Band You Should Know: Cowboy Indian Bear (Playing Tonight, MP3)

If you caught the Jen Says Kwahs at the 2008 Pitch Music Showcase, you were probably bummed to hear that the Lawrence indie rock quartet was on its last legs. From the ashes of that superb group, singer/guitarist Marty Hillard has formed Cowboy Indian Bear with C.J. Calhoun (formerly of Kennedy Luck Club) and drummer Beau Bruns.

The trio will unveil its debut three-song EP in a couple weeks with shows at the Jackpot (Feb. 13) and the Brick (Feb. 14) as well as an in-store performance at Streetside Records (Feb. 14, 6 p.m.). You can get a jump on the action, however, by trekking towards the red-light district known as the Eighth Street Taproom (8th and New Hampshire in downtown Lawrence) tonight to catch CIB with Omaha’s Thunder Power – a snazzy, female-fronted indie pop act that should knock the argyle socks off Camera Obscura junkies.