Omaha Gives: Maha, Omaha Girls Rock and HearNebraska.org among nonprofits

Posted on May 21, 2013 by Kevin Coffey

Another charity challenge: Omaha Gives! takes place tomorrow and a lot of nonprofit groups are asking for donations.

Much like Give to Lincoln Day, you donate to selected nonprofit groups and those organizations can receive matching funds.

Among the hundreds of nonprofit groups are quite a few music and arts organizations, but you’ll be interested to know that Maha Music Festival, Omaha Girls Rock and HearNebraska.org are participating.

Update: The Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards are in there, too. But their legal entity name, OEA Awards Inc., is what’s listed on the Omaha Gives! site.

Maha has been pushing that money raised will help them expand to a second day sometime in the future.  Omaha Girls Rock wants to continue its programming and expand the reach (I think that means more students) of the program. HearNebraska.org simply wants to cover more of the state.

Want to donate? Here’s the skinny: Visit OmahaGives24.org any time between midnight tonight and midnight on Wednesday where you can contribute $10 or more to any of the more than 300 organizations listed. $500,000 in matching funds are available to the nonprofits and $65,000 more in special prizes will be awarded. $1,000 will be attached randomly to one donation every hour and $10,000 will be given to the groups with the most donors.

Also tomorrow is Maha Music Festival showcase featuring Rock Paper Dynamite, The Seen, Gordon and A Wasted Effort. It’s a free show that starts at 8 p.m. at Slowdown. The whole thing is a joint effort with Omaha Gives!, Omaha Girls Rock, the OEAAs and HearNebraska.org.

While you’re there, buy a Boulevard. Boulevard Brewing and Slowdown are teaming up to donate $1 for every Boulevard sold to the nonprofits at the event.

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Weekend Shows: Field Club EP release, Love Fest and more

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Kevin Coffey

Not a lot going down this weekend as far as touring indie rock shows. In fact, there’s almost none at all. But there are a few local shows and other stuff happening over the next few days.

Let’s lay it down here:

• Field Club puts out a new EP, “Best Friends,” tonight at O’Leaver’s. The band was also featured as our Band of the Week.

• Also at O’Leaver’s is The Brigadiers and Well Aimed Arrows on Saturday. I caught The Brigadiers at their debut, and I dug their sound.

• Love Fest in the Midwest is back again − this time at the Bellevue Berry Farm − for those that want a groovy, grassroots sort of experience. It started yesterday, but the fun continues today with Ian Neville’s Dumpstapunk and tomorrow with Nahko & Medicine for the People. Also a ton of local bands. More info here.

Matt Cox Band plays a show tonight with Rock Paper Dynamite and 24 Hour Cardlock. Question: How many local shows is too many? RPD has been playing once or twice a week for awhile now. Anyway, $5 cover and 9 p.m. start, as usual.

• On Saturday, songwriter Josiah Leming will take the stage at Slowdown. Leming was on “American Idol,” and released an album on Warner Bros. in 2010.

 

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Column: Sunday mornings will be a little quieter without Fratt’s show

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Kevin Coffey

Fratt

Sunday mornings won’t be the same.

After 10 years hosting the show “Sunday Morning” on 89.7 The River, Mike Fratt is giving up the gig.

“Actually, I’m surprised it lasted 10 years,” Fratt said. “While it was fun to share music, it was work to put it together each week. I didn’t just go in and throw down whatever. It meant staying on top of Triple A charts each week, reporting the show, etc. That usually meant two to three hours of prep at home each week.”

“Sunday Mornings” featured three hours of music that was often a mix of new and old. Last week’s playlist included Jackson Browne as well as very new music from Phoenix, Vampire Weekend and Fitz & the Tantrums.

Though broadcast early in the morning, the show was a great way to discover new music and listen to some favorite jams at the same time.

You can catch Fratt’s show one last time on Sunday. Fratt told me he’s going to spin his favorite songs of all time for his last show.

