list.in.to.chicago this week: 05.12.2014

To the surprise of almost no one, Sunday's rescheduled Yasiin Bey show at Metro has now been cancelled. And no, I didn't forget Avicii or Lana Del Rey. I just can't even be bothered to snark about either of them.

Pick of the week
Standouts that are not sold out this week include Wye Oak at Metro and Neko Case at the Chicago Theatre on Tuesday night. Then you've got The Ringers on Friday at Martyrs' and Mike Keneally on Saturday at Reggie's Rock Club for the folks who like their good music with a healthy dose of technical proficiency.

list.in.to.COZ
If you don't find me at Vaughan's tonight, there's still Diver at Fado this Saturday.

Recap
Friday night's show from The Both was very pleasant, almost to a fault. I will say that Aimee Mann has been a solo singer/songwriter for so long now that I almost forget she's a bass player. Some great banter moments, including a story about backstage graffiti and Ted Leo trying to pretend he knew stuff about sports.

5.13   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
It will likely be another late start for the Open Jam this week, although at least we've managed to avoid overtime games in this second round of the Blackhawks playoff run.

Wye Oak with Braids (Metro)
Really enjoying the new record from this Baltimore duo, which is a great mix of songwriting and texture.

Neko Case with Dodos (Chicago Theatre)
Her latest album garnered a heck of a lot of praise last year, and her Twitter presence has become legend. Chicago is sort of a second (or maybe third) home for the alt-country singer, so it could be a special night, assuming Kelly Hogan is in town.

Neon Trees with Smallpools, Nightmare & the Cat (Riviera Theatre)
I wouldn't even know who these guys are if we weren't covering "Everybody Talks" in Diver. It's a fun, high-energy song, and it has me at least curious about what else they've got up their sleeves.

Nicholas Barron with E Band (City Winery)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
He's scored some high-profile opening slots at the West Randolph venue, but here he'll be headlining with his own band, including Steve Gillis on drums.

5.14   wednesday
Rodriguez with Wilsen (Chicago Theatre)
The documentary Searching for Sugarman makes the case that Rodriguez was some sort of unheralded musical legend, and strictly speaking, that's accurate. He was certainly unheralded, and his legend in South Africa grew out of the utter lack of available information about him that would be totally impossible now. On a bigger stage, I'm guessing he'll have a full band in tow.

Cage the Elephant with Foals, J. Roddy Watson & the Business (Aragon Ballroom)   SOLD OUT!
The Kentucky alt-rock band can be all over the place, to the point where I really like "Come A Little Closer" and really can't stand "Ain't No Rest For The Wicked." Not to be confused with Young The Giant.

5.15   thursday
Suzanne Vega with Ari Hest (Old Town School of Folk Music)
Another one of those artists who has been doing a lot of good stuff for a long time to the point where there's a core audience that has followed her throughout, and yet outside of that core audience, she's perpetually going to be known for "Luka" and "Tom's Diner" and not much else. Two shows, with the early one selling out.

Randy Brecker & the DePaul University Jazz Big Band (Jazz Showcase)
I'm pretty sure the trumpet-playing (and surviving) half of the Brecker Brothers was a judge for at least one jazz band competition I was in during high school.

5.16   friday
Mogwai with Majeure (The Vic)
The Scottish post-rock band is still at it, and continues to make for good atmospheric background music. And at this point, there may be a generation of fans who don't have the slightest idea what the name refers to.

Foster The People with St. Lucia (Riviera Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
Quickly established as one of the leaders in the subgenre of what I like to call "hipster party music," with a new record that I haven't really listened to yet.

The Ringers (Martyrs')
Looks like four parts jazz-fusion and one part jam band, but all told, it's a stellar bunch of musicians who will likely leave no note unplayed.

Cathy Richardson Band (City Winery)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
So, I wonder if City Winery will just let Steve leave his drums there on Tuesday. Hard to believe I've only seen Richardson once or twice in all the time I've lived in Chicago--she was pretty omnipresent back before she moved out to San Francisco, presumably to be closer to the current incarnation of Jefferson Starship, of which she's a member.

Randy Brecker & the DePaul University Jazz Big Band (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing.

5.17   saturday
DIVER (Fado Irish Pub)   SEE COZ LIVE!
For a moment there, I thought maybe we were in the vicinity of the 10-year anniversary of Diver being a band, but a quick look into the archives tells me we've already passed it. Come out and celebrate with us anyway.

Keneally-Bendian-Lunn with Kava (Reggie's Music Joint)
It's a bit of a different lineup this time for Keneally, who has recently spent a lot of time playing in Joe Satriani's band. Bummed that I have to miss this one.

Haim with Tennis (Riviera Theatre)   SOLD OUT!
Totally appropriate that Jam Productions had an Instagram contest where you upload your best "bass face" to win a pair of tickets to see the three sisters and their drummer. There is some debate as to whether or not that's become schtick now that bass player Este Haim's "expressiveness" has become the subject of such attention.

Local H with Carl Broemel, Tim Jones, Robert Cornelius 7, Split Single (Double Door)
This show is a benefit for the family of Matt Suhar, a local scene fixture who passed away last year.

Randy Brecker & the DePaul University Jazz Big Band (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing.

5.18   sunday
Maximo Park with Eternal Summers (Bottom Lounge)
The UK band's latest is a lot less frenetic than their 2007 breakthrough, Our Earthly Pleasures, but that may have been going on for a while and I just didn't keep up.

Steep Canyon Rangers (City Winery)
It would be awesome if the bluegrass band had a cardboard cutout of frequent tourmate Steve Martin on stage with them.

Randy Brecker & the DePaul University Jazz Big Band (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing.