list.in.to.chicago this week: 02.27.2012

I'm pretty sure that seeing "Jungle Boogie" and "Eruption" both performed live in the same night lies towards the good part of the "now I can die happy" spectrum.

Although I guess the "good" part of that spectrum is subjective, depending on how much you value life versus happiness. Anyway, where was I?

Pick of the week
Corey Glover singing with Galactic (Friday at Park West) pushes that show right to the top. I'm intrigued by the Glen Matlock, Hugh Cornwell, and Clem Burke joint effort on Thursday at Reggie's. And at least one of you should go see Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes on Saturday at House of Blues. You know who you are.

list.in.to.COZ
Should be regular office hours this week, although Vaughan's may be a game-time decision.

Recap
I know that some former Chicago deejays didn't think Kool & The Gang were appropriate as an opening act, but I dug it. "Jungle Boogie" is badass, "Celebration" was cheesy but fun, and it's hard not to love the irony of "Ladies Night" played to an arena full of middle-aged guys with mullets.

As for the main event, I went in secretly hoping Van Halen might bust out "Mean Streets" from Fair Warning. I got that, and "Girl Gone Bad" for an added bonus, so my expectations were exceeded. Eddie was a monster, and "Eruption" with the huge video screen behind him was downright transcendent.

David Lee Roth? Not quite so transcendent, but aside from the obvious microphone and wireless problems, I think he was thrown off further by a rough monitor mix. A bunch of the ad libbed bits on the records (particularly "Mean Streets," "Unchained" and "Hot For Teacher") failed badly because of horrible timing on Diamond Dave's part, which just seems like a lack of concentration. I'm cutting him slack because I hope it was simply a bad night, and not a lack of respect for, or familiarity with, his own material.

2.27   monday
Robbie Fulks and Steve Frisbie (Hideout)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
The Monday night residency is joined by one of the more talented singers you'll find in Chicago in Mr. Frisbie.

Ben Lee with Golden Bloom (Martyrs')
Remember back when I kept getting this Australian singer/songwriter confused with Ben Kweller? Well, yeah, I'm still doing that.

Crystal Method with Zebo, Team Bayside High, Jordan V, Kalendr (The Mid)
Wow, Crystal Method still exists? I remember them from back in the mid-90s when electronica was supposed to be the next big thing. They also paired up with Filter for a song on the Spawn soundtrack.

2.28   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
While it may be tough to capture that lightning in a bottle from a couple weeks back, that doesn't mean we're not going to try. And it's not all about the hosts and the regulars anyway -- the point is people coming in and playing for a new audience that's been at the bar drinking since they got home from work. And promotional Guinness glasses.

Memoryhouse with Tiny Fireflies (Schubas)
Maybe it's just me, but calling a band from Canada "chillwave" seems redundant. Everything is cold up there, isn't it?

2.29   wednesday
Sing Along With Coz (The Globe Pub)   COZ SINGS!
Happy Leap Day! Stick around until midnight and you can be the first to wish me a happy birthday. I did have a guy last week try to sing a melody he wrote and expect me to be able to figure out chords for accompaniment, which isn't going to go very well under the best of circumstances.

3.01   thursday
Glen Matlock, Hugh Cornwell, and Clem Burke with The Handcuffs (Reggie's Rock Club)
What happens when you put one guy from The Sex Pistols, one guy from the The Stranglers and one guy from Blondie on stage together? To be honest, I have no idea, so if you go to this show, report back and tell me. Actually, it looks like separate sets from Matlock and Cornwell, but both with Burke on drums.

3.02   friday
Galactic with Soul Rebels (Park West)
Corey Glover from Living Colour has been singing with Galactic on this tour, and the idea of a funked-up version of "Cult of Personality" is a little bit mind-boggling.

Twilight Sad with Young Prisms, Micah P Hinson (Empty Bottle)
I usually cringe at music critics who seem maybe a little too infatuated with their own descriptive prowess, but there are exceptions. On that note, I give you Miles Raymer from the Reader: "Scottish people have a particularly deep relationship with moping that permeates many of their cultural products, and it's most noticeable in their rock music." Awesome.

Baby Teeth with Outer Minds, Bobby Conn (Schubas)
One of those local bands that seems to be making a bit of noise at the moment, but I don't know more than that. I also don't know what to expect from Bobby Conn these days.

3.03   saturday
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes (House of Blues)
This may be as close as you're ever going to get to the vibe of early Springsteen shows in smaller rooms. Bruce has actually dropped in and played with these guys from time to time, but typically only in New Jersey. There's an early and a late show.

Reverend Horton Heat with Larry and his Flask, The Goddamned Gallows (Metro)
I wonder if the long-running punkabilly band still has the t-shirts with Elvis' weight on different planets?

Greenhornes with Royal Pines, Ornery Little Darlings (Empty Bottle)
Also known as the band that the half of the Raconteurs that you don't recognize came from.

Pet Lions with Brighton MA, Briar Rabbit, Ben Keeler (Subterranean)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
I think I mentioned this before, but the last time we played at Cubby Bear, one of the sound guys was actually a guy I had played some shows with a long while ago, and he's also in Brighton MA. Me being me, I have not actually gone to see the band since acquiring that knowledge.

?uestlove with DJ Sean Mac (The Shrine)
The Roots' drummer is in town for a DJ set. Be nice to him so he says nice things about our city on Twitter.

3.04   sunday
Steve Dawson with Cameron McGill (Szold Hall, Old Town School of Folk Music)
Dawson is half of the brain trust behind Dolly Varden, and here he'll be helping break in the new Old Town concert venue across the street from the other one.

Republic of Lights with Glittermouse, Oil Fields (Lincoln Hall)
Having shared that one awful experience at Enclave, I feel I owe it to Glittermouse to list them whenever I see them, at least until I get a compelling reason not to.