list.in.to.chicago this week: 02.17.2003

If you're in a bookstore, or a department store, you might want to pick up a couple of calendars for The Cubby Bear (advertising a show on Saturday, February 21st) and for The Wild Goose (doing the same for Saturday, February 28th). I guess if I don't find full-time employment soon, I can look for a job as a proofreader.

A little less of note going on this week than last, or I'm just getting lazy. Pretty even odds on one or the other.

As always, I encourage you to forward this to your friends, and if you're either receiving it as a forwarded e-mail, or are visiting on the web, instructions on how to subscribe are at the bottom. And no open mike at Vaughan's this week, as the house band all has better things to do.

Pick of the week
As is the case from time to time, I must be a bit self-serving this time out. It's Lindsie Reitz and Soulfix at Life's Too Short, which is on the corner of Division and Elston. Not only do we rock, but it will be our last show with vocalist/percussionist Jayh Johnson as a regular member of the group, and you get a whole night of bassist Mike Mitchel, who also plays with Soulfix. And (and I was saving this for last) IT'S FREE! Music starts sometime shortly after 9pm.

Also, go see the Audium Trio on Wednesday, although when I say "see," I mostly mean "hear," because they set up in a really dimly lit corner of the room.

Recap
Speaking of that very same Audium Trio, I caught a good chunk of their first set and a bit of their second on Wednesday. What struck me was that the material didn't seem improvised, but it was. Part of this is that it's only a trio, so guitarist/saxophonist Wes Cichosz can take the tunes where he wants, and there's only Eric Sittner on bass to follow the harmonic movement. I heard elements of New Orleans funk in a couple of tunes, and Bill Laswell-styled dub on others, and I'll cop out and say the rest was somewhere in between.

Saturday's entertainment was a bit different. I caught an ad for this band called the Cover Girls at Wild Goose, which is right on the corner of my street, billed as a band playing songs from 80s girl bands. I'm a big fan of the 80s, and it was really close, so I headed over there with my roommate. What they didn't say is that it was songs from 80s girl bands played by a quartet of guys in drag. I have to say, it filled a void in my life for cover bands with a schtick that has gone unfulfilled since the last time Los Borrachos played a show.

2.17   monday
Detour and Divas (Isaac Hayes)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
This is a soul/R&B show that's based around local group Detour, but with a bunch of female singers, one of whom is Mari Anne Jayme, who you may remember from my unnamed funk band of late 2002. I'm still trying to get that thing back together, but in the meantime, this may tide you over.

Styx CD Listening Party (House of Blues)
Okay, this is just funny, in a sad, Spinal Tap sort of way. To hear The Loop promote this thing (they just might be bringing their instruments!), it's like the nineties, and a good chunk of the late eighties, never happened.

2.18   tuesday
Your Little Ponies (Uncommon Ground)
You know you want to. And I want to stop calling these guys Chicago's answer to Tenacious D, but it's just so easy.

Toad the Wet Sprocket (Vic Theatre)
This one's sold out, so it's more of a "go if someone offers you an extra" recommendation. Several people whose opinions I respect a lot like these guys, although I didn't realize they had broken up to the degree where I should have expressed surprise that they were back together, but that's mostly because I constantly get them confused with Big Head Todd and the Monsters.

2.19   wednesday
Audium Trio (Bottom Lounge)
I think these guys have the dubious honor of being the first band where everyone involved is actually on the mailing list, or it least it would be if I could read Wes' handwriting, so congratulations. I think I've said enough about them elsewhere this week, so I'll leave it at that.

2.20   thursday
Phish (Allstate Arena)
I only mention this because someone will probably yell at me if I don't. Although no one said anything after my jam-band-slam a couple of weeks ago, so who knows? Also, I can't find anything else that I'd recommend.

2.21   friday
EXO, American Cosmonaut, Tuffy, Sons of Jor-El (Nevin's Live)
I'm mentioning this one and not the EXO show Saturday at the Bottom Lounge not because I want you to come see ME on Saturday, but because the sound at Nevin's is generally fantastic and will make for a better experience for the audience. That's the ticket.

Galactic (Vic Theatre)
One of the bigger proponents of New Orleans R&B right now, these guys feature Stanton Moore on drums and have toured with the likes of Maceo Parker, The Meters, and Medeski Martin and Wood.

2.22   saturday
Lindsie Reitz, Soulfix (Life's Too Short)   SEE COZ LIVE!
No, not "freedom rock." FREE rock! As in, it doesn't cost you a damn thing! No excuses! Jayh's last show! Mike double-dipping with Soulfix! Lots of exclamation points!! Somebody stop me!

2.23   sunday
Sleater-Kinney, The Black Keys, Sweet Heart (Metro)
Another sellout, but the epitome of "not a sellout," so again, if someone offers you an extra ticket, take it.