list.in.to.chicago this week: 11.04.2013

If my memory serves, Thursday is the 36th anniversary of my first-ever drum lesson. If my memory doesn't serve, I'm still pretty sure it was in the first week of November.

Pick of the week
Going with the two shows I'll likely be attending this week, those being The Fratellis on Wednesday at Metro and Stuttgart on Thursday at Bottom Lounge.

list.in.to.COZ
Regular office hours at Vaughan's this week. Our next Diver show will be on the 23rd.

Recap
The coolest thing about Hood Smoke at Jerry's was hearing the few songs from Synchronicity that weren't hit singles performed live, particularly "Mother" and "Miss Grandenko." And if I'm honest, Nirvana's Unplugged in New York drags a bit when it's not Nirvana playing it.

Chris Cornell seems to be mixing up his set lists a bit on this tour, which on Friday, unfortunately meant we got a disproportionate number of songs from Cornell's second solo record and Audioslave's third record. Still, there were some high points, including a great acoustic arrangement of "Fell On Black Days," a Zeppelin cover and an impromptu, audience participation-heavy version of "Spoonman." Now if only the seats in the balcony of the theater had been built for people taller than 5'8".

11.04   monday
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Talib Kweli, Big K.R.I.T. (UIC Pavilion)
I have to say, a southern, white, socially progressive hip-hop duo sounds like the most marketable thing ever in this day and age.

Living Colour (SPACE, Evanston)
As with some other bookings at the intimate venue, I have a hard time imagining how a band that sounds this big can work in a room so small. Heck, when they played Double Door, they took up so much space that the drummer from the opening band had to set up on the main floor.

Thomas Dolby's Invisible Lighthouse (Mayne Stage)
James VanOsdol interviewed the forward-thinking singer/songwriter for his podcast a few weeks back, but I don't really listen to podcasts when they're free, let alone when I have to pay for them. Dolby has been all about multimedia experiences for a while now, so I would expect something along those lines.

Sinead O'Connor (City Winery)
Really cynical question: Would O'Connor have said a damn thing about Miley Cyrus a few weeks back if the incendiary Irish singer wasn't about to go out on tour?

11.05   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
We had a female acoustic duo last week that did a pretty cool vocal-and-ukelele arrangement of Radiohead's "Creep." For real.

Pink (United Center)
One of few big pop stars I would ever consider going to see in concert, assuming someone gave me really good seats for free. Seriously, though, I've heard she really gets behind the spectacle of an arena show, and that her songs are better than the standard pop fare.

Living Colour (SPACE, Evanston)
See Monday's listing.

Sinead O'Connor (City Winery)
See Monday's listing.

11.06   wednesday
Fratellis with Ceremonies (Metro)
Every Chicago Blackhawks fan's favorite band has returned after a hiatus that inconveniently started the same year "Chelsea Dagger" became ubiquitous at the United Center during the 2009-2010 Stanley Cup Championship season. Their third record is better than their second, but still doesn't come close to their awesomely titled debut, Costello Music.

Besnard Lakes with Elephant Stone, Secret Colours (Empty Bottle)
The Montreal band has gotten a fair amount of critical acclaim, particularly for The Besnard Lakes Are The Roaring Night, released back in 2010. After headlining Lincoln Hall and opening for Band of Horses in support of that record, they've played Empty Bottle a few times now in the last year and a half.

Tributosaurus (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
This month's edition looks like a good one, as the band becomes The Clash.

Sinead O'Connor (City Winery)
See Monday's listing.

11.07   thursday
Stuttgart with Lucky 3 Blues Band, Ambassadors to Earth (Bottom Lounge)
If you paid any attention to local music in Chicago over the last fifteen or twenty years, you will probably recognize Matt Walker, Preston Graves, and Scott Tallarida, who are the principal trio behind this new band. Pretty sure they're giving away a free EP to everyone who shows up.

Muggsy Bogues with Brian, Swearwords (Quenchers)
How much do you want to bet that this is a band hoping to follow in the footsteps of another band that started their career named after a serviceable NBA point guard? Bonus points if you know who I'm referring to.

Kanye West with Kendrick Lamar (United Center)
He's gotten so big so fast, you almost forget that Kanye West started out as bit of an innovative underdog and upstart in mainstream hip-hop. And then opener Kendrick Lamar was on a ton of top ten lists last year.

11.08   friday
Grant Hart with Laurence Bond Miller, Hawkfist, Jerry the Bear (Red Line Tap)
This is at least the second time that the former Hüsker Dü drummer-turned-solo artist has played the tiny Rogers Park venue.

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue with Marrow (The Vic)
Louisiana funk and jazz can be pretty irresistable when done well, and everything I've heard about Trombone Shorty indicates he does it well.

Tributosaurus (Martyrs')   FRIENDS OF COZ!
One or two of the guys from Tributosaurus are actually responsible for the new suburban venue, so no surprise that they've added what looks to be a regularly scheduled encore of their monthly Martyr's appearance.

11.09   saturday
The Fab Faux (Chicago Theatre)
This Beatles cover band is anchored by bassist Will Lee from Letterman's band, and he's such a strong and versatile musician that you know he'll do the material justice.

This Must Be The Band (Riviera Theatre)
By far the biggest venue I've seen for the local Talking Heads tribute, as they mount another performance of the Stop Making Sense concert movie.

John Moulder Quintet (Green Mill)
One of my favorite local jazz guitarists, who I haven't seen in quite a while.

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue with Marrow (The Vic)
See Friday's listing.

Kanye West with Kendrick Lamar (United Center)
See Thursday's listing.

11.10   sunday
Sleigh Bells with Doldrums (Metro)
Bands like this seem borne out of our ADHD culture, in that they seem to be always going 90 miles an hour at full volume or else risk losing their audience to their smartphones. I don't get it.

Sebadoh with Octa#grape (Schubas)
This would be pretty much the polar opposite of Sleigh Bells, as the venerable lo-fi band is a lot more willing to play slow and quiet.