list.in.to.chicago this week: 02.14.2005

Happy Valentine's Day. Spread the love. And the newsletter. Or just the newsletter, if you're the "bah humbug" type about the holiday.

Pick of the week
Seeing as how I'm actually going to it, I've gotta go with Keane on Thursday at the Riviera. Following that -- or, actually, preceding that -- The E-Mics are at Elbo Room on Wednesday. If Thursday's Roy Hargove show at HotHouse is legit, it's an easy call, and you've got jazz legend Jack DeJohnette and Danilo Perez in a double bill at Symphony Center on Friday.

list.in.to.COZ
You've got the neither pro- nor anti-Valentine's Day Vaughan's set on Tuesday, then Diver in full force downtown at Fado on Saturday night in what can only be described as a Saturday night Diver show at Fado.

Recap
I've been fighting a cold, so not much to report here. Had I watched the Grammys, I'd make some pithy comment about that. My girlfriend tells me the live performances were quite good.

2.14   monday
Patricia Barber Quartet (Green Mill)
Those of you with a hot date tonight, finishing off with some good jazz might be a nice touch. Yeah, I know, where was I this afternoon when you were scrambling to assemble some kind of plan.

Dan Peters Trio (Green Dolphin Street)   FRIEND OF COZ!
The Sidewinders guitarist in a special Monday night set. Because when I think Valentine's Day, I think bluegrass. No, really, I do. That may explain why I usually don't have a date this time of year.

2.15   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
Last year, I put together a nice little anti-Valentine's Day set for Vaughan's. Circumstances being what they are, that likely wouldn't be prudent this time around. On the other hand, I'm not going to go crooning sappy love songs, either. Plus, I just learned a bunch of songs that you just need to hear.

Ray Lamontagne with Jonathan Rice (Double Door)   SOLD OUT!
Yeah, I don't know who the hell he is, either, but his debut album came out on RCA last year. Seems to be somewhere on the alt-country continuum, although allmusic has Gomez -- who I like a lot -- listed as a "similar artist." Apparently he's somewhat popular.

2.16   wednesday
The E-Mics with PC Bigots (Elbo Room)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
I'm going to keep calling Wes and his crew Chicago's answer to Steely Dan until I come up with something better. They also haven't played a show in a while, so who knows when they'll be back.

Long Count Quartet (Tryst)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Wouldn't want Steve to think I was snubbing him with the Wes pick.

Baldwin Brothers with Sunday Runners, The Apparitions, Todd Bowie (Double Door)
These guys were supposed to totally blow up about two or three years ago, but haven't kept all that high a profile since releasing an album on TVT all they way back in 2002. Of course, electronica as a music industry "movement" has always been something of an ephemeral concept, so you can't really blame them for trying to pin their hopes to a ghost.

2.17   thursday
Matt Hoffer with Jump Little Children (Schuba's)   FRIEND OF COZ!
At last count, Matt still didn't have a full band assembled, so I'm guessing this will be an acoustic opening set for the "acoustic funk-popsters" from North Carolina, who also play Wednesday.

Keane with The Redwalls, The Zutons (Riviera Theatre)
To me, Keane lives somewhere directly in between Travis and Coldplay. Which isn't a bad place to live, really. And it's probably in England. This also may be your last, best chance to see local faves The Redwalls before their much-ballyhooed major label release in the spring.

Roy Hargrove (HotHouse)
How did this one sneak in under my radar? It's listed on Metromix, but not in the South Loop club's Reader Ad, so I have my doubts as to the show's actual existence. Call first.

Yanni (United Center)
Doug Henning called, and he wants his moustache back. If you don't know who Doug Henning is, damn, I'm old. Actually, Yanni used to have a local drummer in his band who was a badass, but I don't remember his name. Charlie Adams? Something like that. Could play odd times like nobody's business, which would be a big part of the job description when you're playing Greek music.

2.18   friday
Shivaree with Antony and the Johnsons (Schubas)
I saw this band the last time I went to South By Southwest, and they have this very smoky, film noir-ish kind of vibe. Lots of texture, but more organic than, say, electronica texture.

Canasta with Magnus, The Bon Mots (Metro)
This is billed as the best of Illinois Entertainer's "Around Hear" column, so if you want to see some local bands that somebody else really seems to like, I won't take it personally.

Jack DeJohnette's Latin Project with the Danilo Perez Trio (Symphony Center)
Solid night of Latin jazz and percussion, with Miles Davis vet DeJohnette being joined by a group of Latin percussionists.

2.19   saturday
Diver (Fado)   SEE COZ LIVE!
It's our only full band gig in February! What more do you need? Really, what more do you need, because I know some people who know some people, and they might be able to hook you up.

Big Head Todd and the Monsters with Carbon Leaf (The Vic)
I cannot tell you how often I used to get these guys confused with Toad The Wet Sprocket. Seriously, I can't tell you. I'm sworn to secrecy. I've already said too much.

I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness with L'Altra, Grizzly Bear (Empty Bottle)
These guys win the "best band name of the week" title, hands down.

2.20   sunday
OK Go with Chin Up Chin Up (Empty Bottle)
Speaking of bands who had national releases and dropped off the face of the planet, and if you don't know what I'm talking about, stop skimming to the end looking for just the bands you've heard of, already! I saw something about them over somebody's shoulder in today's Red Eye, but I'll be damned if I'll waste a quarter on that piece of crap.