Rick Galusha, who hosts “Pacific Street Blues” directly after “Sunday Mornings” on the River, was bummed about the news but said Fratt should be nominated for some kind of award.

“Mike is a great guy, very bright, and we want to wish him the best,” he said. “It’s been a great run (that) fed the music hunger of area listeners.”

Fratt is a well-known face around Omaha music. He has played in various bands over the years and is the general manager at Homer’s Music. He’s also a board member of the National Association of Recording Merchandisers, the national music business association, as well as the board chair of the Coalition of Independent Music Stores.

“I know I’m probably crazy to give it up: Program whatever I like, 100,000-watt station, three hours. But it was starting to feel like a job,” he said. “After playing in many bands over the years, writing for three different street weeklies over the years, I realize nothing lasts forever. I’m looking forward to reclaiming my Saturday nights (I would head home early to get up early) and Sunday mornings.”

* * *
As you might guess, I listen to a lot of new music.

Unfortunately, I don’t always have a way to talk about it, but I’m going to start doing so in this column. Every week, at the tail end of the column, I’m going to tell you about some new music you can try out — or not. (Maybe I’ll tell you to avoid it.) I’d like to call it “Recently Added,” but I’m open to suggestions for other names.

So, here goes:
• Statistics, “Take the Lead” — Omaha native Denver Dalley is the guitarist for Desaparecidos, but his personal project, Statistics, is pretty great. He has a new album, “Peninsula,” coming out in June, and it’s exciting. A new single, “Take the Lead,” is an unabashed pop rocker better than anything Maroon 5 has ever done in the same vein. And it features singer Har Mar Superstar helping out on the line: “Just clap your hands and move your feet… Put your trust in me / I got everything that you need.”

• The National, “Trouble Will Find Me” — Out on Tuesday, the album features more of the plodding indie rock The National is known for. Not groundbreaking, but enjoyable.

• Daft Punk, “Random Access Memories” — The long-awaited album from the electronic duo is streaming on iTunes. I dig how the electronic guys used real instruments for a disco-pop sound, but it’s not going to live up to the hype. (I’m not sure how it could.)

My column, also cleverly titled Rock Candy, appears every Thursday in the GO magazine of the Omaha World-Herald and on Omaha.com/GO. It’s reprinted here on Fridays.

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Give to Lincoln Day: HearNebraska, orchestras among charities

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Kevin Coffey

If you like HearNebraska.org on Facebook or follow them on Twitter, you have to know it’s Give to Lincoln Day.

It’s a big day for Lincoln nonprofits, including HearNebraska.org.

“What is Give to Lincoln Day?” Well, dear reader, nonprofit groups sign up to be a part of the day. You donate your money, and a matching grant of $200,000 will be handed out proportionally to each organization. (So, if $1 million total is raised today, every group would get an extra $1 in matching money for each $5 it raised. Math!).

Also pretty neat: the top five nonprofits will get an extra $1,000. There’s also a “power hour” between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. The top three nonprofits during that time will each receive $1,000.

You can check out the nonprofits and donate here.

All of the nonprofits participating are deserving, but music lovers should note that, of the 254 charitable organizations, several dozen are music and arts groups.

As of this writing, HearNebraska.org is ranked No. 3 with $3,753 raised. So far, more than 2,000 donors have given more than $630,000 to all of the nonprofits.

If you want to give to HearNebraska.org, they have a pretty neat incentive: Every increment of $10 donated gets you once chance to win a custom turntable. They also have some vinyl from local artists.

Also of note: Next Wednesday (May 22) is Omaha Gives!, a similar event with a $500,000 matching donation and $10,000 donations for the top three nonprofits. Maha Music Festival is among the participating groups. Maha, HearNebraska.org and the OEAAs are putting on a free showcase at Slowdown that night as well. Event info here.

Posted in HearNebraska.org, Maha Music Festival | 1 Comment

Listen: 18 skate punk songs to get you through the day

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Kevin Coffey

It’s nice outside, and everyone’s outside running the trails, walking the dog and eating on restaurant patios. But the people I notice the most are the teenage skaters. Their delight in crusing down the sidewalks and making downtown park benches and railings into their personal skate park makes me want to do two things: buy a new deck and dig out my (now decades-old) MxPx CDs.

