list.in.to.chicago this week: 09.24.2007

Possible explanations for last week's lack of a newsletter include:

- I was bleeped out by the Fox censors.
- I've been spending all my time trying to figure out Radiohead's coded messages.
- The war with my home technology has me curled up in a fetal position under my desk.
- Still haven't figured out if the new Metromix layout makes my life easier or harder.

Anyway, on with the shows...

Pick of the week
I'm leaning towards the Charlie Hunter Trio at the Old Town School of Folk Music on Sunday, and would recommend Alejandro Escovedo on Saturday at the Abbey Pub.

list.in.to.COZ
Vaughan's on Tuesday, and then it's another trek outside the city limits for Diver on Friday at Trio in Palos Heights. Which means it's a trio show. The next Chicago show, in fact the next any show for the band isn't until the end of October.

Recap
Kinda burnt out, so I've been laying low. I did see Editors a few weeks ago, and was struck by the similarity in sound to Interpol and the massive dissimilarity on stage, as there was a lot more energy at Park West that night than at Lolla in the light rain. And their singer seems to have used some of his major label cash to get a couple of Gibson semi-hollow bodies instead of the Fender Deluxe Telecasters he used last year at Lollapalooza, one of which he described at the time as "just like the other one, only this one's crap."

9.24   monday
Aerosmith with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts (Allstate Arena)
Didn't I just write about this? Either I got the original date completely, totally wrong, or they added a second, non-consecutive show to the tour.

Chemical Brothers with Ladytron (Riviera Theatre)
I haven't really heard anything new from these guys since the days of "Block Rockin' Beats" and "Let Forever Be," back when electronica was supposed to be the next big thing, but I imagine they're still mining that vein.

May or May Not with Charlemagne, Atlantic Divide (Schubas)
The last week of their residency is also, I believe, celebrating the release of their new CD. Chicagoist had a link where you could download the whole thing for free from the band themselves, so check that out if you're interested.

9.25   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
It's not that I don't want to learn new songs, it's just that I can only keep iTunes open for about five minutes before my computer just stops working. I've got one more trick up my sleeve before I have to break down and reinstall Windows from scratch. I love technology.

Peter Bjorn and John with The Clientele, Marissa Nadler (The Vic)
I heard all the young folks will be there. I'm talking 'bout the young folks. Which will make no sense if you haven't heard the single. Hopefully they will have power for the duration of the show this time, unlike what happened at Lollapalooza.

9.26   wednesday
Beastie Boys (Riviera Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
I'm pretty sure this tour is all instrumental, so part of me is surprised that it still sold out, but the Beastie Boys have pretty much cemented their reputation as a big enough act to move 3,500 or so tickets without much trouble.

Mandy Moore with Chris Stills (Park West)
There's a joke in here somewhere, but I can't seem to find it. And Moore wasn't half-bad in the movie "Saved." Paula Cole, who was originally scheduled to appear on this bill, will not be in attendance.

9.27   thursday
Beastie Boys (Charter One Pavilion)
While they can move the aforementioned 3,500 tickets for an instrumental show, tacking on another however many outdoors at the end of September in Chicago (that's "the Miami of Canada," if you watched The Simpsons last night) may have misjudged demand. In other words, tickets are still available for this one.

Nick Lowe with Ron Sexsmith (Park West)
The venerable songwriter just released a new record that's gotten pretty good reviews. No word if Elvis Costello will record one of the songs and make it a bigger hit.

The Melvins with Big Business (Double Door)
I think I've told this story before, but I used to get calls from this radio research firm that would ask how I would rate the music I liked on a scale of 1 to 10, where "1" meant "slow and soft" and "10" meant "fast and loud," and I would always tell them I liked music that was slow and loud, like The Melvins.

Pere Ubu with Ulrich Schnauss, Hair Police, Glenn Jones and Jack Rose (Empty Bottle)
My only real exposure to this band is that Living Colour has a live recording of their "Final Solution" from a Metro show back in around 1990 or so. That immediate post-punk movement is a bit of a blind spot for me.

9.28   friday
Diver (Trio, Palos Heights)   SEE COZ LIVE!
Remember the story about the local who accosted us and called us pussies for not starting a half hour early? That might be reason enough to trek out to the southwest 'burbs, because I have a hunch she'll be back.

The Mekons (Old Town School of Folk Music)
Two shows from the noted Leeds transplants, although we may be getting to the point where Langford has to say he's from Chicago and not the UK. With The Horse's Ha (early show), Danbert Nobacon (late show), which has helped me figure out the "default order" on the Metromix calendar. Seems to be by showtime, sort of, as this one is listed twice.

The Bon Mots with Welcome To Ashley (Hideout)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
I'm starting to think maybe Frantisak gets his own category.

Young Livers with Lord Mantis, Relative (Ronny's)
This one's an inside joke for Avi and Tony. Liver!

9.29   saturday
Michael Franti and Spearhead with Blue King Brown (The Vic)
I'm a sucker for a hip-hop artist with a really deep baritone, I'll admit it. I haven't listened to Yell Fire! as much as I would have liked, although I still think the title track should be played at Toyota Park.

Alejandro Escovedo with Head of Femur (Abbey Pub)
While I met several of the guys in Head of Femur at the Hideout Block Party, I don't think I know they well enough to confer "Friends of Coz" status yet as they open up for the Austin singer/songwriter. I'm still surprised that The Boxing Mirror didn't make more year-end lists on pedigree alone.

The Donnas with Donita Sparks, American Bang (Double Door)
Apparently the brash punk throwbacks have started using their real names instead of riffing on the Ramones theme. Haven't heard the new record yet, but I'm still a little wary after that Judas Priest cover from a few years back.

Hanson with Locksley (House of Blues)   SOLD OUT!
Yeah, I'm going to be the guy that tells you to forget what you remember about this band's precocious debut when they were all under the age of, what, seventeen? I sorta happened into tickets to see them "unplugged" a few years ago, and they're certainly better than similarly precocious Silverchair, for whatever that's worth.

Ryan Adams and The Cardinals (Chicago Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
Heard many good things about Adams' intimate show up at the Black Orchid Theater (I think) a few months back, but I've never really gotten into his stuff. And I don't know if Robbie Fulks is still offering schwag to anyone who requests Bryan Adams songs.

9.30   sunday
Nicholas Barron's Hyperactive (Long Room)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Getting back to the new Metromix layout, by not putting a time on the listing and leading off with a dollar sign, Nicholas' weekly stint with Steve and Vijay always gets put first in the listings when you go to the "calendar" view.

The Hives (Metro)   SOLD OUT!
I've only seen these guys live once, so the schtick hasn't gotten old yet.

Charlie Hunter Trio (Old Town School of Folk Music)
I want to say I saw mixed reviews of Hunter's new record, but the thumbs that were up I recall as being way up, and I think one of them mentioned that he's either now playing an eight-string guitar instead of a seven-string, or vice versa.

Hanson with Locksley (House of Blues)   SOLD OUT!
See, the advantage here is that I can say these guys aren't so bad without having to put my money where my mouth is, 'cause it's sold out.

Suzanne Vega with Richard Julian (Park West)
Way back about 12 or 13 years ago, I used to get in fights with a co-worker over the quality of Vega's song "Blood Makes Noise." I haven't listened to it in a while, but I think I'm still in favor of it.

Boris with Michio Kurihara, Damon and Naomi, People (Empty Bottle)
I've got one song from this band/artist that I downloaded from Pitchfork, and I seem to think it's kind of cool and electronic, but I might be totally confusing it with something else.