list.in.to.chicago this week: 11.17.2008

In which I get sick of Billy Corgan once and for all. And maybe cry for help.

Pick of the week
I'm curious to see who is even in Fishbone (Saturday at Subterranean) these days. They had already started losing key members when I first saw them, and last I heard, it was pretty much just Angelo Moore, John Norwood Fisher, and one other guy out of the earlier lineups.

list.in.to.COZ
Just Vaughan's this week. And I'll be playing with Sugar Beat (Gareth Woods' band) on New Year's Eve at Wilde.

Recap
I read a review of The Roots and Cee-Lo from last week -- which I inexplicably missed in the list -- that made me wish I had gone to that instead of watching the Fire bow out of the playoffs on national television.

11.17   monday
Jeff Buckley Tribute Concert (Uncommon Ground on Clark
The annual show celebrating probably the biggest show to ever happen at the Wrigleyville coffeeshop. With Mike Borgia, Todd Kessler, Spencer Michaud, Old Dog Music, Jann Klose, Calvin Marty, The Last Domino, Emily Ivari and Matt Scutt, Julie Montgomery.

11.18   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
So, I guess we should encourage Pumpkins tunes this week?

The Smashing Pumpkins (Chicago Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
I never got the chance to see Billy and the gang "back in the day," and I'm a huge fan of Jimmy Chamberlin, but Corgan has really bugged the shit out of me in some recent interviews, to the point where I can't bring myself to give him any of my hard-earned cash.

Jeff Buckley Tribute Concert (Uncommon Ground on Clark
Apparently, it's a two-night celebration of the late singer/songwriter.

11.19   wednesday
The Smashing Pumpkins (Chicago Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
Have I told you the story about how I almost had an audition with the Pumpkins, depending on your definition of "almost"? I have? Never mind.

Wes John Cichosz (Uncommon Ground on Clark)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Could it be a steady Wednesday night gig for Wes? That would be quite cool.

11.20   thursday
John Legend with Raphael Saadiq (Chicago Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
The reigning champion of neo-soul and R&B, but I haven't had a chance to listen to his new record yet.

Shiny Toy Guns (Hard Rock Cafe)
When I saw this L.A. electropop band at Beat Kitchen years ago, I was visibly annoyed that they sequenced all the drums, but had a guy pretending to play them anyway. I don't think they were triggered directly, and there weren't even any microphones on the drums. It was kind of insulting. And the female singer -- who I think has been since replaced -- was seriously underused.

The Melvins with Big Business (Reggie's Rock Club)
I guess I hadn't thought about it until I saw a band that I remembered playing Double Door whenever they came through town, but could a booking war break out between the Wicker Park/Bucktown mainstay and the South Side newcomer?

Rise Against with Alkaline Trio, Thrice, The Gaslight Anthem (Congress Theater)
Your weekly allowance of suburban pop punk.

Matt Nathanson with Jesse Baylin; The Break and Repair Method (House of Blues)
I think this is probably the second show, added the night before after the first one sold out.

11.21   friday
The Smashing Pumpkins (Auditorium Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
I never investigated to see if there was a reason for doing two shows at the Chicago Theatre and then two at the Auditorium. It could have been that the John Legend show got booked first, or it could be for artistically pretentious reasons, tied to the black/white duality Billy is all wrapped up in on this tour. If I were to guess, I'd go with the artistically pretentious reason.

Matt Nathanson with Jesse Baylin (House of Blues)   SOLD OUT!
It's kind of sad, how these sold out shows from bands I've never heard of are invariably from artists featured in movies and TV shows I don't watch. In this case, it's an acoustic singer/songwriter who clearly has the ear of somebody in Hollywood, with songs attached to episodes of NCIS, Private Practice, One Tree Hill, Scrubs and Men in Trees. Apparently he also covers cheesy 80s tunes on guitar, but probably not as deep into the genre as I go on Tuesdays, dammit.

Th' Legendary Shack Shakers with The Velcro Lewis Group, Tangleweed (Double Door)
For someone who goes to see a lot of music, I'm absolutely terrible with bands that friends recommend, particularly from friends who continue getting this list every week despite living half a world away. This is the band that meets those criteria.

The M's with Detholz!, The Royal Bangs (Hideout)
I'm noticing a bit more of the rock over at Hideout lately. Not sure what to make of that. It could be nothing, just that I'm actually noticing it where I didn't before.

John Legend with Raphael Saadiq (Chicago Theatre)
See Thursday's listing, only not sold out, if Metromix is to be believed.

Rise Against with Alkaline Trio, Thrice, The Gaslight Anthem (Congress Theater)
See Thursday's listing.

11.22   saturday
Jason Mraz with Lisa Hannigan (Aragon Ballroom)   SOLD OUT!
Ah, sensitive singer/songwriters. It almost makes me want to camp out on Lawrence Avenue and try to steal the girlfriends of those guys sensitive enough to like this stuff, or meek enough to have to tag along because their girlfriend wants to go. Except, of course, that I've got no game and would just end up cold, alone and miserable. Or, as I like to call it, Saturday. NOTE: ACTUAL PERCEIVED PATHETICNESS EXAGGERATED FOR COMEDIC EFFECT. REALLY.

Fishbone with Heavy Mojo, Natives of the New Dawn, 48 sin (Subterranean)
I was listening to The Reality of My Surroundings last week, and was struck by the line in "So Many Millions" -- from which the album title is taken -- that says "I cannot grow up to be the President / Where only drug dealers own Mercedes-Benz." This after iTunes served up "Change" as the last song I heard before going to vote a few weeks ago.

The Smashing Pumpkins (Auditorium Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
Homer Simpson, smiling politely...

Steve Earle with Tom Morello, The Nightwatchman (The Vic)
Earle's music has gotten less political lately, but touring with the Rage Against The Machine guitarist might change that.

11.23   sunday
Casiotone for the Painfully Along with Concern (Hideout)
I could continue the riff from the Jason Mraz entry down here, but then I think some of you might really start to worry about me.