list.in.to.chicago this week: 10.28.2002

Ghosts, goblins, ponies, prog rock warhorses...

Pick of the week
Every once in a while, this is easy. Me'Shell Ndege'ocello at Park West on Friday. She's one of the best bass players on the planet, her band is tight, and her songwriting and stage presence are both intense and provocative. You won't regret it.

Recap
Okay, I guess I should expand on what this list is capable. If you actually want to see one of these shows, please feel free to let me know. I typically have nothing against flying solo to see music, but sometimes that will inhibit my chances of actually getting off of my couch, which was largely the case on Friday. So no news on how The Assassins were. The couch, if you're wondering, was very comfy. I also spent much of the week and weekend recording original music, and trying to impersonate a lead guitarist in the process. More news on that as it develops.

10.28   monday
The Soft Boys with The Lonesome Organist (Double Door)
If you're like me, any familiarity with the Soft Boys came primarily through singer/songwriter Robyn Hitchcock, with or without the Egyptians. You'd hear passing mention of his previous band, but for the most part, you were listening to Hitchcock sing about cheese or somesuch (that's not a slam; I actually really like "The Cheese Alarm" from his Jewels for Sophia album). More recently, the stature of the Soft Boys as an influence on alternative and indie rock has grown, with the All-Music Guide calling them "one of the most influential bands in shaping contemporary alternative music," and now the band is back with a pretty solid new record on Matador. This show has been moved from Metro.

10.29   tuesday
Open Mike (Vaughan's)   SEE COZ LIVE!
If people come out for this, I may actually play some of the original tunes I've been working so diligently on lately. No, I have no idea if that's a promise or a threat.

10.30   wednesday
Rush (United Center)
I cut my musical teeth playing along to this venerable Canadian power trio, and while part of me is embarrassed for having such a narrow view of music at the time, part of me is still a proud prog-rock geek. With Vapor Trails, Rush have roared back from a long hiatus due to immense personal tragedy in drummer Neil Peart's life, and most accounts have the band rocking out harder than they have in a long time.

6th Annual Halloween Bash (Double Door)
Double Door hit on a great tradition in the late nineties, with local bands coming "in costume" for a night of revelry. Of course, as time goes on, the tributees get a little further afield, which is part of the fun. Featuring Local H as ZZ Top, Figdish as INXS, Gaza Strippers as Blue Oyster Cult, Giant Step as Van Halen, Bicycle Tricycle as Meatloaf, Monster Trux as Suicidal Tendencies, and The Last Vegas as Foghat.

10.31   thursday
2nd Annual Halloween Show (Nevin's Live)
Seeing as how the Double Door bashes have gone so well, Nevin's has offered that sincerest form of flattery, with The Robbie Fulks Band as Jonathon Richman & The Modern Lovers, Pearly Sweets & The Platonics as Huey Lewis & The News, Heather's Damage as Nirvana, Eddie Carlson, Jason Narducy, Steph Turner and Miss Mia as The GO-GO's, Dylan Rice w/ Roho as David Bowie, and Mid-States as New Order.

Your Little Ponies (Uncommon Ground)
If you're half as scared at the notion of YLP playing on Halloween, then I'm twice as scared as you. The debate continues as to whether the Ponies are, in fact, plural.

11.01   friday
Me'Shell Ndege'ocello with DJ Sundance Kid (Park West)
The first time I saw Ndege'ocello, her band opened up by ripping through the intro to Weather Report's "Db Waltz," which pretty much blew me away. She followed with one of the most compelling and funky performances I've seen this side of Prince, and also started my infatuation with the word "compelling" to describe artists who project this unbelievable feeling of believing in the music they're performing. The woman can play the heck of the bass guitar as well.

11.02   saturday
Walking Man with Penny Dredful, Drawing a Blank   FRIENDS OF COZ!
This band had the dubious honor of sharing the bill on URT's farewell performance. See if they've recovered.

11.03   sunday
Supreme Beings of Leisure with Baldwin Brothers, Ben Neill
The use of electronic music in commercials has blossomed since Moby became a superstar on that strategy, so it should come as no surprise that this tour is being sponsored by a sort of "music division" of Volkswagon. According to the VW website, Ben Neill is currently featured in three or four different spots, and between that and Chicago's Baldwin Brothers' propensity for Propellerhead-esque grooves, I probably don't even need to tell you what the headliners sound like. You get the picture, in 30 seconds or less.