list.in.to.chicago this week: 12.09.2013

Sorry, more file transfer issues. Apparently the Internet pipes froze last night. Anyway, it looks like the Elbo Room is actually in the online listings for the Reader. I don't know if this is a new development, or if I just hadn't noticed because I hadn't heard of any of the bands that play there these days.

Pick of the week
Yeah, so I would have to turn in my rock guy card if I didn't call your attention to Blue Oyster Cult and Foghat at the Copernicus Center on Friday. Also a big fan of Grood on Friday at Martyrs', and the Breeders at Metro on Saturday might be fun.

list.in.to.COZ
Vaughan's on Tuesday, and again next week, and then that's it for the year. Although Diver picks up again on January 4th.

Recap
Out of town for the weekend, and the New York trip did not have any opportunities to see shows out east.

12.09   monday
Andrew Bird (Fourth Presbyterian Church)   SOLD OUT!
So apparently looping plucked violin strings and whistling in a church is really, really popular, as this annual run of shows from the local singer/songwriter is once again sold out. If it were up to me, I would cover at least one song from Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. Because it's a Presbyterian church.

The Kills with U.S. Girls (The Vic)
I think I mentioned it a few weeks ago when I mistook Cults for them, but my big issue with The Kills is that there's no way for the foundation of the songs to breathe, given that it's all a bed of pre-recorded tracks. So it ends up sounding sterile to me, which is in direct odds with how much energy Jamie Hince and Alison Mosshart are putting out on top of it.

Paramore with Robin Thicke, Enrique Iglesias, Flo Rida, Icona Pop, Avril Lavigne, Travie McCoy, Fifth Harmony (United Center)
Top billing on the KISS-FM holiday show is forcing me to reclassify Paramore as more pop than rock. Which is probably where I should have put them a while ago.

12.10   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
Only two more chances to hear "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" as sung by yours truly. This may or may not be a selling point.

Panic! at the Disco with Portugal. The Man, Ms Mr, Nonono (Aragon Ballroom)
For the first night of their pair of holiday shows, Q87.7 goes back to a format that worked well for them at one point in the Q101 era, which is getting a bunch of bands who aren't quite big enough for the Aragon on their own, but collectively will make for a pretty good show.

Andrew Bird (Fourth Presbyterian Church)   SOLD OUT!
See Monday's listing.

12.11   wednesday
30 Seconds to Mars with Queens of the Stone Age, Foals, Alt-J, Grouplove (Allstate Arena, Rosemont)
The second leg of the Q87.7 holiday two-fer. Pretty solid lineup here, too, although I don't know that I want to live in a reality where 30 Seconds To Mars is ostensibly bigger than Queens of the Stone Age. Not sure I agree with that bit. Hit the middle three and beat traffic out of Rosemont.

Andrew Bird (Fourth Presbyterian Church)   SOLD OUT!
See Monday's listing.

12.12   thursday
Drake with Miguel, Future (United Center)
So, the line on Drake is that he's some sort of quasi-transformative figure in hip-hop. Or it's just that he's Canadian. Either way, he snagged a couple of Grammy nominations last week on his own and as a contributor for a few other artists.

Disappears with Lichens, Implodes (Empty Bottle)
The local indie band seems to have successfully transitioned from "the band that the guy from Sonic Youth played drums in" to "the band that the guy from Sonic Youth used to play drums in." I've only seen them once (in that earlier version) and while they were okay, they didn't blow me away or anything. This is also an anniversary party for Kranky Records.

Tim Easton with Rebecca Rego, Aimee Bueno (Beat Kitchen)
Last I heard, singer/songwriter Rebecca Rego had moved out of town, so I'm guessing maybe she's back for the holidays. Or for a good singer/songwriter showcase.

Andrew Bird (Fourth Presbyterian Church)   SOLD OUT!
See Monday's listing.

12.13   friday
Grood with Whysowhite, Kane Place Record Club (Martyrs')
They've played without him before, but I don't know what's in store for the "strangefunk" ensemble now that drummer Matt Walker has rejoined Morrissey's band. This is their annual "ACTual Show," which adds an additional level of performance art to the prog-influenced tunes.

Bottle Rockets with Otis Gibbs (Hideout)
This band probably pre-dates Wilco in the alt-country/Americana genre, but never quite took off they way it looked like they were going to in the beginning.

Tributosaurus (Wire, Berwyn)
In which they reprise their Christmas Spectacular from last week.

Blue Oyster Cult with Foghat (Copernicus Center)
The Northwest side venue continues to own the late 70s.

Beyonce (United Center)
It's at least been a little while since the last barrage of high-profile pop acts, so maybe the collective audience has been able to recover enough to buy tickets. Although that audience might be big enough that there's not as much overlap from show to show as I would imagine.

12.14   saturday
The Breeders with Speedy Ortiz (Metro)
We're still in that sweet spot of 25th and 20th anniversaries of albums from my formative years, which makes for some good tours to revisit those records. This time, it's The Breeders playing 1993's Last Splash (aka "the one with 'Cannonball' on it") and also Pod in their entirety.

Eiren Caffall & Lawrence Peters with Tiny Cover Band, Adventure Sandwich, Velcro Lewis Group (Hideout)
Not sure about the rest of the bill, but apparently the headliners will be covering the songs from Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas. Which is pretty cool.

12.15   sunday
The Head and the Heart with Dawes, Thao & the Get Down Stay Down (Chicago Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
XRT rounds out the radio station holiday show docket this week with some folk- and bar room-rock acts.

Kenny G (City Winery)
I think Jeannine originally dared me to go to this show, but that was before realizing the tickets were a hundred bucks. Ironically enduring pain is one thing, but not at that price.