Now, I may not go skateboarding any time soon (I have a much greater fear of breaking my arms now than when I was 14) or dye my hair red again (my wife keeps saying no… dammit), but the MxPx and NOFX (and several bands without Xs… say, The Descendents) are always there for me.

I whipped up the following playlist to be enjoyed whether you threw on your Dickies and grabbed your board or if you just need some energetic tunes to push you through the day.

What are your favorites? Make a suggestion and I’ll add it to the list.

(If anyone says “Sk8er Boi” by Avril Lavigne, I will come after you.)

Update: You’ll notice there are now more than 18 songs here. I added some after a ton of reader suggestions.

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Contest: Win two tickets to see DJ Shadow

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Kevin Coffey

DJ Shadow

Who wants to see DJ Shadow? For free?

I have a pair of tickets to see legendary DJ when he performs at the Bourbon Theatre in Lincoln on May 31.

It should be a fantastic time, and Shadow himself is excited.

“It’s an interesting time to be a DJ,” Shadow told me yesterday. (I’ll publish the full interview before the show.) “That makes it exhilarating and challenging and fun. Every night, it’s completely different.”

Enter the giveaway below, and I’ll draw a winner on May 29. I’ll post the winner here and notify him or her via e-mail.

Enter the contest

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Review: The Thermals hit Slowdown for fast, rowdy set

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Kevin Coffey

Hutch Harris performs with The Thermals at Slowdown. (See more photos)

When The Thermals walked onto Slowdown’s small stage last night, they kind of looked at each other, strummed a chord and then slammed into “Faces Stay With Me.”

No hesitation, no pause and no introduction (other than to some power chords being introduced to our ears).

That’s the way it went. The Portland punk band, which recently released “Desperate Ground” on Saddle Creek Records, wasted no time. They flew through 20 songs in about an hour, the same time it would have taken Carrie Underwood to get through half as many.

The crowd took a little while to get warmed up. Despite opener Pleasure Adapter’s loud, beat-heavy set (they reminded me of the Descendents with more synths or, conversely, The Killers with more of a punk jolt), the hundred or so standing around the bar weren’t quite ready to rock it.

That is, not until The Thermals’ Hutch Harris jumped into audience during “Returning to the Fold” (my personal favorite) and then dropped his guitar during “It’s Trivia” and took the mic stand into the crowd.

“Well, that was something,” he said after.

Kathy Foster performs with The Thermals at Slowdown. (See more photos)

Once fans caught up with the band’s energy, it was on. I snapped some photos for the first few songs, but moved to the back once things got a little more rowdy. Once “St. Rosa and the Swallows” and “Pillar of Salt” hit about halfway through the set, a mosh pit broke out with more than a few people.

At least one Saddle Creek employee got in on the fun. It was kind of a Creek reunion of sorts with lots of label employees and quite a few Creek band members (many of whom have toured with or slept on the couch of The Thermals in the past).

The Thermals pulled out a lot of old songs and played most of “Desperate Ground.” The new songs fit in well, and the band played everything with a determination to make everyone go home tired, even if it was a Monday night.

“TGIM. Thank God it’s Monday,” said bassist Kathy Foster. “It’s a phrase.”

When “Born Dead” came almost at the end of the set, it was the hardest-hitting and fastest thing they’d played yet.

“Omaha, thank you so much. This is our last song,” Harris said. “We will be back in August for the Maha fest. We’ll see you then.”

They saved “You Will Find Me” for last, and in one last hurrah, the moshers turned it into a pit circle. (First one of those I’ve seen at a bar/club venue. That’s for sure.)

The band handed out a lot of high fives and hugs after the show was over. I talked to Harris briefly after the show, and he talked a lot about Saddle Creek and how the label was so good to the band.

