My only concern with Girl in a Coma, the band that played in front of about 50 people last night at The Waiting Room, has to do with their name. If you heard it for the first time, you'd assume this was a Morrissey tribute band instead of a smart, fun, catchy indie rock trio. No matter that on about half of their songs hot frontwoman guitarist/vocalist Nina Diaz sings exactly like Morrissey right down to the odd octave jumps on songs structured from the same boilerplate used for Vauxhall and I. Forget the fact that -- for a time -- they actually opened for Morrissey. Being anchored to such a name could eventually be a hindrance, especially considering that the other half of their music is guttural punk that's too well played to be mistaken for garage rock. They have a well-tooled sheen about them that comes from serious touring and having a mentor in an old-school performer like Joan Jett, whose label (Blackheart) they're signed to. Despite the familiar vocal phrasing, Nina's voice is actually closer to Karen O's and at times could be flat-out gorgeous (although the vocals along with the drums were poorly mixed last night). I listened to their latest, Trio BC, again this morning, and it comes nowhere near the intensity of their live set, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Bringing everything down a notch and balancing the sound reveals some clever, hook-filled songs by a clever band that could be the next Donnas (but with better skills and songs). See iPhoto from last night.

* * *

The July 4 weekend kicks off quietly. Satchel Grande is doing its thing tonight at The Waiting Room with Old Money. $7, 9 p.m. and... that's about all that's worth mentioning. Tomorrow night's hot show is Little Brazil, It's True, Flight Metaphor and David Matysiak of Coyote Bones at The Waiting Room. $4, 9 p.m. While Reagan Roeder's new band, Hubble, is playing at The 49'r with Jake Bellows, Dylan Davis and John Klemmensen and the Party. $5, 9 p.m. The Slowdown is closed Saturday.

Have a happy Indie Day...

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I wish I had tomorrow off. But I don't. Tomorrow is only the third of July, not the Fourth, so my office will be open for business. That, however, isn't going to stop me from going to one of the many good shows happening tonight.

At the top of my list (and the show I'll likely attend) is Girl in a Coma at The Waiting Room with Miss Derringer. GIAC is signed to Blackheart Records (Joan Jett's label) and plays gritty indie rock that borders on punk. Joan, I'm sure, is proud. $8, 9 p.m.

Just down the street, one of the area's best bands going -- Bear Country -- is playing at The Sydney with Andrew Ancona, Adam Robert Haug and Spring Acres. $5, 9 p.m. You won't be disappointed.

Over at O'Leaver's, low-fi punk rock dynamos Ketchup & Mustard Gas are playing with The Fergusens. $3 (a bargain!), 9:30 p.m.

Pop duo Shiver Shiver joins DJ Brent Crampton at Espana as part of the Loom series. $5, 9 p.m.

Finally, Les Claypool of Primus is doing a show at The Anchor Inn with O'Death (who we saw last November at TWR). I've never been a Primus fan ("Jerry Was a Racecar Driver" is the only song if theirs I ever dug) and am even less of a fan of Claypool. Still, the weather should be good and The Anchor Inn is a terrific place to see a show. $25, 9 p.m.

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As mentioned Monday, this week's column is a comment about/review of last Friday night's Anchor Inn show, which was a lot of fun. Last week's Michael Jackson comment was tacked on the end for posterity's sake…

Column 228: Anchors Aweigh
Tilly, Conor and Michael…

When we got to The Anchor Inn last Friday evening, one of the translucent openers that are currently touring with Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band was finishing a set of run-of-the-mill indie rock, followed by another in a series of droning bands fronted by women who sing like Cat Power.

Checking out the sparse crowd, I wondered if the show was going to be a bust. But it was early. Only about 50 people were crowded around the stage, while the rest meandered between the picnic tables carrying Bud Lights and pulled-pork sandwiches or wandered down to the river that acts as a backdrop to the Anchor Inn's massive stage.

