list.in.to.chicago this week: 06.20.2011

Coming to you from poolside at the Novato Courtyard Marriott, which is part of a larger explanation of how I haven't seen many shows over this two week stretch.

And given those conditions, I'll be keeping it brief.

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Pick of the week
Obviously (if you know me), Peter Gabriel tonight at the United Center. Saturday is a great night to see great drummers, with Paul Wertico and Marbin up at SPACE in Evanston, and Skysaw, with Jimmy Chamberlin, at Metro. Of course, Steve Gillis with Steakhouse Mints (Friday at Martyrs') is no slouch, either.

list.in.to.COZ
The Globe on Wednesday is the only time I'm playing this week, this evening's wedding reception aside.

Recap
I almost went to see some shows in San Francisco over the weekend, including a 30th anniversary show from a version of Missing Persons that included both Dale Bozzio and Warren Cuccurulo, but ended up just opting for dinners and drinks and whatnot in the evenings.

6.20   monday
Peter Gabriel (United Center)
There's been a fair bit of critical blowback after Gabriel's orchestral covers record from last year -- I think Time Out Chicago called it the only out-and-out failure of his entire career -- and a lot of folks are casting dubious glances at the singer fronting a full orchestra playing both those cover songs and his own catalog. But the guy just doesn't tour much anymore, so I feel like you have to take what you can get. Plus, the critics might be wrong.

6.21   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
The good folks of Free Winona were kind enough to pinch-hit while nearly all the regulars are out at this wedding in California, so stop on by and say hi to them. I might make a very late cameo depending on when I land.

6.22   wednesday
Sing Along With Coz (The Globe Pub)   COZ SINGS!
Okay, so I forgot about the private party in the back last week, so hopefully that didn't kill all the momentum from the week before. Come out and sing, would you?

6.23   thursday
Fountains of Wayne with Anna Nalick, The Hounds Below, BRKN RBTZ, The Personnel (Hard Rock Hotel)
It appears that MOBfest has been reduced to three nights at a single venue. It's still ostensibly about unsigned bands, which makes Fountains of Wayne a bit of a stretch for the concept.

6.24   friday
V Sparks with Katastrofist, Wolfgang Jay, Steakhouse Mints (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
The friends in question are in Steakhouse Mints, who usually boast a rhythm section of Steve Gillis, Vijay Tellis-Nayak and Shawn Sommer. I know I've seen Wolfgang Jay before, and I think I liked them. Maybe at Beat Kitchen with Savvy?

6.25   saturday
Skysaw with Camera, Soft Speaker (Metro)
If you've been wondering what Jimmy Chamberlin's been up to since parting ways from the Smashing Pumpkins, this rock band is it. I listened to the one song they've made available online, and it's pretty good.

Paul Wertico and Marbin with Larry Gray (SPACE, Evanston)
The former Pat Metheny Band drummer has been working with the Marbin guys -- whose names I've been seeing all over recently -- quite a bit lately.

Alison Breitman and Friends (Uncommon Ground on Clark)
It's been a while since the singer/songwriter started making some serious waves locally, so it's good to see her back at it.

Les Savy Fav with Big Science (Subterranean)
If it were still a larger concern, you might expect this sort of show from two hard-working local bands to be part of MOBfest. As it is, they'e still playing the same weekend, and likely to the same size audience, which has been one of my longstanding issues wiht the festival that I invariably bring up this time of year.

Matt and Kim with The Hood Internet, The Thermals (The Vic)   SOLD OUT!
After seeing them at Lollapalooza last year, I feel like this duo owes its popularity almost entirely to their enthusiasm, because the tunes aren't really there.

6.26   sunday
Daryl Hall and John Oates with Company of Thieves (Ravinia Festival, Highland Park)
I don't usually list Ravinia shows, for whatever reason, but between the mini-Hall and Oates renaisance and all the noise Company of Thieves have been making since releasing their latest record, this is particularly appealing.

Yo La Tengo (Subterranean)
This is where I start having doubts about the Metromix data feed, as I'm hard-pressed to imagine there are any tickets available for such an indie-rock heavyweight at such a small venue.

Jethro Tull (Chicago Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
At some point, Ian Anderson is just going to become the creepy old guy on the cover of Aqualung, isn't he?

Matt and Kim with The Hood Internet (The Vic)
See Saturday's listing.