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Thursday, December 8, 2011 - Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Volume 47 Number 49

Thursday december 8
MuSiC

The string cheese incident

aragon ballroom, 8pm, sold out, all ages

After 18-plus years as a band and a half-baked breakup, the String Cheese Incident (affectionately known as SCI) has been all over the place, geographically and musically speaking. The quartet has delivered its well-worn take on the jam band aesthetic playing everywhere from Colorado haunts in Denver, Boulder, Vail, and Morrisons Red Rocks, to headlining at the Rothbury Festival, Austin City Limits, and Bonnaroo. These days, leaders Bill Nershi and Michael Kang keep reuniting the band to play more live shows, documenting the spectacle of its performances on the bands last, informal release, 2010s Rhythm Of The Road: Vol. 1Incident In Atlanta. This go-around, the Roots Run Deep 2011 tour, is the bands first semi-sustained tour in four years. (Through Dec. 10)

mike Golden + Pyyramids: Double Door, 9pm, $8 Tatsuya Nakatani: Elastic Arts, 10pm, $8, all ages Woodrow hart + The big Leagues, Girls On bicycles, Panic Pixel, The hops: Elbo Room, 8pm, $8 save The clocktower + Windbreaker: Empty Bottle, 9:30pm, $8 Naomi ashley + ron Lazzeretti, robin and Jenny bieneman, John claxton, cayne collier: FitzGeralds, 8pm, $8 James armstrong blues band + Joanna connor blues band: Kingston Mines, 8pm, $12 honor society + alex Goot, The Trace, sunderland: Lincoln Hall, 7pm, $21, all ages Tributosaurus: Journey: Martyrs, 7pm, $20 andrew Fraker + Jeffrey david, Vintage blue, dbP: Metro, 8:30pm, $9/$11, 18+ eighth blackbird: Museum of Contemporary Art Theatre, 6pm, free, all ages Pat mccurdy: Reggies Music Joint, 8:30pm, $5 manny muscles + dJ devin hudson, stefan Ponce, matt boy White: Reggies Rock Club, 9pm, $8, 18+ James Wheeler + ariyo, Tony mangiullo, harlan Terson: Rosas, 9:30pm, $7 erin mcKeown: Schubas, 8pm, $12 alfonz de La mota + mega mike, Oracle, J cross: Smart Bar, 10pm, free The bears Of blue river + Julie meckler, Kellen and me, belleisle: Subterranean, 8:30pm, $10 The dyes + everymen, shotgun Gambling, Leper: ultra Lounge, 9pm, $5 Kate Todd band: uncommon Ground (Clark), 8pm, free, all ages dJ elia: The Whistler, 9pm, free

With the holiday season pressing down on Chicago like a clump of slowwalking tourists on Michigan Avenue, locals probably need a drink. Luckily, The A.V. Clubs here to help with a guide to deliciously boozy seasonal punches. The citys cocktail renaissance has spilled over to this party fare thats thankfully much, much classier than a bunch of Everclear and Kool-Aid combined in an old cooler. Whether its milk or rum or holiday, theres a punch for everyone this season. Its been a hell of a year for alt-rock anniversaries, from Neverminds 20th to Pearl Jams big birthday celebration. This month, though, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is celebrating the centennial anniversary of the death of one totally alternative dude: Gustav Mahler. Put that scoff away, Vedder-heads; the Austrian composer was one wicked character. Dont believe it? Check out our guide to Mahlers alt-classical genius this week. This week, we also talk to Cyrus Moussavi, a young Chicagoan with a big project at hand: traveling around the world to different underground music scenes and making a TV show about it. So far, hes been to Kisumu in Kenya and Festival In The Desert, located about three hours outside of Timbuktu in Mali. The resulting episodes of Raw Music International are progressive, interesting, andfor fans of world musicbrain exploding, just like Moussavis interview with The A.V. Club. But dont take our word for it. Check out chicago.avclub. com this week to find out for sure. Marah Eakin, Chicago city editor

