list.in.to.chicago this week: 04.11.2005

Since I'm utterly exhausted, I'm going to institute the "four words per listing" rule, inspired by Coolfer's occasional record reviews, and see how that goes.

Pick of the week
It's a good thing I decided to do this four-word thing, 'cause damn, there are a lot of shows this week. If it's actually open to the public -- that's not always the case with campus shows -- Cake and Gomez (Thursday, Joe Gentile Center) should be a great show up on North Sheridan near or on Loyola's campus. I haven't checked Steve Vai's (Wednesday and Thursday at House of Blues) itinerary to see if it's too much to hope for him to drop in on Project/Object (Thursday and Friday at Martyrs').

Shellac (Friday at Bottom Lounge, Saturday and Sunday at Martyrs'), Andrew Bird (Saturday at Metro), Tori Amos (Friday at the Auditorium Theatre if you can find tickets) and Elvis Costello (Sunday at the Auditorium Theatre) all look like good bets this week as well.

list.in.to.COZ
Just Vaughan's this week. Next Diver show is May 14th at Fado.

Recap
The two Granian shows -- one here and one in Bloomington, IN -- afforded me a chance to hear some other bands. The Bridge, a jam-band from Baltimore, was pretty tight if just a little bit underdeveloped, but I might have been distracted by the one or two hippie noodle-dancers in the delightfully renovated Wise Fools Pub. I'd have liked to have stuck around for rehearsal space neighbors Simmering, but with the four-hour drive on Friday hanging over my head, it didn't seem prudent.

As for Friday, we ended up going over 200 miles to play with a couple other bands from Chicago. One of them, Mer, has even been to Vaughan's. The other, Buddy Nuisance, I actually got to hear. Really nice guys, really great musicians, but I don't know that I would remember much of their songs after a listen or two. A good vibe, to be sure, but not a lot of strong hooks, which is something I've become hypersensitive to as of late.

4.11   monday
Patricia Barber with Neal Alger (Green Mill)
Mondays are for jazz.

4.12   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
More eighties music, please.

Strapping Young Lad with Kreator, Vader, Propain, The Agony Scene, Misery Signals and others (House of Blues, 4:15pm)
Tuesday afternoon heavy metal.

Electricon with Spyder Monkey (Elbo Room)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Fellow former Foxide member.

The Wonder Stuff with As Fast As (Metro)
Robert English likes them.

Mulgrew Miller Trio (Jazz Showcase)
Former Tony Williams pianist.

4.13   wednesday
John Wesley Harding with Kelly Hogan, Myshkin's Ruby Warblers (Hideout)
Witty British folk singer.

Steve Vai with Eric Sardinas (House of Blues)   SOLD OUT!
Lots of guitar solos.

Mulgrew Miller Trio (Jazz Showcase)
Plays Tuesday through Sunday.

4.14   thursday
Project/Object (Martyrs')
With Ike and Napoleon.

Cake with Gomez, Robbers on High Street (Joe Gentile Center)
Somewhere on Loyola's campus.

Steve Vai with Eric Sardinas (House of Blues)
Some tickets still available.

Kelly Clarkson with Graham Colton Band (Rosemont Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
American Idol sucks ass.

The Dead Kenny Gs with DJ Slowlix (Subterranean)
Best band name ever.

The Shins with The Brunettes (Congress Theater)   SOLD OUT!
Too whiny for me.

Mulgrew Miller Trio (Jazz Showcase)
At River East's home.

4.15   friday
Adema with Escape From Earth, Inept (Subterranean)
What's Marky doing now?

Flickerstick with Pete Schmidt, Callisto, The Strategy Game (Double Door)
Band on the run.

Project/Object (Martyrs')
Long live Zappa's music.

Paul Westerberg and his Only Friends Band (Riviera)
Formerly of The Replacements.

Michael Penn with Carter Little (Schubas)   SOLD OUT!
His wife is better.

Psychedelic Furs with The Shore (House of Blues)
I'm a heartbreak beat.

Shellac with Call Me Lightning (Bottom Lounge)
Chicago's own irascible recordist.

Tori Amos with Matt Nathanson (Auditorium Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
Envy that piano bench.

Mulgrew Miller Trio (Jazz Showcase)
For serious jazz heavyweights.

4.16   saturday
Andrew Bird with Archer Prewitt, Clyde Federal (Metro)
Fresh from DiFranco tour.

Cher with The Village People (United Center)
I thought she retired?

Shellac with Couch Flambeau (Martyrs')
Noon show is all-ages*.

[*It's got a hyphen, so it counts as one word in my book. There's also a late show with Scrawl.]

Mulgrew Miller Trio (Jazz Showcase)
I'm abusing this device.

Welcome to Ashley with Exit the King, Majesty (The Kinetic Playground)
New club in Uptown.

4.17   sunday
Shellac with Philip Roebuck One Man Band (Martyrs')
Practically a Shellac tour!

Elvis Costello and the Imposters (Auditorium Theatre)
In no way related.

Mulgrew Miller Trio (Jazz Showcase)
Via the multiple listings.