I’m excited to see them return for Maha Music Festival in August. It will be an intravenous injection of energy right into the middle of the day.

Posted in live review, Maha Music Festival, Saddle Creek, slowdown, The Thermals | Leave a comment

Weekend Shows: Bacon, tattoos, hard rock and The Thermals

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Kevin Coffey

This weekend’s lineup includes a random assortment including a tribute show, bacon, all-day hard rock fest and country superstar Carrie Underwood.

I doubt anyone is into all of those things, but maybe someone out there is trying to figure out how to schedule their weekend.

Anyway, here are the weekend’s highlights, and one awesome show on Monday.

• I don’t know what the details are, exactly, but it’s Bacon Night at O’Leaver’s tonight. Free bacon. Weird, but sounds awesome. More info right here.

• Faith No More is still together, but they don’t really play. Midlife Crisis does the tribute thing tonight at the Waiting Room. $8.

• 89.7 The River’s Rockfest will take over Westfair all day on Saturday. Blue October and Sick Puppies lead the lineup. Read my interview with Sick Puppies’ right here. Tickets are only $15.

• Tattoos are neat, and Liquid Courage has been inking people for 13 years. To celebrate, The Filter Kings play the Waiting Room Saturday  with Voodoo Method and DJ Kobrakyle, which should be fun. Free show.

• On Sunday, Carrie Underwood hits the CenturyLink stage. It’s gonna be a big show.

• Not The Weekend: The Thermals hit the Slowdown stage on Monday. I talked to bassist Kathy Foster for quite a long time about the band’s new album, and you can read that whole thing here.

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Summer BBQ Playlist: Turn up the music, fire up the grill

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Kevin Coffey

When I was in college, Friday was BBQ day.

Everyone would bring a six-pack and some meat, and we’d sit around, flip burgers, sip beers and, of course, play some tunes.

Now that the weather is nice (let’s all try to forget last week’s cold snap) and Friday’s forecast includes a high of 71 degrees, let’s dust off the grill and get ready for late, lazy afternoons of hamburgers, hot dogs and hanging out with sleeves rolled up to get an early start on our tans.

It’s time to dust off tracks such as “Sweet Emotion” and other guitar-heavy tracks that fit perfectly with a beer on the boat or flipping burgers with a glass of Skip and Go Naked. (That’s a cocktail of vodka, lemonade and beer. Mix it. Stir it. Love it.)

I made a mix of classics and brand new tunes. Send me an email or comment on the story online with your favorites. (Listen below.)

“Sweet Emotion” by Aerosmith — This song is in lots of summer movies, including the intro to the “first day of summer” movie “Dazed and Confused.” Very chill way to start your barbecue.

“Struttin’ With Some Barbecue” — Many cover versions exist, but we enjoy the lazy, jazzy trumpet of Louis Armstrong’s original.

“Sundress” by Ben Kweller — A good head-bobbing tune from the Texas rocker, “Sundress” is about (what else?) a girl in a sundress.

“Caravan” by Van Morrison — I’ve been on a Van Morrison kick lately, and “Caravan” is a bright, grooving tune that fits right in. “Turn up your radio and let me hear the song,” indeed.

“The New Pollution” by Beck — Starting with its “Do do, da-do do” opening, it’s a more modern classic and a bouncy track to have in the background.

“Shout It Out” by Mikal Cronin — Cronin’s new album, “MCII,” is getting lots of love, mostly for its combo of Buddy Holly pop and modern garage rock. “Shout it Out” is a prime example.

“When I Come Around” by Green Day — When I hear this, I want to get a skateboard and start flipping it around (and praying that I don’t hurt myself), a summer pastime many of us have shared and one the kids in your neighborhood will probably do while you fire up the grill.

“Knock Knock” by Band of Horses — A timeless groove reminiscent of the Eagles and Ben Birdwell’s sweet vocals bring me back to Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers.

“Island in the Sun” by Weezer — Easily the most sunny, happy Weezer tune.