COMEDy

messing With a Friend

chris connelly

The hideout, 9pm, $10 Ministry and Revolting Cocks member Chris Connelly released his 12th studio album, How This Ends, last year. Made up of two half-hour tracks that defy convention, the records experimental nature should come as no great surprise for fans of Connellys boundary-pushing career. The prolific musician has authored three novels, including a thriller released last year, and acts as manager of local music haven Reckless Records in Bucktown. On top of all that, he debuted a new band, The High Confessions, last year along with fellow rock royalty bandmates from Sonic Youth and Minsk. 20 years on in his career, the airs still filled with Connelly productions, making him one of the rare prolific artists who focuses more on words than sound. Also playing: These Wonderful Evils, Zak Boerger, Dan Sullivan.
holiday house + The ultrasounds, Gag Order, sexy Fights: Beat Kitchen, 8pm, $8 The shirley Johnson blues band: Blue Chicago - Ohio St, 9pm, $10 corky siegels chamber blues: Chicago Cultural Center, 6:30pm, free The Fabulous Ladies Of Fitness: Coles Bar Stage, 10pm, free The Plastic boner band + hoaxlander, Last King Of Poland, underground bummer culture, strychnine: The Crown Tap Room, 9pm, $5

annoyance Theatre, 10:30pm, $10 As one of the Annoyances capstone shows, veteran improviser Susan Messings long-running show Messing With A Friend is appropriately foulmouthed and affecting: Two traits all enduring performances at the theater exhibit. As the title suggests, founding member Messing takes to the stage with an unnamed guest co-star (performers from other theaters are often drafted, though big-name TV and film actors have also joined her) as the pair embarks on a fearless long-form show inspired by a single audience suggestion. While an audience is always assured more expletives than any reasonable person can endure, oftentimes the shows will hint at a deeper vulnerability or emotional undertow.
Lit!: Annoyance Theatre, 8pm, $15 comedysportz: ComedySportz Theatre, 8pm, $22 improv minions: ComedySportz Theatre, 10pm, $5 bert Kreischer: improv Comedy Club, 7:30pm, $18-$21, 18+ classy d + collectibles: iO Theater (Cabaret), 8pm, $12 The Verse: another Firefly story: iO Theater (Del Close), 8pm, $15 ragamuffins + JOdy: iO Theater (Del Close), 10:30pm, $5 burning bluebeard: The Neo Futurarium, 8pm, $20 sam + Laverne and surly: Second City (Donnys Skybox), 10:30pm, $10-$12

of the top-grossing films of all time is an odd choice for a midnight movieusually the province of more obscure cult classics, or at least flicks that you cant catch on cable twice a weekyou can at least catch Indy at the beginning, before his legacy was sullied, then saved, then finally, needlessly, a little of both.
Letters From The Big Man: Facets Cinmathque, 7 & 9:15pm, $9 Tosca: Gene Siskel Film Center, 6pm, $11 Passione: Gene Siskel Film Center, 6:15 & 8pm, $11 Elite Squad: The Enemy Within: Gene Siskel Film Center, 8:45pm, $11 Tyrannosaur: Music Box Theatre, 5:40, 7:40, & 9:40pm, $5-$9.25 America The Beautiful 2: The Thin Commandments: Music Box Theatre, 7:30pm

in terms of presentation. Last years W.ants W.orld W.omen didnt stray far from from his pattern of late-night-with-a-bottle-of-wine smooth tunes, but it does add a twist: The trisected album focuses on worldly desires, politics, and romantic entanglements. It also reunites him with Slum Village on hard-times anthem How I Deal. Its that kind of collaboration that suits Dwele, who also guested on the Kanye West mega-single Power. Also playing: Pennjamin Banneker, Sir Criss, Cavalier Kidd.

The Felix culpa

Friday december 9
MuSiC

FiLM

Raiders Of The Lost Ark

music box Theatre, 5 & 9:45pm, $5-$9.25 Steven Spielberg and George Lucas Raiders Of The Lost Ark set the gold standard for action-adventure, combining the swashbuckling heroics of the 1940s serials theyd grown up admiring with the eminently postmodern charms of star Harrison Ford, whose cynical, world-weary approach to rescuing history from the clutches of evil Nazis always smartly underplayed such outlandish contrivances. While one

dwele

double door, 9pm, $25 Dwele first made his name as a guest vocalist on Slum Villages Tainted, parlaying that into a solo career that fuses contemporary R&B styles with the comfortably cool croonings of decades past. His last two efforts, Some Kinda and Sketches Of A Man, were neo-soul collections that skewed decidedly old

metro, 5:45pm, $11, all ages The Felix Culpa isnt a deep and brooding band, but if there were ever Learning Annex courses on such a thing, the jangly rock band would be the first to pre-register. The quartet from the Illinois/Wisconsin border tries valiantly, though, from a name (a religious term referring to Adam and Eves loss of the Garden of Eden) and song titles clipped from a high-schoolers poetry journal (Good Business Moves and The End Of Inspiration, for instance) to the bands rule that every song must build to a bombastic climax, even if its unearned and feels hollow. Maybe all that hype finally got to the band, who announced its break-up late this summer. This

All shows are 21+ unless otherwise noted.

