list.in.to.chicago this week: 03.08.2004

With St. Patrick's Day falling in the middle of next week, it's looking like this Saturday is when nearly every bar is celebrating. So you've got your choice of venue for green beer and Irish-ish bands, including yours truly. I'm not going to go into excruciating detail, seeing as how you can't throw a rock without hitting a new Irish bar in this city.

Pick of the week
I couldn't possibly pick anything other than Poi Dog Pondering and others at Metro on Sunday, seeing as how it's a benefit for someone I've actually met on several occasions. I would also recommend a good sandwich, but more on that in a minute.

list.in.to.COZ
First off, Diver will be contributing to the almost-St. Pat's festivities this week, playing this Saturday at Cullen's. Second, for those of you who work in or around the Merchandise Mart, I start my ascent to the title of Sandwich Music King today (Monday) and Wednesday at the Potbelly's therein. We'll see if I can get anybody to choke on their food when they realize I'm playing Wang Chung.

Recap
I vaguely remember Dana Lawrence's show as being particularly good, but not to belabor this point, it was my birthday and I was, um, celebrating accordingly. Steve, who was much more sober even if he was contributing greatly to my delinquency, noted that the trio is really coming together as a band. The Abi Cruz CD release went well enough, as it was a very supportive crowd. Speaking of which, I meant to say the same for the debut of (the) Late Lorraine from two weeks ago. It's always great to see that big show of support that friends will give out of the gate, and hope that it's sustainable. Finally, in other bits I overlooked last week, the bassist from Life at Sea quite possibly has the worst moustache in all of Chicago music. And, without outing a couple of friends, that's saying something. He looks like an organ grinder, no joke.

3.08   monday
Scott Anderson/Corey Radford Quartet (Joy Blue)
I haven't heard how the big first gig in the new room went, but now the bloom is off the rose, so to speak, and I'll try to catch up with them this week.

Bob Dylan (Park West)
Apparently the "shrinking venue" stint has four nights, although Park West and the Vic are both in roughly the same category. The Vic doesn't have washroom attendants, though.

3.09   tuesday
Open Mike (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
We were paid a visit by Regal Standard frontman and Friend of Coz Larry Schroeder last week, and fun was had by all. Phil's Indian version of "Piano Man" went over better than I think it ever has, as well. Speaking of a different Phil, I've got another 80s gem ready for this week, following on the heels of The Firm last week.

3.10   wednesday
Digable Cat with Sono, Seepeoples, Camera (Double Door)
People I know know people in this band. That's, literally, all I could come up with for tonight. A lot of musical energy is focused on the weekend with all the Irish stuff, so the pickings leading up to that are pretty slim. Heck, I don't even think Elbo Room has a show booked.

3.11   thursday
The Walkmen with French Kicks, The M's (Double Door)
The Reader has a new heir apparent to former writer Bill Wyman's throne, or maybe Brian Nemtusak just found his much-ballyhooed thesaurus. Did you know that The Walkmen's "We've Been Had" is a "plangent anthem"? I don't know what it means, either.

Callisto with Disposable Pets, The Big Creak, Model One (Double Door)
This band features a guy who used to come into Vaughan's on Tuesdays every once in a while, but I've gone and forgotten his name. I think he'd play Stone Temple Pilots and, to Tony's chagrin, Silverchair, but that may or may not have a lick of bearing on what his band sounds like.

Stuart Davis with Michelle Anthony (Uncommon Ground)
Just in case Phin and Weeza didn't know, but they probably did.

3.12   friday
The Church with Sea Ray (House of Blues)
The drum tech for The Church once offered me $25 for a Paiste cymbal pin I had on my jacket, back in 1989. Last time I was back in NJ, the music center still stocked them, so I'm not exactly sure why I didn't agree to the deal. I'm sure the band has songs other than "Under the Milky Way," which I quite like, but I couldn't tell you any of 'em.

Dag Juhlin with Lance Drake, Mark Balletto (Uncommon Ground)
Looks like a good week at the Ground, with the former main Slug and noted Genesis fan Juhlin doing the honors tonight.

Kid Rock with Gov't Mule (Allstate Arena)
With Rock's transformation from rap to a sort of proud trailer-trashy rock, the pairing with southern rock standard-bearers Gov't Mule looks like a good one.

3.13   saturday
Diver (Cullen's)   SEE COZ LIVE!
It's the return of the full, electric Diver lineup, and depending on how efficient we are at learning songs, we may even have some new songs for you on this not-quite-St.-Patrick's-Day-but-close-enough night of entertainment. A U2 cover band that I can only describe as "the one with my friend Andrew in it" will be playing earlier in the day, and don't be discouraged if they posters at the bar don't mention us, as they apparently didn't get the memo that we're no longer (thank god) called The Curtains.

The Tossers, Spider Stacy's Pogue Mahone, Siderunners (Metro)
Good lord, even Metro is getting in on the green action.

Gaelic Storm, Black 47 (House of Blues)
The headliner is apparently the band in the movie Titanic, but I'm not sure that's anything to be proud of. And weren't The Drovers supposed to get huge after Backdraft? With all this going on, where the heck is Flogging Molly, anyway?

3.14   sunday
Poi Dog Pondering, Pegboy, Scott Lucas, Giant Step, DJ Colette (Metro)
Not to be overly sobering after the revelry that will be Saturday, but this is a benefit for David-James and Sonya Figueroa. If you've been to any shows at Metro ever, you've seen David-James running the venue's security, and possibly have been patted down by him. As someone in the music business, it follows that health insurance can often be a luxury that is either out of reach or doesn't quite cover costs, so these shows are always important for the local scene. The lineup is pretty hot, too.

Liz Phair with Wheat, Rachael Yamagata (House of Blues)   SOLD OUT!
I wonder how much the big-label pop makeover has affected Phair as a performer, an area she was never quite strong in to begin with. Her onstage awkwardness could be endearing, though, and I say that just in case she Googles her name and finds this, because she's single now and I'd like to think I've still got a shot. She's playing Friday at the Vic as well, but that's sold out, too.