list.in.to.chicago this week: 08.12.2013

I've never seen you look like this without a reason...

Pick of the week
Because I remain a child of the 80s, Big Country at SPACE in Evanston on Wednesday night.

list.in.to.COZ
Tuesdays at Vaughan's is pretty much it for the next few weeks. Next Diver show is September 7th.

Recap
I didn't go see any shows this week, but heard that Josh Groban kept expressing surprise and gratitude that there were dudes in the audience at Ravinia on Saturday.

Also, I think the bass amp knew we were going to end up playing "Crazy Train" towards the end of the night on Saturday at Fado and surrendered before that could happen.

8.13   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
There actually seems to be a fair amount of mostly local stuff happening on Tuesday, but nobody that I've heard of. I'll be at Vaughan's making noise with the boys, as per usual.

8.14   wednesday
Big Country (SPACE, Evanston)
I love that the SPACE website advises that "if you do not have a reserved table seat, then plan on standing and dancing." Also, drummer Mark Brzezicki in a small room should be pretty cool.

Aristocrats with Doug Johns, M@T8 (Reggie's Rock Club)
This band is made up of Mike Keneally/Joe Satriani/Dethklok bassist (and Westfield, NJ native) Bryan Beller, drummer Marco Minnemann and a guy I haven't heard of named Guthrie Govan on guitar. Should be some high-octane istrumental rock.

Black Crowes with Tedeschi Trucks Band (FirstMerit Bank Pavilion)
So far we've had two really poor concert experiences at the "new" Northerly Island, so I'm starting to wonder if and when audiences start deciding it's not worth it. Probably not this one, as Black Crowes fans are pretty diehard.

8.15   thursday
Robert Randolph & the Family Band with Noah Gabriel (Park West)
The gospel/funk/R&B of Randolph and his "sacred steel" is invigorating on record. I can only imagine how it translates live.

David Hidalgo with David Hidalgo Jr. & Vincent Hidalgo, Jimmy Burns (City Winery)
One of the primary forces in Los Lobos makes it a family affair.

Heatbox with Booty Movement Coalition, Adia & the 7 Eyes (Martyrs')
So the BMC is back? Improvised funk rising from the dust of the late, lamented Sumo.

Cameron McGill with Touch the Clouds, Adam Rubenstein (Burlington)
The small venue and the absence of "and What Army" makes me think this might be either a solo appearance or at least a smaller footprint for McGill.

8.16   friday
Mutts with Myles Coyne & the Rusty Nickel Band, Kellen & Me (Tonic Room)
An unrelated Costello out in New York told me about Mutts a while ago, but I haven't had the chance to check them out yet.

Black Sabbath (First Midwest Bank Ampitheatre, Tinley Park)
I've always said that Tinley Park was evil. This show puts that criticism in the best possible light.

8.17   saturday
Buddy Guy with George Thorogood & the Destroyers (Ravinia Festival, Highland Park)
On the one hand, the new Buddy Guy record is fantastic. On the other hand, this is a terrible venue to see him in.

Republic of Lights with Comasoft, Paper Thick Walls, Parallels (Metro)
This is the biggest venue I've seen Paper Thick Walls play, so good for them.

Gogol Bordello (Concord Music Hall)
Okay, to be fair, they should have kept this one down the street at the Congress and had the New York gypsy punks just trash the place once and for all.

8.18   sunday
Jimmy Eat World with Royal Bangs (The Vic)
I think I knew that these guys recently put out another record. What I don't know is why, although the Reader insists that they "have reliably delivered sweetly sincere pop-rock albums good for a few solid songs apiece" since their breakthrough in 2001.