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show will be its last, and the bands been taking requests from fans on Facebook. Also playing: Mondays Hero, Sainthood Reps, El Oso.
Too much Light makes The baby Go blind: The Neo Futurarium, 11:30pm, $10-$15 Grafitti: The Playground Theater, 10pm, $10 The davenports: The Playground Theater, 11:55pm, $5 bye bye Liver: The chicago drinking Play: The Pub Theater at Fizz, 8pm, $20 chapter 11: The year in revue: Second City (Donnys Skybox), 7:30pm, $10-$13 The mary siewert scruggs Works by Women Festival 2011: Second City (Donnys Skybox), 9pm, $12 3: Second City (Donnys Skybox), 10:30pm, $10-$13 survival revival: a middle class Guide To being Poor: Second City (Donnys Skybox), 11:55pm, $10-$12 scene missing: Second City (Donnys Skybox), 11:55pm, $10-$12

bon iver

uic Pavilion, 7:30pm, $40, all ages

FiLM

Everyday Sunshine: The Story Of Fishbone

The backstory on For Emma, Forever Ago, Justin Vernons debut album under the name Bon Iver, reads like a musical version of Jon Krakauers Into The Wild. Singer-songwriter Vernon holed up in his fathers cabin in northwestern Wisconsin for several months after a series of personal setbacks, including breakups with his band and girlfriend, and a lingering bout with mononucleosis that kept him in bed for three months. The result is a set of hauntingly beautiful folk songs that caught the attention of critics and celebrities alike, ultimately landing him a backup vocal spot on several Kanye West songs. Bon Ivers latest record, Bon Iver, isnt quite as mesmerizing as his debut, but its enchanting and lonely all the sameparticularly when adding the videos that accompany each song on the deluxe editionmaking it one of the best of 2011 for sure.
rego + Wheeler brothers: Abbey Pub, 9:30pm, $10 The string cheese incident: Aragon Ballroom, 8pm, sold out, all ages makeshift Prodigy: Beat Kitchen, 9pm, $10, 17+ The Nellie Tiger Travis blues band: Blue Chicago - Ohio St, 9pm, $10 Pierce The Veil + miss may i, Woe is me, Letlive, The amity affliction: Bottom Lounge, 5:30pm, $15, all ages The sweats + Fur coats, Kserra: Coles Bar Stage, 10pm, free Jingle Jangle electro christmas: Congress Theater, 8pm, $15, 17+ smoke brown: Elastic Arts, 9pm, $10, all ages The hoyle brothers: Empty Bottle, 5:30pm, free Pterodactyl + american royalty, moritat, Flux bikes: Empty Bottle, 10pm, $8 Project ignition + Velvet Jimis, Tripwirz: FitzGeralds, 8pm, $8 shame That Tune: The Hideout, 6:30pm, $5 Josephine Foster: The Hideout, 10pm, $10 smokey robinson: Horseshoe Hammond Casino - The Venue, 8pm, $50-$90 The dan band: House Of Blues, 9pm, $22.50/$25, 17+ brett eldridge + drake White: Joes on Weed St., 10pm, $8 dr. duke Tumatoe and The Power Trio + Joanna connor blues band: Kingston Mines, 8pm, $15 The unGnomes: Martyrs, 5pm, $2 The set + sequoia, Persistence Of memory, hot hot robot: Martyrs, 9pm, $8 shemekia copeland + bill brickey: Old Town School of Folk Music, 8pm, $21-$25, all ages Whales + Nonagon, blackout dates: Quenchers, 9pm, $5 Velikovsky + dexter, Left With Tomorrow: Red Line Tap, 9pm, $5 brian ripps: Reggies Music Joint, 5pm, free The Jagz + moses Gun: Reggies Music Joint, 8pm, $5 h2O + cruel hand, ryans hope, explode and make up: Reggies Rock Club, 7pm, $15, all ages billy branch and The sons Of blues: Rosas, 9:30pm, $15 Peter bradley adams: Schubas, 7:30pm, $8/$10 Pokey LaFarge + The dirt daubers: Schubas, 10pm, $10/$12 benoit and sergio + Orchard Lounge: Smart Bar, 10pm, $12/$15 With a Twist: Stage 773, 8pm, $20 bailiff + young buffalo: Subterranean, 9pm, $10 reptoids + chicago Thrash ensemble, Full On, Jard Loose: ultra Lounge, 9pm, $8 ida Jo + Nick Gage: uncommon Ground (Clark), 10pm, free, all ages sarah and The Tall boys: uncommon Ground (Devon), 6pm, free Paddy homan + dennis cahill, maurice Lennon: Wilmette Theatre, 7:30pm, $18

