list.in.to.chicago this week: 01.09.2006

In which our hero gives the longest recap in all 175 -- yes, 175 and no, I didn't have to go count -- editions of this newsletter.

Pick of the week
Absolutely no question here this time around. It's the 3FRIENDS show at Metro on Saturday, a benefit and memorial for local musicians Michael Dahlquist, John Glick and Doug Meis featuring performances by Exo, The Dials, The Returnables and The Negligents. This is one of those things where we need to stand and be counted as part of this community of musicans and fans alike, and where I have to be totally serious for a change. More info below in the listings.

list.in.to.COZ
Meanwhile, Tony, Avi and I will be doing our thing as most of Diver on Friday at Cullen's. I can tell that this newsletter is making its mark when people ask me if anyone has tripped and fallen into the band lately. The answer is no, and thanks for jinxing us.

Recap
I saw three different shows this weekend, and learned two important things. First, blazers are in. Three out of six members of the potently funky and soulful Nicholas Barron's Hyperactive were sporting them, Larry looked like he wore the same one on Friday with Matt Hoffer and Saturday with The Bish, and the lead singer of Dearborn had one on for most of their set as well.

Second, if you notice an attractive woman at a rock show who is conspicuously alone, she's probably dating somebody in the band. Usually, you can tell because she tends to only watch one person on stage the whole time. Sometimes, she's not drinking, either. Alone, not drinking, and staring at one guy in the band and there can be no question.

As for the music, let's start with Friday at Double Door. Al Weber fought valiantly through a muddy mix with a sound that some guy standing near me described as reminding him of Duncan Sheik. I heard that, along with some Jack Johnson on at least one number. I've decided that Matt Hoffer has some kind of mid- to late-80s thing going on. The closest comparison I can find is Simple Minds, but that's not quite right, nor is Sychronicity-era Police. Unfortunately, a lot of the crowd seemed to split before Granian took the stage, and since he had a massive chest cold when I played with him last year, it was good to hear him really able to sing this time.

Then there's Saturday. Add Oasis to the evolving description of The Bish, particularly the louder parts and the fact that their singer has a certain eau de Gallagher about him, and I don't mean the guy who used to flatten watermelons with a sledgehammer. What struck me about Air This Side of Caution this time is that they're the classic combination of two somewhat hip-looking singer/guitarists, a bassist that seemed like a regular joe with a regular haircut, because you keep whoever you can find on bass no matter what they look like in this town, and a Drummer with a capital "D," which is the best way for me to roll up all my niggling criticisms of the past couple of weeks. Dearborn rocked, to the point where they impressed me more than any new band I've seen in a while, and Bumpus was -- and this is going to sound strange -- almost too polished. I like performances to be a conversation between a band and an audience, and they were doing all the talking. They were still damn good, though. Good weekend all around.

1.09   monday
Bobby Conn with Lichens, Traveling Bell, DJ LeDeuce (Schubas)
Since his latest output has had a much more political bent, a monthlong residency on Monday nights at Schubas for Conn could be very interesting as it runs in parallel with the Alito and NSA hearings.

1.10   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
Okay, I think I need to declare a moratorium on learning new songs for a while. This is getting out of hand. I'll hear stuff on the radio, and think "ooh, I should play that," then I play it once, and don't hear from it again for months.

Soulfix with Bottles of Wine, Revelator, Arlum (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
The hard-rockin' boys of Soulfix are up to bat early in the week at what is still my favorite venue to see live music here in Chicago. Oddly enough, it's not my favorite venue to play. The stage is too dry-sounding when you're up there, to the point where it seems unnatural.

1.11   wednesday
The Syn (Martyrs')
I'll admit that, at the height of my prog rock fandom, I knew a lot about the histories of many members of many bands. For example, Carl Palmer, before he was in Emerson, Lake and Palmer and WAY before he was in Asia, was in both The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown and a band called Atomic Rooster. However, I've never, ever heard of The Syn, which apparently was Yes bassist Chris Squire's band before he joined that prog rock juggernaut.

Anna Fermin (Davenport's)
This show sort of stood out to me because it's Fermin without her band Trigger Gospel, and she's playing what is nominally a jazz gig, if the Metromix classification scheme is to be believed.

1.12   thursday
Nicholas Barron with 2nd City Songwriters (Elbo Room)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
I had a momentary sense of dislocation on Saturday night at Metro when I saw Nicholas there. In however many years I've known him, I'm not sure I've ever seen him outside of one of his gigs. The blazer watch will be in effect on this one, with the key factors being whether or not the blazer trend ripples through the rest of the horn section, and if Steve makes it three unlikely weeks in a row.

Larry Coryell with Larry Gray and Paul Wertico (Jazz Showcase)
Guitarist Coryell puts in at least one of his highly-regarded trio stints every year at the Showcase with Gray and Wertico, but what struck me about this is that it's only Thursday through Sunday, as are all the rest of the visits to Joe Segal's club for this month and next. There's a story here, I think, because Jazz Showcase runs have been Tuesday to Sunday since time immemorial.

James Brown (House of Blues)
The hardest working man in show business, and one of the worst mug shots.

The Syn (Martyrs')
Second-favorite Yes drummer by a wide margin, Alan White, is accompanying Squire on this tour, which was originally supposed to hit House of Blues in the fall with other Yes-related projects, but visa issued caused those dates to be cancelled.

Supersystem with French Toast, Call Me Lightning, Disc Jockey CB (Empty Bottle)
I don't know a damn thing about this band, but they've got one of the more clever pictures I've seen in a while spotlighted (spotlit?) in the Reader this week.

1.13   friday
Diver (Cullen's)   SEE COZ LIVE!
Anto's out of town this weekend, so Friday you'll be entertained by Tony (from Telstar), Coz (from URT) and Avi (From Zero). Get it? Avi was in a band called "From Zero," but everything I did before made it look like he's from a band just called "Zero." I slay me.

Marigold Engine with Opal Candy, Extra Blue Kind (Wise Fools Pub)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Patrick mentioned this one to me at a Soma Star rehearsal (1/21 @ Elbo Room -- mark your calendars!) over the weekend, and then it struck me that I didn't find it in the course of my normal review process. Turns out that Wise Fools Pub doesn't seem to submit listings to Metromix or run a display ad in the Reader. That screams of shooting yourself in the foot to me.

Larry Coryell with Larry Gray and Paul Wertico (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing.

Matt Geraghty Project (Pops For Champagne)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
I talked a bit about Geraghty last week, I think, so it's worth pointing out this time that Pops For Champagne is moving in a couple of months, to somewhere on Huron, I think. That's going to be weird.

1.14   saturday
3FRIENDS Memorial Show (Metro)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
On this day, six months ago, three local musicians -- Michael Dahlquist, John Glick and Doug Meis -- were killed in a car crash in Skokie. This show features performances by the bands or band members that survived them -- EXO, The Dials, The Returnables and The Negligents. It will also be the final musical statement from longtime l.i.t.c. favorites EXO as they grace the stage for the last time and also release the EP of songs they were recording when this tragedy struck. There will be a raffle and silent auction, and all proceeds from the event will be donated to the charities selected by family members on the men's behalf.

Larry Coryell with Larry Gray and Paul Wertico (Jazz Showcase)
See Friday's listing seeing Thursday's listing.

Matt Geraghty Project (Pops For Champagne)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
See Friday's listing, but not the same Friday's listing I just mentioned.

1.15   sunday
Larry Coryell with Larry Gray and Paul Wertico (Jazz Showcase)
See Saturday's listing seeing Friday's listing seeing Thursday's listing.