list.in.to.chicago this week: 05.04.2009

So, apparently today is "Star Wars Day," because if you say it a certain way, today's date works out to "May the Fourth be with you." I'm not sure how I feel about this.

And I missed Flight of the Conchords in the listings last week, presumably because Metromix had them listed under comedy and not music. Sorry about that. I could have gone on Tuesday, too, but at some point I had to get serious about packing to move.

Pick of the week
Other than the Fraker show -- stay tuned for details -- the next place you're most likely to find me is Cursive at the Bottom Lounge on Saturday, although I might not be able to work that along with the Fire match in Bridgeview.

list.in.to.COZ
This Friday, Andrew Fraker & Sons will be at Cubby Bear in Wrigleyville, which is actually a really good venue to see a rock show. And we do rock, or so I've been told.

Recap
The only show I was able to get in amongst the packing and the moving and the exhaustion associated with those was Booty Movement Coalition on Monday night at Martyrs', which veered into some less funky but equally interesting territory this time around. I don't know the percussionist's name, but he's Indian, and started off a couple of tunes in odd times that the band ran with, and former Cassius Clay/Two Ton Levy frontman Jayh Johnson guested on vocals on those tunes. It was a bit out there, but also very cool, and it was great seeing (and hearing) Jayh again. I suspect we'll be seeing a who's who of the late 90s Chicago music scene at these shows, as this month's edition had Dan Leali on drums and a different bass player than last month as well.

5.04   monday
The Dead (Allstate Arena)
Since they're called "The Dead," do I describe this as an incarnation of the band, or as a reincarnation? All I know is that this version of the band, which seems to have originated in support of President Obama, does not include Jimmy Herring, and therefore, I'm not terribly interested in it, although Warren Haynes is quality.

5.05   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
It's Cinco de Mayo, so any song with Spanish in the lyrics or the title is fair game. "Mexican Radio" will be obvious for me. Also, any song either in 5/4 time or involving the word "five" -- think "Senses Working Overtime" from XTC.

Helicopters with Love in October, Save Pointe, Bob Nanna and Lauren Lo (Double Door)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Now that frontman Dave Moran is no longer a co-worker of mine, you can be assured that I actually do like this electropop outfit and am not just sucking up because I might run into him in the hallway. Even if I still think they'd be better with a drummer/percussionist.

The Dead (Allstate Arena)   SOLD OUT!
See Monday's listing.

5.06   wednesday
Tributosaurus with The Big Three (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
This month, the cover band chameleon tackles WAR, with the core of the band opening up, I think. Looks like just one show this time instead of two, but should be worth it just for the horns on "Low Rider."

5.07   thursday
Dan Deacon and Ensemble with Future Islands, Teeth Mountain (Metro)
If I'm thinking of the right guy, Dan Deacon is primarily a solo electronica artist-slash-DJ that the critics and hipsters go on and on about, so the "with ensemble" bit is actually intriguing.

The Sounds with Hey Champ (Double Door)
This a Swedish new wave band that I think I've heard, and I think that I kind of like, but I thought that was based on one song that found its way onto my iPod, which I now can't find. So I may have them confused with the similarly unfortunately named The Music. It may just be that I saw a picture of singer Maja Ivarsson and thought she was kinda hot.

The Powwows (Uncommon Ground on Devon)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Not sure if Tony is backing Lauretta on this one, assuming it's an unplugged acoustic sort of situation. And one of these days, I'll actually hear the record she's been working on, seeing as how Tony's all over it and Gillis is behind the mixing board.

Queensryche (House of Blues)
I have no doubt that the Seattle band is still releasing mind-bending concept albums that the remaining dozens of fans take really, really seriously. Or they're just continuing to milk Operation: Mindcrime and "Silent Lucidity" for all it's worth.

5.08   friday
Andrew Fraker & Sons with Alex Hoffer, Adam Richardson, The Jesters (Cubby Bear)   SEE COZ LIVE!
We're four or five shows into the lifespan of this band, and it's really starting to come together. One big part of that is that we're starting to write together instead of just executing Andrew's previously written songs, and we'll have some new material for this one that we're all pretty excited about. Brought to you by Shoeshine Boy Productions.

Mogwai with The Twilight Sad (Congress Theater)
I've said this about other bands as well -- most recently Maserati, I think -- but if you've been swayed recently by the buzz about the atmospheric post-rock of Explosions In The Sky, this is one of the bands that almost has to be one of their influences.

Plain White T's with Danger Radio, Single File (Metro)
Somehow, I think I've still never actually heard "Hey Delilah". I'm not quite sure how I pulled that off.

Fareed Haque's Flat Earth Ensemble (Green Mill)
I've seen jazz guitarist Haque in a whole bunch of different contexts, but not this one. Given the name, I'm guessing it's "global jazz," in that it will take a lot of multi-cultural influences and spit out some heady improvisation on top of it.

Queensryche (House of Blues)
See Thursday's listing, with a healthy dose of surprise that the band either can or thinks it can fill a 1,000 seat room two nights in a row.

5.09   saturday
Cursive with P.O.S., The Berg Sans Nipple (Bottom Lounge)
I'm still coasting on a favorable impression of the Omaha band from Lollapalooza about three years ago, but they do get lots of love from the critics, so I think it's sustainable.

The Kills with The Horrors, Magic Wands (Metro)
Not unlike Helicopters, I can't really watch this band without thinking they'd be better if they didn't play to sampled and looped drums. And the singer is involved in a new project where Jack White plays mostly drums that's supposed to be interesting, depending on your view of Jack White. I understand some people don't care for him.

Fall Out Boy with Metro Station, Cobra Starship, All Time Low, Hey Monday (Allstate Arena)
It's easy to dismiss the suburban pop-punksters as painfully emo in the worst possible way, but they do write some catchy tunes. I think they're probably both the best and the worst band to be named after a Simpsons reference.

Bryan Adams (Oriental Theatre)
I think somebody should shout out requests for Ryan Adams songs at this show, just to see what would happen. Actually, Robbie Fulks should go to this show and do the shouting. No one would get it, and yet it would be totally awesome.

Fareed Haque's Flat Earth Ensemble (Green Mill)
See Friday's listing.

5.10   sunday
Chris Botti (Chicago Theatre)
He's one of those jazz guys that flirts with mainstream appeal, which is to say, he does soundtracks and has played with Sting. He had a solo record that got some critical praise in its own right a few years ago, but I don't remember what I thought of it. Most of my exposure to Botti's playing has been via a record he did with Bill Bruford, Tony Levin and David Torn about ten years ago.

Ryan Powers with Mike Chorvat, Kevin Prchal (Schubas)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
He remembers me as "one of the guys from Vaughan's" whenever I run into him, so I guess that rises to the level of "friends of Coz." I don't know if Callisto is still an ongoing concern, or if he's fully out on his own now.