list.in.to.chicago this week: 03.05.2007

I really need to write more of this on Sunday night. Proofreading is for suckers!

Pick of the week
It's got to be Tributosaurus as Yes this Wednesday at Martyrs'. I'm going to be in prog-rock geek heaven for that one. And how many chances do you get to see the complete lineup of The Pogues (tonight and tomorrow, Congress Theatre)?

list.in.to.COZ
No root canals this week as Diver hits Cullen's this Saturday in advance of the big St. Patrick's Day madness the following week at Fado. If you're wondering where Anto was this past Friday, that bit about the pain of dentistry is your tip-off.

Recap
I don't know which was more disconcerting. That Ben Kweller looked about fourteen years old, or that he was a shaggy-haired dead ringer for A.J. on Prison Break. His music seemed somewhere on a continuum between The Redwalls and Wilco, with a tiny hint of Ben Folds creeping in at times when he would either get the behind the keyboard or belt out a sing-song chorus. Gomez followed with a typically solid set, but it always strikes me that five out of six members are all business, while the other guy just seems so utterly happy to be there. I was a little bummed that they didn't play "Nothing Is Wrong," but they also

3.05   monday
The Pogues with Girl In Coma (Congress Theatre)
Most of my knowledge of the Pogues is by reputation, and mostly by the reputation of Shane McGowan, but I know enough to say that McGowan's return to the band for this short two-week tour of the U.S. is significant.

The Who with The Tragically Hip (Sears Centre)
I saw a bit of Daltrey and Townshend's Isle of Wight set on cable a few weeks ago, and it was pretty darn good for a couple of geezers who managed to fly in the face of those rockers who hoped they would die before they got old. Wait a minute...

3.06   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
No theme this week. I may learn Todd Rundgren's "Bang On The Drum All Day" just on principle, and not the "banging on the drum" part of the principle. You do the math.

The Pogues with Girl In Coma (Congress Theatre)
See Monday's listing.

3.07   wednesday
Tributosaurus (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
I really need to get on the band's mailing list so I have more warning about who they're going to be in any given month. This month is Yes, and had I known, I would have bugged the band to let me sit in again and opted for Tuesday's Pogues show so I could rehearse.

Daughtry with Eve to Adam, Cinder Road (Double Door)   SOLD OUT!
I seem to be citing Jim DeRogatis a lot lately, but his Sun-Times piece on the former American Idol contestent is amusing in that it spends a whole lot of time talking about frontman Chris Daughty's circumstances -- almost setting him us as a sympathetic figure -- before lowering the boom on how crappy and Nickelbackian the music is.

3.08   thursday
Office (Darkroom)
They've been having sporadic shows at Darkroom for a while now, but I haven't been able to check any of them out. This might be a good opportunity.

Reverend Horton Heat with The Tossers, Murder By Death (Metro)
I think it was the Reverend who used to sell t-shirts boasting Elvis' weight on all nine planets. And I think New York gets The Pogues and The Tossers on the same bill. We just get them the same week.

3.09   friday
Alejandro Escovedo with Chuck Prophet (Old Town School of Folk Music)   SOLD OUT!
I was a little surprised that an album by such a critical favorite, produced by a member of the Velvet Underground, another critical favorite, didn't get more top ten list love at the end of the year. Escovedo and his band just radiate that notion that they've played thousands of shows, and I mean that in a good way. They know what they're doing.

Cold War Kids with Delta Spirit/Tokyo Police Club (Subterranean)
These guys were supposed to open for some UK band who cancelled a show last fall, but I can't for the life of me remember who. I've heard one song, and they're not bad, but didn't really do anything for me.

Scissor Sisters with Small Sins (Riviera Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
I'm a little surprised that these new-wave-by-way-of-Abba throwbacks sold out the Riv, as I didn't think their new record ever really got that much traction. Then again, I'm not actually paying attention, so who knows?

Reverend Horton Heat with The Tossers, Murder By Death (Metro)
See Friday's listing.

3.10   saturday
Diver (Cullen's)   SEE COZ LIVE!
Another three-piece gig this weekend. Imagine I said something witty about it that makes you feel like you absolutely have to be there.

Ambulette with The New Trust, The Wiitala Brothers (Schubas)
I feel like I had something to say about this band a few weeks ago, but it has completely escaped me. It could be that the band has a Chicago connection, but I'm not even sure. Somebody must have been going on and on about them somewhere.

Badly Drawn Boy with Adem (Metro)
I totally inappropriately get Badly Drawn Boy confused with Bright Eyes, but that's likely because Badly Drawn Boy is really just Damon Gough, while Bright Eyes is just Conor Oberst.

NYCO with Bottle of Justus, Curtis Peoples (Cubby Bear)
Sooner or later, one of these bands I keep talking about is going to lay definitive claim to the title of "Coz's favorite local band," but not this week, as I've got a gig around the corner.

Chris Difford with Dick Prall (Abbey Pub)
Half of the Squeeze braintrust is still better than...uh...um...something not quite as good. I was going somewhere with that, but the rush to get this done before the Pogues seems to be catching up to me.

Secret Chiefs 3 with Sleepytime Gorilla Museum (Double Door)
I bought a record from this band a while ago on the notion that Trey Spruance from Mr. Bungle was one of the principal architects behind it. Upon listening, it would seem that Bungle is the more normal of his projects, as this is noise-rock bordering on unlistenable.

Sending the Four-Star City to the Lone Star State (Hideout)
This is a neat idea. Hideout is hosting all the Chicago bands that will be appearing at this year's South By Southwest Music Conference in Austin in a couple of weeks. Office, Sybris, the 1900s and Josh Caterer are just a few of those appearing at the all-day event.

This Is Me Smiling (Beat Kitchen)
While I liked these guys when I saw them, they're not quite in that consideration set for new favorite local band. Good, Ben Folds/Joe Jackson-y stuff, though.

3.11   sunday
The Walkmen with Ferraby Lionheart/Broken West (Schubas)   SOLD OUT!
There was a stretch where there was this sort of parallel buzz that enveloped The Walkmen along with The French Kicks and Chicago's The Changes and The M's. I think they were all on one bill once, which makes me wonder just how many h's and e's Metro or Double Door or wherever had for their marquee.