list.in.to.chicago this week: 03.26.2012

Sorry for the late newsletter this week. The news about Jet breaking up hit me really hard, and I needed a moment.

Pick of the week
I want to go to every single show I have listed for Sunday. Dammit.

list.in.to.COZ
Regular office hours this week. Diver returns with yet another bass player on April 14th.

Recap
So, how about those Hunger Games?

3.27   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
So, a whole bunch of musicians last week, but we still capped the evening with more random songs using Andrew's keyboard. No, that's not a euphemism for anything.

Rusted Root (Cubby Bear)
We occasionally cover that "On My Way" tune, either at Vaughan's or on Trollops gigs, and I cannot resist changing the background vocal to "oh-weem-oh-way" from "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." I remember being really excited about all the percussion the first time I heard this band, then maybe not so excited after that.

Ian McCulloch (Schubas)
We've already got White Rabbits playing on Easter Sunday next week. I guess it would be too much to ask for to get the singer of Echo & The Bunnymen that night, too.

Magnetic Fields with Kelly Hogan (The Vic)
See Monday's listing? I guess not. Hogan apparently interviewed Stephen Merritt in this week's "Artist on Artist" feature in the Reader.

3.28   wednesday
Sing Along With Coz (The Globe Pub)   COZ SINGS!
I may have an itchy trigger finger to call it a night, so on the off chance you're planning to attend, show up on time.

Of Montreal with Loney Dear, Kishi Bashi (Metro)
For some reason, this name makes me think of a pastoral folk band like Fleet Foxes. They are not anything like that. The are also, naturally, not from Montreal.

Ian McCulloch (Schubas)
See Tuesday's listing.

3.29   thursday
Anna Fermin with Hawley (SPACE, Evanston)
I've seen Fermin's name sporadically over the last couple of years since her band's heyday, but it seems either the Trigger Gospel has been left behind, or this is more of a solo gig.

3.30   friday
Chairlift with Night Jewel, Moon Furies (Empty Bottle)
At least one local music critic tabbed the electropop duo's new album as a serious contender for best of the year. I liked it a lot on the first listen or two back when it came out, but then a bit less after that.

Jeff Tweedy (The Vic)   SOLD OUT!
The Wilco frontman does a couple of solo shows every year around this time to benefit youth scholarships.

Laurence Hobgood Quartet (Green Mill)
I don't know any of the names filling out the quartet, but Hobgood is one of the better jazz pianists in the city, so it'll probably be pretty good. That said, he may need to work on his website bio, as it doesn't actually mention that he plays the piano.

3.31   saturday
The Nadas with Dan Navarro (Martyrs')
This has the potential to be an emotional gig, as Navarro's longtime partner Eric Lowen passed away last week.

Ben Kweller with Sleeper Agent, The Dig (Lincoln Hall)
Until I hear otherwise, I am going to just assume that Ben Kweller and Amos Lee are the same person.

Wanton Looks with Sonnets, Van Buren Boys (Schubas)
Let's all say it together...I've heard good things about this local band, but haven't gotten around to seeing them yet. Sigh.

Jeff Tweedy (The Vic)   SOLD OUT!
See Friday's listing.

Laurence Hobgood Quartet (Green Mill)
See Friday's listing.

4.01   sunday
Allan Holdsworth with Marbin (Martyrs')
With Virgil Donati on drums and Jimmy Haslip on bass. I think I've only seen Donati in clinic, and have a small fear that he might try to hard to be "athletic" in a band with the legendary fusion guitarist. I liked the song and a half I heard from Marbin the last time I saw them open up for a fusion band at Martyrs'.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Mona (Riviera Theatre)
I really, really want these guys to play at Lollapalooza at the same time as Liam Gallagher and the rest of the Oasis guys with Beady Eye, on opposite ends of the park. It would be hilarious. Also hilarious is cueing up both records and putting them on shuffle to see if you get a proper Oasis record as a result.

Van Halen with Kool & The Gang (Allstate Arena)
I heard you missed them, they're back! They brought their pencils! Seriously, I hope Diamond Dave has gotten over whatever was bugging him back at the United Center date, but that show rocked pretty hard in spite of that. And the big screen behind the band is the coolest visual I've seen at a show since Nine Inch Nails at Lollapalooza.

Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 (House of Blues)
Fela Kuti's other son is apparently more overtly political and less pop than Femi. It's almost like the two sides of the father passed down separately to each of the sons.

John Hodgman with Bill Corbett, Kevin Murphy (Second City Up Theater)
The frequent Daily Show contributor and humorist is touring the "M Cities of the Midwest," which naturally includes a stop in...wait for it...MChicago. If the other names sound familiar, it's probably from Mystery Science Theater 3000 and RiffTrax. Hodgman proves his Chicagoland bona fides by teasing (threatening?) that there will be Malort involved.