Things picked up, though, as the sun dropped and Tilly and the Wall began its set. The open patch of grass between the stage and picnic tables was butt-to-belly packed. Tilly guitarist/vocalist Derek Pressnall announced from stage that the band hadn't played a show since last August, but you wouldn't have known it from listening to them. Tilly sounded tight as a tic, as if they'd just come off a two-month tour.

The band's numbers have ballooned to seven, but it wasn't the only thing about Tilly to "balloon." Making assumptions about a woman being in "the family way" can be dangerous, but Jamie Pressnall made the guesswork easy, thanks to her dress that bore a print of a large smiling fetus, complete with umbilical chord.

Jamie usually is the band's centerpiece, eagerly tap dancing above the rest of the cheer team on top of a microphoned "tap box." But with a baby on board, she instead replicated her tap-shoe rhythms by tapping sticks on a drum rim. She disappeared altogether during the end of crowd favorite "Beat Control," only to return -- dancing -- for the rest of the set. Will Tilly go on hiatus while the new band member arrives?

After a half-hour between bands, Oberst and Co. finally took the stage with Conor wearing a crazy black oversized Amish hat that made him look like the boy Samuel from the film Witness. Where's Harrison Ford when you need him? About halfway through the set I realized I was hearing essentially the same thing I'd heard in April at Slowdown.

Mystic Valley is a natural evolution for Oberst -- a midlife crisis for a guy pushing 30. Lyrically, he seems to be reaching for meaning in the most random, benign things, only managing to be profound in slogan-like spurts rather than sweeping narrative arcs. Sure, the Mystic Valley stuff is probably a lot more fun to play, but it's also a lot less relevant.

Between songs, fans yelled song titles, which Oberst kindly deflected with a smile and a "we don't know that one," responding to the perennial Bright Eyes requests. It got me thinking about the Chris Norris-penned article in the last issue of Rolling Stone that solved a couple mysteries, sort of. The story said the next Bright Eyes album will "close the door" on that band. The comment isn't a surprise, and I believe Oberst actually believes it. He'll probably walk away from his Bright Eyes material... for a few years.

But don't think you've heard the last of "Poison Ivy" or "Bowl of Oranges" or "Lua" or whatever. Oberst will retool those songs with a different band, blurring the line between projects. He is, after all, the guy who wrote those Bright Eyes songs as well as most of the Mystic Valley tunes. He can play whatever he wants with whomever he wants. I can't imagine that he'd place a permanent, self-imposed ban on performing some of his best-written material. Oberst has never been the kind of guy to build impenetrable walls, especially around himself.

Like a lot of articles about Oberst, the RS piece tried to define him as the stereotypically lonely, wandering artist, searching for something in life to anchor to. It's a convenient cliché, and like all clichés and stereotypes, it's true until you stare at it long enough and realize there's an even better truth beneath the surface. In the end, Oberst will disappoint Norris and the rest of them. He'll find a serious girlfriend (if he hasn't already), he'll have kids, he'll enter the next chapter of his life and feel a new comfort in family and friends. He'll get a dog. He'll grow up. He'll quit wandering. And his writing will be better for it.

* * *

Speaking of mortality, I would be remiss to not pass along a bit of news that seems to have escaped the attention of the national media: Michael Jackson died last week.

Even in an indie haunt like The Slowdown last Thursday night, there was an underlying buzz about MJ's passing. The discussion: Will another music performer ever reach the same heights of global deification as Jacko? In this new world of multi-media multi-channel multi-message communication, the answer is no. You've seen the last King of Pop. There is no room for royalty in a musical democracy where anyone can listen to anything anytime.

Jackson first and foremost was a performer. Unlike Springsteen or Prince or The Beatles, he wasn't known as a musician and he only wrote about a third of his songs (which included some of the best tunes on Thriller). Elvis was a performer. Sinatra was a performer. And though American Idol is designed to generate more and more performers, we'll see fewer and fewer, and none that will equal the stature of those who came before them.

So here's my question: When Dylan's time comes, will he get as much attention as Jacko is now?