“Happy New Year” by Kid Rock — Technically it’s a winter tune, but it’s really about having some drinks (or a lot of them) and hanging with friends.

“Barefoot Bluejean Night” by Jake Owen — “Never gonna grow up/Never gonna slow down/…We were doin’ it right/We were comin’ alive/Yeah, caught up in a Southern summer, barefoot, blue jean night.” Sounds all right to me.

“Beer in Mexico” by Kenny Chesney — More islandy than country, Chesney’s tune is purely about relaxation.

“F the Beach” by Team Spirit — Skipping the beach to dance in the moonlight is a great theme for this song from the Brooklyn rock band.

“Your Love” by the Outfield — Another guitar track, it will make a good singalong. (At least, the first verse will. Everyone usually fades after the first chorus.)

“Well Thought Out Twinkles” by Silversun Pickups — Play this and I personally guarantee that someone will come ask you who this band is and where she can buy the band’s music.

My column, also cleverly titled Rock Candy, appears every Thursday in the GO magazine of the Omaha World-Herald and on Omaha.com/GO. It’s reprinted here on Fridays.

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Q&A: The Thermals bassist Kathy Foster on ‘Desperate Ground,’ Omaha, Saddle Creek

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Kevin Coffey

The Thermals perform Monday at Slowdown. The band – from left, Hutch Harris, Kathy Foster and Westin Glass – is also on the lineup of Maha Music Festival in August.

The intense and bouncy audiences at The Thermals’ performances a few months ago in Austin were a welcome site to the Portland punk band. South by Southwest was a chance for the band to show off its then-upcoming album, “Desperate Ground,” and crowds at The Parish and Mohawk (and several other Austin venues) careened through the band’s new songs.

And occasionally the band careened right into the crowd. (Singer Hutch Harris and drummer Westin Glass developed a habit of jumping into the audience to jump-start the audience’s energy.)

On Monday, the band will perform at Slowdown. ($12 tickets) with opener Pleasure Adapter. Then on Aug. 17, the band will be on the Maha Music Festival stage. Both shows are quite a way to show some love to the city of the band’s new label.

Omaha’s own Saddle Creek Records released The Thermals’ “Desperate Ground” last month. It’s a record with energy to make you spring from the couch and join the album’s protagonist in his bloody fight.

Before the band set out on its tour, I called bassist Kathy Foster at her home in Portland to talk about the energy contained there and how they created such a kinetic record. (Foster had a lot to do with keeping things high-energy.)

Kevin Coffey: When The Thermals hit the stage, you guys have tons of energy. I was at some of the shows in Austin and Westin and Hutch dove into the crowd. You never stopped moving. Where does the energy come from? Does something click when the show starts?

Kathy Foster: (laughs) For me, something definitely clicks. It also has to do with the music itself. Playing that, you have to have a lot of energy to play it. It’s really energetic music so it pumps you up. It’s kinda this circle of energy.

Personally, I’m a pretty mellow person otherwise. Playing that music and being onstage and interacting with everyone gives me a lot of energy. I think because I’m so mellow, I save up all the other energy or something. (laughs)

Hutch and Westin are both more highly energetic in general. I call them the Zing-Zang Twins. They kind of bounce off the walls sometimes.

We’re a good balance. I’m pretty mellow and they’re the funny goofy guys.

We all enjoy playing together and the music itself gives us that energy. And if the crowd is giving that energy back, it keeps feeding itself back and forth. Those are always my favorite shows.

You never know. Sometimes, the audience doesn’t have that kind of energy and they’re kind of standing there, but the shows where people go crazy, it’s so fun. I feel like we’re all at the same party.

KC: When you recorded “Desperate Ground,” it was just before Hurricane Sandy, right?

KF: Yeah. We were in Hoboken. We were out there for like two weeks. We got out there around the middle of October, and so we didn’t know about Sandy. As we were recording and watching the weather, we saw it was coming towards us. Continue reading →

Posted in interview, Maha Music Festival, Saddle Creek, slowdown, The Thermals | 1 Comment