list.in.to.chicago this week: 11.01.2010

So, if you happen to come across a somewhat beat up, green Subaru Outback Sport with an Illinois license plate and a small soccer ball hanging from the rearview mirror, please let me know. I'd like it back.

Pick of the week
If there are, in fact, tickets left, then Frightened Rabbit at House of Blues on Thursday is probably the most buzz-worthy. I'll be there, continuing my efforts to see bands I missed at Lollapalooza due to scheduling conflicts. On Saturday, my preference would be for either Los Lobos at The Vic or Brendan Benson at Bottom Lounge if I didn't have a gig.

list.in.to.COZ
Speaking of having a gig, some permutation of Diver will be at Fado on Saturday. I'll be at the Globe on Wednesday for the Open Mic, and still might hit Vaughan's on Tuesday.

Recap
So there was a music club around the corner from my hotel in Madrid that I think I mentioned last week. We ended up stopping in there late one night after the Irish bar next door had closed, and it was actually a pretty nice room. If I get any more business trips to our global headquarters, I may have to check it out. Halloween with Diver on Saturday was fun -- Tony added a new effect pedal to the mix that made for some notable moments, and we stretched out a bit at the end. It's comforting to know that I can still respond to an impromptu call for a drum solo over a funk groove and make it out alive.

11.01   monday
Ulele with Suzy Brack and the New Jack Lords, Ellen Rosner and the Bubble Creek Allstars, Ripley Caine, Jeff Altergott, Persephonic, Al Rose, Jade Maze (Martyrs')   CANCELLED
This was supposed to be a benefit for a guy named Rich Lynch who sounds like exactly the sort of plugged-in, behind-the-scenes guys in the local scene that I'd appreciate if I knew him. However, it seems Martyrs' has some "unforeseen repairs" that are forcing the evening, and the Ulele reunion, to be rescheduled.

11.02   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
I may or may not make it this week, on account of not having a car at the moment. Plus, I'm likely to be home watching cable news and listening to idiots who will insist that the results of this election validate all of their pre-conceived biases and narratives, and have absolutely nothing to do with the cyclical nature of national politics.

11.03   wednesday
Sing Along With Coz (The Globe Pub)   COZ SINGS!
This one's walking distance, which means it's unaffected by carlessness. I don't think I'll have much time to add anything to the book this week, but the book is pretty big at this point. So I think we'll be okay.

Steven Page with Kate Miller-Heidke (Park West)
The Wikipedia entry on the former Barenaked Lady really, really downplays the impact of his getting arrested on drug charges back in 2009. Apparently he was already on his way out, but the arrest just made it happen faster.

Ryan Star with Days Difference, Hope (Subterranean)
You may remember Ryan Star as the guy who made it to the last three or four contestants on Rockstar: Supernova. Or you may not even remember that they did another version of that show after the INXS version.

Tributosaurus (Martyrs')
I'm assuming the repairs will be finished in time for Chicago's rock and roll chameleon to don the form of Black Sabbath.

Jonsi with Mountain Man (The Vic)
I think the reviews have generally been good for the solo effort from the Sigur Ros singer.

Darius Rucker with Walker Hayes (Joe's Bar)
Okay, so we've got members (or former members) of Sigur Ros, Barenaked Ladies, and now Hootie and the Blowfish all playing in town on the same night. What, is the solo project national convention in town?

11.04   thursday
Frightened Rabbit with Plants and Animals, The Phantom Band (House of Blues)
It may be that House of Blues doesn't update their ticketing information with Metromix, but I'm pretty surprised this one isn't sold out. Particularly since the Scottish band's last two appearances were in the spring (Metro) and the summer (Lollapalooza), and this one could actually be described as happening during The Winter Of Mixed Drinks.

Jay Farrar with Bobby Bare Jr. (SPACE, Evanston)   SOLD OUT!
At this point, you know him as Jay Farrar more than you know him as the guy who used to be in Uncle Tupelo and is still a member of Son Volt. For the most part, it's been a pretty straight line from the No Depression/Alt-Country movement that largely started with those bands, as far as I can tell. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Bret Michaels (Joe's Bar)
Yet another singer away from the band that made him famous. Seriously, this is just weird.

11.05   friday
Richard Thompson Band (The Vic)
I think he's been around long enough that you could describe the English folk/rock singer as "the guy who used to be the guy who used to be in Fairport Convention."

Lifehouse with Kris Allen, Alyssa Bernal (Chicago Theatre)
I don't know if these guys keep playing the Chicago Theatre because of the size, or because other places aren't available, or because they appeal to a middle-of-the-road audience who maybe doesn't go to shows a lot and doesn't like to be on their feet for three or four hours.

Ben Folds with Lady Danville (Riviera Theatre)
My sense is that the songwriter and pianist has gotten more earnest since ditching his band many years ago -- maybe not to the point where he'll eschew the sarcasm and wit entirely, but maybe he just keeps it on a shorter leash.

11.06   saturday
DIVER (Fado Irish Pub)   SEE COZ LIVE!
Either we won't be playing in costume this time, or Brian will be very convincingly dressed up as a 5-foot-4-ish woman. Also, Anto may be dressed as an empty space where Anto usually stands, but I'm not totally sure about that one.

Los Lobos with Backyard Tire Fire (The Vic)
I know this is a benefit show -- I think it's for the Greater Chicago Food Depository, or something like that, but I'm not sure. Whatever it is, the band's new record is brilliant, and they're great live, and this is a particularly small room in which to see them. Lots to recommend on this one.

Brendan Benson with The Posies, Aqueduct (Bottom Lounge)
I seem to remember giving a spin to last year's My Old, Familiar Friend from the "other guy" in The Raconteurs, and liking it quite a bit. If you sort of liked that band, but can't stand Jack White -- I'm not talking about anyone in particular who reads this list, of course -- this might be a way to show that support.

Filter with Middle Class Rut (Cubby Bear Wrigleyville)
After emerging from rehab and fronting a short-lived project with the DeLeo brothers from Stone Temple Pilots, Richard Patrick has been tooling around on smaller record labels for two albums now. I have to admit, it would be weird seeing Patrick backed up by a bunch of guys I've never heard of on the Cubby Bear stage, with a crowd that's more than likely going to be heavily in favor of hearing "Hey Man Nice Shot" and "Take A Picture" rather than any of the newer material.

Video Games Live (Chicago Theatre)
"Features live symphonic music from popular video games, video footage, synchronized lighting, on-stage interactive segments with the audience and more." On some level, it's an interesting concept, I guess. Not as interesting as that Star Wars orchestral tour, but interesting nonetheless.

11.07   sunday
Devin Townsend Project with TesseracT (Lincoln Hall)
I like that Lincoln Hall is booking some acts that aren't indie rock, unless Townsend has shifted gears considerably from his time with Strapping Young Lad and the sort of "progressive metal" mini-movement of the mid-90s.

Danzig with Possessed, Marduk,Toxic Holocaust, Withered (Congress Theater)
There's something about Glenn Danzig that makes it hard for me to figure out if he is to be taken seriously. I think he's just emblematic of a certain kind of late-period industrial metal to the point where certain people -- namely snarky music blogs -- use him as a recurring punchline.

Eddie Money (House of Blues)
Okay, I'll admit, I just put this in so you'd get one of his songs stuck in your head. You know, just like Ronnie said...