list.in.to.chicago this week: 10.26.2009

There are a lot of shows actually worth seeing this week, so you'll have to forgive the glaring omission of wiseassed comments concerning local appearances from Kelly Clarkson, Insane Clown Posse and Miley Cyrus (not all at the same time). Although feel free to add your own.

Pick of the week
This weekend features the annual "bands pretending to be other bands" Halloween shows at various spots throughout the city, and if the Peeping Tom playing Thursday in Logan Square is Mike Patton's Peeping Tom, that's easily the top of the list, but I don't think it is. I'm intrigued by the return of Poster Children (Friday, Bottom Lounge), and I don't think you can ever go wrong with Los Lobos (Sunday, Symphony Center).

list.in.to.COZ
This Saturday, it's Diver at Fado for a special Halloween show. What's so special about it? It's a secret. You have to show up to find out, and I say that because I don't really expect you to call my bluff and actually, you know, show up.

Recap
We were getting a little bit nervous about the turnout for Andrew Fraker & Sons on Wednesday night, but you came through, and for that, we're grateful. And with the guys from Travis playing the same stage a few nights later, Andrew called an audible to cover "Side" from the Scottish band late in the set, which was an inspired choice. I really like that No Exit, who were on after us, covered "Next To You" from The Police, but adding "Message in a Bottle" later in the set was maybe too much and too obvious. I totally nailed the drummer's Bill Bruford influence, though.

10.26   monday
A Place To Bury Strangers with Dead Confederate, All The Saints (Double Door)
The main take-home point on this Brooklyn band continues to be that they're really, really loud. I saw them outdoors in New York a year or two ago, so the volume was both kept in check and spread out over more space, but in a small venue with, you know, walls, it'll probably be enough to pin you against the well. I want to say Explosions in the Sky, but much, much heavier, but that might be my memory playing tricks on me.

The Brand New Heavies (House of Blues)
I still have this tendency to confuse this sorta smooth acid jazz band with the New Radicals, who were a soulful Britpop band from a bit earlier.

10.27   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
Two things. First, I hear that Ochocinco & the Melodrama will be there for one night only. Or they'll be called Ochocinco & the Melodrama for one night only. Something like that. Second, I think it's time to bust out the Halloween set, which means, at the very least, "Scary Monsters" and "Dead Man Walking" from David Bowie, and "Werewolves of London" from Warren Zevon.

Saul Williams with Hollywood Holt, Krak Attack, American Fangs (Double Door)
If the name rings a bell, it's because Williams is one of those artists who released a "pay what you want" album about two years ago, appeared at Lollapalooza back in 2008, and had the backing of Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails. The talking point after the album experiment was that it didn't "work," but I think what it showed was how that strategy works differently for well-known versus lesser-known artists. I think Williams eventually came around to understand that "success" for that sort of venture is measured a little bit differently.

The Gaslight Anthem with Murder By Death, The Loved Ones (House of Blues)
This New Brunswick, NJ-based band ruled the indie-centric eMusic "Best of 2008" list, and had Bruce Springsteen join them on stage at a festival in England. However, noted Springsteen historian Andrew Fraker has deemed them perhaps unworthy of the Bruce love.

10.28   wednesday
Steakhouse Mints with Rich Pagano and the SugarCane Cups, Scale Model (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
I'm too lazy to check MySpace, but if I remember correctly, this is a straight-up pop/rock band anchored by regular listees Steve Gillis (drums), Vijay Tellis-Nayak (keys) and Shawn Sommar (bass). We missed sharing the Wednesday Martyrs' bill with these guys by just a week.

The Gaslight Anthem with Murder By Death, The Loved Ones (House of Blues)
See Tuesday's listing.

10.29   thursday
Peeping Tom (Elastic Arts Foundation)
I cannot find any information anywhere that indicates that this is THE Peeping Tom, that being the Mike Patton project with Dan the Automator and Dub Trio and whoever else happens to be nearby, or if it's another band with the same name. I'm guessing the latter.

Bob Dylan and his Band (Aragon Ballroom)
Unless he's playing his new Christmas album in its entirety, I'm a little bit surprised that Metromix isn't reporting this one as being sold out. Then again, Metromix might be wrong.

David Gray with Lisa Hannigan (Auditorium Theatre)
If all you want to hear is "Babylon," just come hear Diver on Saturday and we'll save you a whole lot of money.

Melissa Walker and Christian McBride Trio (Jazz Showcase)
I have no idea what this particular project is about, but McBride has been one of the more well-known bassists in jazz for probably two decades now, so I suspect it's going to be good.

