I didn't realize it was Thursday yesterday so I didn't get a Reader so this will be missing some outlying dates but if there's anything you need to know for the weekend I'll post it tonight. It's been a weird couple of weeks. Worst blizzard in 30 years is, um, disorienting and extremely time consuming, especially any effort to leave the house and go somewhere. Garbage hasn't been collected in almost three weeks, but the snow makes everything sparkly in the streetlights and you can kind of tell where people get the idea of putting droopy marshmallow frosting on gingerbread houses. The snow melts a little, then slides a little then freezes in that place and more snow comes. Well. . .I digress. So I started a new job the Monday after the blizzard--same as the old job but a new project which I just love everything about--people, the building, the office, the work, but especially the people. Haven't liked a job so much in ten years. Then I had this amazing party that lasted 8.5 hours and I wouldn't have wanted it to end a minute sooner. Thought I should say that since Mel posted something I wrote kind of out of context which made it sound a little like I couldn't wait for the Postcarders and P2ers to go home which was not the case. This crowd knows how to just keep on makin' the best time! So it took a day or so to recover from that (although I still can't figure out how to get the furniture back where it was before!) plus all of which I've had an awful cold this week. That's how come I didn't know it was Thursday yesterday and didn't get a Reader. So, without further ado, here's the Chicago calendar-- HAVE FUN! Special days copped from Heather's Li'l Country Calendar, available for $12 from The Record Roundup, 2034 W. Montrose *= new or revised since last time 1/15: Don Caballero at Fireside Bowl 1/15: Number One Cup at 15th Street in Denver 1/15: Birthday of Martin Luther King and Captain Beefheart 1/15: The Tarts (and three other bands) at Double Door 1/15-16: Flaco Jimenez y Su Conjunto w/Alejandro Escovedo at FitzGeralds 1/16: Casolando, Trigger Gospel at Double Door 1/16: The Mary Janes at Martyrs 1/17: Steve Earle's birthday *1/19: Peter Himmelman at Schubas 1/19: Number One Cup at Bernies in Columbus OH 1/19: RELS: Re-ish: Solomon Burke, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Lisa Germano, John Hiatt, Curtis Mayfield, Tom Paxton, More New Orleans Party Classics (Rhino) 1/19: Birthday of Dolly Parton (yay!) and Phil Everly 1/20: Number One Cup at Euclid in Cleveland *1/21: Casolando, 6-8 p.m. at the Chicago Cultural Center, Opening Reception for El Alma del Pueblo art exhibit *1/21: Heather's Li'l Country Calendar comes to life in the Honky Tonk Living Room at the Hideout with Jon Langford, Robbie Fulks, Kelly Hogan, Moonshine Willy, the Texas Rubies, Chris Ligon, Say Zuzu, Anna Fermin, Freakwater, Brett Sparks, Anastasia Davies, Lennie Dietsch, Herbie Joe Reith (no Scott Ligon). Plus late set with songs by Gina Black, Steve Dawson & Diane Christiansen, Nora O'Connor. Plus opening set by Lone Star State. Emcees: Neal Pollack and Honky Tonk Man. 1/21: Old 97s at Lounge Ax, Devil in a Woodpile opens 1/21: Chris Mills at Hopcats Brewery 1/21: Lead Belly's birthday 1/22: Old 97s at Lounge Ax, Kelly Hogan opens *1/23: Robin Zander's birthday (unaccountably omitted from Heather's Li'l Country Calendar) 1/21: Number One Cup at Ottobar in Baltimore 1/22: Number One Cup at Khyber/Nick in Philadelphia 1/22: Jon Langford, Andrew Bird and Diane Izzo at Metro 1/23: Warren Zevon and Amy Rigby at Park West 1/23: Number One Cup at Mercury Lounge in NYC 1/24: Number One Cup at Maxwell's in Hoboken 1/25: Number One Cup at Century in Providence RI 1/25: Etta James' birthday 1/26: Number One Cup at Middle East in Boston 1/26: Here Be Monsters at Schubas 1/26: RELS: Re-ish-John Fahey, Four Tops, Kenny 1/28: Chris Mills at Hopcats Brewery 1/29: Robbie Fulks at FitzGeralds 1/28: NDRadio: Kelly Hogan on WNUR's Airplay program 1/28: Jon Langford w/John Rice and Kelly Hogan, accoustic in the cafe of the Chicago Cultural Center, Michigan Ave at Randolph, 6:30-8:30 1/29: Pete Seeger at People's Church, 941 W. Lawrence *1/30: Sam Prekop, Town& Country at the Empty Bottle 1/29: Menthol at Metro 1/30: Dolly Varden at Schubas 1/30: Number One Cup at Bug Jar in Rochester 