list.in.to.chicago this week: 12.15.2008

Kind of a light week this time around, but that's to be expected. I'm not sure yet if there will be a list next week, as it will likely be the same situation. If not, have a Merry Christmas if that's your cup of tea. Or your cup of nog.

Mmmmm, nog.

Pick of the week
If there is a Los Borrachos show (Saturday at Martyrs'), it is the show to see. The Hush Sound on Friday at Metro also looks good.

list.in.to.COZ
I'll be getting my Grinch on Tuesday night at Vaughan's, and maybe Wednesday at The Globe.

Recap
One of these days I'm going to remember how to best get to the Allstate Arena. After heading the wrong way on Touhy, we finally got into the building on Friday just as Ryan Adams & The Cardinals were starting. While the room didn't totally fit the country-inflected tunes, there was a lot of room for them to sort of waft up over the audience. As for Oasis, they did their thing, and did it well. The video screens and the lights did a good job of livening up the fact that none of these guys move around on stage at all, and even the tunes I didn't know were big and catchy enough that it was easy to stay engaged. The encore -- a stripped-down "Don't Look Back in Anger," something from the new album, "Champagne Supernova" and a powerful rendition of "I Am The Walrus" -- was top-notch. For those of you on Facebook, I should have pictures up by midweek.

12.15   monday
Susan Voelz with Frank Orrall (Schubas)
The longtime Chicago violinist continues her "Practice Space" residency, this time with her former Poi Dog Pondering bandmate.

12.16   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
With competition that includes Celine Dion and the B96 Christmas Show, I expect a large turnout for the dark, friendly Irish bar. This will be the second and perhaps final performance of "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" for the season, unless I go to the Globe on Wednesday.

12.17   wednesday
Longwave with The Silent Years, The Color Radio, Rock Falls (Double Door)
I got word of this via someone I don't know on an e-mail list I'm subscribed to, and the recommendation didn't really give me much to go on, musically, other than that they've worked with a guy who has produced The Flaming Lips, and something about "soaring guitars," but I'm not convinced that means anything. Or at least that I've got my own operational definition of that phrase. Time Out Chicago gives a bit more grist for the mill, calling them "familiar, yet faceless atmospheric post-punk," whatever that means.

12.18   thursday
Scott Weiland with Eagles of Death Metal, Cold War Kids (House of Blues)
Haven't heard the new record from the former frontman of both Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver, but I thought I read it was a bit of a departure from either. Not quite a Chris-Cornell-produced-by-Timbaland abomination of a departure, but a departure nonetheless.

Bon Iver (The Vic)   SOLD OUT!
Sold out show from someone I've never heard of, which means, yes, the band has been featured on both Grey's Anatomy and House.

Midwest Band Convention All-Stars (Jazz Showcase)
I mention this only because my cousin is in town for the Midwest Band Convention, unless this is for a different convention of music teachers that's also here this week.

12.19   friday
The Hush Sound with Treaty of Paris, This Is Me Smiling (Metro)
I'm a little bit worried that I'm letting an initial good impression outstay its welcome with this male/female-vocal indie band, but I remember liking them quite a bit.

Willie Pickens Trio with Branford Marsalis and Dee Alexander (Hyde Park Union Church)
This looks like a pretty cool Christmas concert. I'm not going to fuel speculation that our President-elect might show up, but he does live pretty close.

On We with The Dynamos, The Stoneflys (Abbey Pub)
Haven't had a band name of the week in a while, I guess because I've just been feeling kind of blah and unmotivated. Maybe a little melancholy. What would be a phonetic representation of another word for that?

This Must Be The Band with Tomorrow Music Orchestra, Maurice (Empty Bottle)
I thought this was the Talking Heads tribute band, but that's a little incongruous with the Empty Bottle, although I guess you could make the CBGB linkage for historical indie cred.

Midwest Band Convention All-Stars (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing.

12.20   saturday
Los Borrachos with Atypical Science, Sister Switchblade (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
The Borrachos are back! The Borrachos are back! This is, like, two shows within three months or so, isn't it? Here's hoping it's the tip of the Spanish version of rock classics iceberg.

Kill Hannah with Innerpartysystem, Go Motion (Metro)
I got in an argument with a die-hard Nine Inch Nails fan about how long this band has been around. He said they got started after 2000, but I swear a friend of mine played drums for them back in the mid-nineties. Somebody back me up on this, not that I'll ever find the guy I was standing next to at Lollapalooza ever again. I just want to know I'm right.

Midwest Band Convention All-Stars (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing.

12.21   sunday
Midwest Band Convention All-Stars (Jazz Showcase)
Okay, I love that Joe Segal is even making these guys do at least a four-night stand.