Foreigner (House of Blues)
As you might recall, I flagged a show from Lou Gramm a few weeks ago, so I don't know if the band replaced him with somebody from a Foreigner tribute band or something like that, but I certainly wouldn't rule it out.

Gringo Star with The Uglysuit, Pet Lions (Schubas)
I seem to remember seeing a poster the last time I was at Schubas that continued to riff on the name, with figures who looked like The Beatles wearing sombreros or something like that. It made me laugh, so that deserves a mention.

10.30   friday
Monsters of Folk (Auditorium Theatre)
The monsters in this instance are Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis from Bright Eyes, Jim James from My Morning Jacket, and M Ward. For fans of a certain brand of indie folk/rock, that's not too shabby.

Dave Holland, Jason Moran, Chris Potter, Eric Harland with the Vijay Iyer Trio (Symphony Center)
It may be worth noting that saxophonist Chris Potter now gets his name on the bill along with his former boss, instead of just being part of the Dave Holland Sextet, or whatever configuration the bassist had going on..

Poster Children with IfIHadaHifi, Droids Attack (Bottom Lounge)
As near as I can tell, the Champaign, IL band that was kind of big deal back around the turn of the millennium stopped putting out records back in 2004, but I can't find any evidence that they ceased to be a band, and then got back together, so maybe they've just been dormant.

Tim Reynolds and TR3 (SPACE, Evanston)
This is that multi-instrumentalist who collaborates and occasionally appears with Dave Matthews.

Dan Deacon with Nuclear Power Pants (Logan Square Auditorium)
The electronic artist likes to commune with his audience, which I recall freaking out the security folks for the Hideout Block Party a couple of years ago, but this particular venue might work well for that.

Anne Harris with Ernie Hendrickson, Steve Dawson (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Harris is still one of the most relentlessly happy people I know, and is able to pull that off in a way that's more infectious than cloying, which is not always easy. And this is coming from one of the most cynical people you know, so I don't make that claim lightly.

Cage The Elephant (Cubby Bear)   SOLD OUT!
I just read about this band today, so apparently I'm way behind the curve. Originally from Kentucky, but they have since moved to England, which should make for a very interesting clash of accents.

The Double Door 2009 Halloween Bash (Double Door)
With Black Angus as Black Sabbath, Midnight Shows as Huey Lewis and the News, Catfish Haven as Nirvana, Viceroy as Cheap Trick, Blackbox as Snoop Dog, Hobo and the Boxcar as The White Stripes, DJ Erik as Johnny Thunders.

Halloween 2009 (Abbey Pub)
With Penthouse Sweets as The Sex Pistols, M. Marlow as Weezer, Broken China as The Bangles, Phil Angotti as Squeeze, Skapone as REM, Benge and Short as Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe.

Bob Dylan and his Band (Aragon Ballroom)
See Thursday's listing.

Melissa Walker and Christian McBride Trio (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing.

10.31   saturday
DIVER (Fado Irish Pub)   SEE COZ LIVE!
I still think you should come to this one dressed as your favorite member of a band that we cover. Or everyone should dress up as Anto. As of this writing, we will be wearing costumes on stage, but I don't know if there's any sort of formal Halloween party going on. We could probably pull off an impromptu costume contest if we have to.

The Hue with Bumpus, Blue Moon Revue (Elbo Room)
This was that instrumental prog rock band that had Keneally and Beller open for them a couple of months ago. A slightly smaller room than Bottom Lounge might work a bit better for them.

1st Annual Halloween Tribute Show (Metro)
Metro finally gets in on the Halloween action, with Love Me Electric as Blink 182, Color Radio as Radiohead, Plunket as Limp Bizkit. I haven't heard of any of the bands doing the impersonating.

Halloween 2009 (Abbey Pub)   FIENDS OF COZ!
With The Shaking Hand as AC/DC, Tomorrow the Moon as Psychedelic Furs, Androgynous Mustache as J. Geils Band, The Delafields as The B-52s, The Webstirs as Fleetwood Mac, Tiny Speakers as The Everly Brothers. Yes, the misspelling was intentional.

Bob Dylan and his Band (Aragon Ballroom)
See Thursday's listing.

Melissa Walker and Christian McBride Trio (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing.

11.01   sunday
Los Lobos with The Duhks (Symphony Center)
They have been called the best live band in rock and roll, and there have been at least a couple of shows that I've seen where I believe it. They jam better than any jam band out there, at the very least, and their songs often have an almost cinematic character to them.

Melissa Walker and Christian McBride Trio (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing.