but he did take time to mention how much he liked Omaha, and to welcome Nebraska into the Big Ten.

The sun went down as Pollard and Co. finished their set

Guided By Voices played until the sun went down and had the crowd eating up every note. As the set went on, Pollard kept up his drinking and joked about the "scientist juice" (aka Tequila) he was drinking before the classic, "I Am a Scientist." Ultimately, the band played for a little over an hour. I would have liked more, of course, but there was a city imposed curfew of 11:00, and Matisyahu had yet to perform.

After GBV's set, I quickly ran to the merch table to see if I could get some GBV gear. Sadly, there were nothing bigger than a "large" left, and it has been a little while since I could fit into something that size. Oh, well. I bailed before Matisyahu even began.

I have heard crowd estimates in the 4,000 range which is respectable, but lower than last year. This is likely due to the fact that there wasn't a bigger headliner. As much as I love GBV, they are not popular enough to headline an entire festival. Last year had Spoon. This year, indie oriented headliners like The Decemberists, Bright Eyes, The Strokes, Vampire Weekend, etc. were either already booked or had been in the area recently. Hopefully, next year the organizers will snag a headliner early. And hopefully, there will be a next year. Until then...

Dinosaur Jr Show Re-Cap

Another great Dinosaur Jr. show last night. It was probably the 4th or 5th time I had seen Dinosaur Jr. over the years, and despite knowing just how loud the band is, I still neglected to bring earplugs. My bad. It is a lesson I should have learned long ago. Oh well, who needs hearing, right?

I missed the first opener, Violent Soho, but I heard they were good. Apparently, they are signed to Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace label. I haven't heard all of the bands on the label, but I do really like Awesome Color, Be Your Own Pet, and Jemina Pearl, so I have reason to assume I may like this band. They were giving away free CDs, but I haven't checked out mine yet.

Next up was a solo set from Dino's bassist, Lou Barlow. He played along with the Missing Men, who were the guys who backed up Mike Watt on his last tour. Though I have Lou's new album, Goodnight Unknown, I am not super familiar with the tunes yet. It seemed that most of the 35 minute set was comprised of songs from that album. It was really cool, but I didn't recognize most of it. I was kind of hoping Lou would throw in a Sebadoh song or two, but that didn't happen.

Like I mentioned earlier, I should have brought earplugs for the Dinosaur set. Right as the band walked on stage, Lou Barlow started handing out some to people in the front. I have never seen a band hand out earplugs before, but that should have been a sign to anyone (like me) in the room to take cover.

The band played amazingly well, and the set featured a great mix of the old and the new. Dino classics like "Freak Scene," "The Wagon" and "Feel the Pain" were intermixed with songs from the band's two most recent records, Beyond and Farm. J. Mascis was in top form. Despite being a fan of his for going on 20 years, I am still blown away every time I hear the man play guitar. He is a true master of the instrument.

The crowd was a little light (maybe 300 people total), but it was a Tuesday night after all. With J. Mascis, it's sort of hard to tell what his mood is like, so who knows if he cared. Lou made a few comments about how quiet the room got between songs, but that was the only acknowledgment from the band about the crowd (plus Lou kind of made fun of a kid who kept yelling for "Start Choppin'" which he said the band did not know how to play).

I loved the show, and don't really mind the pain I am in today (in terms of deafness and tiredness). Dinosaur Jr. is one of those bands that I will never miss if they're in my town.

Dinosaur Jr TONIGHT at Slowdown

Indie rock legends Dinosaur Jr. return to Omaha tonight for a show at Slowdown in support of their new album, Farm. The band is in the midst of its third tour since reuniting, and supporting its second new album since the return.

Dinosaur Jr. bassist Lou Barlow will be doing an opening set along with his band Missing Men. Lou has a new album out called Goodnight Unknown that has just been released.

A third act, Violent Soho, opens the show. Tickets are still available for $20.

Another TiVo Alert: Dinosaur Jr. on Jimmy Fallon TONIGHT

Dinosaur Jr. will be appearing tonight on Jimmy Fallon. They are out promoting the new record, Farm (which is excellent, by the way). In case you hadn't heard, Dinosaur Jr. will be coming to Omaha on October 27 at Slowdown. Opening is Dino bassist, Lou Barlow with a solo set. Nice.

My Dinosaur Jr. Wrap-Up

As I'm sitting in my office writing this post on last night's Dinosaur Jr. show, all I can think of is how much damage I did to my hearing last night. I am still getting ringing in my ears and the concert ended over 10 hours ago. That shit was loud. It was even louder on the floor, but I stood up in the balcony in my usual Slowdown spot. I was on J. Mascis's side of the stage, and was able to watch the man at work on that guitar.

