list.in.to.chicago this week: 07.16.2007

Between the Jumpin' Jack Bash, Toto and Deep Purple all coming to town this week, it's like it's 1985 all over again. And I didn't even list The Moody Blues.

Pick of the week
If you know anything about me, you know that Zappa Plays Zappa (Friday, Civic Opera House) is the hands-down pick for this week. Unless it sells out, I'll also be checking out Maximo Park tonight at Double Door.

list.in.to.COZ
Just Vaughan's this week, and hopefully I'll get out of there at a more reasonable hour than last week.

Recap
Hey, a report from a list.in.to.chicago operative! Regarding the Cat Empire show last Tuesday at Double Door: "Very high energy. All sorts of genres of music all mixed into one. I loved it. HUGE Aussie contingency there. It was like all the Australians came to Double Door Tuesday." Did you see a show last week? Feel free to send me your feedback, preferably by Sunday night. I'll consider publishing reports from on-stage operatives as well. And no, this isn't merely an attempt to disguise how few shows I'm going to see on my own lately. Maybe just a little.

7.16   monday
Maximo Park with Monsters Are Waiting, Oohla's (Double Door)
The Newcastle band gets linked to XTC quite a bit, and while they're not as heavily-influenced and the songs aren't quite as catchy as, say, Dogs Die In Hot Cars, the comparison is pretty accurate.

7.17   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
We haven't done a theme in a while, but I need to run some ideas by the regulars this week to see what we can come up with. In the meantime, it's open skate.

Built To Spill with The Boggs (The Vic)
I still feel like I'm supposed to like these guys, but I'm not entirely sure why, and I don't have the available bandwidth to figure it out. I'm pretty sure I've given them a spin every once in a while, but nothing has really stood out. I guess I'll never be a proper indie-rock hipster, but if I'm only just realizing that, I've got a problem.

Toto (House of Blues)
For me, there is only one reason to see this band, and it's not nostalgia for music videos featuring women in red dresses dancing through fake West Side Story sets. It's drummer Simon Phillips, who joined the band to replace the late Jeff Porcaro, who would have been the only reason to see this band were he still alive.

7.18   wednesday
Chris Cornell (Congress Theatre)
While there's still certainly value in seeing any even semi-capable band cranking out old Soundgarden songs, I hope that Cornell's backing band has improved since his "club tour" in advance of his new solo record.

The Decemberists with the Grant Park Orchestra (Pritzker Pavilion)
I said after Bonnaroo that seeing The Decemberists was like listing to NPR if it were a band, so I guess a free outdoor show with a full orchestra fits that description.

7.19   thursday
Jumpin' Jack Bash (Toyota Park, Bridgeview)
With the likes of ZZ Top, Joan Jett and The Pretenders on the bill, this seems a little too heavy on the 80s to truly be a concert version of the "Jack" radio format.

Bob Weir and Ratdog, Keller Williams (Aragon Ballroom)
Both of these acts played Bonnaroo last month, but I guess I didn't realize how hot Williams has become among the neo-hippie set.

Tall Dark Stranger with City Electric, The Dundrearies, Welcome to Ashley (Double Door)
I met one of the guys in the band a few weeks ago, and my friend Steve is producing their record, so I figure it's only a matter of time before I get out to see them play. They may be first on this bill, so get there on time.

Chris Gilmartin with Brian VanderArk (Schubas)
While I work with a guy who is friends with Tall Dark Stranger, I used to work directly with Gilmartin, who is one of those ubiquitous acoustic singer/songwriter types.

7.20   friday
Zappa Plays Zappa (Civic Opera House)
I missed Dweezil playing his father's music last summer, so I'm thrilled that he's doing it again. All the press supports the notion that Zappa the younger has forsaken the hard rock guitar shredder tendencies of his youth and really tried to get to the heart of Frank's work. This tour is a bit short on alumni as compared to last year, with Ray White apparently the only special guest if I've read the information on the website correctly.

Matt Hoffer with Joey Degraw, Justin King, Go Van Gogh, Ryan Powers (Elbo Room)
I had gotten an e-mail from Hoffer explaining that he's all about the band concept now, and would be performing from here on out as Holding Mercury, but apparently Elbo Room didn't get the memo.

Allister with Punchline, The Fold, One Black Tooth (Metro)
This is a reunion show of sorts for the local punk band, and one of the reuniting members runs a great MP3 blog called "Can You See The Sunset From The Southside?"

7.21   saturday
Travis with John Paul White (The Vic)
With a lot of material only just barely reaching a medium tempo, I would be curious as to whether or not the Scottish band's live set can keep up any kind of energy for an hour and a half.

Deep Blue Something with Sunday Morning Chameleon, Kyle Mann Combo (Abbey Pub)
You may remember this band from that "Breakfast at Tiffany's" song from way back in the mid-90s. Neither allmusic.com nor Wikipedia indicate the band has released anything since 2001, which makes me think the Abbey might even be too big of a venue.

7.22   sunday
Deep Purple with Supagroup (House of Blues)
I just like the transition from "Blue Something" to "Purple." As much as I am/have been a fan of guitarist Steve Morse, I have a lot more trouble wrapping my head around him replacing Ritchie Blackmore in Deep Purple than, say, Simon Phillips replacing Jeff Porcaro in Toto.

Dylan Rice Band (Schubas)
I'm totally getting the local singer/songwriter confused with Damien Rice. My bad.