Gene siskel Film center, 8pm, $11 With its impossible-to-pin-down sound and uncontainable energy, Fishbone seemingly burst out of nowhere to top everyones short list of the coolest band in America in the mid-80s. Mixing punk, ska, funk, and whatever else occurred to its members, the group inspired contemporaries like Red Hot Chili Peppers and later acts like No Doubt. Though signed to a major label not long after its first public gigs, Fishbone found its commercial breakthrough remained just out of reach as the 80s turned into the 90s. Had Fishbone been less of a democracy, they might have been a more successful band, former band manager Roger Perry says early in Everyday Sunshine: The Story Of Fishbone. But had they been less of a democracy, they wouldnt have been Fishbone. The films directors will be present for Friday, Saturday, and Sundays screenings, and the band itself will make an appearance Saturday. (Through Dec. 15)

Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory

hollywood boulevard cinema, 4, 6:15, & 8:30pm, $10 Tim Burtons adaptation of Roald Dahls dark classic Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, with Johnny Depp as eccentric confectionary king Willy Wonka, met with mixed criticism, and its not likely to supplant the 1971 version, a film that holds a unique place in many moviegoers hearts. Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory remains a cross-generational favorite because its the rare kids film that doesnt talk down to its audience or (ahem) sugarcoat its source material. Moviegoers at this weekends screenings are in for a special sweet treat, as the original cast members who played Charlie Bucket, Mike TeaVee, Violet Beauregarde, Augustus Gloop, and Veruca Salt will be in attendance. (Through Dec. 12)
Mad Love: Great Shorts Of 2011: Chicago Filmmakers, 8pm, $8 Garbo The Spy: Facets Cinmathque, 7 & 9pm, $9 The Science Of Sleep: Gene Siskel Film Center, 6pm, $11 Silent Souls: Gene Siskel Film Center, 6:15pm, $11 The Guard: Gene Siskel Film Center, 8pm, $11 The Room: Music Box Theatre, 12am, $9.25

saTurday december 10
MuSiC

Tori amos

chicago Theatre, 8pm, $39.50-$59.50, all ages Tori Amos has lived several different lives since starting out as Mary Ellen Amos the child musical prodigy, dabbling in synth-pop in the 80s with Y Kant Tori Read, and then moving on to the incendiary passion and anger that fueled her seminal 1992 solo debut, Little Earthquakes. Since then, Amos recorded output has been

COMEDy

Oprah! a comedy! Live your best Laugh: Annoyance Theatre, 8pm, $15 Tiny Fascists: a boy scout musical: Annoyance Theatre, 10pm, $10 holy Fuck comedy hour: Annoyance Theatre, 12am, free The Kates: The Book Cellar, 8pm, free comedysportz: ComedySportz Theatre, 8 & 10pm, $22 Oops! a britney holiday: ComedySportz Theatre, 12am, $10 bert Kreischer: improv Comedy Club, 8 & 10:15pm, $18-$21, 18+ sears Tower + ringo starr: iO Theater (Cabaret), 8pm, $14 dart + revolver: iO Theater (Cabaret), 10:30pm, $14 improvised shakespeare: iO Theater (Del Close), 8 & 10:30pm, $16 Lord Of The yum yum: The Lincoln Lodge, 8:30 & 10:30pm, $10 burning bluebeard: The Neo Futurarium, 8pm, $20

