list.in.to.chicago this week: 03.29.2004

I was going to try to sell you on something crazy, like a top-secret Police reunion show at Metro, or maybe U2 at, I don't know, Elbo Room on Thursday, but I figure I'm a big enough wiseass that you'd totally see the April Fools thing coming a mile away.

Pick of the week
Really quickly, because I want this in your mailbox before those of you with jobs leave today, George Clinton and Parliament-Funakdelic on Wednesday (House of Blues), Pat Martino Quintet tomorrow through Sunday (Jazz Showcase), and Grandaddy on Saturday (The Vic) look particularly worthwhile, along with the Psychedelic Furs tonight at HOB.

list.in.to.COZ
It's too late for the Monday Potbelly's gig, so you're left with just Vaughan's and lunch on Wednesday. Speaking of lunch, ask for the chili cheeseburger sub, which isn't actually on the menu. It's mighty tasty. Anyway, it's a brief lull in Coz bookings, but it was bound to happen sooner or later. Don't get used to it.

Recap
A funny thing happened last night at McGee's, and I don't mean "funny" like watching people who had been drinking since finishing the Shamrock Shuffle try to sing along. No, I may have accidentally put together a rock opera out of '80s tunes. More news as it becomes available, but it's sort of a "boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy meets another girl, runs away to Mexico to get married, then gets caught up in international espionage many years later" story, which means that "Lawyers Guns and Money" figures in there somewhere.

Many thanks to those of you who came out both last night and Friday for Diver, which was one of our best ones yet.

3.29   monday
Psychedelic Furs with Berlin, The Pleased (House of Blues)
Since I put it so well once before, it bears repeating. The Furs' Richard Butler stakes out this sort of middle ground between Iggy Pop and Brian Ferry, and continues to hold that ground even twenty-odd years later. As for Berlin, that's gotta hurt when you get back together on TV then wind up not headlining.

Neko Case and the Sadies with Jim and Jennie and the Pinetops, Carolyn Mack (Schuba's)   SOLD OUT!
The darling of the Hideout crowd, or at least the darling of the Hideout crowd who doesn't work there as a bartender, is in for three sold out shows at Schuba's. I don't recall if she moved here full-time or if she's still sorta straddling between Chicago and Seattle.

3.30   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
Anto's away in Liverpool for a fortnight or so -- if he were vacationing anywhere else, I'd have said two weeks -- and perhaps the mice will play. 'Cause the image of mice playing at an open mike is kinda funny, or maybe it's just me.

Frank Gambale Trio w/Chris Poland's Ohm (Cubby Bear)
Gambale is one of those high notes-per-minute kind of guitarists, although he can occasionally rise above that in certain contexts. I haven't listened to him in a while, so I don't know how prone he is toward those contexts nowadays. Chris Poland was apparently in Megadeth, and his band features Kofi Baker, son of Cream drummer Ginger Baker, on drums.

Neko Case and the Sadies with Jim and Jennie and the Pinetops, Cordero (Schuba's)   SOLD OUT!
See Monday's listing.

3.31   wednesday
George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic (House of Blues)
The mothership lands in Chicago again, and by that, I don't mean the new Soldier Field.

Kick the Cat (Lyon's Den)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
For a more local fusion flavor than the Gambale show, check this one out. I still haven't heard these guys in quite a while, and after a rehearsal with the hip-hop thing earlier in the evening, it may be just what I need to balance out my ears.

Neko Case and the Sadies with Jim and Jennie and the Pinetops, Carolyn Mack (Schuba's)   SOLD OUT!
See Tuesday's listing, or, if you want to skip a step, see Monday.

4.01   thursday
Sam Prekop with Archer Prewitt, Architecture in Helsinki, Liz Payne and Ben Vida (Empty Bottle)
Sometimes I swear that Thrill Jockey only releases records from Tortoise, The Sea and Cake, and any permutation of members of those two bands. And if you name your band Architecture in Helsinki, I'm thinking you must be comfortable with the fact that you're never really going to hit the big time. Which isn't a value judgement. I'm just sayin'.

Pat Martino Quintet (Jazz Showcase)
I had heard of Martino before, but did not realize the uniqueness of his backstory until I read it in the Reader. It's fascinating purely from a neurological perspective before you even get into the courage and dedication involved. He's at the Showcase Tuesday through Sunday.

Adler's Appetite (Joe's)
If the name rings a bell, that's because it's "appetite" as in "appetite for destruction," as in Stephen Adler played drums in Guns & Roses. Except now I can't remember if that was before or after Matt Sorum, and I can't be bothered to check.

Burn Rome Burn, Cricket Rumor Mill, Voice Box (Dante's -- 1200 West Hubbard)
This is a benefit for the Hubbard Street Mural Project, which just so happens to be run by the same person who runs the rehearsal building I'm currently holed up in. Well, not currently in the literal sense, unless they install Wi-Fi or something.

4.02   friday
Fareed Haque Group with the Nicholas Tremulis Orchestra, Andreas Kapsalis (Nevin's Live)
When I first looked at this, besides making a note of Haque, who I've seen, and Tremulis, who I haven't, I thought it said Andrea Katsulis. Which made me wonder how long the guy who played G'Kar on Bablyon 5 and the one-armed man in The Fugitive has been playing around town.

Dan Darrah and his band (Durty Nellie's, Palatine)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Drummer Dario Civinelli is officially the first friend of mine to drop in on a Potbelly's gig, although I'm not sure he realized it until it was TOO LATE! Mwahahahahahaha! Okay, I have no idea where I was going with that.

Beyonce with Alicia Keys, Missy Elliot, Tamia (Allstate Arena)
You gotta figure that Beyonce is none too pleased with one Janet Jackson, as her generally well-received rendition of the national anthem at the Super Bowl was completely obscured by what happened at halftime. Then again, she can play the Allstate, and Jackson probably couldn't, ahem, pull that off right now.

4.03   saturday
Escape From Earth with The Dog and Everything, Empyrean, Disonic (Metro)
I can only mention that URT played with these guys back in the day so many times. This is one of those times.

Grandaddy with Saves the Day, The Fire Theft, Hey Mercedes (The Vic)
Some local rock critics had Grandaddy pegged as the next Radiohead a few years ago, but with this show being downgraded from The Riv, I'd imagine those critics don't have anyone left in their NCAA pool, either.

Buckethead with Particle (Park West)
We've got a whole GNR theme this week, as Buckethead was briefly in Axl Rose's bastardized reincarnation of the band. Now the California shredder is touring with, according to articles, a jam band that finds that label too constricting. That almost piques my interest, except that I still have that sour taste in my mouth from Garaj Mahal, where I knew just how much of a background in "real" jazz the band members had.

4.04   sunday
Concert to benefit the Inspiration Cafe (Subterranean)
No idea what or where the Inspiration Cafe is, but The Ike Reilly Assassination and local hip-hop artist Andreus caught my eye. Also appearing ar The M's, Hot Dog City and Dirty South Improv.