list.in.to.chicago this week: 11.12.2012

Two shows this week from bands who came from television shows.

Pick of the week
Curious to see what Trixie Whitley (Wednesday at Schubas) is up to on her own, and I feel bad that I won two tickets and can't go because I got the date wrong. And the two-night stand at Park West from Aimee Mann and Ted Leo could pass as a songwriting clinic. Finally, the description of that Menahan Street Band on Friday at Double Door sounds pretty appealing.

list.in.to.COZ
If I get this thing done in the next few minutes, I'll be at Vaughan's.

Recap
Pretty exhausted mentally after the election last week, and then physically after my not-so-triumphant return to fitness classes, so no music for me.

11.13   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
Our first week without Andy behind the bar. This might get emotional. But it probably won't.

Tame Impala with The Amazing (Metro)
One of those current bands whose name I see a lot, but nothing about them has grabbed my attention enough to make me want to have a listen for some reason.

11.14   wednesday
The Joy Formidable (Metro)   SOLD OUT!
This is upstairs in a space called the "Top Note Theatre" at the Wrigleyville venue, which is something I have not seen very often. Or ever.

Aimee Mann, Ted Leo (Park West)
It sounds like the pairing of the former 'Til Tuesday singer and the indie-punk rocker has been a good combination, if Mann's Twitter feed is any indication.

A Place to Bury Strangers with Bleeding Rainbow (Empty Bottle)
I'm starting to think that "really, really loud" might not be enough of a description of this band, but that's still the dominant reaction I had to seeing them a few years ago.

Trixie Whitley with Buffalo Rodeo, Dumpster Hunter (Schubas)
Okay, I thought so. Trixie Whitley is not only the singer on Daniel Lanois' Black Dub album (and subsequent tour), but she's the daughter of the late Texas singer/songwriter, Chris Whitley.

11.15   thursday
The dB's with Outside World (Hideout)
The Reader states this is "one of those bands whose influence transcends their popularity," particularly for Midwestern power pop. So for $20 at this small a venue seems like a great value for the money, if there are any tickets left.

Fun. (Riviera Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
There's something just a little too precious about this band for me. It's like this particular strain of indie music is so lacking in teeth that I feel like I'm getting gummed to death listening to it.

UFO with Hessler (House of Blues)
This, on the other hand, is going to rawk. Not rock, but RAWK.

Aimee Mann, Ted Leo (Park West)
See Wednesdays' listing.

11.16   friday
Menahan Street Band with Soul Summit DJs (Double Door)
The "instrumental New York soul-funk combo" was apparently the backing band for the last record from Charles Bradley, although I don't think they backed him up on tour. That's enough to get me intrigued.

Dethklok with Machine Head (Aragon Ballroom)
If the name is familiar, it may be because they're the band on the Adult Swim cartoon Metalocalypse. The live band includes series creator Brendan Small along with heavyweights like metal drummer Gene Hoglan and one of my favorite guitarists, Mike Keneally.

The Monkees (Chicago Theatre)
So, it took Davy Jones' death to get the rest of the band back together. I've seen some positive headlines from the early dates on the tour, but haven't clicked through to read the actual reviews.

The dB's with Outside World (Hideout)
See Thursday's listing.

11.17   saturday
Duncan Sheik with Alpha Rev, Courrier, Laura Warshauer (SPACE, Evanston)
No, I can't name any of his songs other than the XRT staple "Barely Breathing," either.

Scott Lucas & the Married Men with Purple Apple (Double Door)
I heard "Bound For The Floor" from Local H as a bumper during the Bears game the other night. I have to wonder how much money Scott Lucas gets when something like that happens.

11.18   sunday
Bow Wow Wow with Men Without Hats (Mayne Stage)
Are there any other one-hit wonders whose one hit was a cover of someone else's song? Also, I enjoyed the hell out of Men Without Hats last year when they played at a street festival in Roscoe Village, probably more than I had a right to.