list.in.to.chicago this week: 08.16.2004

Not a good week if you're a fan of the Fire, American Olympic Basketball or the Cubs bullpen. All the more reason to swear off sports and go see lots of live music instead, right?

Pick of the week
Another solid outdoor festival at New City YMCA this week in "The Chill," with Los Lobos headlining on Saturday. Plus, you've got Tortoise playing an outdoor show outside the Hideout on Wednesday as part of the Interchange Festival, and Roy Haynes with his quartet all week at the Jazz Showcase.

list.in.to.COZ
Returning to the Elbo Room stage with Abi Cruz this Thursday, along with your weekly installment of the Vaughan's open jam on Tuesday. The full schedule is finally updated on the website.

Recap
Two home Fire games and a Cubs game on Friday made the week a little less conducive to seeing lots of shows, and despite really wanting to go see either Assassins or Frisbie at the end of the week. I did check out Tony Piscotti on Thursday, which was a good time. The band really hit stride with a cover of David Byrne's "America" late in the set, and took that energy through the end. Goldman overcame that initial problem I have with any band lacking a bass player, particularly because their drummer eschews the normal guitar-drums duo simplicity to fill up a bit more of the space.

8.16   monday
Andrew Fraker with Dan Darrah, Dick Prall (Schuba's)   FRIEND OF COZ!
For those of you who have seen Mr. Fraker in various drinking establishments in and around Chicago, this is a good opportunity to hear him play some of his own music, as the large majority of those gigs have been singing other people's songs.

8.17   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
Yeah, that part about learning new songs for last week? Where does the time go. This week, no promises, but I might have a trick or two up my sleeve. If you sing, or maybe play guitar, please, come on out and justify the money Eamonn is paying me to help promote this thing.

Bond (Park West)   SOLD OUT!
Looking like this, do I even care what they sound like? I'm guessing the thousand or so fans who snapped up tickets for this one don't, either.

8.18   wednesday
Tortoise with Town and Country, Diverse, David Singer and Sweet Science (outside The Hideout)
This is part of a weeklong voter mobilization effort called the "Interchange Festival." Given the high-profile wringing of hands among big-ticket artists, I'm both surprised and impressed that they're not claiming to be partisan. Of course, much like I wasn't surprised to see anti-Kerry bumber stickers on the Ford F-100 in front of me when I was out in the 'burbs this weekend, I wouldn't be surprised to see this slanted a bit toward the Democrats, given the venues and artists involved throughout the week. Plus, Tortoise!

8.19   thursday
Abi Cruz with Green Street, Operations (Elbo Room)   SEE COZ LIVE!
Okay, so with a low stage and five to six singers, maybe "see" is a misnomer, but you'll hear me. Oh yes, you'll hear me. You'll hear me get funky with some Latin soul, although that description only works on me personally if you take the larger definition of "Latin," which includes the birthplace of the language.

Andrew Bird with Charles Bissell of the Wrens and the Vandermark 5 (Schuba's)
This is another Interchange Festival show, so good bands, worthy cause, what's not to like?

8.20   friday
Roy Haynes Quartet (Jazz Showcase)
With the passing last year of the great Elvin Jones, there are only a handful of drummers left from the great jazz eras of the fifties and sixties. Roy Haynes, who played behind alto legend Charlie Parker, is one of them. Haynes combines the youthful exuberance of Elvin with the melodic sensibility of Max Roach in very much his own way and his own voice. He'll be at the Showcase Tuesday through Sunday.

Waxwings with Paper Airplane Pilots, Del Psychos (Schuba's)
These guys were touted as some kind of "next big thing" a while ago, but it seems like that hasn't happened. Meanwhile, Paper Airplane Pilots are slowly building, as I've seen them getting better and better nights at more clubs over the last six months or so.

8.21   saturday
OzzFest (Tweeter Center)
The interesting question, to me, is whether or not Sharon Osbourne could pull off the failed two-day format of Lollapalooza. Despite what's been described as a lackluster concert season by the creators of that festival trying to shift blame, OzzFest rolls on, this time with Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Slayer headlining.

Los Lobos with Jazz Mandolin Project, Casolando, Rob Stone and the C-Notes (New City YMCA)
Another outdoor festival at New City, which means you should take CTA, 'cause there's already nowhere to park over there on normal weekends. This one is "The Chill," which would maybe be more appropriate to last week, but whatever. The important thing is that Los Lobos is headlining.

Soulfix with Lovehammers, Blackout, Empyrean (Double Door)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
The fix is in! Marlon, Mitch and Dario have been picking up steam lately, ever since that side stage gig for the 311 show at Tweeter.

Fastball with The Clarks, Tony C and the Truth (Martyr's)
I used to get these guys confused with Sublime and whatever band that was that had the song about walking on the sun. Allmusic.com actually gives their new record the best rating of all the Austin trio's efforts, so this may be a good chance to see a band starting a bit of a comeback in a great venue.

8.22   sunday
Violent Femmes with Umphrey's McGee, Frisbie, Dick Prall (New City YMCA)
If you missed Frisbie last week (yeah, me too), here's another chance to check them out on day three of "The Chill," along with quite possibly the oldest band singing songs about adolescence in the business, and Dick Prall, who you might remember from Monday's listing. And Umphrey's McGee, who have Kris Meyers on drums, who kicked butt with Tributosaurus two months ago.

WASP (House of Blues)
Did anyone actually take these guys seriously back in the eighties? I get the feeling there's some odd culture of nostalgic amnesia where groups can make a "comeback" despite never having been more than a mediocre metal band with a troublemaking lead singer.