list.in.to.chicago this week: 08.21.2006

Now with even less proofreading! Damn day job.

And those of you who read the main blog know this, but not only did we pass l.i.t.c. #200 two weeks ago, last week was the four-year anniversary of the list. If you want to show up at Vaughan's on Tuesday with a cake or something, knock yourselves out, because the chances of me getting motivated and organizing something in the immediate future are between slim and none.

Pick of the week
I've probably seen Ben Harper (Sunday, Charter One Pavilion) more often than everyone else on the list this week, going all the way back to two shows back around 1994 at South By Southwest in Austin. I was going to say more often than everyone else on the list combined, but I've seen Assassins (Saturday, Schubas) often enough to cast that claim into doubt.

list.in.to.COZ
We're still in the "Vaughan's only" zone, so come on out tomorrow (Tuesday) night if you're not doing anything.

Recap
Apparently, wedding DJs don't play music from after 1985 or so until the older guests start to leave. I guess I see the value in that strategy, but I'd rather mix it up a bit. And I don't know how I feel about playing the same song multiple times.

Hey, I was in Toledo for a wedding. There's not much to recap over there.

8.21   monday
Jeff Parker Organ Quartet (Green Mill)
I missed the Tortoise guitarist when he played at Pitchfork with Nels Cline. At least I think it was with Nels Cline. Anyway, he's filling in for the touring Patricia Barber along with Ron Dewar, Pete Benson and Brian Ritter.

8.22   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
We were done and on our way home before the Cubs game ended last week, which is a rare occasion even when they're playing on the West coast. The only other time something like this happened that I can remember is last year during the World Series, but we didn't even bother starting that time. Still, it was weird looking up from the stage and seeing Carlos Zambrano pinch-hitting.

Justin Timberlake (House of Blues)   SOLD OUT!
It seems like Timberlake got off easy for the whole Super Bowl "wardrobe malfunction," doesn't it? You would think that would stir up enough controversy on its own, but apparently the singer has to pick fights with American Idol winner Taylor Hicks to get press nowadays.

World Party with Elvis Perkins (Park West)
I think these guys fall in a certain class of Psychedelic Furs-ish bands from the eighties that sort of blend together, and that group includes Gene Loves Jezebel, Julian Cope, and Love and Rockets.

8.23   wednesday
56 Hope Rd. (Wise Fools Pub)
Katie Todd Band with Margot and the Nuclear So and Sos, Bascom Hill (Double Door)
It's not really weird, but still slightly curious that these two bands are both playing a Wednesday night at different venues when I've seen them sharing weekend bills in the past.

8.24   thursday
Third Eye Blind with Bandcamp (House of Blues)   SOLD OUT!
Yeah, I'm as surprised as you are. First, Third Eye Blind still exists? Second, enough people care to sell out House of Blues? Twice?

8.25   friday
Eric and the Implants with Buzz Meade, Christian Collins (Wise Fools Pub)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
If you've been to Vaughan's in the last six months or so, you've seen Eric Howell and Andrew Fraker, both of whom are part of Eric's "regular" band. Eric actually gave me a CD of his stuff a while ago, but I'm terrible about listening to CDs that people give me. It's kind of strange, actually. The tendency not to listen to CDs given to me, not Eric's band.

Foo Fighters with Frank Black (Auditorium Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
I recently read an interview with Dave Grohl where he talked about his acoustic side, probably in The Onion's AV Club. This show will be like that interview, only with music. Sort of.

Muchacha with Eagle Seagull, Big Evil Grin, My Left Arm, Vortis (Memories Bar)
I've been told that Muchacha and Matador Down were not, in fact, the same band, but I don't remember what the relation between the two actually was, and what it means that Muchacha seems to be back on the scene. Also of note is that this show is at a venue I've never heard of over dere by Cicero and Montrose, and Jim DeRogatis' throwback punk outfit is on the bill.

Shakira with Wyclef Jean (United Center)
Something about the vocal track in "Hips Don't Lie" sounds really weird to me, and I don't know if it's just some neat outboard effects, or if that's what a massively auto-tuned vocal track sounds like. I've heard good things about Shakira's actual singing ability -- that's right boys, she actually sings, and I understand if you might not have noticed -- so it may be the former, kind of like the subtle vocoder effect on Maroon 5's "She Will Be Loved."

Th' Legendary Shack Shakers (Double Door)
Just in case my friend Dave is still in town, and doesn't know about this show, but if the former, almost definitely not the latter.

8.26   saturday
Assassins with Echonine, The Prairie Cartel (Schubas)
Two shows this Saturday from the local darlings -- Echonine opening the first, and the Prarie Cartel the second -- coming off an appearance at Lollapalooza that I skipped. I figured out that the thing that doesn't quite sit right about them is that about half of their songs don't resolve, harmonically, which means I'm going to bring that up at every possible opportunity.

Moth with The Midnight Shows, The Ghettobillies, Constant Velocity (Double Door)
I may have made this exact same observation in the past, but for a band with one minor radio hit, these guys sure do tour a lot.

Colorado Rapids at Chicago Fire (Toyota Park, Bridgeview)
About a month ago, I mentioned that Anto was playing some sort of scrimmage at halftime of the Fire game, and would be shaving his head if his side lost, as part of a charity fundraiser. I got everything right except the date, which was the last Saturday game in August, not July. The team is riding a little streak right now, with three straight wins in all competitions, and games this Wednesday and Saturday may prove if that was a fluke or not.

8.27   sunday
Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals with Damian Marley (Charter One Pavilion)
While I've listened to Harper's most recent double record, for some reason I haven't gotten as into it as past efforts. I need to give it another shot, because I've been a big fan of mostly everything in his catalog.

Third Eye Blind with Bandcamp (House of Blues)   SOLD OUT!
Still not getting it.