list.in.to.chicago this week: 04.16.2012

So I entered into a ticket giveaway from Jam Productions that "won" me tickets to see Buckethead and That 1 Guy on Thursday night. Judging by the numbers in the room and the length of Jam's web promo "guest list," I'm guessing anyone who entered also would have "won."

Also, the Chicago Reader's website crashed about halfway through this, so apologies if I missed anything obvious.

Pick of the week
You'll find me at Kaiser Chiefs on Thursday at House of Blues and then at Nick Lowe on Friday at Park West, and I'm bummed that my schedule won't allow for Mike Stern at the Jazz Showcase Thursday through Sunday.

list.in.to.COZ
I have no musical appearances scheduled for this week. We will find a way to get through this.

Recap
Buckethead still leaves me cold as a live performer, in part because he uses backing tracks for everything, and particularly on the Praxis material, they're not as good as the actual tracks on the original recordings. And I've never cared for the nunchuk interlude, which has now been augmented by a really bizarre bit where he exchanges toys with the audience. All that said, he's still a phenomenal guitar player.

If I were to sum up That 1 Guy, it would be that this is what I imagine happens when mechanical engineer-slash-musicians smoke an awful lot of pot -- they build musical instruments out of industrial pipe, bass strings and trigger pads. Interesting, but I don't know if I'd go out of my way to see it again.

The revelation, though, was Wolff and Tuba, which I can mostly sum up by asking, "what if tUnE-yArDs played tuba?" Lots of loops and effects, and about 90% of it was created with, yes, a tuba -- either playing it, hitting it, or singing through it. The better analogy would probably be Robert Fripp's "Soundscapes" as played on a tuba, but that's not going to resonate with the kids these days. Also, he played Twisted Sister.

4.16   monday
Death Cab For Cutie and the Magik*Magik Orchestra with Low (Chicago Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
Ben Gibbard and band have a group called the Magik*Magik Orchestra joining them for string arrangements, which makes me think that indie rock has officially hit the "Love Beach" stage, and will be supplanted by a new new wave of punk rock any minute now. Unfortunately, that new new wave of punk might actually be dubstep.

Live From Daryl's House (The Vic)
The podcast from the first half of Hall & Oates has become a syndicated TV show, and now it's become a tour. Sharon Jones and Allen Stone are also on board.

4.17   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
I will not be around for this one, but don't let that stop you from getting your fill of local acoustic artists, random cover songs and other regular hijinx.

Portugal, The Man with The Lonely Forest (The Vic)
Last year at Lollapalooza, I thought this band was a bit slight to start, but as they got a bit more ambitious and more psychedelic as the set went on, they got a lot better. The gathering storm clouds only added to the effect.

The Fray with Jessie Baylin (Riviera Theatre)
A lot of folks were put off by the wuss-rock band's recent rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner, to which I say, what took you so long?

Death Cab For Cutie and the Magik*Magik Orchestra with Low (Chicago Theatre)
See Monday's listing. And if you're wondering, "Love Beach" was the last studio record from Emerson, Lake & Palmer, which featured a full orchestra.

4.18   wednesday
Sing Along With TBD (The Globe Pub)   TBD SINGS!
I'll be in Beantown, and one of the bartenders says he knows a guy who can cover for me. I have no idea who it is, or if it will actually happen.

4.19   thursday
Kaiser Chiefs with Empires (House of Blues)
I've noticed that Britpop bands have a tendency to play the River North spot. It seems like the musical equivalent of someone coming to visit Chicago from the UK and just doing all the downtown touristy stuff, rather than learn how the city really works.

This Might Be The Band with Definitely Not Savvy (Martyrs')
The first of three nights featuring the Talking Heads tribute band and, for this show, their electro-prog alter ego. Or, rather, definitely not their electro-prog alter ego.

Mike Stern Trio (Jazz Showcase)
I swear to God, the first time I saw the Miles Davis alum and his beat-up Fender Telecaster on the cover of a guitar magazine, I thought he was the guitarist from Georgia Satellites. Granted, I was about 16, only just getting my feet wet in jazz fusion, and hadn't discovered Upside Downside yet. Janek Gwizdala and Lionel Cordew fill out the trio.

AM Taxi, Hammerdown, Rotten Finko & the Convicts, Villains Company (Double Door)
There's an entire strain of the Chicago music scene borne out of Lucky Boys Confusion and suburban post-punk in general, and it strikes me as a sort of generation gap. Lots of people ten years younger than me are waaaay into LBC and their immediate offspring, like AM Taxi.

Tanlines with Rewards, Field Auxiliary (Empty Bottle)
Somehow, Leor Galil of the Reader posits that the headliners have a solid shot at being remembered as the "Toto of the 2010s," which inexplicably puts aside the fact that Toto was actually a band that people had actually heard of and had some chart success. But I think writing for the Reader requires a certain amount of absurdity masquerading as erudite pretension, and yes, I'm still talking about that "Silver Jews are like Jesus" Pitchfork preview from five years ago.

4.20   friday
Nick Lowe and His Band with Paul Cebar (Park West)
I realize he's got a large body of work after it that he will certainly be focusing on for this tour, but I still can't get over how well his 1978 album Jesus of Cool holds up.

Paco de Lucia (Symphony Center)
So, if you went to see Rodrigo y Gabriela last week and wanted to know more about innovative flamenco guitar playing, Paco de Lucia is pretty much the guy you want to check out. With infinite time and resources, I would have more than just his two trio albums with John McLaughlin and Al Di Meola, but that's been the extent of my exposure to him.

Mike Stern Trio (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing.

This Might Be The Band (Martyrs')
See Thursday's listing.

4.21   saturday
Snow Patrol with Ed Shereen (Aragon Ballroom)
I'm guessing they've got a new-ish record out, but I haven't heard it. An equally viable explanation is that I have heard it, but it sounds exactly like everything else they've done, so it didn't register as being new. They've got a good formula, but it's still a formula.

Cave with Hott Lunch, ONO (Empty Bottle)
Been hearing good things about this local band, but I said that last time. It's perilously close to the point where I'll actually go see what the fuss is about, but not tonight.

Gemini Club with Pet Lions (Lincoln Hall)
First, off, boo to Gemini Club for sort of stealing a future band name idea from me, although mine is called The Gemini Trail. Second, Pet Lions rings a bell, apparently because I saw them open for White Rabbits a couple of years ago and enjoyed them.

Mike Stern Trio (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing.

This Might Be The Band with The Diggity (Martyrs')
See Thursday's listing.

4.22   sunday
Counting Crows with Mean Creak (Riviera Theatre)
Dammit, I knew we forgot somebody for 90s night at Fado last week.

Mike Stern Trio (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing.