list.in.to.chicago this week: 08.08.2005

I'm currently working on a new system that will combine podcasting, RSS feeds and voice-over-IP solutions so that, in the event that you find yourself without something to do on Saturday night, and you don't have your copy of l.i.t.c. handy, you can call a toll-free number and get up-to-the-minute entertainment recommendations from yours truly.

Well, not really, but it would be cool! And Steve, I'm not picking on you, it's just sorta where my mind went.

Pick of the week
Shows you might find me at this week include either the Pete Sutcliffe Project (Goose Island Wrigleyville), Absent Star (Elbo Room) or Tortoise (Empty Bottle) on Friday. Flogging Molly (Saturday, The Vic) will be fun, and though it's probably too late by the time you get this for this week, The Changes are at Schubas every Monday for the rest of this month.

list.in.to.COZ
Just Vaughan's this week, which means you should come out on Tuesday night. Please? Pretty please?

Recap
With all the drinking I did last week, you'd have thunk at least some of it was accompanied by live music. You'd have thunk wrong.

8.08   monday
The Changes with Baby Teeth, The Narrator (Schubas)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
I'm getting dangerously close to playing the "I've been writing about these guys since they were playing Tuesday nights at Vaughan's" card now that they're becoming media darlings. Well, as long as your definition of media doesn't include DeRogatis. They'll be playing Mondays at Schubas all month.

David Gray with Micah P. Henson (Vic Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
He's been called the British equivalent of Dave Matthews. I'll let you decide if that's a good or a bad thing.

American Idols Live (United Center)
Have I mentioned lately how strong my aversion is towards reality TV? Part of me is slightly curious about the whole American Idol phenomenon, but the part of me that doesn't care one whit is that much bigger.

8.09   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
I went back to the Tenacious D well for the first time in a long time, and I can say with a reasonable amount of certainty that everyone reading this missed it. Except for Tony.

Chris Isaak with Aslyn (House of Blues)
This appears to be the one non-sold out night of the HOB stand.

8.10   wednesday
Green Day with Jimmy Eat World (Allstate Arena)
The fact that nobody is still talking about how great a record American Idiot is does not in any way diminish the fact that American Idiot is a great record.

Bar 1's Big Break (Duffy's)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
It's part karaoke, part American Idol, and smack dab in the middle of the most twentysomething and Lakeview of twentysomething Lakeview bars, but audience participation is important, so you should go and vote for Melissa Shubalis. Who you will soon recognize from various "See Coz Live" listings in the near future. Consider this my way of atoning for the fact that I'm going to the Fire game instead.

Kansas City Wizards at Chicago Fire (Soldier Field)
They had a DJ on the concourse stage on Saturday. That was weird. I'm not blaming the loss on that necessarily, but I'm just saying we don't lose when I play an acoustic set. Maybe we do, I'm not keeping track.

Le Tigre with Electrelane (The Vic)
This is one of those band that, if I were even remotely hip, I would know something about.

8.11   thursday
311 with Unwritten Law, Papa Roach (Charter One Pavilion)
They've booked a lot more shows at the former Meigs Field than I was expecting this summer. I remember way back when the mother of one of the members of this Omaha, NE-based band used to post regularly to alt.music.alternative, back in the days when Courtney Love would forward these random screeds to that newsgroup as well. I'm old.

Helicopters with Kristin Shout, Red Hot Poker Dots (Martyrs')
Last week it was Biirdie, and this week it's the other band we -- and by "we" I mean Small Creatures, as I know it can be hard to keep track sometimes -- shared the stage with a couple of months ago.

Partyline with Red Eyed Legends, DJ Yves St. LeRoc (Fireside Bowl)
Not only is this a show at Fireside Bowl, it's a show at Fireside that's listed on Metromix. Methinks there's a story here.

8.12   friday
Absent Star with Raised on Zenith, Chalk Outline Party, XO (Elbo Room)
This band reads like a who's who of local bands of minor importance, which is to say it's a bunch of guys -- if you hand out at Elbo Room as much as I have -- you immediately recognize but probably don't know by name.

Tortoise with Locks (Empty Bottle)
You know, I don't think I've seen the post-rock poster boys in a venue this small, ever. That could be intruiging.

The Pete Sutcliffe Project (Goose Island Wrigleyville)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Former Foxidian Matt Sharp and friends pay homage to Beatles trivia answers Pete Best and Stu Sutcliffe, and winds up with a notorious British serial killer.

Ulele with Space Rhino, Mucca Pazza (Martyrs')
Bit of a blast from the past, as the longtime world music purveyors reunite to raise money for their guitarist lost axe, having called it quits back in 2001.

Cinderella with Ratt, Quiet Riot, Firehouse (Charter One Pavilion)
With a lineup like that, it's gotta be LoopFest.

Chris Botti with Joyce Cooling (Skyline Stage)
Botti is knows as a sensitive, bordering on smooth jazz trumpeter, which makes me wonder if he's going to get drowned out by Ratt if the wind shifts along the lakefront.

8.13   saturday
Coldplay with Black Mountain (Alpine Valley)
I'm curious when a band as big as Coldplay ostensibly has become tours with someone I've never heard of. Usually these opening spots go to band who are poised to break out. That said, occasionally said breakout bands slip by me unnoticed. Wouldn't be the first time.

Flogging Molly with Gogol Bordello, Throw Rag (The Vic)
Pound for pound, one of the best drinkin' bands going today. Seriously, if you don't crave a pint at the pub -- and I mean for you to say that out loud with your best (or worst) Irish accent) -- after watching these guys for an hour and a half, there may be something wrong with you.

Stochastic Theory with Tragic Black, Wraith, The Vile, Astrohot Astronaut (Gunther Murphy's)
Dammit, what did I just say last week about science geek names not being cool? Isn't anyone out there paying attention?

8.14   sunday
Architecture with The Raven Society (Empty Bottle)
So, if these guys go out on the road, would that make it an Architectural Tour? Is that funny for anyone not in Chicago? Or anyone in Chicago, for that matter?

Soulfix and Tributosaurus (Retro on Roscoe)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Bookending the second day of the street festival are a couple of friends' bands, although you may want to double-check to see if they're both still on the bill. I can vouch for the fact that the lineup is in a bit of flux, as Diver would have been playing had we all been in town for the weekend.