My friend and I were talking on the car ride home (probably yelling since neither of us could hear), and we both thought that J. might have been the single greatest guitar player either of us had seen in person. He was absolutely unreal. His on-stage demeanor made it seem so effortless, too. The way he ripped through some of the most intricate guitar solos, only pausing to sing a few words every now and then, was unbelievable. I was in awe of his raw talent. Lou Barlow and Murph are no slouches either, but from my vantage point, all I could focus on was Mascis.

The Dinosaur show was a little more than an hour, which is on the short side. And though I was blown away by the intensity of the band's performance, I was confused by some of the song choices. Unlike the 2006 reunion tour of Dino Jr, this tour's set list was not limited to the band's first three albums. In fact, they played only two songs from their debut, one from Bug, and maybe 3 songs from You're Living All Over Me. Surprisingly, latter day Dinosaur stuff like "Out There" and "Feel the Pain" were played, along with a bunch of songs from their new album, Beyond. I was expecting tunes from Beyond, but was not expecting songs from the "post-Lou" period of the band.

From my spot in the balcony, I could see the set list, and saw that "The Wagon" was scheduled for the encore. In actuality, they substituted "In a Jar" which I was happy about (though I love "Wagon" I wanted to hear more You're Living... stuff). Despite some minor complaints about the set list, I loved the show. Easily one of the best of the year (if not the best). I was totally satisfied. Deaf...but satisfied.

Local opener Coyote Bones were pretty good. It was the first time I had ever seen them, and would definitely give them another shot (Omahype has some mp3s posted). I was very impressed with the touring opener, Awesome Color. They had a real Stooges/MC5 vibe, and they looked like they were about 17 years old. I picked up their CD after the show and found that they are signed to Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace label. Thurston even co-produced their album.

Last night was the first show I had been to in a while, and may be the last show I attend for a little bit, too. I tend to be somewhat hermit-like during the winter. If you missed this concert, I feel badly for you. You blew it.

The 2007 Show of the Year: Dinosaur Jr at Slowdown

I say with full confidence that whatever you may have thought was the best show of 2007, you will no doubt re-evaluate your position after tonight's Dinosaur Jr. show at Slowdown (tix here).

The original line-up of J. Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph are back and better than ever! If you heard their new "comeback" album, Beyond, you know that the band was easily able to re-capture the sound, energy, and excitement of the first three albums from the late 80s. There's really not much more that I can say. If you miss this show, then you suck. That's all there is. Dinosaur Jr. drew the blueprint for modern day indie rock, and they still do it better than almost anyone else. This is a rare opportunity. Do Not Miss This Show!

To get yourself ready, here is the video for 1988's "Freak Scene":

TiVo Alert: Dinosaur Jr On Letterman TONIGHT

Legendary indie rockers Dinosaur Jr. will be appearing on the Letterman show TONIGHT. Their amazing new album, Beyond, will be in stores tomorrow. I do not mean to "over-hype" an album, but Beyond is, without question, at the level of their late 80s greatness. They have re-captured the magic. I have been listening to the new CD non-stop for the last two weeks!

Dinosaur Jr Was Robbed...Literally

Dinosaur Jr.'s gear was stolen Tuesday, August 26 from their trailer, which was parked outside of their hotel in Long Island City, New York. The band humbly requests that their music industry friends and colleagues help spread the word and keep their eyes out for the stolen gear. They ask that you contact their management at 303.998.0001 with any information.

The list of missing gear and their descriptions are as follows:

Guitars
1959 Fender Jazzmaster SN# 38927 - decal coming off. cracked headstock at top near low E peg. color black with purple/bluish sparkle coming through. adonized pick guard gold metal. tuneomatic bridge gold, tuning pegs gold.
1961-3 Fender Jazzmaster SN# 62012 - purple sparkle, black pickup covers. headstock repaired, a whole new piece of wood was glued on for the top part of the headstock under the tuners and up a 1/2" , along the whole top of the headstock. gold tuneomatic bridge, gold tuners
1964-5 Fender Jazzmaster SN# L21581 - orange, white pearl pickguard, stickers all over it, original tuners.
Fender Purple Jazzmaster new SN# R074329 - purple sparkle with matching headstock gold adonized guard tuneomatic bridge.
Rory Gallagher Stratocaster new SN# R25507 - has a big gold grover tuning peg on low E
Rickenbacker 197? Fireglo Bass SN# 4001 - checker-board binding.
B.C. Rich Warlock Bass SN# 4242413
Cymbals
[1] Paiste 20" 2002 medium
[1] Paiste 20" giant beat
[1] Paiste 20" 2002 crash
[2] Paiste 19" 2002 crash
[2] Paiste 15" 2002 sound edge top hi-hats
[1] 15" 2002 sound edge bottom hi-hats
- Also a Custom pedal board with custom audio electronics RS-10 foot controller, Teese RNC2 wah pedal, boss stage tuner, mute box, and cables
- And one black backpack with Sony headphones, tools, etc.

Dinosaur Jr.