list.in.to.chicago this week: 05.26.2014

In which I miss seeing Steve Perry by one night, and enjoy a show in spite of it being at House of Blues.

Pick of the week
In the continuing "playing all the notes" series, the two nights from Scott Henderson, Jeff Berlin and Dennis Chambers (Tuesday and Wednesday at Reggie's Rock Club) should be pretty hot. If I were to pick just one show this week, though, it would probably be Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger on Sunday at Lincoln Hall.

list.in.to.COZ
Just regular office hours at Vaughan's this week. Diver will be back once the World Cup is over.

Recap
Despite my reservations, Elbow did not disappoint in the least on Monday night. Which is all that much more impressive given my lofty expectations. The albums are orchestrated to the point where you have to figure there are lots of overdubs, but the live show dispelled that notion entirely. Richard Jupp does drumming texture better than anybody this side of Glenn Kotche. So many great moments, but the one-two punch of "The Birds" and "Grounds for Divorce" just before the end of the main set was flat-out epic. These guys need to tour the U.S. more often.

We also suspect they were somehow blackmailed by opener John Green, who was godawful, but apparently huge across the pond.

Thanks to CHIRP Radio, I got to see Eels on Saturday, which was a mellow affair that reminded me of a somewhat more gruff version of the last Beck record. Mark Oliver Everett had a certain geeky charm, punctuated by him actually walking into the audience and hugging people after the main set. My only regret is that I missed Journey's Steve Perry sitting in with the band by one night. Seriously. That is a thing that happened.

5.27   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
So, the new tunes (Elbow and Arctic Monkeys) last week could have gone a bit better. You would think I might have worked on them over the long weekend, but you would think wrong.

Scott Henderson, Jeff Berlin, and Dennis Chambers with Zeppelin Jazz Project (Reggie's Rock Club)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
It's a jazz fusion power trio, and what's even more impressive is that it's two nights in the big room on South State Street. And the Zeppelin Jazz Project includes Vijay Tellis-Nayak, among other local notables.

Barry Gibb (United Center)
The BG from the Bee Gees is certainly a key figure in the disco revolution and the R&B that pre-dated it, but I'm a bit surprised at the size of the venue.

5.28   wednesday
A Tribute to Wilco (Uncommon Ground)
20 local artists will be performing 40 Wilco songs over two nights to benefit Rock For Kids. Features a raffle and silent auction with items donated by the band.

MØ with Erik Hassle (Lincoln Hall)   SOLD OUT!
Part of what seems to be an emerging strain of female pop music with a bit more artistic weight, along with the likes of Robyn, Lorde and Haim.

Scott Henderson, Jeff Berlin, and Dennis Chambers with Xavier Breaker Coalition (Reggie's Rock Club)
See Tuesday's listing.

5.29   thursday
A Tribute to Wilco (Uncommon Ground)   FRIENDS OF COZ!
See Wednesday's listing, only this time, our own Andrew Fraker is part of the proceedings.

Conor Oberst with Dawes (Metro)   SOLD OUT!
The prolific Bright Eyes auteur and Nebraska native has just released another album under his own name, which is two in a row since the last one from his band.

Soundtrack Serenade performs This Is Spinal Tap (Martyrs')
This variation on the theme of playing classic albums in their entirely tackles soundtracks, and this one will go to 11. And can be none more black.

Chris Siebold & Psycles (Cobra Lounge)
A short early set from the local guitarist and songwriter as part of the Vic's Drum Shop happy hour series.

5.30   friday
Do-Division Fest (Division between Damen and Leavitt)
Festival season is upon us. First night includes High on Fire, JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound, Oozing Wound, Marrow, Basic Cable, and the O'My's.

Miles Nielsen & the Rusted Hearts with Trapper Schoepp (FitzGerald's, Berwyn)
I feel like this double bill encapsulates a sort of "new" midwestern strain of rock, which crosses the alt-country movement of the last 15 years with some power pop sensibility.

Pseudogod with Wrathprayer, Sacrocurse, Diabolical Messiah, Infernal Sacrament, Hellfire Deathcult (Beat Kitchen)
I'm guessing...bluegrass?

Subdudes (House of Blues)
The New Orleans roots-rock band has been at it since 1987, with one six-year break in the middle and far fewer "former members" than you would expect from a band that old.

Fareed Haque (Mayne Stage)
John McLean last week, Fareed this week. Suddenly we're revisiting the Chicago jazz guitar scene of the late 90s and early 00s.

Conor Oberst with Dawes (Metro)   SOLD OUT!
See Thursday's listing.

5.31   saturday
Kishi Bashi with Busman's Holiday (Metro)
The classically-trained violinist has played with the likes of Regina Spektor and Of Montreal, and reminds me a bit of those slightly psychedelic multi-instrumentalist indie-rock collectives that started to be a thing about 8 or 10 years ago. Which means I hear a bit of Polyphonic Spree and maybe Broken Social Scene or early Arcade Fire. Definitely hearing some Yeasayer in there, too.

High on Fire with Sweet Cobra (Empty Bottle)
Headlining set from the stoner rock band after their festival appearance on Friday.

Do-Division Fest (Division between Damen and Leavitt)
Day two features Bass Drum of Death, JD McPherson, Screaming Females, Weeks, Make-Overs, and others.

6.01   sunday
Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger with Syd Arthur (Lincoln Hall)
Really solid modern psychedelic rock album from a band that features Sean Lennon, but they don't seem to brag about it.

Miles Nielsen & the Rusted Hearts with Vivian McConnell, Daniela Sloan, Sonny Apollo (Hideout)
Rick Nielsen's kid continues on into the city, but leaves Trapper Schoepp out in Berwyn.

High on Fire with Bongripper (Empty Bottle)
I hope that anybody who sees their Do-Division set on Friday and both of their Empty Bottle aftershows has invested in earplugs.

J Mascis (Subterranean)
With the Dinosaur Jr frontman not wrapping up at Do-Division until 10pm, I'm guessing this is a late start for the aftershow.

Do-Division Fest (Division between Damen and Leavitt)
Closing out the festivities with People Under the Stairs, J Mascis, Slow Magic, Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Barber Green, and others.