list.in.to.chicago this week: 10.11.2004

Programming note: There probably won't be a list.in.to.chicago next week, as I'm taking a short vacation starting early on Sunday. So unless I'm really motivated to get this done by Saturday, I'm taking a break. Which isn't to say it can't happen, just that it's not particularly likely.

Pick of the week
In the battle of the indie rock underground, I'd personally go with Death Cab For Cutie (Thursday, Riviera) over Interpol (Sunday, Riviera), mostly because DCFC has a lot more variety in their sound, but either one will likely score you an unspecified number of hipster points with your local short-sleeve-dress-shirt-and-glasses wearing crowd.

Of course, hipsters of eighties vintage may be more inclined to visit with old friend Morrissey on Friday night at the Aragon.

list.in.to.COZ
This week marks the return of the full Coz Sings! set, as part of Greg Z.'s going-away party at The Globe on Saturday after the Fire game. Feel free to come say goodbye to Greg, even if you don't actually know him.

Recap
Monday's not-so-secret EXO show at Elbo Room turned out to be largely for the MTV cameras, who will be broadcasting some sort of twelve-city "battle of the bands" show in November. More information, particulary how to vote for them, as it becomes available. Since there were cameras there, no surprises at some of the people angling to be front and center.

I have one major gripe about Project/Object last night at Martyr's. There were a couple of noodle-dancing hippie wannabes right in the middle of the main floor. This was just wrong on so many levels, and I can only hope the band played Zappa's "Who Needs The Peace Corps?" in the second set. Fortunately, I watched the first set (five-five-FIVE!) from the recently-shortened end of the bar where I couldn't see said noodlers.

Speaking of gripes, if you thought most Ministry/My Life With Thrill Kill Kult fans rode motorcycles, and should therefore not take up as much available parking around The Vic for a sold-out show when you're trying to meet someone in that neighborhood for dinner, you would be very, very wrong.

10.11   monday
UFO with Healing Sixes (House of Blues)
Second of two shows for the seventies rock stalwarts, with the first one selling out. No, I don't get it either. And allmusic.com says the band changed it's name from Hocus Pocus way back in the day, which, for a second, had me thinking this used to be the band who did that whacked-out hard rock-slash-opera tune, but that was Focus, and the name of the song was "Hocus Pocus."

10.12   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
The new Incubus tune went pretty well last week. Still don't have the Queen tune up to speed, and those chords at the end of the chorus for Wilco continue to elude me.

Dave Holland Quintet (Jazz Showcase)
With all the hype and accolades for longtime Holland drummer Billy Kilson, it's certainly notable to point out he's not playing on this tour. I don't really have a finger on the pulse of the younger jazz guys like I used to, so I don't know if he's moved on to bigger and better things (i.e., him thinking he's too big for the group), or if there were artistic differences within the band (i.e., Dave Holland thinking he's too big for the group), or what. I just know he's not there.

10.13   wednesday
Darren Spitzer with Andrew Morgan (Hideout)   FRIEND OF COZ!
The frontman for longtime Friends of Coz The Changes in what looks like a low-key solo/acoustic affair. I've never been in a band hip enough in the right way to play the Hideout, so kudos to Darren for making that particular cut.

Spanish For 100 with Surferosa, LeConcorde (Schuba's)   FRIENDS OF COZ
This is the band of an old co-worker who has since moved out to the Pacific Northwest. I won't tell you what company spurred the move, but put it this way, I plan to bring my litany of Windows XP complaints with me.

10.14   thursday
Scottinho (Speakeasy Supper Club)
This is Scott's only appearance in October. Slacker. He'll be accompanied by pianist and fellow Brazilian music enthusiast Marcin Fahmy. Speakeasy is up on Devon Avenue.

Death Cab For Cutie with Travis Morrison (Riviera)
Given the indie rocker fawning these guys continue to receive, I'm surprised this show hasn't sold out. Then again, with the fall lineup so utterly stacked, somebody's got to lose out.

10.15   friday
Morrissey (Aragon Ballroom)
The former Smiths frontman managed to emerge from about a decade or so of fading into obscurity with his well-received new album You Are The Quarry. How can you not like a song called "The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores"?

10.16   saturday
Coz Sings! (The Globe Pub)   SEE COZ LIVE!
If all goes to plan, this set will follow a Fire victory (or draw) that puts them in the playoffs, as we send off one of the team's ticket reps to Salt Lake City. Part of me wants to prepare a more melancholy set in case the unthinkable happens.

Nicholas Barron's Hyperactive (Green Dolphin Street)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
The Long Room gigs have been labeled as "Nicholas Barron and Tongue In Groove," but it's back to Hyperactive for this set. Again, I haven't gotten the lowdown on whether or not there's a difference between the two.

Steve Earle and The Dukes (The Vic)
Since 9/11, Earle has probably been one of the more outspoken artists against the actions of the current American government. The difference is that somebody like Earle could have existed in the mainstream in the seventies, and is somewhat reduced to the fringe in today's mass market climate. Vote For Change tour notwithstanding, of course, but even those artists haven't had their politics inform their music as much as Earle. I wouldn't expect Bruce Springsteen, for example, to write a song about Condoleeza Rice.

Yesmen with The Jesters, Drawing A Blank, Mission Creep (Elbo Room)
Metromix says this show starts at 9:40 sharp, so don't you go showing up at 9:45 and be surprised that they've started already. I'm just sayin'.

10.17   sunday
Interpol with Secret Machines, Hail Social (Riviera)   SOLD OUT!
Seeing Franz Ferdinand a few weeks back made me realize just how much they have in common with these New York hipsters, except Interpol's version of angular guitars over quasi-disco beats is much, much more dour.

Foiled Again (Speakeasy Supper Club)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
This is an evening of Joni Mitchell tunes from a trio that includes Friend of Coz and Kady Ditch singer/guitarist Allison Bazarko.