list.in.to.chicago this week: 04.14.2014

So, yeah, last week got away from me. Sorry about that. Welcome to another edition of "Coz lists sold out shows as a means of finding out who the kids are listening to these days." With surprising results!

Pick of the week
Going to go heavy this week, with local hard rock trio Chevelle at House of Blues on Thursday and Friday, and Ghost on Saturday at the Vic.

list.in.to.COZ
Just Vaughan's this week, which is to say I was completely wrong all the times I told the crowd at Fado we'd be back in two weeks when we played there two Saturdays ago. Oops.

Recap
Caught Telstar and Waiflike on Thursday as part of the International Pop Overthrow festival at Red Line Tap. Always great to see Tony flex his muscles for the annual show from his power pop trio, and then Waiflike brought a slightly heavier version of that vibe.

I was a little disappointed with Frank Catalano and Jimmy Chamberlin on Saturday night at Martyrs', mostly because it struck me as a pretty garden-variety jazz gig. Could have been anybody, really. The Humble Organisms were a bit more engaging as an opening act, even if their jazz versions of pop and rock tunes had a certain sameness to the arrangements. And I'm assuming that in local jazz circles, Frank Catalano's speaking voice gets imitated a lot.

4.15   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
There is a nearly 100% chance somebody will play "Taxman" by the Beatles tonight. Maybe even twice.

The National with Daughter (Chicago Theatre)
They're not a bad band at all, but I'm still a bit surprised that The National could pull off four shows at the Chicago Theatre. Three, or possibly all four, were posting as sold out, but then they released enough tickets to each that they still seem to have some left. To be fair, they are a very good live band, and I liked what I heard from Daughter when that record came out last year.

4.16   wednesday
Storm Large (SPACE, Evanston)
You may recall Storm from that second season of Rock Star that also featured Chicago's own Matt Hoffer. Or as the fill-in singer for pop-jazz band Pink Martini. Either way, she can always fall back on an obvious career as a meteorologist.

X Ambassadors with Parade of Lights (Schubas)   SOLD OUT!
Half a song into their latest EP has me thinking the Ithaca, NY band is another marketing department's idea of what modern rock music sounds like. Overwrought, over-produced, electronic-influenced in a sort of second-generation Imagine Dragons way. Apparently that's enough to sell out a small room.

The National with Daughter (Chicago Theatre)
See Tuesday's listing.

4.17   thursday
Chevelle with Middle Class Rut, Nothing More (House of Blues)
The Grayslake trio came out of the gate strong back in 1995, but never quite equaled the success of their first couple of records. Still, it's pretty good heavy guitar music, and lord knows we need more of that.

Tokyo Police Club with Geographer, Said The Whale (Lincoln Hall)   SOLD OUT!
Pretty straight-up pop punk from the suburbs of Toronto.

Willy Porter with Simon Townshend (City Winery)
Not sure how the brother of Pete Townshend got paired up with an acoustic singer/songwriter from Madison, but there you have it.

5 Seconds of Summer with Jackson Guthy (Riviera Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
If nothing else, the most appropriate band name of the week. Musically, if you've been thinking to yourself that we need more bands that sound almost exactly like Fall Out Boy, only with blatant commercial product placement in the song itself, then you're in luck!

The National with Daughter (Chicago Theatre)
See Tuesday's listing.

4.18   friday
Twenty-One Pilots with Nonono, Hunter Hunted (Riviera Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
So, anyway, I went into this week thinking I'd check out some of these bands I haven't heard of that are playing sold out shows this week, and see if there's something that catches my ear, but holy shit, it's all crap. Seriously. This is terrible, terrible music. Now pull up your pants. And get off my lawn.

G. Love & Special Sauce with Ethan Tucker, O'My's (Metro)
It's the 20th anniversary of the band's first record, which finds three of the original members back together for the first time in eight years.

Chevelle with Middle Class Rut, Nothing More (House of Blues)
See Thurday's listing.

The National with Daughter (Chicago Theatre)
See Tuesday's listing.

4.19   saturday
Ghost with King Dude (The Vic)
So, the Swedish death metal band that inspired the sacrilicious burger at Kuma's Corner is back with their papal costumes and ridiculously inappropriate vintage four-piece drum kit.

Paper Thick Walls with Burnside & Hooker, Simpleton & Cityfolk, Kevin Daniel & Friends, Felix & Lyons (Metro)
This is a Shoeshine Boy Productions show, and I think the reason we played the one a month earlier was because Metro wouldn't have had enough ampersands for the marquee. I've like Paper Thick Walls pretty much every time I've seen them so far.

Delta Rae with Joshua James (Lincoln Hall)   SOLD OUT!
Folk rock from North Carolina that has a bit more of a traditional folk vibe than some of the other post-Mumford banjo bands. And with three siblings here, and two in Chevelle, it's a bit of a family affair on stages around Chicago this week.

Mountain Goats with Kevin Morby (Old Town School of Folk Music)   SOLD OUT!
This will be a good venue for John Darnielle, as his lyrics are his strong suit, and they'll be plenty audible given the acoustics and the lack of a bar inside the room itself.

4.20   sunday
Particle with Freakbass (Lincoln Hall)
Sorta figured all the jam bands would be playing Colorado on 4/20 this year.

Eleventh Dream Day with Jaye Jayle (Hideout)
The venerable indie band has been in residence at Hideout this month.

Mountain Goats with Kevin Morby (Old Town School of Folk Music)
See Saturday's listing.