list.in.to.chicago this week: 05.23.2005

What the heck is up with all the shows on Tuesday?

Pick of the week
Blue Merle (Tuesday and Wednesday at Schubas) might be interesting, and if you're high on the current crop of Britpop, you can try to find tickets for Kasabian (Tuesday at Double Door).

list.in.to.COZ
It's Diver's May 2005 tour of Southport Avenue this weekend, with Blue Bayou on Friday and Cullen's on Saturday.

Recap
I would like to point out that dropping a P.A. speaker from about five or six feet high is not something you should try. Although I did end up playing "Mexican Radio" before actually listening to the Fire game in Spanish as I headed out to Lincolnshire. It was weird playing a Diver show on an actual stage with a sound system and lights, although the latter were hot enough to make me miss playing in corners of dark bars. Kong Fuzi, who we shared that bill with, are very much in a Liquid Soul/Greyboy Allstars vein, if you're into that. And the dressing room area at the Cubby Bear North smells, well, let's just say it smells unique.

5.23   monday
Glen Hansard with Mark Dignam (Martyrs')
At the risk of getting too meta, I've seen more than a couple mentions of the Frames frontman in the press leading up to this one.

Mary Timony with Medications, Telenovela (Schubas)
Another artist whose name I've seen pop up over the years, and for some reason, stuck with me. Descriptions like "angular rock" and "noise pop" have me somewhat intrigued.

5.24   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
Okay, so the Thomas Dolby needs a little work. Next up, more Joe Jackson.

Blue Merle with The Shore (Schubas)
This is that band that you hear on XRT and think is Coldplay, then think no, maybe it's Dave Matthews. The song isn't bad, but it's so derivative, I feel almost compelled to make a calculus pun. Almost.

Butch Walker with Low Millions, The Fags (Metro)
All I know about Walker is that he's written some good songs for some people, but according to Kev, his solo stuff isn't that good. Low Millions is another band getting a lot of airplay on XRT with the single "Eleanor," and the thing that you probably didn't know about them is that their singer and principle songwriter is the son of legendary composer Leonard Cohen.

Kasabian with Mad Action, Rick 'N' Roll Soldiers (Double Door)   SOLD OUT!
I don't know if it's just because I'm playing more attention to it, or what, but this latest British Invasion really feels like an invasion. A week rarely goes by without another show from another band from the UK. I've heard a lot of people buzzing about these guys, but they didn't grab me the way bands like Bloc Party or Dogs Die in Hot Cars have.

5.25   wednesday
Blue Merle with The Shore (Schubas)
I forget who it was who told me about the show where they accidentally bought a Blue Merle t-shirt instead of that of the headlining band, but whoever it was, this is your opportunity to try to give it back.

Drowning Pool with Dry Kill Logic, Opiate for the Masses, 10years (House of Blues)
Along with handicapping the current crop of Britpop, the other thing I'm noticing you can always count on is that I'll make fun of overwrought nu-metal bands. These guys certainly qualify for the latter, and are shallow enough that you probably wouldn't actually drown.

Louis XIV with Caviar, The Ladies and Gentlemen (Metro)
Like the Killers, this is another glam-influenced band from the States who subsequently got big in England and then came back. I think I listened to their latest record a few weeks ago when I saw them mentioned somewhere on line and wasn't terribly impressed. Still, if you like the Killers, you might like these guys, too.

5.26   thursday
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (River East 21)
Badass this movie was. Watch it you will, if not already you have.

5.27   friday
Diver (Blue Bayou)   SEE COZ LIVE!
We keep threatening to learn new tunes. Will we actually play any? The only way to find out is to show up!

Porcupine Tree (Park West)
Part of that sort of "forgotten generation" of progressive rock that gained what little traction it got in the nineties, these guys have been at it for quite some time now.

5.28   saturday
Diver (Cullen's)   SEE COZ LIVE!
If you get drunk enough, maybe you'll think you're across the street and it's actually Friday. We may get a guest appearance from our wayward singer at this one, who's visiting for the USA-England match before getting back in town for good later in June.

The Ponys with The M's, Miss Alex White (Subterranean)
I think I've been misrepresenting The Changes as the only local, unsigned band on the current Lollapalooza roster, when The Ponys also share in that honor.

5.29   sunday
Local H with The Giraffe, The Blue Van (Double Door)
I still take issue with two-piece guitar-drums combos, but Scott Lucas has done pretty well for himself over the years, I think.