CALENDAR see page22

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feature

The rising indie hip-hop duo G-Side is composed of two different rappers with a clear, shared goal: to be No. 1. Hell, G-Side wont even release an album on a date that doesnt have a 1 in it (The One ... Cohesive was released Jan. 1, 2011, and Island was released Nov. 11, 2011). ST 2 Lettaz and Yung Clova have been players in the Southern rap game for nearly en a decade, but their ambitious persistence paid off in 2011, as they enjoyed nearly universal praise for Cohesive. Before their Dec. 13 stop at the Empty Bottle, ST 2 Lettaz and Yung Clova talked to The A.V. Club about going from Alabama to the Internet, all of the white kids at their shows, and the duos high ambitions.
The a.V. club: do you feel youve done your part to put your home state of alabama on the musical map? sT 2 Lettaz: It was all about building a scene. Rather than going to a bigger city with a bigger market and trying to match up with it, we knew it was going to be a long, hard road but we decided to build up Huntsville. Not just Alabama, but Huntsville. And we want our own sound, so thats why we werent gonna go to Atlanta. We dont have an Atlanta sound; we have our own sound. aVc: your sound has been called a couple of different things, like cloud rap. sT: Our partner Walkmaster Flex made up that term. But I dont know, I feel its just Huntsville music. We get a lot of comparisons to these other artists who are coming up, because they have a sound thats a lot like ours, like that sound thats real airy and spacey like us. But I like to think that the [G-Side producers] Block Beataz do that better than anybody else. But no, to us its just Huntsville hip-hop; its not cloud rap. aVc: it seems like a staple of cloud rap, but how important is marijuana to you guys? sT: Its 50/50. Clova doesnt smoke, even like once a year, maybe to celebrate something really big. Me, I smoke daily. I wouldnt even say its so important, because we never really make smoke songs or anything like that; we just make music. And I dont depend on marijuana to make music. Its something I do every day, but if theres an instance where I dont have it, like if were in Europe and theres no weed around, I can still record quality music without being high. aVc: do you think G-side could ever blow up on mainstream pop charts? yung clova: Well, everybody wants to go to that next level. Everybody. But we dont want to compromise who we are or the music we make. We want to bring that mainstream to Huntsville, to Athens. Let them respect what we do. sT: I think the thing with the majorsall we would really want is creative control. If we can control how our sound is, and they dont try to change it, then yeah, I think wed be cool. As far as being pop artists, I cant see us being the Black Eyed Peas, yknow? I could see us with that type of fan base, and even that large of a fan base, but I cant see us dressing up in crazy costumes and doing bullshit like that. Well still be us at the end of the day. If we ever get a chance to do the Super Bowl halftime show, well probably be dressed in Purple Tyrant, our clothing line. aVc: at festivals like Pitchfork Fest and Fun Fun Fun Fest, most of the attendees are younger, white college kids. are you comfortable with a crowd like that? yc: Thats our whole fan base. Were used to it now. All our crowds be like that. Im not mad at it at all, especially coming from Alabama. Just that two black dudes from Alabama, to be able to perform towell, I wouldnt say allwhitetheyre pretty mixed crowds, but a majority white. For that to happen, I think, is a testament to the music. Dylan Peterson

