list.in.to.chicago this week: 07.25.2011

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Pick of the week
I like Ted Leo tonight in the park and tomorrow at Fireside, and then two nights of John Moulder on the weekend at Green Mill.

list.in.to.COZ
Regular office hours this week, plus Diver at Fado on Saturday. I'd love to see you at any of 'em.

Recap
So, a bit of a Pitchfork hangover, and the logistics of seeing a band in between the Fire-Manchester United match and a party I was going to proved to be too difficult, so nothing to report.

7.25   monday
Ted Leo and Pharmacists with Rachel Ries (Pritzker Pavilion)
The punk-influenced if not outright punk singer/guitarist Leo concludes this year's City Sounds series in Millenium Park. I didn't go to a single one, dammit.

The Decemberists with The Head and the Heart (Aragon Ballroom)
It's summer, so you can pretty much bet Colin Meloy will be wearing seersucker. Once again, they're what NPR would sound like if NPR were a band.

Booty Movement Coalition (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
End of the month already? We're now going on about a full year and a half since I've seen the improvised funk collective, which just so happens to be the exact length of time I've had this particular day job.

7.26   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
Contingent on my flight from New York getting back on time. I've decided to add some lighter tunes to the book, so this week might see selections from Tool and Helmet arranged for acoustic guitar.

Anvil with Bible of the Devil, Enforcer, Crusader, Wastegate (Reggie's Rock Club)
Yes, the same Anvil that was the subject of the documentary.

Ted Leo and Pharmacists with The Eternals (Fireside Bowl)
I knew the Fireside was doing some shows from time to time again, but this is the highest-profile name I've seen there since they stopped being a full-time music venue.

7.27   wednesday
Sing Along With Coz (The Globe Pub)   COZ SINGS!
Full credit for the Venezuelan soccer fans being good sports after their team last in Copa America last week and sticking around for the music.

The New York Dolls with The Steepwater Band, The Sleepers (Double Door)
I'm not sure if the chance to see glam-rock legends up close is really a strong selling point, because continuing to be glam into your fifties and sixties doesn't really look that appealing close up.

7.28   thursday
Torche with Big Business, Helms Alee (Bottom Lounge)
Time Out calls them part of a new strain of pop-metal, which I think I knew. I don't know that I've given them a strong listen yet, though, so that's all I can really say about it.

Chris Robinson Brotherhood (Lincoln Hall)   SOLD OUT!
I'm going to go out on a limb and guess you won't hear any Muse covers at this one.

7.29   friday
William Elliott Whitmore with Cloudbirds (Lincoln Hall)
This guy's name seemed familiar, and the choice of venue obviously confers some level of success. It looks like I might recognize him from an opening slot on Chris Cornell's recent solo tour.

Owl City with Mat Kearney, Unwed Sailor (Aragon Ballroom)
This is another one of those indie electronica bands that's been getting enough buzz to, obviously, warrant playing the Aragon, but I remember giving the album a listen and not hearing the appeal at all.

Heartless Bastards (Schubas)   SOLD OUT!
This band found themselves on enough top ten lists for The Mountain that I would have thought they might play a bigger room, but it is an acoustic set, so maybe intimacy was the point.

John Moulder Quintet (Green Mill)
I don't see the local jazz guitar heavyweight as often as I used to, which makes these occasional weekends in Uptown much more worthy of consideration.

Richard Buckner with Cameron McGill (Schubas)
The alt-country singer-songwriter headlines the nightcap at Schubas, with local hero Cameron McGill opening sans Whose Army.

7.30   saturday
Diver (Fado Irish Pub)   SEE COZ LIVE!
It's been about two and a half months since we last hauled our gear up the back staircase and put on a show for the denizens of River North. I can't promise you anything special other than the quality you've come to expect from us by now. Which is almost as empty of a statement as "we expect to be moving shortly."

Glittermouse with Maren Parusel, Velvette. (Beat Kitchen)
Been meaning to check these guys out again since the whole Enclave debacle, as they were clearly reaching for a sort of Arcade Fire/Broken Social Scene indie collective vibe.

Ike Reilly Assassination with DJ Jesse de la Pena (Bottom Lounge)
A bit of a throwback bill here, and it had been so long since I had seen Reilly, I was beginning to fear he had, in fact, been assassinated. Not the case, obviously, and a long way to go for a joke.

John Moulder Quintet (Green Mill)
See Friday's listing.

7.31   sunday
Paul McCartney (Wrigley Field)
If I have to explain this one to you, I think maybe you found this newsletter completely by mistake. And if you have an extra ticket, I may be interested.

Buckethead (The Vic)
The avant-garde guitarist has fallen off my radar lately, which makes me wonder if he's still got the same approach, or if his pushing of the envelope has moved along with the envelope over the last twenty years or so.

Jill Scott with Anthony Hamilton, Mint Condition, DJ Jazzy Jeff (Charter One Pavilion)
She's been at the neo-soul thing long enough that it's not quite so neo anymore.