list.in.to.chicago this week: 02.24.2003

It's the birthday edition of l.i.t.c., as your humble correspondent hits 33 on Saturday. As fate would have it, I'll be playing with Nitrous Foxide on Friday (see below), so you can be there when the day of the Coz begins! If that's not exciting, I don't know what is. Actually, I have a pretty good idea what is, but you'll read about that in the recap section.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A short couple of hours after I said this, the Foxide part of any birthday celebration has been scrapped. However, I didn't feel like rewriting that, so I thought I'd put in this editor's note instead. Isn't is a nice editor's note?

In the meantime, if you want to do something nice for my b-day, forward this e-mail to your friends. Yes, I'm going to say this pretty much every week. If you've had this forwarded to you, or are reading it on the web, you can subscribe using the links at the bottom.

Pick of the week
I'm actually not being as self-serving as usual in picking the Nitrous Foxide/Maggie Speaks show Friday night at Cubby Bear, because the other shows I would have picked, Audioslave's two shows at the Riv and Dennis Miller's four at the Vic, are sold out.

EDITOR HERE AGAIN: But, now that the Foxide thing is off, maybe you should see if there are any Dennis Miller tickets.

Recap
Again, Audium Trio was a good time on Wednesday. I noticed similarities between Wes' guitar style in this band and some of Andy Summers' more recent work, which is a very good thing.

However, that night pales in comparison to Saturday night's Lindsie Reitz/Soulfix double bill. It was a special occasion, as Jayh Johnson was playing with us for the last time, and it was a full night of Mike Mitchel in his low-frequency glory, as he also plays bass in Soulfix. Which was all well and good, but it has nothing to do with what ended up being the main attraction. Life's Too Short is a late-night bar, and as such, there's generally an influx of already-drunk people at what us older folk consider the end of a typical evening. This night was no exception, with a petite young lady coming in after midnight celebrating her birthday. As such, Marlon from Soulfix didn't object when she stepped in front of the microphone towards the end of their set. The DJ at the bar also has a live mike, with which he exhorted said young female to remove her top. Which she did.

Sensing the blood in the water, the DJ pounced, encouraging her to repeat the act on stage. Then again standing up on the bar. Then AGAIN on the bar with girlfriends. And I mean "with girlfriends" exactly in that dirty way you were thinking, you pervert. It felt like we were air-dropped into a Girls Gone Wild video.

Through my flu-induced fog, all this has me thinking that alcohol is either a very good thing or a very bad thing. I'm not exactly sure which.

Oh, and in case you're wondering...yes, that's the same Lindsie in the Q section of Sunday's Tribune (registration required).

2.24   monday
Irreverant Jazz (Phyliss' Musical Inn)
Scott, Pat and Corey, and according to the Reader listing, somebody else, are still at it on Mondays in the Park of Wicker.

2.25   tuesday
Open Mike (Vaughan's)   SEE COZ LIVE!
I believe this week will feature songs with no high vocal notes from yours truly, as I recover from a nasty cold and a week off.

Nada Surf with Sondre Lerche and The People (Schuba's)
A friend of mine out east just saw this tour amidst the NYC blizzard last week, and gave it a pretty hearty thumbs-up. At least it seemed like a hearty thumbs-up. Sometimes it's hard to tell.

Aterciopelados with El Guapo (House of Blues)
I see this Rock en Espanol band's name all the time, and I can't help thinking that it's some kind of flying dinosaur. And just try to pronounce it. I double-dog-dare you.

2.26   wednesday
Emilie Autumn with Ellen Rosner and Kristen Shout (Double Door)
We played with Emilie a few months ago, and her sound is pretty intriguing. Lots of electronic grooves and textures powered by both live strings and synthesizers, along with a striking stage persona. This is her CD release party.

Audioslave (Riviera Theatre)
Kevin is not going to rub in the fact that he's got tickets to this sold out performance from Soundgarden's Chris Cornell and three fourths of Rage Against the Machine. Well, maybe just a little.

2.27   thursday
Audioslave (Riviera Theatre)
I'm not going to rub in the fact that I've got tickets to this sold out performance from Soundgarden's Chris Cornell and three fourths of Rage Against the Machine, either. Well, maybe just a little.

Peter Wolf (Fitzgerald's)
Yes, that Peter Wolf, of J. Geils Band fame. Come to think of it, there's an alarming lack of J. Geils on all those 80s compilations I have. I'm guessing Freezeframe is probably pretty cheap if it's still in print. That said, I sorta doubt Wolf will be dwelling on his past, as he's got a new album out.

2.28   friday
Nitrous Foxide with Maggie Speaks   SEE COZ LIVE!
Did I mention Saturday is my birthday, so you should come out and celebrate? Okay, I did. Did I mention it OFTEN enough? Okay, did I mention that we're not actually going to play now? Sadly, I may be forced to spend the outset of my birthday with...

Scorpions, Whitesnake, Dokken (Allstate Arena)
In my dreams, I'll take you down slow and easy, and rock you like a hurricane. In the still of the night, there's no one like you, and I've already exhausted my knowledge of Dokken lyrics. Sorry.

3.01   saturday
Dennis Miller (Vic Theatre)
This show caps the end of a four-night stand, for which there are allegedly limited tickets still available, but I would imagine that's changed since press time at the Reader. With the current state of the world, we're blessed to have had Henry Rollins in town, and now Miller to skewer it.

American Motherload with Blackmaker, Pinch, and the Nouvots (Double Door)
Actually, the first time I saw Motherload, I wasn't terribly impressed, but then I saw them do an unplugged set before the holidays. I haven't been out to see them in their electric context since then, but I'd very much like to.

3.02   sunday
Nicholas Barron and the Free Associates (The Long Room)
As Monday is "jazz night" in many clubs in Chicago, Sunday is home to lots and lots of acid jazz and funk, with Nicholas and company as one of the standard-bearers. I haven't seen many people improvise lyrics as deftly as Barron can, and he's always got stupendous musicians behind him, often including drummer Steve Gillis, who I'm obliged to mention somewhere in the newsletter every week.