* * *

The Boston Phoenix released its annual Best New Bands in America list, where they declare the best new band from each state. This year's winner from Nebraska is UUVVWWZ. Their reason: "Someone hasn't forgotten that you can royally fuck with melody, hooks, and any semblance of a vocal narrative and still have a buttload of incredible punk-funk jams on your hands." Check out the full list here.

It appears that the staff made the choice amongst themselves (Here's the selection guidelines), though I know that The Reader was among those contacted by the paper's editor, Lance Gould, asking for feedback. Last year's winner, btw, was Tilly and the Wall.

* * *

Outlaw Con Bandana is playing a last-minute show tonight at The Waiting Room with Fancie. $7, 9 p.m.

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Look for a review of last Friday's Tilly and the Wall/Conor Oberst concert as part of this week's column, which means it'll be online Wednesday. Until then, feast on a couple photos taken at the event via my iPhone:

Here's Tilly doing their thing in front of the rather huge mob. I didn't get the numbers, but it seemed like the crowd was as big or bigger than last year's Conor Oberst Anchor Inn show. Though they hadn't played since last August, Tilly sounded as tight as I've ever heard them.

Here's a shot of Conor and Co. Conor's the one wearing the crazy oversized Amish hat, which made him look like the boy Samuel from the film Witness. Where's Harrison Ford when you need him?

More later.

* * *

Our friends from Speed! Nebraska sent out a message this morning reminding folks that the race registration deadline for the Speed! Nebraska Adult Soapbox Derby at Seymour Smith Park is Wednesday, July 1.

Race details and registration materials are located here. The actual race is July 18 starting at 11 a.m. All proceeds benefit The Special Olympics.

And to commemorate the event, Speed! Nebraska is releasing the Soapbox Riot 10", featuring racing songs by Wagon Blasters, Filter Kings, Mezcal Brothers, Domestica, The Third Men and Ideal Cleaners. The vinyl will drop July 18, and likely will be available at the race or at the after-race concert at O'Leaver's that evening. That show will feature Filter Kings, Wagon Blasters, The Third Men, Domestica and The Sons of Soapbox Derby. More details at the Speed! Nebraska website.

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I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Michael Jackson died yesterday.

Even in an indie haunt like The Slowdown, there was an underlying buzz about MJ's passing last night. The discussion: Will another music performer ever reach the same heights of global deification as Jacko? In this new world of multi-media multi-channel multi-message communication, the answer is no. You've seen the last King of Pop. There is no room for royalty in a musical democracy where anyone can listen to anything anytime.

Jackson first and foremost was a performer. Unlike Springsteen or Prince or The Beatles, he wasn't known as a musician and he only wrote about a third of his songs (which included some of the best tunes on Thriller). Elvis was a performer. Sinatra was a performer. And though American Idol is designed to generate more and more performers, we'll see fewer and fewer, and none that will equal the stature of those who came before them.

So here's my question: When Dylan's time comes, will he get as much attention as Jacko is now? I doubt it.

Actually, there is a new King of Pop, and his name is The Stay Awake. I'm sort of kidding (really?), though last night's set by The Stay Awake in front about 50 at Slowdown Jr. was the closest this trio has come to making pop music. Their typical style is a ferocious wall of guitar, bass, drums, feedback and screaming, delivered with all the subtlety of a knee to the groin. The music is throbbing, jittery, staggering, at times hypnotic, but always ballistic and rarely boring. But last night there was even more of a throbbing vibe to their set; it seemed less random, more organized. It's as if they've begun to evolve from a rhythmic, mathy noise collage band to something more…musical. And I like it. Kings of Pop indeed. (see action photo).

Deleted Scenes, a four-piece from the District of Columbia (see photo), played songs from their new album, Birdsheed Shirt, none of which I recognized. In fact, the band didn’t sound anything like their record, which is much more mannered and straight-forward than what I heard from stage. Part of the problem was the sound mix -- it was way too bottom-heavy, too bassy, and that bass crushed everything in its path. Still, an interesting set, but not as interesting as their quaint, trippy pop record.

