list.in.to.chicago this week: 07.18.2011

It's gonna be days before I get the hipster off of me. Wait, that sounded dirty, and not the "I've been standing out in a field listening to music for three days" dirty, either.

Pick of the week
Lots of good stuff this week, working backwards from Company of Thieves at Wicker Park Fest on Saturday to Bela Fleck and the Flecktones on Thursday at The Vic to The Sword on Wednesday night at Reggie's Rock Club.

list.in.to.COZ
Technically, you can see me at lunchtime at 220 West Washington with a three-piece acoustic thing that looks kind of like Diver, but seeing as how I'm taking a long lunch to be there, I don't want to make too much of a big deal about it.

Recap
So, Pitchfork. I found it interesting the the first and last bands I saw were the only ones I knew well enough to sing along to. That would be EMA and TV On The Radio, who both rated highly in my book, along with a refreshingly straightforward rock set from Superchunk amidst all the electronic noodling.

The next tier would be Neko Case, Fleet Foxes and Battles, which were all very good. Guided By Voices were fun, but really, really sloppy. Which is sort of their whole point, so I'm okay with it.

No Age, Deerhunter and Cold Cave didn't really move the needle in either direction, but certainly weren't bad. The heavily-hyped Gang Gang Dance and Sweden's The Radio Dept., on the other hand, kinda sucked. I think that mostly covers it.

I did also make it to Martyrs' on Friday night, and Empty Space Orchestra boasted some muscular instrumental jazz/rock with a female drummer that crushed gender stereotypes like I haven't seen since I first saw Samantha Maloney with Shift. And Savvy covered both Mr. Bungle and King Crimson, although I could quibble on the end result for the latter.

7.18   monday
Blonde Redhead with My Gold Mask (Pritzker Pavilion)
I saw their singer on a pair of video screens behind Battles during their set at Pitchfork -- she contributed vocals to their new album -- so it's almost like I saw the band, right?

Old 97s with Robert Ellis (Lincoln Hall)
I've been jealous of alt-country mainstay Rhett Miller ever since he went to some big political party with currently MIA political pundit Ana Marie Cox of Wonkette, Time magazine's "Swampland" blog, Air America and GQ Politics "fame." He does seem to have some interesting contacts.

7.19   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
So, I figure I need to learn "Summer In The City" from the Lovin' Spoonful. If not, maybe "Melt with You" from Modern English would be appropriate. What I'm saying is, it's really, really hot.

Steve Earle and the Dukes (The Vic)
With all the touring his son has been doing lately, it's getting to where we're going to have to start referring to Steve Earle as "Justin Townes Earle's dad."

Old 97s with Robert Ellis (Lincoln Hall)
See Monday's listing.

Blonde Redhead with The Sentinels (Bottom Lounge)
I'm kind of surprised that the band was allowed to book a club show and the free outdoor show back-to-back, unless it was a deliberate hedge against sunburned Pitchforkers who can't bear to be outside again so quickly.

7.20   wednesday
Sing Along With Coz (The Globe Pub)   COZ SINGS!
First time holding down the open mic in three weeks, so I hope that qualifies it as a special occasion and you all show up.

The Sword with Mount Carmel, Killer Moon (Reggie's Rock Club)
The metal band used to write songs about the books that Game of Thrones were based on, but now they've got a concept album based on an original sci-fi narrative. I'm thinking HBO has their next series right there.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy with Lowdown Brass Band (Mayne Stage)
One of the more recognizable names I've seen at the Rogers Park venue in a while. I think my parents actually saw them at an amusement park in Virginia this summer, with my dad remarking on how much they owed their sound to Cab Calloway.

7.21   thursday
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones (The Vic)
The original lineup -- including local jazz harmonica heavyweight Howard Levy -- is back for a new album and tour. That lineup didn't last that long past their first three albums back in the 90s, with Levy having departed before I saw the band a couple of times circa UFO TOFU.

7.22   friday
Sia with Oh Land, Ximena Sarinana (Metro)
There was a moment when the Australian singer seemed on the cusp of something, both on her own and with Zero 7, but she never seemed to quite break through even before an autoimmune disorder sidelined her last year and almost ended her career as a touring artist.

Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes (Old Town School of Folk Music)   SOLD OUT!
He's the other guy who made a bit of a name for himself coming from Asbury Park, New Jersey, and a contemporary of Springsteen to the point where Bruce would occasionally show up at his gigs. I don't think that's happened in a while, though, so don't go in to this show expecting it.

Ode with Holiday House, Eden, Goodbye Home (Bottom Lounge)
I think these guys lay a legitimate claim to being alt-country, because the country itself is pretty alternative. And eastern European. Good players to boot, if I remember correctly.

7.23   saturday
Company of Thieves (Wicker Park Fest)
The heavily buzzed-about local band anchors a pretty big musical lineup on Saturday that includes Flosstradamus and Wild Flag.

Soul Asylum with Mike Doughty (Sheffield Garden Walk)
Pretty big acts for a street festival, although Soul Asylum aren't quite at the level they once were, and Doughty does play small-ish venues.

Wavves with Lasers and Fast and Sh*t, Love of Everything (Subterranean)
I forget now if they're a big local act or a small national act, but they're also playing Wicker Park Fest on Sunday, and the rest of the programming makes me think the former.

7.24   sunday
Bon Iver with The Rosebuds (Chicago Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
It didn't dawn on me until I saw the introverted, pastoral singer/songwriter on the Colbert Report that I had been pronouncing his name wrong. It didn't seem like it should sound French to me.