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CALENDAR from page 21
hit-or-misssee 2009s particularly uninspiring Abnormally Attracted To Sin, which falls back on some of the same breathless religion-versus-sex themes that first made her a favorite of goth-lite girls in the 90s. Amos most recent, Night Of Hunters, brings still another genre into the mix: Its a concept album inspired by centuries of classical music history. Despite the quiet, somber nature of that release, Amos still has presence that can silence a room or make it sizzle. Also playing: Thomas Dybdahl. developed a knack for musical time travel. His lovely, lazy style of old-school Western swing is so authentic, youll be seeing in black and white and hearing in mono. Hancocks latest, 2009s Viper Of Melody, is bursting at the seams with danceable murder ballads like Your Love And His Blood, and songs for the 99 percent like Workin At Workin. Also playing: Jayke Orvis And The Broken Band, The Lawrence Peters Outfit, Pearls Mahone And The One-Eyed Jacks.
The Greyhounds + The Four star brass band, dJrc: Abbey Pub, 9pm, $10 The string cheese incident: Aragon Ballroom, 8pm, sold out, all ages The exoskeleton + stoop Goodnoise, david costa, Goodbye Goodsense: Beat Kitchen, 6pm, $10, all ages Geronimo! + sissy mena, Thousand Pounder: Beat Kitchen, 10:30pm, $8 The Nellie Tiger Travis blues band: Blue Chicago - Ohio St, 9pm, $10 Fishbone + roots Of creation, e3PO: Bottom Lounge, 9pm, $20, 18+ The Faders + The dust bunnies, black Labs: Coles Bar Stage, 10pm, free John simmons + brian Gardner, brenda d, Todd mariana: Darkroom, 11pm, $5 Tributasaurus: FitzGeralds, 9pm, $20 The holiday ball: The Hideout, 9pm, $20 east Of edens soul express: The Hideout, 11:30pm, $5 ami saraiya + ben Pirani, Weepain Willows: Homeroom, 8pm, $30, all ages dr. duke Tumatoe and The Power Trio + Joanna connor blues band: Kingston Mines, 8pm, $15 Virginia coalition + hood smoke: Lincoln Hall, 10pm, $15, 18+ alien Queen + battlestar Fantastica, boywonder: Metro, 9pm, $16-$30, 18+ Tisa batchelder + shana harvey: Old Town School of Folk Music, 10am, $5, all ages brendan bayliss and Jake cinninger: Park West, 8pm, $20-$80, all ages The Polkaholics: Quenchers, 9pm, $5 Nick Lynch + cassandra henwood: Red Line Tap, 8pm, $5 clad in darkness + Wings Of severance, deadnight, Twelfth Gate: Reggies Rock Club, 7pm, $10, 17+ Jd mcPherson: Schubas, 10pm, $10 Justin Long + Josh Werner, Nathan drew Larsen, samone roberts: Smart Bar, 10pm, $10/$13 Lampkin music Group: Stage 773, 8pm, $18 The Whispers + Valerie simpson: Star Plaza Theatre, 8pm, $39, all ages Woods + Wet hair, brain idea: Subterranean, 9:30pm, $13/$15, 17+ channel Four + Gorilla Press, black cat heart attack: ultra Lounge, 8pm, $5 The Van buren boys + The brothers Gross, headnoise: ultra Lounge, 11:30pm, $5 Jenny bienemann + The significant Others: uncommon Ground (Clark), 10pm, free, all ages sarah and The Tall boys: uncommon Ground (Devon), 6pm, free Tiffany hull + steve Leaf, The marvine: uncommon Ground (Devon), 10pm, $7 miracle condition + depth and current: Viaduct Theater, 10pm anthony attalla + spektra: Vision, 10pm, $5-$15 dJ Patrick sisson: The Whistler, 10pm, free

cory chisel and The Wandering sons

double door, 8:30pm, $10/$14

Cory Chisel became an unlikely success story in 2007 when he signed a deal with RCA Records while still living in his hometown of Appleton, Wisconsin. Even before then, the young Chisel had attracted famous fans like Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick thanks to his soulfully gritty vocals, charismatic stage presence, and solid songwriting, which is rooted in the bluesy Americana of Tom Waits and Time Out Of Mind-era Bob Dylan. In 2008, Chisel released the Cabin Ghosts EP on RCA imprint Black Seal, and 2009s full-length, Death Wont Send A Letter, featured members of My Morning Jacket, The Raconteurs, and Band Of Horses. While a new LP isnt due out until sometime next year, fans can get stoked about Upstairs At United, the new EP the bands selling on tour. Also playing: Dastardly, The Unfortunate.

Over The rhine

Old Town school of Folk music, 7 & 10pm, $24-$28, all ages Theres no rhyme or reason to the fact that Cincinnatis Over The Rhine remained unknown while artists like Sarah McLachlan and Sixpence None The Richer managed to top the charts. Formed in the late 80s, Over The Rhines pleasant, mature records have always been just as goodif not betterthan its contemporaries records. Though praised by tourmates and friends from Cowboy Junkies to Bob Dylan, the band never got its big break; but it has nonetheless remained active over the years. Of the studio albums released since 2001, 2007s The Trumpet Child best conveys the sparse, atmospheric alt-pop that has made Over The Rhine a continuing success. The bands latest, The Long Surrender, may carry the full weight of an underappreciated career thats spanned over two decades, but from all that disappointment and despair comes one of its most raw and beautifully nuanced albums yet. Also playing: The Milk Carton Kids.

