list.in.to.chicago this week: 02.13.2006

I wanted to start off with a quick adminstrative note -- next week's newsletter will be a little late, either Monday night or Tuesday afternoon. I'm out of town this weekend for my grandmother's surprise birthday party in Virginia. No, I'm not worried about her finding out because I said something here, although it would be really, really funny if she did.

Anyway, I threw in some bonus listings for next Monday to cover the gap. Enjoy. And if you do enjoy, tell friends so they can enjoy, too.

Pick of the week
Some weeks are easier than others. Paul Wertico Trio on Wednesday at HotHouse. Nicholas Barron on Friday at Elbo Room. Bob Mould Friday and Saturday at the Old Town School of Folk Music.

list.in.to.COZ
Then, sandwiched in the middle of those shows, you've got your Shoeshine Boy Production with Soma Star at Wise Fools Pub on Thursday, which will feature Marlon Longid double-dipping with us and his main gig as frontman of Soulfix. More details below.

Recap
This week's theme seemed to be large men dancing. First, we had a hefty fellow with dangerously low-riding jeans practically stripping at the Diver show on Friday during "Drive" from Incubus. It gave a whole new meaning to the lyric "haunting mass appeal" in that particular song. On Saturday, it was our effusive bartender who was continually getting down with Wingman, and also brought us some water after we played...wait for it..."Bring Me Some Water." We also inadvertently attempted some Ornette Coleman-esque harmolodics, which is loosely defined as when the free jazz saxophonist's band would play simultaneously in different keys.

2.13   monday
Lucky Boys Confusion with Dirty Little Secret (Double Door)
This show is protesting the recent hike (proposed hike? I don't keep track of these things, 'cause I don't smoke) in cigarette taxes, and was billed in the Reader only as "surprise guests." So don't say I never got you a real scoop here. Tip o' the hat to Metroblogging Chicago for breaking it first, at least on my radar.

2.14   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
Part Two of the V-Day extravaganza. Last week featured "Is She Really Going Out With Him," "Can't Stand Losing You," and what seems to be my theme song more and more every day, "All Of The Good Ones Are Taken" from Ian Hunter. This week we've got similar sentiments from the likes of J. Geils and Greg Kihn. And yes, I do this even if I'm not single when February 14th rolls around.

Supergrass with Pilotdrift (The Vic)
We were just discussing these guys in Diver, and might consider adding something from the UK band to the set. Problem is, I don't know their catalog all that well, so if you do, and you've got a song you'd like to hear, send an e-mail or post a comment.

Seether with Shinedown, Halestorm (House of Blues)
My first time seeing this band, I realized something. You can get away with sounding exactly like a band -- let's say Nirvana -- if you're geographically very removed from that band -- let's say in South Africa. But that uniqueness you may have in South Africa as the band that sounds exactly like Nirvana sort of goes away when you leave, and you wind up sounding just like every other band that sounds just like Nirvana.

The Ponys with The Drones, Sybris (Double Door)
At least two of these local bands -- The Ponys and Sybris -- seem to be developing a bit of a buzz about them. I don't know much about The Drones, but either they fall into that category or might begin to after being sandwiched between the other two.

2.15   wednesday
Paul Wertico Trio (HotHouse)
Still the best thing going in electric jazz, no question.

Duncan Sheik with Jim Boggia (Double Door)
I read a scathing review of the singer/songwriter's latest effort when it first came out, which has colored my perception of his a bit. But the Reader seems to dig it, even if they damn it with faint praise about it's relative inoffensiveness. So I'm not sure what to make of Sheik, exactly.

2.16   thursday
Soma Star with Soulfix, The Bandages, Ronnie Criss (Wise Fools Pub)   SEE COZ LIVE!
For those of you Lincoln Parkers who have been clamoring for a show and don't realize that Elbo Room is almost in Lincoln Park, we bring the rock. As does longtime Friend of Coz Soulfix.

