list.in.to.chicago this week: 08.01.2011

I'll save you from having to read the whole thing: McCartney, open mics, Lollapalooza.

Pick of the week
Having told you that you don't have to read to the end, I'll direct you there to see who I want to see in Grant Park this weekend. Also, any performance of Joe's Garage (Tuesday at Martyrs') will get a special mention. And Macca tonight.

list.in.to.COZ
Just regular office hours, then it's a matter of whether the cellular networks can keep up with the traffic over the weekend if you want to try to find me.

Recap
After getting off to a rotten, and then slow start, Saturday night at Fado ended up a pretty fun gig. In particular, there was a wedding party from Maggiano's across the street, and at one point, we had the space in front of the band clear out so a newlywed couple could dance to "Somewhere Only We Know" from Keane. It was a truly touching moment.

8.01   monday
Paul McCartney (Wrigley Field)
I saw very little in the way of negative reviews of last night's show, and tickets still remain for this one, which means you may be able to score a deal as you get closer to showtime.

Alkaline Trio with Smoking Popes, River City Extension (Metro)   SOLD OUT!
Local pop-punk is going to be an interesting counter to the classic rock going on down the street.

8.02   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
So, acoustic Tool has gotten slightly better over a couple of tries, and I may have a couple other new tricks up my sleeve.

Joe's Garage with BLAST! (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
At least I think I saw some friends talking about this on the Facebook. Although, if they were really my friends, they would have asked me to be the Central Scrutinizer.

Alkaline Trio with Smoking Popes, River City Extension (Metro)   SOLD OUT!
See Monday's listing.

8.03   wednesday
Sing Along With Coz (The Globe Pub)   COZ SINGS!
Nice turnout of musicians last week. Now if we could get both musicians and audience members at the same time, we'd be in business.

Tributosaurus (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
This month is part of the tenth anniversary retrospective, and they'll be reprising Bruce Springsteen.

8.04   thursday
The Joy Formidable with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., Lord Huron, Little Hurricane (Double Door)
Smith Westerns with Bare Mutants (Schubas)   SOLD OUT!
Delta Spirit with Reptar (Lincoln Hall)   SOLD OUT!
Cults with Guards, Writer (Empty Bottle)   SOLD OUT!
Death From Above 1979 with Metz (Metro)   SOLD OUT!
Crystal Castles with The Naked and Famous (House of Blues)   SOLD OUT!
Not sure exactly who goes to these shows -- it could be a hedge so you can avoid conflicts at the festival itself, although a late night at a club the night before three solid 8- to 10-hour days of music would do me in.

8.05   friday
Lollapalooza (Grant Park)
So, here's what I've got marked down on my schedule already: The Vaccines, The Naked and Famous, Foster the People, Smith Westerns, Two Door Cinema Club, A Perfect Circle, OK Go, and then it's a tossup between Coldplay and Muse.

Sade with John Legend (United Center)
As far as alternate programming goes, this is a pretty solid non-Lollapalooza option. Which isn't to say Lolla doesn't do soul, but not this big.

Lykke Li with Foster the People (House of Blues)
Portugal, The Man with Wye Oak (Double Door)   SOLD OUT!
The Vaccines with Tennis (Schubas)   SOLD OUT!
Local Natives with Walk The Moon (Schubas)   SOLD OUT!
The festival itself -- with bigger capacity -- is sold out. Most of the aftershows are also sold out. What is it about concentrated supply of live music that has proven to be so damn effective? Just overall value for the money?

8.06   saturday
Lollapalooza (Grant Park)
Already flagged as possibly worthwhile: Disappears, Friendly Fires, Skylar Grey, Deftones, Local Natives, Ellie Goulding, Cee-Lo, Lykke Li. Local Natives and Cee-Lo might lose out because they're on the wrong side of the park.

Chris Siebold's Psycles (Retro on Roscoe)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Fresh off his final regular gig with Maggie Speaks, the local guitarist takes his forward-thinking ensemble to the streets. The street festivals, that is.

Sade with John Legend (United Center)
See Friday's listing.

Titus Andronicus with Fences (Reggie's Rock Club)   SOLD OUT!
Arctic Monkeys with Disappears (House of Blues)   SOLD OUT!
Fitz and the Tantrums with Christina Perri (Schubas)   SOLD OUT!
Two Door Cinema Club with Grouplove (Lincoln Hall)   SOLD OUT!
The Pains of Being Pure at Hearth with Young Man, Groover Cleveland (Empty Bottle)
See previous comment about odd market dynamics.

8.07   sunday
Lollapalooza (Grant Park)
And, finally, I'll be trying to catch: Titus Andronicus, The Joy Formidable, Noah and the Whale, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Cars, Cage the Elephant, Best Coast, Arctic Monkeys, Explosions in the Sky, Foo Fighters.