* * *

Tonight Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band play again at The Anchor Inn. Those of you wondering whether it's worth it, here's a detailed review of when the band played at the Anchor Inn last September. It was a blast, and it's likely going to be a blast tonight even if there aren't any fireworks. Opening the show are Tilly and the Wall, Deep Sea Diver and Michael Runion. We all know Tilly. I have no idea who the other two are. Show starts at 8 and is $20.

Of course, also tonight is the annual concert in Memorial Park, this time featuring The Guess Who, Grand Funk Railroad, and the main attraction -- fireworks. The show starts at 6 and please don't park in front of my house. Thanks.

Afterward, you may want to swing down to The Sydney for a punk rock extravaganza featuring Pornhuskers, Blood Cow and Coffin Killers $5, 9 p.m.

Also tonight, O'Leaver's is hosting No Blood Orphan with Matt Whipkey and Ashley Raines. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Tomorrow night (Saturday) Brooklyn band White Rabbits is playing at Slowdown Jr. The band's new album was produced by Britt Daniel of Spoon. Also on the card, The Subjects and Little Black Stereo. $8, 9 p.m.

The Dinks return to O'Leaver's Saturday for an eclectic show that includes The Lonely H and Western Electric. $5, 9:30 p.m.

The Sydney has Mal Madrigal and the horribly named Box of Baby Birds (from Chicago). $5, 9 p.m.

And Led Zep tribute band The Song Remains the Same returns to The Waiting Room with rock karaoke band Girl Drink Drunk. Here's your chance to climb on stage and do your best MJ impersonation. $7, 9 p.m.

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The following appears in the current issue of The Reader. The best song on the album, btw, is the second to last one: John's ode to Amy Winehouse...

John Klemmensen and The Party, Advanced Hedonism (Slo-Fi Records) -- Klemmensen is a staple of the Omaha music scene, both for his solo work and work with bands such as Landing on the Moon and Satchel Grande. Once you've see him, you'll never forget him. On this solo effort, Klemmensen channels his inner-Dave Matthews (or Van Morrison) for an album's worth of songs that dissect a relationship from start to finish, but mostly finish. Klemmensen has no qualms about letting you peak inside his broken heart, but all too often his words are taken from arm's reach instead of digging from a darker place. We know you loved her, John; now tell us what really happened. Musically, this is warm, acoustic singer/songwriter fare with vocal lines that tend to follow the chord progressions rather than their own path. Horns (from Klemmensen and Satchel bandmate James Cuato) add some much-needed swing, especially on acoustic rocker "Dotted Line" and the loungy "Late at Night." Lazy-i Rating: Yes. The Reader Rating: 3 stars.

* * *

There are three pretty solid shows going on tonight. On top of the list for me is DC band Deleted Scenes at Slowdown Jr. Their latest record, Birdseed Shirt (on What Delicate Recordings), got a nice little 8.0 rating from indie tastemakers (for better or worse) Pitchfork. The band is indeed distinctly indie in that their style is all over the place but clearly rooted in solid, groovy songwriting. Check out some of their stuff on their Myspace page. They've also got a tape out on Omaha label I'm Drinkin This. Your $5 cover charge will also get you music by two of Omaha's best post-punk/noise rock bands: The Stay Awake and Techlepathy. Show starts at 9.

Also tonight, God Sham God (formerly Prostitute America) plays at O'Leaver's with Daughters of the Sun. $5, 9:30 p.m.

Finally, a band that sneaked in under the radar but that's beginning to make an impact -- The Answer Team -- is opening for Paria at The Sydney. $5, 9 p.m.

* * *

Brief culinary detour: Last night I went to Wohlner's for dinner (for the first time) and had what easily was the best French Dip sandwich that I've ever eaten. I'm not kidding. Look, over the years I've eaten a lot of French Dip sandwiches from literally all over the world. They all paled in comparison to the delicacy that was served to me at Wohlner's last night. 5 stars.

Now, back to the music...

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