cassette and a release from Steven's own band, Polecat, on vinyl. With the agreement, Stevens set out with the help of Conor and Justin Oberst to raise the $1,500 it would cost for 500 CDs. The resulting album, Dead Space, was released locally in 1994 and has never been reissued. Breakup and later influence (1995–present) Despite recording enough material for a second album, Slowdown Virginia broke up in the spring of 1995. The band played their final show at the Cultural Center in Lincoln, Nebraska in April of that year. Caniglia had decided to quit making music, and Kasher intended to leave for the University of Kansas. Only a month later, however, Clint Schnase from Pedersen's other band, Smashmouth, joined Kasher, Pedersen, and Maginn to form Cursive. Kasher and the other band members intended to take music and the new band much more seriously, something they felt they didn't do with Slowdown Virginia, "decid[ing] with Cursive we would write the best we could, believe in it, and if everyone ended up hating it – well, we would deal with it." Pedersen would depart Cursive in 1998 to later be replaced by Ted Stevens. Slowdown Virginia had a lasting influence on the music of Omaha, specifically the success and enthusiasm around the live shows and releasing Dead Space locally in inspiring bands that would become the nucleus of Saddle Creek Records. Conor Oberst of Commander Venus, Bright Eyes and Desaparecidos specifically cites Slowdown Virginia as an influence for going on to make music; Todd Fink and Clark Baechle from The Faint express similar inspiration. The influence of the band's music and live shows played a role in decision to name Saddle Creek's mixed-entertainment complex in Omaha's Near North Side Slowdown in their honor. The venue opened in 2007, and in 2010 Slowdown Virginia reunited at the venue without Kasher to play one show with Polecat. Band members Tim Kasher: guitar, vocals Matt Maginn: bass, vocals Steve Pedersen: guitar Casey Caniglia: drums Jim Robino: lead vocals (The March Hares) Discography Dead Space (1994; Lumberjack Records LBJ-03) See also Criteria Cursive Smashmouth References External links Slowdown (venue) official website Saddle Creek Records official website. Indie rock musical groups from Nebraska Musical groups from Omaha, Nebraska Saddle Creek Records artists