list.in.to.chicago this week: 11.24.2014

I am, once again, giving thanks for living in a city with so much great live music.

Pick of the week
A bunch of decent-but-not-breathtaking shows this week, because I assume you can't get tickets for the Pumpkins. Those include Johnny Marr (Tuesday at the Vic) and Angel Olsen (Saturday at Thalia Hall).

list.in.to.COZ
Kicking off Grinch season at Vaughan's on Tuesday.

Recap
"If you had told me ten years ago that I'd be headlining Lincoln Hall on a Friday night, I would have said 'What's Lincoln Hall?'" So said longtime Chicago music scene vet Jason Narducy. His voice was a bit ragged from travel with Bob Mould, and his band was maybe a bit underrehearsed, but Split Single has the songs to put up a good fight under adverse circumstances. We did regret not seeing more of Bailiff, who had great tone and a nice swampy blues vibe.

11.25   tuesday
Open Jam (Vaughan's)   COZ SINGS!
Since the Grinch is making an appearance at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony down at the Daley Plaza, I guess it's time to start the holiday stretch at Vaughan's.

Johnny Marr with Meredith Sheldon (The Vic)
Saw him the last time he came through, and the former Smiths guitarist put on a really strong show. To be honest, I liked hearing him play "How Soon Is Now" more than I liked hearing Morrissey do it.

Death (DTA Tours) with Obituary, Massacre, Rivers of Mind (Metro)
So this is more of an ongoing tribute to Chuck Schuldiner, founder of the band Death, and pretty much of the sub-genre of death metal, who died of cancer in 2001.

Death From Above 1979 with Biblical (Riviera Theatre)
Okay, that's going to be confusing with the Metro show going on the same night.

11.26   wednesday
Smashing Pumpkins (Thalia Hall)   SOLD OUT!
I'm wondering what happened to that teenage wunderkind Billy got to replace Jimmy Chamberlin on drums, since Tommy Lee plays on at least some of the new record, and Rage Against The Machine's Brad Wilk is behind the kit on this "surprise" show down in Pilsen. Might not have been ready for prime time? Also, this may be the first time the Pumpkins have ever played without a female bass player.

Devin Townsend Project with Animals As Leaders, Monuments (Metro)
You may remember Townsend from that one Steve Vai album with Terry Bozzio on drums, but you probably don't. Or maybe Strapping Young Lad, which also featured Gene Hoglan on drums, who also played with Death. Continuity, bitches!

Art Alexakis (City Winery)
The former frontman of Everclear is also a bit of a political activist, so I expect he'll have something to say between songs this week.

11.27   thursday
Joey DeFrancesco Trio (Jazz Showcase)
Pretty sure the jazz organist always plays the Showcase over Thanksgiving. Or at least frequently.

11.28   friday
Lucinda Williams with The Kenneth Brian Band (The Vic)
Every studio album since her breakthrough Car Wheels on a Gravel Road has surpassed that record's performance on the U.S. album charts, but I don't think any of them had quite the same impact.

Lydia Loveless with Baby Money, Girls (Lincoln Hall)
The alt-country singer/songwriter from Ohio has gotten her share of critical acclaim over the last couple of years, and is signed to Bloodshot Records, as up-and-coming alt-country acts are wont to do.

Fletcher Rockwell with Fleix & Lyons, Al Neve, Butterfly in Traffic (Double Door)
We've played with the headliners at other Shoeshine Boy shows. I'm going to go out on a limb and say they were one of the ones we liked.

Late Night Radio with Krooked Drivers (Schubas)
This was on my list of possible band names for years. Honestly, I think it would work better for a cover band.

Joey DeFrancesco Trio (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing.

11.29   saturday
Angel Olsen with Lionlimb, State Champion (Thalia Hall)
Nominally indie folk, Olsen's new record earlier this year got a bunch of good reviews. I remember liking it, but don't exactly remember why.

Trey Anastasio Band (Aragon Ballroom)
For all your noodle-dancing needs. I never really had a jam-band phase, so I never really got into Phish.

Haerts with Mikky Ekko (Schubas)
Two shows, and the late show is sold out. The Brooklyn band has just enough of a retro 80s vibe (complete with big, gated, Phil Collins-style toms added as pure texture) that makes them sound not unlike an updated version of Berlin at first listen.

Ha Ha Tonka with Damn Choir, Michael Chorvat (Subterranean)
This is mostly just here so I can get to the next joke. The Missouri band is also signed to Chicago's Bloodshot Records.

Har Mar Superstar with Pizza Underground, Toby Goodshank, Tickle Torture (Double Door)
Aside from "this night is brought to you by the letter H," you may or may not know that Pizza Underground is a band led by none other than Macaulay Culkin.

Miles Nielsen & the Rusted Hearts with Ron Lazzaretti and friends (FitzGerald's, Berwyn)
Everyone's favorite son of a member of Cheap Trick who now fronts his own band, who may have made the list more often than anyone else in 2014. Not that I'm counting.

Joey DeFrancesco Trio (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing.

11.30   sunday
Joey DeFrancesco Trio (Jazz Showcase)
See Thursday's listing.