list.in.to.chicago this week: 03.24.2008

In case you're wondering, yes, I am a big enough nerd to have come up with a mathematical equation that made all my NCAA picks for me. Don't act so surprised. And I still have a legitimate shot at winning my (hypothetical because gambling is bad, m'kay?) office pool.

Pick of the week
I'm going to go with that Office show on Friday at Reggie's Rock Club. Which would make it the one time spending Friday night at the Office won't suck.

list.in.to.COZ
An abbreviated form of Diver rocks the suburbs on Saturday, otherwise it's just Vaughan's until April 12th at Fado, where we will undoubtedly be doing fewer shots of Jameson than last time.

Recap
The show from Mike Doughty's Band was enjoyable. Not transcendent or anything, but enjoyable, especially with him reaching back into the Soul Coughing catalog on a few occasions. The opening band, The Panderers, included Doughty's drummer, Peter McNeill, and came across sort of like Cake without the trumpet or the irony. And that's purely descriptive, not judgmental.

Monday's Diver set in Evanston was probably better off without Anto there, as there were all these little kids right up in the front after the Irish step dancing that preceded us, and you know he would have accidentally dropped an F-bomb from the stage.

3.24   monday
British Sea Power with The 1900s (Empty Bottle)
One of those bands I've seen getting some decent writeups online, a quick listen to their new record puts them somewhere along the lines of Interpol and Editors, probably right smack-dab in the middle of those two in terms of intensity, which may make them the "baby bear" of the three. Speaking of bears, their shows are said to sometimes contain appearances from Ursine Ultra, described only as a 10-foot tall bear. I'm guessing a person (or persons) in a 10-foot tall bear suit, as a 10-foot tall person in a bear suit doesn't seem likely.

3.25   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
I have been lax in my pursuit of more 80s songs to put in the book, but I should address that this week.

The Mekons with Horse's Ha, Puerto Muerto (Schubas)
Two acoustic shows from Jon Langford and his merry band of iconoclastic post-punk British transplants, with the opening acts handling the early and late shows, respectively.

The Cribs with Ra Ra Riot, Jeffrey Lewis and the Jitters (Double Door)
I think this band is supposed to get lumped in with the infinitely superior Arctic Monkeys and The Fratellis, but based on their lackluster Lollapalooza performance last summer, don't come anywhere even close.

3.26   wednesday
The Boredoms with Soft Circle, Human Bell (Congress Theater)
I was reading last week how Yamantaka Eye and Japan's Boredoms are branching out from noise rock into, uh, noise electronica? Still inherently noisy, I'm sure.

3.27   thursday
Stuart Davis with Nick Jaina (Schubas)
I think I caught Davis at Schubas last year some time, and brought a friend who dug it. That's always a good measuring stick, I think. This is a good room for Davis, as it's intimate, but not as claustrophobic and eerily quiet as Uncommon Ground, which is where I first saw him many moons ago.

Thunderwing with Howlin Rain, The Protomen (Empty Bottle)
There was a point in time, right about the high point of the popularity of Queens of the Stone Age, where it seemed like there was an emerging trend of old-school hard rock bands in Chicago, but then it never really went anywhere. Thunderwing was one of those bands, and apparently they're still around.

Silverstein with The Devil Wears Prada, A Day To Remember, Pierce The Veil (House of Blues)   SOLD OUT!
Much as sellouts at Schubas from bands I've never heard of mean somebody is hot on the indie rock side of things, sellouts at House of Blues from bands I've never heard of tend to be dominated by emo/post-punk bands that the kids in the suburbs really like.

3.28   friday
Office with Ultra Sonic Edukators, Unicycle Loves You, Snd on Snd (Reggie's Rock Club)
This may be a good opportunity to finally check out the Chicago buzz band and the new South Side club all in one fell swoop.

The Joshua Redman Trio with Branford Marsalis (Symphony Center)
I'm not a big fan of these big jazz shows at Symphony Center, mostly because tickets typically go on sale for them some six months in advance. But this will be a great show.

The B-3 Bombers featuring Clyde Stubblefield (The Viaductr)
The original "funky drummer" visits us from Milwaukee. At least I think he lives in Milwaukee. I remember that because Butch Vig had him provide some drum tracks, samples, or both for at least one Garbage album.

Big Head Todd and the Monsters with GB Leighton (House of Blues)
If there's anything I've learned from my time playing with Diver, other than how Travis and Lifehouse always have breakdowns after the bridge, it's that I shouldn't confuse Big Head Todd and the Monsters and Toad The Wet Sprocket. Totally different.

3.29   saturday
Diver (Jersey's, Hoffman Estates)   SEE COZ LIVE!
This one's just me and Tony, as they wanted something low maintenance so we could wait out the NCAA games to start. Speaking of which, I got Davidson over Georgetown right, which may have saved my bracket, provided they go on to beat Wisconsin and Memphis goes on to win the whole thing.

Poi Dog Pondering with The Struts (The Vic)   SOLD OUT!
I'm not sure what else I can say about Frank Orrall and whoever he has in his band nowadays that hasn't already been said. Before Wilco rose to prominence, Poi Dog was the Chicago band of choice of the XRT-listening crowd, for better or worse.

Cowboy Junkies with Mary Gauthier (Old Town School of Folk Music)
This band hasn't exactly been on my radar for a while now, but this seems like it would be a good match of artist and venue, not that I've actually seen many shows at the Old Town School.

The Waco Brothers with The Championship (Schubas)
With a 3pm start, I'm not entirely sure what this one is all about. It's an all-ages CD release party to boot, and not some kind of kids' show in conjunction with the Old Town School or something like that.

Electric Six with Alex Winston, Tight Phantomz, Ramova (Double Door)
Neo-glam garage rock from Detroit, if you're into that sort of thing.

Black Moth Super Rainbow with Brilliant Pebbles, Magical, Beautiful (Empty Bottle)
You may recall this Pennsylvania band opening for The Flaming Lips when they came through town last year.

Jason Collett with Sleep Out (Schubas)
Yet another Canadian artist with ties to Broken Social Scene and the Arts & Crafts record label out of Toronto. Last seen in this space opening for Feist back in November, and also back in January of 2006. No, I didn't just remember that off the top of my head.

Big Head Todd and the Monsters with GB Leighton (House of Blues)
See Friday's listing.

3.30   sunday
A3ther with 000000000, 7th Vial (Elbo Room)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Some of you may remember Scared of Heights from way back in the mid-90s. This band features that band's bass player.

Jason Collett with Sleep Out (Schubas)
See Saturday's listing.