list.in.to.chicago this week: 11.03.2008

Some of you who are friends with me on Facebook may have noticed that I'm starting to use my FB status to effect a sort of liveblog of shows lately. At least for shows where I have signal on my cell phone. If you're not linked to me over there, just search for my e-mail address (my real one, not the litc one) to find me, or send me an e-mail and I'll find you.

Pick of the week
I'm liking Tributosaurus as Van Halen this Wednesday at Martyrs', and then get a good jazz fix with the Larry Coryell Trio at the Jazz Showcase Thursday through Sunday. And then the CD release party for Holding Mercury on Saturday night at Reggie's.

list.in.to.COZ
We've got this Guinness promotion featuring Diver on Wednesday night at the Irish Oak. Should be fun, except for the massive sleep deprivation I'm setting myself up for this week.

Recap
Tuesday night was my first rock show at Bottom Lounge. I like the minimalist approach to the live room. There's a stage, a bar as you come in, and bare walls. Good sight lines, and I'm assuming a new P.A. system, unless they brought the old one from Lakeview.

I found out later that opening act Chairlift has a song on an iPod commercial. The Brooklyn trio reminded me of Portishead or Laika, with a pretty captivating female lead singer. Yeasayer took some time to warm up for me, mostly because they rely on a lot of sequenced or pre-recorded tracks, so they could sometimes come across as sterile. Eventually, the four-part harmonies won me over, and their singer reminded me of Lindsay Buckingham at times, in a good way.

On Saturday night, I happened across Libido Funk Circus at a Halloween party, and I still don't understand why some cover bands insist on speeding up so many songs. It doesn't make them any better. It doesn't make them more fun. And they've usually got click tracks running behind them, so it's not like when we "accidentally" play something too fast in Diver, which tends to happen from time to time. Particularly on "Speed of Sound," but that song should be faster.

11.03   monday
Hanson with Dave Barnes, Everybody Else (House of Blues)
One of these days, I'm going to need to revisit my "no, really, they're better than you think" assessment of Hanson from that one House of Blues show I saw four years ago. In the meantime, no, really, they're better than you think.

11.04   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
Actually, I won't be there this week, either. I got me one of them tickets for the Obama rally in Grant Park. If he wins it'll be historic and I wouldn't want to miss it. If he loses, I figure that's where the best looting will be.

The Statutes of Liberty with Farewell Captain, Panther Style (Empty Bottle)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Billed as a "Freedom Rock Free-kout," headlined by yet another band that features one-time URT bassist Chris Frantisak, which he describes in an e-mail as his "freedom rock ensemble" and playing songs from a record called "America Still Kicks Ass." Free with your "I voted" sticker, provided Starbucks didn't take it away from you when you got your free cup of coffee, and also featuring one of Chris' other bands, Farewell Captain.

Hanson with Dave Barnes, Everybody Else (House of Blues)
See Monday's listing. And no, I'm not sure if the Hanson brothers are old enough to vote.

11.05   wednesday
DIVER (Irish Oak)   SEE COZ LIVE!
A rare midweek appearance for a Guinness promotion that involves pouring your own pints and maybe winning a trip to Dublin. I think those festivities start at 8pm, and we go on at 10pm. And I will be sporting a very large cup of coffee at work on Thursday.

Tributosaurus (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Two shows as Van Halen. I hope they play "Jump" just to hear them navigate the insane timing for the guitar solo in the middle. If there's a pattern to that madness, I haven't been able to figure it out in 25 years.

11.06   thursday
Larry Coryell Trio (Jazz Showcase)
Now that the Showcase is back up and running, we're back to the annual run of trio shows from guitarist Larry Coryell, with Larry Gray and Paul Wertico. Good stuff.

The Loneliest Monk (The Whistler)
Best band name of the week, narrowly beating out the Lloyd Dobler Effect and Neil Diamond Phillips. If I remember it right, MTV newsbabe Tabitha Soren was interviewing Wynton Marsalis way back when, and he said something about Thelonius Monk. At which point she asked "and who is the loneliest monk?" Could be an urban legend, but I think it may be legit.

11.07   friday
Martin Sexton with Ryan Montbleau (Park West)
I'm pretty sure I saw Sexton years ago at Schubas. The former Boston street performer is described as having a heck of a vocal range and a bit of a jazzy approach, comping chords over basslines, which makes me think it's the same guy.

The Sword with Year Long Disaster, Zebulon Pike (Bottom Lounge)
If I've heard of a new heavy metal band, you know they have to be doing something right to break through the surface of mainstream consciousness. One of the ways this Austin band seems to have done it is with a song on Guitar Hero II. That's clearly not why I've heard of them, but whatever.

My Brightest Diamond with Clare and the Reasons (Schubas)
There was a good bit of buzz about this band, fronted by a former backup singer for Sufjan Stevens, the last time they came through. It's a bit quieter this time, but that might be all the other noise in the air. Something about an election, maybe?

Ghostland Observatory (Metro)
I remember seeing this electro duo two Lollapaloozas ago, and being somewhat impressed. Not blown away or anything, but impressed.

Larry Coryell Trio (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing.

11.08   saturday
Holding Mercury with Melismatics, The Glide, The Moves (Reggie's Rock Club)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
My man Matt Hoffer and his band are releasing a new CD. I haven't seen them in a while, so I don't know if Tonic still works as a good reference point.

Michael Franti and Spearhead with Solillaquists of Sound (The Vic)
I'm a sucker for that really baritone-voiced rap and hip-hop, and Franti is right up there among those types of singers, even if he's not usually considered hip-hop anymore as it's currently understood.

Girl Talk with The Death Set, CX KiDTRONiK, Hollywood Holt (Congress Theater)   SOLD OUT!
AKA Greg Gillis, AKA that guy who can fit about 100 samples in a single three-and-a-half minute track.

Battle of the Jug Bands (Morseland)
I just like this on principle. With Bare Hand Jug Band, Escape the Floodwater Jug Band, Hump Night Thumpers, Fat Chance Jug Band, The Geezers, Blue Ribbon Jug Band.

Larry Coryell Trio (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing.

11.09   sunday
Larry Coryell Trio (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing, with an extra matinee show.