list.in.to.chicago this week: 03.03.2008

This seems to be the first week of the heavy spring concert season. Between bands who didn't want to come here when it was really cold and bands routing tours to get to Austin for SXSW in a couple of weeks, March is always pretty stacked in Chicago. Especially when you compare it to the relative drought the last few weeks.

Pick of the week
Lots to choose from this week, but personally, I'm going to try to see Bob Mould (Friday at Metro) and Adrian Belew (Wednesday at Martyrs').

list.in.to.COZ
No Diver gigs until the three shows in four nights over St. Patrick's Day weekend, but you can help me celebrate the extended birthday on Tuesday at Vaughan's.

Recap
I was a little worried that The Hives' schtick of insisting they are the best band you've ever seen and that you are the best audience they've ever seen would get old the second time around, but my fears are unfounded. Not sure why it works to well for them and falls flat for, say, Cowboy Mouth. And a note to underwhelming openers The Donnas: Def Leppard called and wants their guitar sound back. And Rick Allen's arm, if you happen to have that, too.

After that, I caught a couple of tunes from Thomas Pace at Horseshoe, and my random thought is that they call that particular genre of country- and folk-influenced rock "Americana" because it makes lots of references to geographical locations. And highways.

Finally, there was some drunk girl at Stanley's on Racine kneeling on the bar and making up some "creative" but still dog-related lyrics to "Who Let The Dogs Out?," when her position on the bar might have made some take on Sisqo a bit more (but maybe just a bit more) appropriate. If you know what I mean, and I know at least one of you does, since you told me I had better include this particular episode.

3.03   monday
Larry Carlton with Robben Ford (Joe's)
I'm a little taken aback by this bill, as a pair of jazz/blues/fusion guitarists doesn't seem like a normal fit for this particular venue. That said, it's a pretty solid pair of jazz/blues/fusion guitarists.

Catfish Haven with Tall Dark Stranger (Empty Bottle)
I still haven't instituted the "Friends of Friends of Coz" designation for Tall Dark Stranger, who are opening up for last summer's local buzz band. Or, rather, last summer's local buzz band that isn't Office.

3.04   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
If I forgot to invite you to the birthday drinks on Saturday, first, I apologize for the sorry state of my e-mail address book, and second, there's no reason we can't keep celebrating a few days later, right?

Gogol Bordello with Skindred (Riviera Theatre)
The song and a half I saw at Bonnaroo from this troupe of gypsy punks from New York City made me want to see them again sometime. It's a crazy, carnival-type atmosphere, and some of the band's lyrics ("Have you ever been to American wedding? Where is the vodka, where's marinated herring?") are pretty hysterical.

3.05   wednesday
Adrian Belew Power Trio with Saul Zanana (Martyrs')
When he's unhooked from his 28-year association with Robert Fripp and King Crimson, the Nashville-based guitarist and songwriter will take turns being a Beatles-esque pop songwriter and a purveyor of weird guitar noises. On his best work -- and the "power trio" designation gives me reason to hope -- he's a mix of both.

Working For A Nuclear-Free City with Coltrane Motion, Unique Chique (Schubas)
In an e-mail, a friend called them "huge, lush instrumental rocking awesomeness." Said friend is just a wee bit prone to hyperbole. I would settle for any three of those words, let alone all five.

Tenniscourts with The Ladies and Gentlemen, The Assembly (Empty Bottle)
Their MySpace page proclaims that they're my new favorite band, so I guess that's settled. Wes Hollywood is the only name I recognize out of the players, but it sounds like big, Midwestern power-pop that should be right at home with The Ladies and Gentlemen.

The Pogues (Riviera Theatre)
I guess the band has decided they can live with each other for at least a couple of weeks every year for a quick tour. And I highly recommend going into the archives of the Henry Rollins Show at ifc.com and watching the interview with the notoriously mush-mouthed Shane MacGowan where he sounds off about pretty much everything.

3.06   thursday
The Most Serene Republic with The Jealous Girlfriends, My Were They (Schubas)
I've gotten two different recommendations on this band this week, who are on the Arts & Crafts label out of Canada that gave us Broken Social Scene and the eighteen thousand bands that have sprung forth from that collective.

Gavin DeGraw (Lakeshore Theater)   SOLD OUT!
Other than the fact that I play one of his songs in the trio version of Diver, I don't really know that much about this guy. He seems to have Grey's Anatomy soundtrack potential, but the tune we do actually rocks hard in spite of that.

Robert Cray Band (House of Blues)
Robben Ford and Robert Cray in the same week? What is this, the 1989 blues cruise?

The Pogues (Riviera Theatre)
See Wednesday's listing.

3.07   friday
Bob Mould Band with Halou (Metro)
I haven't had a chance to give District Line a good listen yet, but from what I've read, it seems to be the same sort of pastiche of Mould's long history as Body of Song.

Steve Earle with Allison Moorer (The Vic)
Many of the reviews of Earle's latest record say it's a lot lighter and less antagonistic than his previous efforts, but he's still a fantastic songwriter even if he's not pissed off at the world as much as he used to be.

The Gutter Twins with Great Northern (Metro)
As far as pedigree goes, you could do a lot worse than Mark Lanegan of Screaming Trees and Greg Dulli from Afghan Whigs. I'm thinking the tunes might be a little on the dark side. The idea of doing double duty at Metro -- Mould is the early show, this one starts just before midnight -- would hold some appeal if I hadn't just gotten that much closer to 40.

The Black Crowes (Park West)   SOLD OUT!
I don't even like The Black Crowes and I think seeing them in the relatively cozy Park West would be cool.

3.08   saturday
Sending the Four-Star City to the Lone Star State (Hideout)
I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that this is a whole bunch of bands that will be playing at South By Southwest later this month. Featuring Apteka, Bound Stems, Cameron McGill, Ezra Furman and the Harpoons, Hollywood Holt, Icy Demons, Killer Whales, Mittens on Strings, Pit Er Pat, Reds and Blue, Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, Sybris, The Hood Internet (DJ STV SLV), Tight Phantomz, Tom Schraeder and His Ego, Waco Brothers.

The Saw Doctors (The Vic)
Flogging Molly was just hear a few weeks ago, and both The Pogues and The Saw Doctors are here this week. Must be getting closer to St. Patrick's Day.

piss piss piss moan moan moan with Sian Alice Group, Locrian, Mike Bones (Empty Bottle)
If these guys jumped from playing Monday night to playing Saturday night in the space of a couple of weeks, I don't know that they have that much to piss and moan about.

Hairbanger's Ball (Joe's)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Last I heard, Niki had sprained her larynx or something like that. In the Anto parlance, her voice is fooked, so I don't know if she'll be appearing. Still, the bonus appeal of going to see this band on this night will be clear in just a moment.

3.09   sunday
Bret Michaels (Joe's Bar)
Seriously, Hairbanger's Ball on Saturday and Bret "Rock of Love" Michaels on Sunday? Wanna bet on who sounds better playing Poison songs, to the extent that one can ever sound good playing Poison songs?

A Birdsong Valentine with 7th Vial, Meqqa, Abandon the Radio (Reggie's Rock Club)
I could probably look it up and be sure, but this show is listed as a 5pm start, which means that the new South Loop club may have picked up the torch for weekend all-ages affairs. With Fireside Bowl gone and Bottom Lounge still working on their new West Side location, there haven't been very many all-ages options. Not that I go to all-ages shows. It's more the principle of the thing.

Madina Lake with Aiden (Logan Square Auditorium)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
I know the Leone twins well enough to make fun of the fact there are are at least twice as many hair colors as there are band members. Maybe three times as many.