list.in.to.chicago this week: 01.13.2003

One of these days, I'll figure out the right way to make this look a bit less unwieldy for any of you that can't deal with HTML e-mail. Just not today. And there's a special bonus for those of you who read this thing all the way to the end. Or should I say, "from A to Z"?

Pick of the week
I'm going to go with Assassins at Schuba's on Thursday night. On the one hand, a good recommendation, but also a self-serving attempt to get my sorry ass out to actually see them again. I'm still clinging to two good songs at the end of a set six months ago that were intriguing enough for me to be interested, but apparently not quite enough to get out of the house.

Recap
Last week was more performer than audient, but that's the way it goes sometimes. Vaughan's was graced with a King Crimson tune for what had to be the first time in the history of their open mike night. Then Lindsie's band brought the rock to Double Door. While we were maybe a bit approximate in our execution, we still acquitted ourselves nicely. As did emergency bassist Larry Schroeder, who for the most part remembered he had five strings.

Tortoise sold out before I could get tickets, so no dice there. There were dice, however, at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, which is where I ended up as part of a birthday celebration. And celebrate I did, by winning a nice chunk of change in the last slot machine run of the evening before we headed back to the city. One of the more amusing scenes once back in Chicago proper was the aforementioned Larry and I geeking out to David Lee Roth's "Yankee Rose," somewhat oblivious to the intended entertainment at the particular venue. It's nice to know it's not just me sometimes.

1.13   monday
Interpol with Calla (Empty Bottle)
Another show was added last week after the Metro show sold out, so it's entirely possible that this one is maxed out as well. Unless there are only just over a thousand Interpol fans in Chicago, and none of them want to see them two nights in a row.

1.14   tuesday
Open Mike (Vaughan's)   SEE COZ LIVE!
Bring on the prog rock! Somebody else played ELP last week, which led me to realize that I actually can sing "From the Beginning," so we'll see how long it takes for it to enter the mix. At this point, I should probably mention that there's no cover and imported beers are only $3, because I'm not really counting on art rock as a big incentive.

1.15   wednesday
Jim Gailloreto Quintet (Green Mill)
I take no responsibility for butchering the saxophonists name, as that's how it was spelled in the Reader ad. Joining him on stage will be uberbassist Larry Kohut, guitarist John McLean, drummer Eric Montzka and pianist Steve Million.

1.16   thursday
Assassins with Venue and Disk Jockey CB (Schuba's)
There's a buzz abuzz about these guys, so if they make it big, you can say you saw them way back when. Seeing as how I'm still basing this opinion on the slightest of knowledge, that's the best I can do in recommending them. Of course, I've worked with less in the past.

Ivory Wire with Meqqa, Revis and Chinese Downhill (Metro)
For those of you scoring at home, Ivory Wire used to be Dovetail Joint until they added former Great Apes drummer Henry Jansen and struck off in a bit of a different direction, according to guitarist Rob Byrne. For those of you not scoring at home, try flowers. With apologies to Sportscenter.

1.17   friday
Light FM with The Lilys (Schuba's)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
On some level, I'm hoping that recommending friends' shows goes at least a little way to make up for not being there myself. Cheap and easy karma, if I should be so lucky. Anyway, one-time URT bassist Chris Frantisak is part of this particular sonic endeavor, so there you go.

Deal's Gone Bad with The Itch (Prodigal Son)
Some of these guys recorded a rocked-out version of one of the songs sung by fans of Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire. Then the Fire suddenly has some deals go bad. Coincindence? I think not.

1.18   saturday
Oteil Burbridge and the Peacemakers (Martyr's)
Most people know Burbridge from his more recent tenure as bassist with the Allman Brothers, but before that, he was a part of the one jam band I actually liked, the Aquarium Rescue Unit. That said, I have no idea what kind of thing he's doing on his own. At the very least, there should be some jaw-dropping bass solos and some hippie wannabes doing that stupid wiggly dance at inappropriate times.

Naked Oil Twister (Phyliss' Musical Inn)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Now boasting two fellow members of Nitrous Foxide, the Twister is hitting the local scene in a big way, as this is their second show of the week. Just don't ask Stephan about the website.

Lunch with Cycle Something and Family Groove Company (Elbo Room)
Hanging out with some friends last week at Elbo Room, we were panning this band for their choice of name, but ultimately, we kept coming back to it, so maybe they're on to something. That, or we were just really hungry.

1.19   sunday
Zwan (Metro)
Billy's back. If you got tickets, congratulations. If not, it looks like it's all will call, so you have to know someone who got their two tickets without having someone in mind. Which I did, but not for this show. That's right, one extra for Zwan one week from tonight. Let me know if you're interested.