list.in.to.chicago this week: 03.05.2012

If I've managed to avoid Tinley Park this long, I don't think a Radiohead show there (6/10, announced today) is going to change that. Especially not for The King of Limbs, which lacks the visceral punch to overcome shitty acoustics.

Pick of the week
I'm almost sad that I have a gig on Saturday, but at least it means I won't have to pick between Robert Glasper at Double Door and EMA at Lincoln Hall. Gotta call attention to Tributosaurus as Yes on Wednesday and Thursday at Martyrs' to scratch that prog itch. Also, Wood Brothers at the Old Town School the same night, and Company of Thieves at Metro on Friday if you want to see a local Chicago band on the rise.

list.in.to.COZ
Did I mention a gig on Saturday? It's The Trollops -- myself, Tony and Andrew -- at Temple Bar. I think. Also regular open mic office hours (Tuesday at Vaughan's, Wednesday at The Globe).

Recap
Didn't see anything last week. Cut me some slack, it was my birthday.

3.05   monday
Kickback with Mutts, Psychic Twin (Schubas)
A new month, a new Practice Space residency on Monday nights. As it turns out, a co-worker in New York has been recommending Mutts to me for a while now, but as we've discussed before, I'm really, really lazy.

Allen Stone with Tommy & the High Pilots (Lincoln Hall)
All I know about this one is that I think they're filming it for an upcoming episode of JBTV.

3.06   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
I guess I could have basked in the pre-birthday love last week instead of taking the night off, but that might have ended badly. My goal for this week is to learn "Done Got Old" from Buddy Guy.

3.07   wednesday
Sing Along With Coz (The Globe Pub)   COZ SINGS!
So, last week was one of those odd weeks where there wasn't much of an audience, but the people who were there really, really dug the vagaries of the Coz songbook. And I'm still trying to work the loop pedal in. That said, things have been pretty dire in terms of actual open mic participants.

Tributosaurus X (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Actually ran into Chris Neville and Dan Leali at the Van Halen concert. I was hoping to finagle a guest role as they revisit Yes this month, but the party line is that it's the same "show" as when they originally did it. Tonight is sold out.

The Head & The Heart with Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons, Black Girls (The Vic)   SOLD OUT!
They've opened for Vampire Weekend, The Walkmen, Dr. Dog, Dave Matthews, The Low Anthem, The Decemberists, Iron & Wine, My Morning Jacket, and Death Cab For Cutie, but for some reason I still thought they were a retro new wave band from the UK and not an indie folk duo from Seattle. My bad.

Corrosion of Conformity, Torche, Valient Thorr, A Storm of Light (Double Door)
In the world of heavy rock, I feel like I've heard rumblings (no pun intended) about Torche, who are just under the headliners on this bill. That, or I'm totally missing the boat and incorrectly thinking of the Foster the People album title.

3.08   thursday
Wood Brothers (Old Town School of Folk Music - Maurer Hall)
I haven't really listened to much past the debut record from these guys, but that one is so damn good, I don't want to spoil it. Straight-up American acoustic folk at it's best, really.

Jefferson Starship with Luck of Eden Hall (Reggie's Rock Club)
The re-introduction of Jefferson Airplane as Jefferson Starship was part of what I still consider to be a fairly brilliant period of rock history, but after Van Halen, I admit that I may just have a strong emotional attachment to the music of my teenage years. "Jane" and "Find Your Way Back" are killer songs from that era, and I do wonder if picking this particular name from their history belies an affinity for that vibe. I hope so.

John Oates with Van Ghost (Lincoln Hall)
Apparently all tickets that have already been purchased for this show now entitle you to bring a guest. I knew he shouldn't have shaved off the mustache.

Tributosaurus X (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Two consecutive nights this time around instead of two sets on Wednesday, which means I might actually be able to go.

The Head & The Heart with Black Girls, Drew Grow & The Pastorss Wives (The Vic)   SOLD OUT!
See Wednesday's listing, with slightly different openers.

