by Chris Aponick

* 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.

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