list.in.to.chicago this week: 01.02.2012

Happy New Year everybody! If you're like me, you've gotten old and need a couple of days to recuperate from whatever New Year's Eve hijinx you were up to, so let's start with Tuesday, shall we?

Pick of the week
Well, it's Buddy Guy season again, and if you haven't seen him by now, you really should. And my curiosity might get the best of me with that Secret Colours show at the Bottle on Saturday.

list.in.to.COZ
Regular office hours this week. Two Diver gigs later this month. The calendar on the website is nowhere near up to date.

Recap
This would be the spot where I recount the best show I saw all year, but that might take a little more consideration. There were certainly some pretty memorable moments.

1.03   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
If we were to get back to the weekly themes, I'm not sure how many songs we could come up with about Iowa or caucuses, and I never did get Devo's "Freedom of Choice" into shape. Failing that, the guy who did the narration at the beginning of "The Number of the Beast" passed away last week, so I may have to break out my acoustic rendition of the Iron Maiden classic.

Dumpster Babies with Bohannons (Schubas)
On the one hand, I like the idea of a band that took their name from an episode of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." On the other hand, if their music is in any way reminiscent of the characters on that show, I'm very, very afraid.

James Davis with Matt Ulery, and Jon Deitemyer (The Whistler)
Not sure if it's the three of them separately, or together. I need to keep Ulery on my radar, given the caliber of folks he tends to play with.

1.04   wednesday
Sing Along With Coz (The Globe Pub)   COZ SINGS!
And if you made a New Year's resolution to get out of the house with your guitar and sing songs in front of an audience, I can help you with at least one half of that every Wednesday night. Audience not included.

Scott Kelly, Bruce Lamont, Winters in Osaka, Che Arthur (Empty Bottle)
According to the Reader, it's mostly a night of heavy metal -- Kelly is from the band Neurosis, and the oft-listed Lamont from Yakuza -- played on acoustic guitars. Sounds intriguing.

Young Jesus with Canasta (Lincoln Hall)
There's a joke about Young Jesus touring right after his birthday, but you and I both know it's not actually that Jesus, and even if it was, if I'm going to burn in hell, I don't want it to be over a bad joke. I should make it count. This is a CD release party for the local band, by the way.

1.05   thursday
Buddy Guy with Guy King (Buddy Guy's Legends)
This is the first year of the January residency in the new location. Regular rules should still apply, where most of the Friday and Saturday shows sell out, but Metromix's listing continue to deteriorate, and the Reader doesn't typically include sellout status.

Lightfoils with Battlestations, Tribe of the Mountain, Viceroy (Double Door)
I recall seeing Viceroy a few years ago and being struck by the heavy Thin Lizzy vibe. Also the facial expressions of the drummer, which were entertainment unto themselves.

1.06   friday
Miles Nielsen & the Rusted Hearts with Thin Grin (FitzGerald's, Berwyn)
He's going to have to live with the label of Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen's son for a while yet, but from everything I've heard, Miles is living up to the expectations.

Gooey with Clay Wilson Band, Weber Band, Eleven Dollar Life (House of Blues)
The two people I used to know in this band are no longer with them, but I still get emails and Facebook invites from the main singer/songwriter. Headlining House of Blues isn't a bad way to start the year.

Buddy Guy with Dietra Farr (Buddy Guy's Legends)
See Thursday's listing.

1.07   saturday
Secret Colours with Apteka, Hollows (Empty Bottle)
Time Out Chicago name-checks Primal Scream and Oasis for the headliners, and considers two of these three bands among the best local acts in Chicago. So there's that.

Thunderwing with Edge of Reality, Victor Villarreal (Bottom Lounge)
Almost ten years ago, there was a hint of a hard rock revival in Chicago, and Thunderwing was one of the bands in that wave, along with American Motherload and Drive.

Vulgar Boatmen (Schubas)
I've seen a smattering of shows in the last year or two from the Chicago scene veterans, who I saw once at Schubas many, many years ago after the end of Daylight Savings Time where they were late because they were in a part of Indiana that didn't change the clocks.

This Must Be The Band (Mayne Stage)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
If you made a New Year's resolution to get out and see Chicago's Talking Heads tribute band, well you're covered this week, too.

Buddy Guy with Big James and the Chicago Playboys (Buddy Guy's Legends)
See Thursday's listing.

1.08   sunday
Wu-Tang Clan (Congress Theater)
You would think that this hip-hop collective has been around long enough that I would at least be able to say something informative or at least pithy about them. You would be wrong.

Nicholas Barron Quartet (Temple Bar)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Apologies if you turned out for this one last week, as I saw on Facebook that the band wouldn't be kicking off 2012 until this week.

Buddy Guy with Carl Weathersby (Buddy Guy's Legends)
See Thursday's listing.