3.09   friday
Company of Thieves with Bailiff, Sidewalk Chalk (Metro)
Chicago's new hometown heroes, and it sounds like things have picked up for them on the road since the release of their first full-length album last year. This is one of those shows where I might go and wonder the whole time if I should have tried to throw my hat in the ring when they replaced their drummer recently, but I was never one to jump in a van and tour even when I was young enough to legitimately try it.

Nicholas Payton & the Television Studio Orchestra (Symphony Center)
I'll defer the preview to Peter Margasak at the Reader, who describes the trumpeter's distaste for what he sees as archaic contstraints associated with the word "jazz." He'll be fighting against those constraints with the help of an 18-piece band.

Tomorrow The Moon with Your 33 Black Angels, Planet Creature (Quenchers)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
Half of this band is made up of two-thirds of one of my favorite Chicago bands of all time, that being Phantom Helmsman, from back in the days when the Lincoln Tap Room had a stage.

Gomez with Hey Rosetta! (The Vic)
This UK band has the potential to be really good, both live and on record, but they also have the frequently-realized potential of getting songs on Grey's Anatomy. They also seem to really like Chicago, particularly in March.

John Moulder Quartet with Larry Gray Trio, Marquis Hill Quintet (Green Mill)
This is part of something called the "Chi-Town Jazz Fest." I'm familiar with guitarist Moulder and bassist Gray, both of who are very good. And it's probably only a coincidence that they booked a trio, quartet and quintet, but it would be cool if it wasn't.

Alabama Shakes with Canasta, Jennifer Castle (Lincoln Hall)
There was quite a bit of buzz about this modern Southern rock band a little while back, but I don't remember if that was because they played in town, released a record, or both.

3.10   saturday
The Trollops (Temple Bar)   SEE COZ LIVE!
At least I think it's the Trollops and not Diver. Also pretty sure it's Temple Bar and not the new Wrigleyville Wheelhouse. Check back with me later in the week if you're thinking of going though, because I'm really not sure.

EMA with Nu Sensae, Stagnant Pools (Lincoln Hall)
EMA is Erika M. Anderson, who released one of my favorite records of last year and kicked off Pitchfork over the summer. The vibe is reminiscent of PJ Harvey in some ways, but without the poise, if you can possibly imagine that. I liked the live show on balance, but mostly because the highs and lows averaged out. Sometimes they nailed the intensity, but sometimes their limits were a bit too apparent.

Robert Glasper with Bilal (Double Door)
I've seen Glasper mentioned a lot lately, but I think that's because ?uestlove is on a one-man crusade to make him a household name. After just one listen, this comes as no real surprise, since the pianist produces a slick mashup of old-school jazz and neo-soul that sounds like it could have sprung fully-formed from the Roots' drummer's head like Athena.

Hideout's SXSW Send Off Party (Hideout)
Chicago's presence at South By Southwest has always been strong, and that's expanded over time into label- and venue-focused parties both in Austin and in Chicago beforehand. With Kids These Days, In Tall Buildings, Musikanto, Hollywood Holt, Waco Brothers, Outer Minds, and others.

Colin Hay (Park West)
Wikipedia claims there are fans out there who were introduced to Colin Hay because Zach Braff uses a lot of his music in movies and on TV, to the point where they see Men At Work as a "subplot." That strikes me as an aspirational reading of his history, but then I can't really conceive of him without the overwhelming context of that band.

3.11   sunday
Jake Sucher Quartet with Montzka Moulder & Arnopol, Chris Siebold's Psycles, Spare Parts (Martyrs)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
This looks like it has to be a aprt of that "Chi-Town Jazz Fest" I mentioned earlier, because it's pretty stacked with local jazz musicians for a "typical" Sunday night.

General Zod (Tonic Room)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
If you were thinking that what this town was missing was a weekly jazz/funk fusion jam session, I've got good news!