list.in.to.chicago this week: 01.16.2012

I regret to inform you that the Foreigner show originally scheduled for Thursday at House of Blues has been cancelled. Something came up. It was "Urgent."

Pick of the week
No question that this week's standout is the Nicholas Barron Band and Chris Siebold & Psycles on Wednesday night at Schubas. I probably can't go, but you definitely should -- music like this needs demonstrable support. The Mingus tribute on Friday looks pretty hot, too.

list.in.to.COZ
Just regular office hours this week, although I'm banged up enough from soccer over the weekend that I might skip Vaughan's (game-time decision) and there's a chance I call on Oakley to cover Wednesday so I can go to Schubas.

Recap
The Diver show fell pretty squarely into "sonic wallpaper" territory -- not a lot of engagement from the audience. If they were paying more attention, they would have noticed Tony totally shredding (in a good way) the guitar solo in "Sympathy For The Devil" towards the end of the night.

1.16   monday
Clip Art with Paper-Thick Walls, Damn Choir (Schubas)
I mentioned the Practice Space series last week. This week I should remind you that's where a band plays every Monday for a month. I'm not sure if they do anything more involved, although the name gives me this vision of a band actually rehearsing while an audience watches.

Robbie Fulks (Hideout)
Apparently some sort of Velvet Underground set is on the docket in this week's installment.

1.17   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
So, on the heels of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, "Pride (In The Name Of Love)" is kind of too obvious. Your challenge -- the few open jammers who read this -- is a song about dreams.

Bryan Adams (Chicago Theatre)
I've been to shows at the Chicago Theatre, which I'm hoping is the reason I get emails telling me I should buy tickets for this, Kathy Griffin and Creed, and not because some email marketing algorithm has crunched numbers and thinks I might like any of those shows. Tickets purchased for October 8 will be honored.

Panda Riot with Advance Base, The Hit Back (Empty Bottle)
Up-and-coming shoegazer rock, if the capsule preview is to be believed.

1.18   wednesday
Sing Along With Coz (The Globe Pub)   COZ SINGS!
This is becoming an increasingly inaccurate name for this open mic. Although I think we've got a friend of the bartender in from out of town this week.

Nicholas Barron Band with Chris Siebold & Psycles (Schubas)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
I really, really want to sub out the Globe gig and go see this. Both bands are great, and Nicholas will actually be dipping into the old Swimmer songbook, complete with horn section.

Portlandia: The Tour (Hideout)   SOLD OUT!
My tenuous connection to Fred Armisen is that the bassist from Step Zero was friends with the brother of a guy in Trenchmouth, Armisen's Chicago band back in the early nineties. My tenuous connection to Carrie Brownstein is that I am developing a bit of a crush on her since I started watching their sketch comedy show that spawned this tour.

1.19   thursday
Dastardly with Brighton, MA, Santah (Lincoln Hall)
Looks like a couple rounds of relentless email promotion have paid off, because now I look at this listing and say "oh, Dastardly is playing." And I think I know a guy in Brighton, MA.

Jaymay with Alison Breitman (Schubas)
Two points make a line. Not too, too long ago, I saw singer/songwriter Breitman listed somewhere and wondered if she was back to playing town more regularly. I'm guessing yes.

Buddy Guy with Brother John (Buddy Guy's Legends)
I wonder if, when they were renovating the new space, somebody double-checked to make sure Buddy could take his guitar out one door, walk down the sidewalk while still playing, and come back in another door. Because it's sort of a critical component to a proper Buddy Guy show.

1.20   friday
Chicago Jazz Ensemble with Christian McBride and Meshell Ndegeocello (Harris Theater for Music and Dance)
With standout bassists McBride and Ndegeocello on board, my first guess was some sort of Charles Mingus tribute, and my first guess was right.

Cave with Bil Vermette, The Velcro Lewis Group, Killer Moon, Strychnine (Hideout)
Been hearing a lot about Cave from local writers lately. Here they headline the first night of something called "Psych Fest 3."

Waco Brothers (Martyrs')
This is an annual benefit for the Alexander Graham Bell Elementary School.

The Kills with Jeff The Brotherhood, Hunters (Riviera Theatre)
Time Out Chicago calls them a "blues-rock duo," which seems to be taking liberties with some definitions, in my mind. I'm not sure I've ever heard anything I could credibly call the blues that used pre-recorded drum tracks or drum machines.

Earthen Grave featuring Rachel Barton Pine with No One, Slauter Xstroyes, Rival, Sunset Empire (Metro)
I knew the classically-trained violinist was into metal, but ever since she hit the news for the Metra accident that took her legs some fifteen or twenty years ago, I don't think I've ever seen her playing in a rock band.

Martin Sexton with Bhi Bhiman (Park West)
A quick Google search tells me that I've already used the "I think I saw Martin Sexton at Schubas in the late 90s or early aughts" bit twice already. I really need to try to put that concert history together. Acoustic singer/songwriter, but kinda dark and intense, at least back then.

STS9 with RJD2 (Congress Theater)
If you're out and about in Logan Square this weekend, watch out for hippies.

Buddy Guy with John Priner (Buddy Guy's Legends)
See Thursday's listing. Or last week's. Or the week before that.

1.21   saturday
STS9 with Savoy (Congress Theater)
See Friday's listing.

Buddy Guy with Jimmy Burns (Buddy Guy's Legends)
See Thursday's listing.

1.22   sunday
Jungle of Cities with Brandon Harrod, Rob Scallon, Mike Murawski (Double Door)
So, a member of this band runs down cool shows in Chicago every week for a website called "How's My Living," albeit without pithy commentary. Gotta love a kindred spirit.

Buddy Guy with Lurrie Bell (Buddy Guy's Legends)
See Thursday's listing.