list.in.to.chicago this week: 08.11.2003

After I sent last week's newsletter out, I realized that I forgot to add the "Friends of Coz" tag to a couple of entries. Don't worry Larry, you're still my friend. Also, the current Great White tour is raising money for victims of the fire at The Station in Rhode Island, so I'm going to hell for making fun of them.

I would also like to take this opportunity to announce that I am not running for Governor of California. A day late, a dollar short. Actually, two days late, $3500 short, and I didn't get any signatures. Plus, I don't actually live in California. Oh, well.

Forward. Subscribe. Repeat.

Pick of the week
The Goose Island Fest, taking place Friday through Sunday at A. Finkl and Sons, almost looks worth the $50 for the full three-day pass. I guess a lot of that hinges on what you think of the Psychedelic Furs, who headline the weakest bill of the bunch on Saturday. Sunday's Medeski Martin & Wood with Tortoise show looks like a no-brainer, though. And for the indie rock crowd, you can't do much better than Sonic Youth, Guided By Voices AND Bob Mould on Friday.

On the local front, l.i.t.c. faves Drive (Friday, Double Door) and Ivory Wire (Saturday, Metro) are both in action this week as well.

list.in.to.COZ
While I might make it to Vaughan's a little later on Tuesday, I also might not, so I'll refrain from hyping that one. I will be performing solo before the Fire game on Saturday, though.

Recap
My first-born child is safe, as I was unable to score tickets for A Perfect Circle last night. I did make it out to see Tributasaurus as Led Zeppelin on Wednesday, though. Very entertaining, and while Steve Frisbie did a great job of imitating Robert Plant for his guest spot, Jason Narducy of Verbow took it up a notch, practically becoming Plant. That said, it may have just been the puffy shirt.

Monday night's acoustic set from Regal Standard was enlightening, as some of their songs sounded much different, and in some cases, better in that context. Plura reminded me a lot of Queens of the Stone Age, in a more direct sense than, say, Drive.

Tuesday at Vaughan's was, um, interesting. It included a song sung in Gaelic with only percussion accompaniment, an enthusiastic and loud, if not wholly (nearly?) accurate, reading of Smashing Pumpkins and White Stripes, and a final set from the house band that could only be described as "rollicking." Okay, it could probably be described as something else, but that's what sprang to mind.

As for Foxide on Saturday, you can get the full urine-soaked rundown here.

Wow, I had a busy week. On to the shows!

8.11   monday
Tori Amos (Skyline Stage)
From the looks of the ad, this show is NOT sold out. I could find links to online reviews of last night's show at the Auditorum Theatre, but so could you.

8.12   tuesday
Steve Hackett (Border's on State Street, 12:30pm)
I'm on a bit of a 70s prog-rock tear right now, and the former Genesis guitarist fits into that picture quite well. He's got a new album out, and if it's solo guitar, it should be quite good. If it was produced by Geoff Downes, it'll probably suck. Remember GTR? Ouch.

Evanescence with Cold, Revis and Cauterize (Congress Theatre)
My little bro says the Evanescence album is pretty good, but something about them just seems very wallpaper-y. Nothing jumps out at me at all. On other, more pithy notes, Cauterize may well be the worst band name I've seen in a long while, and the ad has this show at the Congress Theatre, while Sunday's Joe Jackson show opts for the less pretentious Theater.

8.13   wednesday
Dickey Betts & Great Southern with Old No. 8 (Abbey Pub)
Guitarist Betts was unceremoniously dumped from the Allman Brothers a few years ago, but it looks like he's getting back in the game with what is ostensibly a new incarnation of the solo band he started when he split from the Allmans the first time, back in 1976.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band (US Cellular Field)
If it weren't for Bruce, New Jersey's #1 rock and roll export would be Bon Jovi, and for that alone, we should be grateful.

8.14   thursday
Anthrax with Lacuna Coil, Etown Concrete (Oasis One-Sixty)
The band isn't even hitting Chicago proper on this tour, which says something about the hard rock/heavy metal scene in the south and southwest suburbs.

8.15   friday
Sonic Youth, Guided By Voices, Bob Mould, Waco Brothers, Yakuza (A. Finkl and Sons)
And, just like that, the troika of references to the Simpson's "Hullabalooza" episode is complete! Aside from that, this first night of the Goose Island Fest is quite a powerhouse lineup, and I say that as someone who doesn't even like Sonic Youth. And Finkl and Sons is rapidly becoming the outdoor event venue of choice in the city, although I haven't been to a show there yet.

Greg Osby Four (Green Mill)
Osby came out of the same New York scene that spawned fellow saxophonist Steve Coleman and bassist Fima Ephron. While Coleman's recent output is reportedly more in the ultra-modern mode these players have been known for, Osby's most recent record delves into older material, albeit with at least a bit of a modern twist, according to reviews. This is the first of a two-night stand in Uptown.

Drive with Office, The Webb Brothers and Thunderwing (Double Door)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
I'm still struggling with a name for what I see as a common thread between bands like Drive and Ivory Wire (see Saturday's listing). On some level, "hard pop" seems to cover it, as it's more pop-oriented hard rock, but I'm not so sure. I also wonder if this is a midwestern response to more melodically rich rock bands from the West Coast like Incubus and the unfortunately-named Hoobastank.

8.16   saturday
Ivory Wire with Kill Hannah, Caviar, Egostatic (Metro)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
On top of being a fan and friend of Ivory Wire, this is a pretty stacked lineup of local bands. Unfortunately, I find that description becoming increasingly rare over at this venerable Lakeview venue. I'm not convinced that there's still any measure of hype around Caviar, but I sort of thought that the last time I saw Kill Hannah at the same venue, and that show sold out. In their case, I underestimated the sheer number of disaffected teens in the suburbs. I don't know if there are any such mitigating factors with Caviar, though.

Coz Sings! (Cardinal Stadium, Naperville)   SEE COZ LIVE!
Looks like I'll once again be entertaining and emcee-ing in the plaza before the Fire's home match with DC United, so if you're going to the game, come out early. If you're not going to the game, well, go to the game.

8.17   sunday
Medeski Martin and Wood, Tortoise, The Pharcyde, Rick Fante, J. Davis Trio (A. Finkl and Sons)
Seeing as how MMW and Tortoise are both bands that I'd spend $20 to see on their own, this is an impressive bill. You might need to get there early to beat the jam-band crowd the jazz trio tends to attract, and it will be interesting to see how that audience deals with Tortoise's atmospheric post-rock.

Joe Jackson Band with David Mead (Congress Theater)
One of the bright spots of 80s music, Jackson always had a certain air of sophistication that bands like, say, Men Without Hats couldn't quite muster. I thought I read that this was a farewell tour at one point, but that information is no longer in the display ad.