list.in.to.chicago this week: 02.11.2008

Have you ever noticed how The Soul Cages is the only album from Sting that doesn't have his picture on the cover? You could include Police albums in that count depending on how you interpret the digital representation of the trio on Ghost In The Machine. Or am I forgetting something?

Pick of the week
If you can score tickets, Wilco (Friday and Saturday at the Riv) is the obvious choice, and the same goes for Flogging Molly (Friday and Saturday at House of Blues). Otherwise, Alison Breitman (Thursday, Schubas) and Pegboy (Friday, Reggie's Rock Club) cover the gamut from soft to loud.

list.in.to.COZ
This Saturday, it's Diver -- in trio form with yet another bass player -- with an opening set at Cubby Bear. For those of you who like to plan ahead, we'll be at Cullen's the following Saturday, with "all original members."

Recap
I ended up playing with Tony in a mini-Diver set at Cullen's on Friday, and apparently the crowd was subliminally hypnotized so that they would all decide to leave simultaneously when they heard the phrase "where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio" in the song "Mrs. Robinson." Seriously, I don't think I've even seen that many people leave a bar at once at closing time.

2.11   monday
Blah Blah Blah with Children of Industry, DVQ, Leviathans Choir (Elbo Room)
piss piss piss moan moan moan with Binges, Mayor Daley (Empty Bottle)
Monday is a bit of a wasteland for local bands, which means it's the newer bands and the up-and-comers, which, in turn, means that apparently every good band name has officially been taken. I'm not even sure how I would go about deciding whether to see Blah Blah Blah or piss piss piss moan moan moan, although credit to Empty Bottle for booking the latter with a band called Mayor Daley.

2.12   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
Tradition would dictate that it's time for a healthy dose of anti-Valentine's Day sentiment, and I'm certainly not in a position to argue with tradition. Plus, I've already got all those tunes in the book.

2.13   wednesday
The Bon Mots with Cameron McGill and What Army, Tenniscourts (Schubas)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
You'll be able to tell when I start phoning it in, because I'll just start claiming Chris Frantisak is in every single band listed. And this is the first time I've seen McGill listed with a band, for whatever that's worth.

2.14   thursday
Alison Breitman with Dan Lastik, Matthew Kerstein (Schubas)
After all the buzz I had heard on Breitman, I thought she totally delivered when I saw her open for the acoustic EXO reunion a while back. I'm not a lyrics guy, and she had one new song at that particular gig that really spoke to me and the situation I was in at the time. And still am in, for that matter.

2.15   friday
Wilco (Riviera Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
Thus begins the week-long residency that promises a deep dive through the entire catalog over the run. I didn't jump on tickets for this, on the premise that I thought they were so fantastic at Bonnaroo last summer that I didn't want to spoil that memory.

Flogging Molly with Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band, Dusty Rhodes (House of Blues)   SOLD OUT!
I still think this is the only band that got my heart rate up simply by watching them. Much more punk than the Pogues, but still very, very Irish.

Pegboy with Zero to Sixty, Architects, Vortis (Reggie's Rock Club)
What are the odds Jim DeRogatis writes something in the Sun-Times about the seminal Chicago punk band, or about the new south side club, and just happens to let drop that his band Vortis is on the bill? Jim is actually a better drummer than I expected, but let's just say my expectations were kind of low.

J. Davis Trio with Baldwin Brothers, Hey Champ (Double Door)
For a second there, I thought this might have been an accidental misprint of a bill from some time between 1998 and 2001 or so. Good to see both of these bands still going.

Howie Day with Jay Clifford (Schubas)   SOLD OUT!
Not to be confused with Howie B, who is a big-name producer, if by "not to be," you mean "always," at least in my case. This one is a singer/songwriter.

Spice Girls (United Center)
Most reunion tours are predicated on at least some sort of latent demand. I'm not sure why anyone thought this one was a good idea, and massive public apathy seems to be cutting the effort short once the North American leg is done. What I can't figure out is why Metromix gave it their little "Metromix pick" icon, unless they just do that whenever they write about something, positive or negative. I guess this one has massive train wreck potential and people-watching curiosity going for it. Who is still a fan of the Spice Girls at this point?

2.16   saturday
Diver with Rock Candy (Cubby Bear)   SEE COZ LIVE!
If you made it out to the Andrew Fraker & Sons show a few weeks back and thought "I'd like to see the guys in the band who aren't Andrew play cover songs together," you're in luck, as Brian Cohen will be filling in for this trio set in support of Rock Candy.

Super Furry Animals with Times New Viking, Jeffrey Lewis (Metro)
The psychedelic Welshmen have a new record out, but I haven't listened to it yet. The one that I own, 2001's Rings Around The World was a little underwhelming, I thought.

Holding Mercury (Elbo Room)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
This is a late show from Matt Hoffer and band following the Emergenza proceedings that have spread to Elbo Room this year.

Wilco (Riviera Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
See Friday's listing.

Flogging Molly with Rev. Peyton's Big Damn Band, Dusty Rhodes (House of Blues)   SOLD OUT!
See Friday's listing.

2.17   sunday
Holy Fuck with A Place To Bury Strangers, Airiel, Stanley Ross (Schubas)   SOLD OUT!
It's both the name of the band and your reaction when you realize you wanted to go and there are no tickets left.