Sleep tight, Stay Awake

* Stay Awake will take a final bow this Saturday at The Slowdown, 729 North 14th St., before calling it quits. The local indie rock trio of Steve Micek, Robert Little and Mario Alderfer perfected a brand of icy, jagged rock that drew a line between post-hardcore and post-punk. The taut, bracing onslaught is highlighted by Micek’s stream-of-consciousness microphone barks. The break-up comes as drummer Alderfer prepares to leave Nebraska. The show also heralds the online download-only release of the Stay Awake’s last bits of material. The Destiny of Man is a full-length release, while Taco Town is an EP. Both will be available at BandCamp.com, Micek says. The Stay Awake will be joined by Ladyfinger and Techlepathy on Saturday, Feb. 5 for the 9 p.m. show. Tickets are $7 at the door. * Antiquarium Records, 417 South 13th St., is making use of its back room by offering its newly minted junk record room, co-owner Joseph Tingley says. Most of the records, retrieved from the store’s attic, are priced between $1 and $2 “or free if they are destroyed,” Tingley says. Also on display in the store’s new space is photography by local shooter Brent LaRue. * Grab a donut and celebrate the life and work of J Dilla on Monday, Feb. 7 at The Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. Two up-and-coming Omaha hip hop artists/DJs, DJ Stryke and $Bill will be spinning choice cuts from the career of James “J Dilla” Yancey, who died February 2006. Proceeds from the $5 cover go to the J Dilla Foundation. * National Public Radio is providing sneak peeks of two upcoming releases of local interest. NPR.org’s First Listen series is currently streaming the entire new Bright Eyes release, The People’s Key , and the new Telekinesis, 12 Desperate Straight Lines . Both albums are due out Feb. 15. Telekinesis is Slowdown-bound for a March 1 show, while The People’s Key is Omaha native Conor Oberst’s latest and is being released on locally-owned Saddle Creek Records. * If you’re in Lincoln Sunday night, hit up River City Extension at the Bourbon Theater, 1415 O St. The New Jersey chamber-punk group culls an ambitious anthemic folk rock sound that ties them as closely to big-minded acts like Arcade Fire and Titus Andronicus as it does roots rockers like the Avett Brothers. The band, fronted by singer/songwriter Joe Michelini, headlines Lincoln during a day off from their tour with the Get Up Kids. Tickets are $7 and probably well worth the price of admission, based on what I’ve heard from their 2010 release The Unmistakable Man.