list.in.to.chicago this week: 04.30.2007

By now, you know the drill. If you have half as much fun reading this as I do writing it, then forward it to friends and encourage them to sign up.

Also, by definition, I have twice as much fun as you. No, that one never gets old.

Pick of the week
I'd have to turn in my Prog Fan I.D. Card -- and I'm pretty sure prog fans actually carry cards -- if I didn't single out Adrian Belew and the Bears at Martyrs' on Tuesday.

list.in.to.COZ
It's another week, and another Diver show, this time at Fado on Friday. Expect all the usual Diver stuff, because, well, why wouldn't you?

Recap
Okay, so I bailed on Ted Leo on Saturday and went to see Hot Fuzz instead. Good movie, and for the sake of continuity, had some excellent music choices, including a well-placed "Fire" from The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. All I'm going to say about Friday's Diver show is that music sounds funny with a head cold, Anto called an audible ("keep going!") and Glenn humped my car afterwards, which is an image I really didn't need, so naturally I'm sharing it.

4.30   monday
Talent Magnet Mondays (Slainte)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
You can't keep a good open mic down, as Dana Gillis reprises the old Stadium West proceedings down in Lincoln Park at what used to be Bar 3, but that seems like it was a long, long time ago.

5.01   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
I think the most appropriate song I could possibly play this week would be "My Head Sounds Like That" from Peter Gabriel. Still kinda congested, so it'll likely be a game-time decision. If you want a theme, how about head colds? Any songs about being sick are fair game. Headaches work -- any sort of physical ailment.

Adrian Belew and the Bears with Wes John (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
No, I don't know the King Crimson guitarist, but Wes is opening the show. This is Belew's "fun" project with his buddies from Cleveland, although they did cover "Red" from Belew's other band the last time I saw them here.

Southern Culture On The Skids with the Goldstars (Schubas)
The thing that stands out about this band is that my most recent roommate was/is a big fan, and by and large, she didn't seem the sort to go see bands playing this size of venue, although they were playing slightly bigger venues at the time, but not by much.

5.02   wednesday
Plain White T's with Boys Not Out, Lovedrug, Dear in the Headlights (Metro)
Apparently these guys are local, but I seem to recall hearing them recently on Q101 and thinking they were exactly the kind of cookie-cutter modern rock band that made me stop listening to Q101 before they allegedly righted the ship with the shuffle. Old habits die hard, I guess.

Colin Hay with Ralph Covert (Black Orchid)
That's right, the lead singer from Men At Work. Transplanted Friend of Coz Patrick Hasbrook had the good fortune to open for him out on the West Coast and lived to tell about it.

5.03   thursday
Amy Winehouse with Patrick Wolf (The Vic)   SOLD OUT!
If the hyped British singer can sell out the Vic, then the original booking at Schubas was almost laughably shortsighted.

Lt. Dan Band featuring Gary Sinise (Joe's)
These shows from the noted actor tend to have a pretty stacked band behind him, including Berklee alum Kimo Williams, and all the proceeds are going to the US Vietnam Arts Program.

Plain White T's with Boys Not Out, Lovedrug, Dear in the Headlights (Metro)
See Wednesday's listing, although I'll admit "Dear in the Headlights" is a clever band name. And I feel a little bad ripping on PWT, seeing as how the singer was in a car accident some eight years ago.

5.04   friday
Diver (Fado Irish Pub)   SEE COZ LIVE!
Fado shows are always pretty fun, maybe because we're mostly not worried about bar patrons tripping and falling into us, although they've still managed to find a way. Should be a slightly less wasted crowd than the last time, anyway.

Air with Kate Havnevik (Riviera Theatre)
I guess I knew the French electronica duo had a record out, or at least still existed, but French electronica duos aren't exactly the types of bands you expect to see on tour.

Ben Gibbard with David Bazan (Metro)   SOLD OUT!
Two solo shows from the Death Cab for Cutie frontman, with Johnathan Rice joining the early bill.

Jet with The Virgins (House of Blues)   SOLD OUT!
The Aussie throwbacks have been slowly building support for a record that, to be honest, didn't really seem to stick when it first came out.

Roy Hargrove Big Band and Small Ensemble with Hank Jones Frank Wess and Roberta Gambarini (Symphony Center)
This guy is probably my favorite current jazz trumpet player, but it's not really drawing from a big pool there.

5.05   saturday
Black Sabbath with Megadeth, Machine Head (Allstate Arena)
It's only sort of Black Sabbath, with Ronnie James Dio and Vinny Appice replacing Ozzy and Bill Ward. But it's still Sabbath.

The Kooks with Illinois (Metro)   SOLD OUT!
Once again, a sold out show has forced me to look up a band I previously knew nothing about. This British band made its U.S. debut back in March at South By Southwest, and now that I see that, I'm inventing memories where I read reviews that said they were really good. As is now customary, I don't think the band Illinois is from Illinois.

Lord Mike's Dirty Calypsonians with The Pinstripes (Beat Kitchen)
Deals Gone Bad (The Note)
Okay, I'm listing these two together because Lord Mike used to actually be a member of Deals Gone Bad, so I would be really curious to see who draws the bigger crowd. I think Deals have the advantage just because they've been together under that name longer.

Poi Dog Pondering with Catfish Haven (House of Blues)   SOLD OUT!
As much of an institution as Poi Dog is in this town, I can't help wonder if the inclusion of up-and-comers Catfish Haven might have put this one over the top in terms of ticket sales.

5.06   sunday
LCD Soundsystem with Prinzhorn Dance School (Metro)   SOLD OUT!
I know I wasn't quite as high on their -- and if you have a band name, I'm going to refer to you in the plural, even if I think this is one guy -- last record as most critics, but I think I was a bit more into the new one. I (obviously) haven't listened to it that much. I did see that they're playing a festival with Daft Punk this summer, which is really funny if you're familiar with that last record.

The English Beat with Skapone (Double Door)
I've seen singer Dave Wakeling play Chicago a bunch of times, but I seem to recall him normally playing either under his own name or with General Public. This is the first time I've seen him back with The English Beat.

Poi Dog Pondering with Catfish Haven (House of Blues)
See Saturday's listing, only not sold out, as far as I know.