The Assembly with May Or May Not, Alphabet (Schubas)
This is the first live show sponsored by the good folks over at Chicagoist.com, who are putting aside any doubts about their inherent geekiness by calling the night "Ctrl-Alt-Rock." Also, I think May Or May Not rehearses down the hall from us.

John Zorn's Masada (Mandel Hall, University of Chicago)
The iconoclastic saxophonist brings his group and his frenetic style to my old stomping grounds.

The Chicago Jazz Ensemble with The Columbia College Jazz Ensemble, New Trier H.S. Jazz Ensemble I (HotHouse)
This has a nice cross-generational vibe, with the high school group yielding to the collegians, who then turn the stage over to the professionals.

2.17   friday
Nicholas Barron with Fork of Words, Bullets in Madison, Racing to the Fall (Elbo Room)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
You may recall Barron's Hyperactive playing every Thursday in January. If the schedule on the website is correct -- and I could of course call Steve and find out for sure -- it seems to be a one month on, one month off kind of thing that will return in March. In the meantime, Nicholas and crew are on tap as part of a regular evening's entertainment.

Bob Mould with Kaki King (Old Town School of Folk Music)
How did I miss this one? Mould's Body of Song made my top ten from last year, and the intimacy of the Old Town's main theater should be a top-notch venue for the former Husker Du and Sugar frontman's acoustic show.

Marah with Bloodline (Abbey Pub)
This Philadelphia band starting making waves as some sort of heirs apparent to the Springsteen legacy, mostly by way of geography, but I don't think it ever really turned into much.

Oteil and the Peacemakers (House of Blues Backporch Stage)
I haven't really kept up with bassist Oteil Burbridge since the Aquarium Rescue Unit broke up, other than knowing he's been playing with the Allman Brothers. Hopefully he's one of those guys who can successfully transcend the "jam band" label, because it would be a waste of talent if he just did the same stupid noodly shit most bands in that genre tend to traffic in.

Stars with The Elected (Metro)
As far as I can tell, the only thing of note this band has done in the last five years is appear on The O.C., but that's probably enough these days. Didn't Bob Mould get a track on that show, too? Two O.C.-featured artists in one night is starting to sound like a conspiracy.

2.18   saturday
Bob Mould with Kaki King (Old Town School of Folk Music)
The added bonus here is that you can see what Mould thinks of these dates and of our fair city almost immediately if you follow his blog.

Rik Emmett with Enuff Z'Nuff (House of Blues)
For whatever reason, I've been craving some Triumph lately. Not enough that I'd go see Emmett this weekend if I actually were in town, but for some reason, bits and pieces of "Lay It On The Line" have surfaced, unbidden, into my head recently.

Oteil and the Peacemakers (House of Blues Backporch Stage)
See Friday's listing.

The Returnables with The Dials, The Negligents (Empty Bottle)
The bands playing the 3Friends benefit a few weeks back who did not call it quits that night are together again on a slightly smaller stage.

2.19   sunday
BFF with Hummingbird, Justin Sconza, Cracklin Month, Alison Breitman (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Darrin from The Changes has been holding out on me, as this project includes him and one Changes bandmate along with a guy from Satellite 66.

Trapt with Thousand Foot Krutch, Inept (House of Blues)
Weren't we done with dire, overly serious hard rock bands who can't spell? Didn't their fifteen minutes end, like, two years ago?

2.20   monday
Lying in States with The Watchers, The Notes and Scratches, Bald Eagle (Empty Bottle)
This is one of those ubiquitous Chicago bands that you see listed often enough to think they might be bigger than just a local Chicago band. Or that they're friends of a friend of yours of something. They're that pervasive.

Matt Pond P.A. with Dios (Malos) (Double Door)
Last seen last year as Liz Phair's opening act, Pond seems to be pretty by-the-book indie rock. Some acoustic guitars here, some cello there, a little bit of jangle. Which isn't to say it's bad. Just of a certain type.