by Chris Aponick

* Congratulations to Stir Cove and Harrah's Casino for announcing a rock-solid line-up of initial summer shows. The Flaming Lips (August 4) and Ben Folds (July 8) shows highlight the announced shows, which so far, are light on the usual summer glut of classic rock. Stir organizers have promised more shows to come. Check out the complete show list, ticket prices and more at StirCove.com. * MAHA Music Festival is up next, as the organizers of the August 13 event at Lewis & Clark Landing have set April 25 as the date that they will reveal the line-up for their third annual outdoor concert. After hitting a home run with last year's featured headliners Spoon and The Faint, this will definitely be a good one. * Where that leaves Red Sky Festival, set for July 19-24 at and around the TD Ameritrade Park in north downtown, remains to be seen. Nary a peep has been heard from the mysterious cabal of LiveNation kingmakers and Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority power-brokers responsible for putting on Omaha's supposed answer to Milwaukee's Summerfest. Here's hoping we won't wait too much longer to see just what Red Sky will be all about. * Mynabirds' Laura Burhenn has been quite busy. Her band has opened several recent Bright Eyes tour dates, which means double-duty for Burhenn as she is currently a member of Bright Eyes' touring line-up. In the middle of all of that, the Mynabirds have put together a new video for “L.A. Rain”, a track off of 2010's What We Lose In the Fire We Gain in the Flood. The black-and-white video, shot and edited by Shervin Lainez, is a mini tour documentary. Also, my eyes might deceive me, but I'm pretty sure I spotted Lewis Black in there. Nice cameo! Just around the corner are planned autumn studio sessions for the next Mynabirds record, once again with Richard Swift producing. * Atlanta, Ga.'s Biters provided a great Friday night set of throwback glam-punk that was a fun homage to the New York Dolls and more. The show at the Slowdown, 720 North 14th St., also featured fellow Atlanta act the Booze, who played a Stones-indebted rock strut.

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