annoyance christmas Pageant: Annoyance Theatre, 8pm, $14-$18 Fa La La La... Fuck it: Annoyance Theatre, 10pm, $10-$15 skinprov: Annoyance Theatre, 12am, $7 The comedysportz crew saves santa!: ComedySportz Theatre, 11am, $7-$10 comedysportz: ComedySportz Theatre, 6, 8, & 10pm, $22 The hot Karl: ComedySportz Theatre, 12am, $10 bert Kreischer: improv Comedy Club, 7 & 9:15pm, $18-$21, 18+ The deltones + mike helicopter: iO Theater (Cabaret), 8pm, $14 henrietta Pussycat + chaos Theory: iO Theater (Cabaret), 10:30pm, $14 united states Of improv: iO Theater (Cabaret), 12am, $5 storytown: iO Theater (Del Close), 10:30am, $5 Whirled News Tonight: iO Theater (Del Close), 8pm, $14 cupid has a heart On: iO Theater (Del Close), 10:30pm, $20 couples counseling + sciretta and swen: iO Theater (Del Close), 12am, $5 burning bluebeard: The Neo Futurarium, 8pm, $20 Too much Light makes The baby Go blind: The Neo Futurarium, 11:30pm, $10-$15 bye bye Liver: The chicago drinking Play: The Pub Theater at Fizz, 8pm, $20 The Legends Of houseco.: Second City (Donnys Skybox), 7:30pm, $8-$10 North Polar disorder: Second City (Donnys Skybox), 11:55pm, $10-$12 mike and duane: Wilmette Theatre, 9pm, $12

COMEDy

FiLM

Garbo The Spy: Facets Cinmathque, 3, 5, 7, & 9pm, $9 Eugene Onegin: Gene Siskel Film Center, 3pm, $11 Farmageddon: Gene Siskel Film Center, 3pm, $11 Silent Souls: Gene Siskel Film Center, 4:45 & 8:15pm, $11 The Guard: Gene Siskel Film Center, 6:15pm, $11 Everyday Sunshine: The Story Of Fishbone: Gene Siskel Film Center, 7pm, $11 Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory: Hollywood Palms Cinema, 12, 2:45, 5, 7:15, & 9:30pm, $10 The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Music Box Theatre, 12am, $9.25

Wayne The Train hancock

suNday december 11
MuSiC

reggies music Joint, 8:30pm, $15 Wayne The Train Hancock plays country music with a hillbilly attitude that gives the finger to modern country and all of that VH1-courting, crossoverappeal horse pucky. Touted by none other than Hank Williams III for capturing the cowboy spirit of Hank Williams Sr. better than either of his namesakes, Hancock is one of those rare artists who seems to have

ryan adams

cadillac Palace Theatre, 7:30pm, sold out, all ages Three years isnt an extraordinarily long wait between proper studio albums, but it speaks to Ryan Adams impressive prolificacy in the 00s that this

CALENDAR see page 24

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calendar

= recommended
CALENDAR from page 23
falls new Ashes & Fire feels like a long-awaited return after the break from recording and touring he took in the wake of 2008s Cardinology. (Though even then, Adams didnt exactly leave fans in the lurch: During his hiatus, he released a metal record called Orion, a shelved album recorded with the Cardinals called III/IV, and two books called Infinity Blues and Hello Sunshine.) A mellow collection of folkie songs with understated country arrangements, Ashes may seem designed to charm those turned off by Adams veering, sporadic nature. But mostly it reflects the worldview of an older, more centered man pointed toward a long, reliable career. Also playing: Jessica Lea Mayfield.
Winterbloom: antje duvekot + anne heaton, meg hutchinson, Natalia Zukerman: Old Town School of Folk Music, 7pm, $18-$22, all ages rabid rabbit + claw Toe, Psychic TV: Reggies Rock Club, 7pm, $15/$20, 18+ celtic Thunder: Rosemont Theatre, 3pm, $33-$73, all ages The Pickin bubs: Schubas, 12pm, free, all ages Gustafer yellowgold: Schubas, 3pm, $10-$12, all ages bald e. + michael serafini, dJ Kid color, adulture: Smart Bar, 10pm, $2 The Oak ridge boys: Star Plaza Theatre, 4pm, $39, all ages The heat + hopping Fences, duller colors, chasing mars: Subterranean, 8:30pm, $8 descarga + dJ resistol 5000: ultra Lounge, 9pm, $8 david hawkins + sue Fink, rick Neeley, Jim Gary: uncommon Ground (Clark), 7pm, free, all ages daniel and The Lion: uncommon Ground (Devon), 8pm, $5

