list.in.to.chicago this week: 06.04.2012

So, festival season is definitely off and running.

check out list.in.to.chicago (and leave comments!) on the web at notabbott.com/litc

Pick of the week
This week's Tributosaurus show (Wednesday at Martyrs') would be a no-brainer even if it was just Peter Gabriel OR Genesis. I'm conflicted on Roger Waters playing The Wall at Wrigley on Friday, but it will be a spectacle, to be sure. And Sunday night's bill for Ribfest up on Lincoln Avenue is definitely worth checking out.

list.in.to.COZ
I'll actually be the master of ceremonies at Vaughan's on Tuesdays, and then I'm taking Wednesday off.

Recap
Hopefully you didn't listen to my dire weather forecasts last Monday, because the Kelly Hogan show turned out to be a pleasant night. She pretty much embodies the Hideout/Bloodshot ethos, although while I understand her desire to give credit to everyone who helped out with her new record, it may be a fine line between that and name-dropping. The shirtless guy with the tie and the cowboy boots dancing at the front of the lawn seats didn't seem to mind, though. Only caught one and a half songs from Scott Lucas and the Married Men, and I'd like to hear more -- we know from Local H that he's got songwriting chops, but with this band, you're not bludgeoned over the head with the sonics.

6.04   monday
Robbie Fulks with Keely Vasquez (Hideout)
This week's episode is something like "bad songs from the 80s," so naturally, I'm intrigued.

Jonathan Richman with the Deep Blue Organ Trio (Pritzker Pavilion)
Richman inhabited the wry-but-heartfelt singer/songwriter persona back before that sort of thing was cool. Or maybe it was always cool. Anyway, he's been at it for a while, and the weather is perfect.

6.05   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
Tony is on vacation this week, so I'll actually be hosting the festivities.

6.06   wednesday
Sing Along With Coz (The Globe Pub)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
I'll be down the street at Martyrs' and then elsewhere, so I'm once again putting this in the capable hands of Mr. Mark Jourdan.

Tributosaurus (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
The Tributosaurus X year-long celebration continues, and this month they're combining two outstanding previous shows into one covering both Peter Gabriel and Genesis.

Jon Anderson (Mayne Stage)
Yes is now in their second modern incarnation that does not include their distinctive lead singer, which results in a fairly massive outpouring of good will from prog rock fans when Anderson comes through town by himself.

6.07   thursday
Scott H. Biram with Lydia Loveless (Hideout)
The critical acclaim for Loveless from back when she released her latest record earlier this year may have subsided a bit, which might make an opening slot on a Thursday night show at Hideout a good chance to catch her in an intimate setting before the buzz returns.

6.08   friday
Roger Waters (Wrigley Field)
If someone offered me tickets, I'd certainly go, but my sense of nostalgia with this sort of thing is deeply rooted in "those musicians playing those songs," and with Waters being the only actual member of Pink Floyd involved, it seems to just be about Waters himself and the theatrical grandeur of The Wall. Both of which are at least somewhat compelling in their own right, but not quite enough to get me over the hump.

Ribfest Chicago (Lincoln, Damen & Irving Park)
The North Side fest has a pretty solid musical lineup this year, with the first night featuring the Spinto Band and the Wanton Looks.

Chicago Blues Festival (Grant Park)
The main event is a centennial celebration of Lightnin' Hopkins.

Kelly Hogan with Count This Penny (SPACE, Evanston)
Fresh off last week's Millennium Park show, Hogan hits the 'burbs with this show and then another at FitzGerald's.

6.09   saturday
Ribfest Chicago (Lincoln, Damen & Irving Park)
Day 2 of the festival up in my 'hood has a bunch of bands I've never heard of, including Megafaun, Features and Common Loon. I think I may have heard of Pet Lions, but I'm not sure.

AM Taxi, Young Distractions, Michael Lux & the Bad Sons (Subterranean)
I think this might be the first AM Taxi show since Joe Sell of Lucky Boys Confusion passed away, and with two band members in common, it could be an emotional night.

Deer Tick with Turbo Fruits, Scott Lucas & the Married Men (Metro)
Sooner or later, there's going to be a festival consisting only of bands with "Deer" or "Panda" in their names. Count on it. I can't keep track of them anymore, although I think Deerhunter might be the one I like. Or Antlers, who sort of match the specifications.

Chicago Blues Festival (Grant Park)
As ever, there are a whole lot of acts on the small stages and earlier in the day that probably do Chicago's musical heritage proud. The main stage at Petrillo Music Shell features a celebration of Muddy Waters and the guys who carried on his tradition, followed by Floyd Taylor.

6.10   sunday
Radiohead with Caribou (First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, Tinley Park)
Having seen some live clips of the band in support of The King Of Limbs, what intrigues me most is all the interplay between Phil Selway, additional touring drummer Clive Deamer and whoever else happens to pick up a stick and hit things. Unfortunately, I can't imagine that will translate well out in Tinley Park.

Ribfest Chicago (Lincoln, Damen & Irving Park)
The proceedings close out strong in North Center, with Heartless Bastards and the near-ubiquitous Miles Nielsen & the Rusted Hearts topping the bill.

Iron & Wine with Dr. John (Ravinia Festival, Highland Park)
Given the propensity for a slightly older crowd picnicking on the lawn, I guess the "Wine" part is wholly appropriate. And Dr. John seems likely to land on some top ten lists at the end of the year for his new album.

Chicago Blues Festival (Grant Park)
Mavis Staples headlines the third night of the annual lakefront fest, capping off a celebration of women in blues.