list.in.to.chicago this week: 12.29.2008

Wow, it's the last l.i.t.c. of the year. Anyone have a top ten shows list they'd like to share? I've got my top five records pretty much figured out, but the next five are a bit tougher.

Pick of the week
Lots and lots to choose from on New Year's Eve. I'm going with Local H, Sybris and Office (Bottom Lounge) myself, but I know other friends are opting for Tributosaurus as Led Zeppelin (Martyrs'), and that Joey DeFrancesco Trio (Andy's) show is a nice jazz option.

list.in.to.COZ
Vaughan's this week, and then we've got Andrew Fraker & Sons on deck for next Wednesday at Schubas.

Recap
I probably took nearly one hundred digital photos while in Virginia over the holiday. My estimate of the number of pictures that do not contain my goddaughter is roughly zero. As such, no, I did not see any shows.

12.29   monday
Ingrid Graudens with Susan Voelz (Schubas)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Don't actually know anything about Graudens' music, but she's got local heavyweights Gerald Dowd and Chris Siebold -- and a guy I don't know named Steve Dawson -- on board, so it can't be bad.

Umphrey's McGee (Auditorium Theatre)
One of these days I need to really sit down and take a good listen to these guys. My gut reaction is that I would have totally loved them ten years ago, but as I've gotten further and further from my chops-hound roots, I'm less and less excited about the overt display of musical virtuosity. Covert displays are much more interesting to me.

12.30   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
I don't want to alarm you, but this might be my last Vaughan's appearance for a bit. I think I'm going to take at least January off as I try to get my proverbial shit together.

Tributosaurus (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
If you want to see them as Led Zeppelin, but already have New Year's Eve plans, then this is the show for you.

The Sea and Cake with Baby Alright (Schubas)
Same deal with the Thrill Jockey band, as part of a heavy trend of pre-New Year's Eve sets from the bands playing at various venues on Wednesday night.

Umphrey's McGee (Auditorium Theatre)
See Monday's listing. These guys never can just play New Year's Eve, can they?

12.31   wednesday
Local H with Sybris, Office, Big Science (Bottom Lounge)
Scott Lucas' power duo released a great record this year, Office is a local favorite, and I've been meaning to catch Sybris for at least five or six years, so this is kind of a no-brainer for me now that I don't have a gig.

Hum with The Life and Times, Dianogah (Double Door)   SOLD OUT!
Champaign's contribution to the alternative rock era has been reuniting off and on for a couple of years now, which allows local music writers to talk about how their existence in 2008 is more significant to local rock history than that bald guy from Chicago that was just here.

Bottle Rockets with The Saps, Rego (Beat Kitchen)
These alt-country pioneers might a bit bleak for a New Year's celebration, but as someone who is going to a rock show by himself, I guess I can't really cast aspersions at the concept.

Jay Reatard with The Yolks (Empty Bottle)
I keep hearing that this guy is some sort of indie-pop genius, but I'm still stuck on the Beavis and Butthead-esque reaction to his name.

Joey DeFrancesco Trio (Andy's Jazz Club)
The jazz organist is in town for three out of four nights over this extended weekend, and that makes this sort of a dark horse for a really entertaining way to spend the holiday.

The Dandy Warhols (Metro)
Metro actually has a 4-ticket VIP package for this show, which seems like a new thing for them.

Tributosaurus (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Umphrey's McGee (Auditorium Theatre)
The Sea and Cake with Chandeliers (Schubas)
See Tuesday's listings, only with party hats and noisemakers.

1.01   thursday
Hum (Double Door)
Happy New Year! If you couldn't get tickets for NYE with these guys, you've got another shot.

1.02   friday
Naked Raygun with Hot Water Music, Shot Baker and the Copyrights (House of Blues)
This one should have Eric from Can You See The Sunset From The Southside? -- which is a great music blog, by the way -- totally beside himself, as he's of a certain era of punk-pop where both Naked Raygun and Hot Water Music loom large. I hadn't actually heard of the latter until they played a couple of reunion shows this past year.

Joey DeFrancesco Trio (Andy's Jazz Club)
Two shows nightly for two nights after the New Year's Eve blowout.

1.03   saturday
Par Avion with Last Fast Action. Robot Love Story (Beat Kitchen)
I don't see local original bands nearly as much as I used to, so the fact that I heard these guys on Local 101 some six months ago and they seemed alright is as much as I've had to go on in quite a while.

Naked Raygun with Hot Water Music, The Methadones, The Arrivals (House of Blues)
See Friday's listing.

Joey DeFrancesco Trio (Andy's Jazz Club)
See Friday's listing.

1.04   sunday
Butterfly Assassins with The Names That Spell, Santa (Subterranean)
This is another newer local band that showed up on my radar this year when I saw them open for someone else. I still stick by my "Muse meets The Decemberists" description.