list.in.to.chicago this week: 12.12.2011

It's Wilco week!

Pick of the week
The no-brainer (and no-ticket-er) is Wilco all over the city this week, but I'm looking forward to seeing The Joy Formidable on Wednesday at Metro, too.

list.in.to.COZ
All done for the year, although I should still be at Vaughan's on Tuesday.

Recap
So, yeah, Metro. Heartfelt thanks to those of you who made it out and wished you could make it out. It went exceptionally well, and looking out into that room and that crowd from behind my drum kit was pretty amazing. Here's hoping it doesn't take another ten years to get back there again.

12.12   monday
Wilco with Nick Lowe (Civic Opera House)   SOLD OUT!
If you didn't get in on tickets when they went on sale, be sure to follow Jam Productions and Metro on Twitter. I've already seen some additional tickets released.

Robin Thicke (The Mid)
All I know is that he's a young, good-looking soul crooner who has an effect on women, if one of the generally more conservative folks in my Twitter news feed is any indication.

Staind with Aranda, Man Made Machine (House of Blues)
When was the last time we heard from the active rock band? It's been a while.

12.13   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
For the near term, this is probably the best way to actually get a hard copy of "This Fragile Truce" until we figure out distribution.

Wilco with Eleventh Dream Day (Riviera Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
I have to say, the first tune on the new record sorta kicks my ass, mostly because of the syncopated groove Glen Kotche lays down. The interesting variations this week are obviously the venues and the opening bands, with Chicago mainstays Eleventh Dream Day on the second night.

12.14   wednesday
Sing Along With Coz (The Globe Pub)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Oakley should be covering again, although I haven't actually confirmed it. Maybe Morrissey will stop in again.

The Joy Formidable with Bad Veins (Metro)
The Welsh trio makes a heck of a racket, from what I've heard. Given the buzz from their earlier appearances this year -- including Lollapalooza -- I'm a little surprised that the shoegazer-influenced band hasn't sold out the show.

Kathryn Calder with Himalayan Bear, K Serra (Double Door)
She's the other female singer in the New Pornographers. The one that plays keyboards and isn't Neko Case.

Elements of Style with iamdynamite, Little Midnight (Beat Kitchen)
Saw this band a few weeks ago and forgot to put them in the recap. Now I don't remember what I thought of them, but the singer/guitarist came out to Metro, which will buy them much good will until I see them again.

Tim Reynolds and TR3 with Dan Darrah (Lincoln Hall)
So, Wikipedia has Reynolds as a full-fledged member of the Dave Matthews Band. I thought he was just an occasional guest. And Darrah's been around Chicago for a long while, only I haven't seen his name for a couple of years until now.

12.15   thursday
Wilco with Jon Langford and Skull Orchard (The Vic)   SOLD OUT!
The midpoint of the incredible shrinking venue series.

Kenny Wayne Shepherd (House of Blues)
He was still a precocious young bluesman back when I saw him on the second G3 tour. Now I guess he's just a regular old blues guitarist.

The Bad Plus (Jazz Showcase)
This is one of very few new jazz groups that has gotten on my radar in the last ten years or so, which means I may need to turn in my jazz card.

12.16   friday
Wilco with Paulina Hollers (Metro)   SOLD OUT!
I actually managed to score a pair of tickets to this one. What can I say? I'm very good at hitting "refresh." And Paulina Hollers includes a guy from Califone.

Bob Mintzer, Joel Spencer and Dan Trudell (Green Mill)
Looks like the Yellowjackets saxophonist has done a couple of records with local jazz singer Kurt Elling, so it's no surprise he's hitting one of Elling's main haunts when he's in town. I may actually have a Yellowjackets album on cassette, which may actually be from before Mintzer joined the band in 1991, or just after.

Matthew Santos with Julia Klee (Schubas)
The Minneapolis-based singer/songwriter has strong connections to Chicago via his work with Lupe Fiasco.

The Bad Plus (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing.

12.17   saturday
Morrissey with Kristeen Young (Congress Theater)   SOLD OUT!
Most recently, the band played after an earthquake in Mexico. Before that, they had to postpone a gig because of an eye injury to drummer Matt Walker. Before THAT, they had to postpone the kickoff date in Chicago because of visa problems. This is the rescheduled date, assuming nothing else goes wrong.

Lydia Loveless with Whitey Morgan & the 78s, Deadstring Brothers (Cobra Lounge)
This is a free show in a slightly non-traditional venue from the critically acclaimed Bloodshot recording artist, so there might be a story behind it.

Mickey Hart Band (Lincoln Hall)
I haven't seen much from the Grateful Dead drummer in a while, but I don't really pay too much attention.

Emerson Hart (SPACE, Evanston)
No relation. This is the guy from Tonic, who has now almost certainly been playing solo for longer than that band was active. Or popular.

Kill Hannah with Comasoft, Awake The Empire (Bottom Lounge)
You have to figure there's an almost endless supply of suburban industrial/goth teens to keep this band going ad infinitum. One of the last times their name came up, it was in a heated argument with a Nine Inch Nails fan several years ago at Lollapalooza about how long they had been together. Still pretty sure I was right.

LMFAO (Enclave)
Hopefully, if the band shows up late for this one, it won't be a scene like I saw in Paris a couple of months ago, where the club was practically surrounded by police and armed military. Not sure if the crowd got impatient to the point of violence, or if that's just how big dance music is in Europe. And the combined images of machine guns and Enclave will hold a special place for certain bandmates of mine.

Bob Mintzer, Joel Spencer and Dan Trudell (Green Mill)
See Friday's listing.

The Bad Plus (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing.

12.18   sunday
Wilco with Fred Armisen (Lincoln Hall)
The last of the string is a benefit show, which may be pricey enough that it's not sold out. Or the listings are bad. And yes, it's that Fred Armisen, who used to be in a local band with the brother of a friend of the bassist of an old band of mine. Who also played at Metro.

The Bad Plus (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing.