list.in.to.chicago this week: 12.30.2013

There is no way I could do a comprehensive rundown of New Year's Eve options. There are just too many.

Pick of the week
The annual Buddy Guy residency, starting Friday at Legends, is pretty much an evergreen recommendation. Not sure what Roy Hargove (Tuesday and Wednesday at the Jazz Showcase) has been up to specifically, but he's kept a pretty high standard of quality throughout his career. And then you've got Frank Catalano and Jimmy Chamberlin on Friday at Martyrs', which has the potential to be pretty cool.

list.in.to.COZ
New year, new slate of Diver dates at Fado Irish Pub, starting with this Saturday.

Recap
Only managed to catch a few songs from Steak House Mints a few weeks back before I fully succumbed to the cold that had been creeping up on me. They sounded really good, at least through all the sinus congestion. I wanted a bit more from Leslie Hunt, but I think my expectations went in a weird direction when I read about the District 97 stuff. I was hoping she'd be a bit weirder. Liked the few songs I heard from Temple Schultz, and it's always good to see Gerald Down behind the drums.

12.31   tuesday
Bernie Worrell Orchestra (Reggie's Music Joint)
If you don't have plans yet, this is a free show with one of the founding members of Parliament Funkadelic. This may be the funkiest way to usher in 2014 that you're going to find.

Sons of the Silent Age with New Canyons, Amazing Heeby Jeebies (Mayne Stage)
Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the city, it's the David Bowie tribute from Chris Connelly, Matt Walker, and a cast of seriously good musicians.

Los Lobos (City Winery)
The New Year's set is sold out, but there's still an earlier show from the venerable Latino rock band. Still one of the best live acts in the universe.

Cheech & Chong with War (Chicago Theatre)
I keep seeing commercials for this one on TV, and it actually looks like it could be a lot of fun. A particularly dated kind of fun, but fun nonetheless.

Larry Gray Trio with John Moulder Band (Uncommon Ground)
Not sure if I've ever seen this caliber of jazz at the Wrigleyville coffee shop and performance space. With an 8pm start time, might be a good way to spend the earlier part of the evening.

Jimmy Eat World with Smoking Popes (House of Blues)
Local H with Stoop Goodnoise (Subterranean)
Lucky Boys Confusion with Swizzle Tree (House of Blues Backporch Stage)
Many different flavors of big, local acts from the punkier side of the spectrum.

Motion City Soundtrack with And We Danced (Bottom Lounge)
On record, they're more by-the-book pop punk, but the live show adds some dimension.

Tributosaurus (Martyrs')
They'll be Chicago for the New Year's Eve set, so if you're a horn player without a gig on the big night, it's your own damn fault.

Roy Hargrove Quintet (Jazz Showcase)
A rare engagement at the Showcase that doesn't run Thursday through Sunday, with trumpeter Hargrove playing Monday (or maybe earlier) through Wednesday. Given Joe Segal's aesthetic, I would expect the more traditional side of Hargrove's repertoire, rather than the post-hip hop stuff.

Roky Erickson with Heavy Times, Hounds of Baskerville (Beat Kitchen)
The former frontman of the 13th Floor Elevators has been playing smaller shows in Chicago for a few years now. Often enough that I wonder if he actually lives here now.

1.01   wednesday
Roy Hargrove Quintet (Jazz Showcase)
See Tuesday's listing.

1.02   thursday
Judson Claiborne with Pamphleteers, Hotel Brotherhood (Hideout)
Yeah, I got nothin' tonight, so I'll defer to Time Out Chicago, who describes this show as follows. "The bucolic and mysterious folk-rock of Judson Claiborne shares a bill with locals Pamphleteers, who revive our city's rock heyday of Veruca Salt and the Pumpkins, and the gentle bedroom music of singer-songwriter Hotel Brotherhood."

1.03   friday
Frank Catalano, Jimmy Chamberlin, and friends with Hood Smoke (Martyrs')
The local saxophonist teams up with the former drummer of Smashing Pumpkins for what should be a pretty sonically adventurous night of jazz.

Larry Coryell Trio with Fred Simon (SPACE, Evanston)
Guitarist Coryell teams up with his usual cohorts Larry Gray and Paul Wertico, but up in Evanston for a change.

Buddy Guy, Chicago R&B Kings (Buddy Guy's Legends)
The January residency begins for another year. I think both Friday and Saturday still have tickets available, which likely won't be the case for the rest of the month. And if you haven't gotten his record from last year, it's really, really good.

1.04   saturday
DIVER (Fado Irish Pub)   SEE COZ LIVE!
The first of many Diver shows in 2014, and we've resolved (see what I did there?) to add songs to the set with greater frequency to keep things fresh.

Dread Zeppelin with Mr. Blotto, Blue Dream (Reggie's Rock Club)
I'm not sure which band I'm more surprised is still a thing, Dread Zeppelin or Mr. Blotto.

Tributosaurus (Wire, Berwyn)
The now ceremonial weekend gig in the western suburbs after the main Martyrs' gig every month. Which is to say, still as Chicago.

Buddy Guy with Jimmy Johnson Band (Buddy Guy's Legends)
I think I've only actually been on one of these residency shows once the whole time I've lived in Chicago, and it was one of those nights where it was single digits before the wind chill. Buddy Guy still did his ceremonial stroll out on the sidewalk with his guitar, because, well, why wouldn't he?

1.05   sunday
Ezra Furman with Cameron McGill (SPACE, Evanston)
Not sure if both artists decided to drop their traditional band names for this one, because Ezra Furman and the Harpoons with Cameron McGill and What Army starts to get a bit unwieldy. But it seems like McGill is slowly ramping up his show calendar as of the last couple of months.