list.in.to.chicago this week: 09.05.2005

This week is going to exist as e-mail only until I unbreak my website, but -- knock on wood -- that shouldn't take more than a day or two. Since that messes with my normal writing process, I aplogize in advance for any grevious errors. Given the technical difficulties, this is going to be short and sweet, if by "sweet" you mean "pithy, bordering on insulting."

Pick of the week
The one that's got me the most intrigued this week is Shiny Toy Guns on Friday at Beat Kitchen. If you're a fan of the alt-country stuff, Bottle Rockets on Saturday at Wise Fools Pub might be up your alley, although I'd much prefer you were a bit further north that evening.

list.in.to.COZ
We could really use a good turnout for Diver at the Cubby Bear this Saturday night. Go to divertheband.com for a ticket worth $3 off the cover charge.

Recap
I caught the first set of Los Borrachos on Wednesday, and was treated to an extended bit in Spanish about what kind of car everyone in the band drives during the breakdown of Van Halen's "Panama." Getting out of work early on Friday actually killed my chances of seeing Roy Haynes on Friday, though, as I just wasn't going to be able to sit through 6 hours of lesser acts to get to him.

9.05   monday
Jimmy Buffett (Wrigley Field)
I was arguing against concerts at Wrigley a bit last week, but upon further reflection, it's not like they're using it for baseball...

9.06   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
If you want one of the limited edition blue quarter-page tickets for Saturday's Diver show at Cubby Bear -- I've mentioned the Saturday Diver show at Cubby Bear, right? -- this is where you need to be this week. Also, it's fun and you get to hear me sing and stuff.

9.07   wednesday
Tributosaurus (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
This month, it's R.E.M. getting the treatment by the cover band chameleon. At some point, that would have filled me with dread, but not so much anymore, as long as they avoid Out of Time-era stuff when they actually brought Michal Stipe up in the mix.

9.08   thursday
Liftpoint with Infrared, Underfed, Mecha (Double Door)
I'm starting to notice these guys back in the rotation more often, although Double Door booking a band called Infrared with one called Underfed seems to straddle the Nigel Tufnel line, that is to say, between stupid and clever.

Deep Cricket Night with Sam Winch, Nuvou Broke (Martyrs')
What's notable about this band is that it boasts the high school sweetheart of former Oncle Julien frontwoman McKenna Rowe. Knowing where she's gone musically since that time, I'd be curious to see where his trajectory has taken him.

9.09   friday
Adrian Belew with Eric Johnson (The Pearl Room, Mokena)
I normally don't list shows way the hell out in the 'burbs, but this is a pretty potent guitar lineup, with a guy who gets weird noises out of his guitar on the one side, and a guy who gets the purest of tones out of his on the other.

Tracy Bonham with Aqualung, The Perishers (Metro)
Ever since her guest turn on the second Blue Man Group record, Bonham seems to have put herself back on the radar, and while it hasn't exactly put her front and center, it's good to see her back nonetheless.

Shiny Toy Guns with Terminal Bliss (Beat Kitchen)
This band has played in the past with Assassins and Kill Hannah, the latter of which will be providing a DJ set for this particular show, so since their website is devoid of any factual information about what they might sound like, and I haven't had a chance to listen to any of the MP3s they've got posted there, I'm going to guess they fall somewhere in between those two bands.

9.10   saturday
Diver with 40% Steve (Cubby Bear)   SEE COZ LIVE!
We're starting to get more comfortable on the big stage, and if you don't believe me, get your butt out and see for yourself. I'm going to take a wild guess that the band for which we are opening is a five-piece with two guys named Steve.

Bottle Rockets with Gary Stier (Wise Fools Pub)
I remember these guys being the standard-bearers of alternative country back before Uncle Tupelo bifurcated into Wilco and Sun Volt, and yes, I just used the word "bifurcated" in a music listing.

The Rolling Stones with Los Lonely Boys, Belushi/Akroyd and the Have Love Will Travel Revue (Soldier Field)   SOLD OUT!
A lot of critics go on and on about how the Stones are too old and should hang it up, but you know, rock and roll hasn't even been around long enough for anyone to definitively say there's some kind of age limit to the genre. Heck, I hope these guys keep going until they're physically unable to. Jim Belushi and Dan Akroyd, on the other hand...

Particle with Gabby La La (Park West)
The latest and greatest on the jam band circuit, for whatever that's worth.

9.11   sunday
Nicholas Barron's Hyperactive (Long Room)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Haven't given these guys a shoutout in a while, so this is just a reminder that they're here every week and you should check them out.