list.in.to.chicago this week: 03.02.2009

Coming to you live from Las Vegas as I stay up all night in order to catch a flight. Apparently, I should never, ever gamble after midnight. I'd even go so far to say I can't get lucky after midnight, but someone might misconstrue that to be a snarky aside about my social life. And we wouldn't want that.

Pick of the week
I'm not just picking ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead on Friday at Logan Square Auditorium in order to goose my word count. I'm kinda digging them at the moment.

list.in.to.COZ
Nothing at all this week, and the only public gig on the books for any band I'm in at any point in the future is March 14 at Fado with Diver.

Recap
So I caught two big shows in Vegas over the weekend. On the one hand, Cirque du Soleil's LOVE (Saturday) was a vibrant mash-up of dance and acrobatics, an weirdly Dickensian aesthetic, and Beatles tunes. On the other hand, I'm not sure if what "Hey Jude" has been lacking all these years was breakdancing. I also caught the Vegas production of Blue Man Group on Sunday night, and would have enjoyed the crap out of it even if they didn't have the bigger backing band taking a bigger role, along with some material that is either unique to Vegas, or at least wasn't in the Chicago show the last time I saw it.

3.02   monday
Sara Bareilles with Tony Lucca (Schubas)   SOLD OUT!
I know I've mentioned her before, and I think she's had songs on Grey's Anatomy or something like that, which leads to sold out shows when she comes through, which, in turn, don't seem to have gone to her head, because she keeps playing Schubas over some larger venue.

Opposite of Pants with Constant Velocity, Spreadsheets (Elbo Room)
I don't know if I've given these guys the band name of the week before, but if not, I should have.

3.03   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Okay, so I know I said we'd celebrate my birthday at Vaughan's this week, but circumstances take me to New York until Wednesday, so you'll have to go on without me. Unless I can't actually get into JFK by Tuesday because of the weather, in which case I may just fly back to Chicago as originally planned.

Sara Bareilles with Tony Lucca (Schubas)   SOLD OUT!
So, I wrote the Monday entry before I saw she was playing two shows, which is one way to address the burgeoning demand.

3.04   wednesday
Tributosaurus (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
They've been Steely Dan before, but this time, they're just Donald Fagen, which is a little odd.

That 1 Guy with Heatbox (Schubas)
Last time he was here, it was with Buckethead and it sold out, which I did not attribute to Buckethead at the time. But if That 1 Guy can't sell out Schubas on his own, I may have given the guitar shredder too little credit.

3.05   thursday
Fleetwood Mac (Allstate Arena)
I've been getting e-mails and seeing TV commercials for this show for what seems like months, so while I think the Mac is a good band, I'm happy to see this one finally get off the calendar.

Busta Rhymes with Ron Brownz, Red Cafe (House of Blues)
You may not realize this, but Busta Rhymes was the answer in a Washington Post crossword puzzle last week. Which may also be the Yahoo! daily crossword puzzle via syndication.

Asobi Seksu with Bell, Resplandor (Empty Bottle)
There are bands on the bubble of me taking the time to learn about and listen to them, and there are bands just beyond that bubble. Asobi Seksu is one of the latter, as I've heard enough chatter to become vaguely interested, but not enough to really care.

3.06   friday
...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead with Funeral Party, Midnight Masses (Logan Square Auditorium)
I'm really enjoying this band's new record, Century Of Self, to the point where I think it may be the best new rock record I've heard all year so far.

Todd Snider with Jonny Burke (Park West)
I still feel apologetic for only knowing Snider as the guy who did that "Talkin' 'Bout the Seattle Grunge-Rock Blues" hidden track on his major label debut some fifteen years ago.

Fleetwood Mac (Allstate Arena)
See Thursday's listing.

3.07   saturday
Tapes 'N Tapes with Wild Light (Metro)
Saw them almost two years ago at Pitchfork, and I have to say, they didn't live up to all the Internet buzz at all. Although it warms my heart to know that I'm hearing enough new music to think some bands are overrated. Animal Collective, I'm looking at you.

3.08   sunday
David Archuleta with Lesley Roy (House of Blues)   SOLD OUT!
This is one of those American Idol runner-ups that ends up doing better than the winner, isn't it? Or did he actually win? Or do I have him totally confused with someone else, and am just adding filler because there's not much to pick from on a Sunday night?