1/30: Lonnie Brooks at FitzGeralds 1/30: Sloan at Metro 1/30: Sinead Lohan at Double Door 1/30: Koko Taylor at House of Blues 1/31: Johnny Rotten's birthday (also a full moon) 2/1: Number One Cup at Black in D.C. 2/2: RELS: Built to Spill, Cesar Rosas; Re-ish--ABBA, Johnny Cash, Miles Davis, Roy Orbison, Sugarhill Gang/Grandmaster Flash 2/2: Number One Cup at Local 506 in Chapel Hill 2/3: Number One Cup at New Brookland in Columbia SC *2/4: The Riptones in the Honky Tonk Living Room at the Hideout 2/4: Number One Cup at the 40 Watt in Athens *2/5: Flat Earth Records Showcaseat Schubas featuring: John P. Strohm (formerly of Blake Babies, Antenna), United States Three and Lola (featuring members of Mary Janes and Mysteries of Life) 2/5: Cash Money at the Empty Bottle 2/5: Number One Cup atthe Milk Bar in Jacksonville *2/6: The Blacks at Schubas 2/6: Number One Cup at the Covred Dish in Gainesville 2/7: Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Masters at the Old Town School 2/7: Number One Cup at The Rubb in Tampa 2/8: Number One Cup at the Go Lounge in Orlando 2/9: RELS: Sparklehorse, John Wesley Harding, Beth Orton, Sam Prekop, Trio II (Dolly, Emmylou & Linda), also what could be an interesting soundtrack, Jawbreaker, with The Donnas, Letters to Cleo, Shampoo, etc.; Re-ish -- Gene Autry, The Bad Livers (Dust on the Bible!), The Byrds, Rokey Erickson, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis, Lou Reed 2/9: Number One Cup at Cowhaus in Tallahassee 2/10: Number One Cup at the Bayou in Baton Rouge 2/10: Alex Chilton & the Box Tops at House of Blues 2/11: Number One Cup at Rudyard's in Houston 2/11: BR5-49 at FitzGeralds *2/12: Semisonic at the Vic *2/13: NRBQ w/ Steve Ferguson at FitzGeralds 2/13: Edith Frost/Lullaby for the Working Class at the Empty Bottle *2/13: Scrawl at Lounge Ax *2/13: Casolando Valentine's Eve show at Schubas 2/13: The Cardigans at Metro *2/14: The Black Crowes at the Aragon 2/15-16: Mardi Gras with Terrence Simien at FitzGerald's 2/16: RELS: The Damnations TX (YAY!!), Mandy Barnett; Re-ishFlaco Jimenez 2/18: Cow Lily in the Honky Tonk Living Room at the Hideout *2/19: Ellis Paul at Schubas 2/20: Dave Alvin & The Guilty Men at FitzGerald's 2/20: Iris DeMent at the Old Town School *2/20: June of '44 at Lounge Ax 2/21: Lauryn Hill at the Chicago Theater (2/20 is sold out) 2/22: Jon Langford's Skull Orchard, Andrew Bird and Diane Izzo at Metro 2/23: RELS: Steve Earle and the Del McDoury Band, Sebadoh, Paul Westerberg, Kelly Willis; Re-ish--Dave Edmunds, Merle Haggard, Lightnin' Hopkins, The Meat Puppets, Ricky Nelson, Willie Nelson *2/24: Hoot Night at Schubas: Songs about Boys' Names *2/26: Alvin Youngblood Hart at Schubas *2/27: Waco Brothers "Waco World" release party at Schubas 2/27: Tito Puente at House of Blues 3/2: RELS: Red House Painters; Re-ish--Marvin Gaye 3/6: Don Walser & The Pure Texas Band at the Old Town School *3/6: Bloodshot CD release party: The Riptones, at Schubas 3/9: RELS: WILCO 3/10: Brian Wilson at the Rosemont Theater 3/12: Blind Boys of Alabama at the Old Town School *3/12: Dan Bern at 8; Split Lip Rayfield and Slobberbone at 10 at Schubas *3/19: NDTV: Steve Earle & the Del McCoury Band on Conan 3/26: Dr. Demento plays Oshkosh, WI if yer lookin' for a road trip *4/8: Chris Mills 4/17: Kate & Anna McGarrigle at The Old Town School *4/27: RELS: Backsliders 5/8: Chris Smither and Steve Forbert at the Old Town School Band Names O' the Week: Against All Authority shares a bill with Billyclub at Metro 2/6; runner up, Gift to the Greedy at Fireside Bowl 1/17 Devil in a WoodpileTuesdays at the Hideout, Sundays at Merle's BBQ in Evanston. Wednesday, Rob and Nan Bloodshot alternate on good country turntable at Delilah's. Torch piano-and-bass impresario Patricia Barber follows the original and still champion Uptown Poetry Slam at the Green Mill Sundays. And there's always The Blue Man Group until further notice. PHONE FIRST! Double Door 773-489-3160 Empty Bottle 773-276-3600 FitzGeralds 708-788-2118 Hideout 773-227-4433 Hot House 312-362-9707 (just call when you're bored with life or music and see what's going on there. I never know the bands but it's always an interesting evening) House of Blues 312-923-2000 Lounge Ax 773-525-6620 Metro 773-549-0203 Old Town School 773-728-6000 Schubas 773-525-2508