COMEDy

Ludo

metro, 6:30pm, $16, all ages Named after the lovable beast in the Bowie-tastic cult classic Labyrinth, Ludo cites 70s butt-rock as a source of influence for its earnest, yet slightly tonguein-cheek sound. Like Fountains Of Wayne and Weezer before it, Ludos lyrics strain to be clever, punctuated by its cheesy, upbeat instrumentation and almost-too-smooth harmonies. With their endure-at-all-costs love of huge hooks and soaring choruses, its easy to see why these guys are teetering on the edge of mainstream success. They have a loyal fan base, though, one they do well to pay back this show, billed as A Very Ludo Christmas, complete with an area to get photos with Santa, a giant candy cane arch, elves serving hot chocolate, and tons of crushed red velvet clothing. Also playing: Treaty Of Paris, Workout Music.

annoyance christmas Pageant: Annoyance Theatre, 2pm, $14-$18 Lit!: Annoyance Theatre, 8pm, $15 Octavarius: ComedySportz Theatre, 7pm, $10 Nedtalks: spreading Worthless ideas: The Hideout, 8pm, $5 bert Kreischer: improv Comedy Club, 7pm, $18-$21, 18+ The Late 90s + deep schwa: iO Theater (Cabaret), 8pm, $12 middle age + comeback, 3033: iO Theater (Cabaret), 10:30pm, $5 student Graduation show: iO Theater (Del Close), 7pm, $5 The Katydids + Family Tree house, boat accident: iO Theater (Del Close), 10:30pm, $5 Too much Light makes The baby Go blind: The Neo Futurarium, 7pm, $10-$15 Koleno + The Panty Filers, delirious confetti: The Playground Theater, 7:30pm, free

FiLM

xword/comix

Garbo The Spy: Facets Cinmathque, 3, 5, 7, & 9pm, $9 Cinderella: Gene Siskel Film Center, 3pm, $11 The Guard: Gene Siskel Film Center, 3:15pm, $11 Farmageddon: Gene Siskel Film Center, 5:15pm, $11 Everyday Sunshine: The Story Of Fishbone: Gene Siskel Film Center, 5:30pm, $11 Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory: Hollywood Boulevard Cinema, 12, 2:30, 4:45, & 7pm, $10

mONday december 12
MuSiC

Tribes

schubas, 8pm, $8/$10, 18+

civic Opera house, 7:30pm, sold out, all ages When it comes to critical adulation and eager anticipation of its every move, Wilco stands alone in the current generation of American rock bands. Few would have guessed such accolades would follow upon the release of the bands ho-hum 1995 debut, A.M., but Wilco earned its reputation thanks to an unbroken string of albums that, even if they werent great, were always intriguing. This years The Whole Love finds the band sounding as Wilco as ever. Playing like a grab bag of the bands previous guises, the album offers up Summerteeth-era power-pop gems, a long-lost countryrock side, and the light jangle of latter-day Wilco. This year, the band will ring in the holidays with fivecount em, fivesold-out shows in Chicago, all with different openers. Also playing: Nick Lowe. (Also Dec. 13, 15, 16, and 18; see wilcoworld.net for venues and openers.)
extraordinary Popular delusions: Beat Kitchen, 8:30pm, free big Time sarah & The bTs express: Blue Chicago - Ohio St, 9pm, $8 classical monday: Chicago Cultural Center, 12pm, free Oedipus and The mamas boys + brusse dyrn, Walsher clemons: Elbo Room, 8pm, $7 Lasers and Fast and shit + Vamos, blasted diplomats: Empty Bottle, 9:30pm, free robbie Fulks + diane christiansen, steve dawson: The Hideout, 7pm, $10 staind + aranda, man made machine: House Of Blues, 8pm, $42.50/$45, 17+ carl Weathersby band + J.W. Williams and The chi Town hustlers: Kingston Mines, 8pm, $12 Ovrevolt + aloysius, mimi: Martyrs, 8pm, $7 still standing + Willie basse: Reggies Music Joint, 8pm, free diego Garcia + Lindi Ortega: Schubas, 8pm, $12

Wilco

Tribes formed just last year in London, but their few single releases have been gaining the group plenty of attention as new stars on the scene. Reportedly the band members joined forces after the drummer caught the guitarist trying to steal his wallet, which only goes to show that the group is badass and sleazy enough for rock n roll. Their music and appearance feel a lot like a slacker version of The Strokes, with Johnny Flynns lazy vocals drawling all over the subdued chords of the guitars. Citing influences like Nirvana and The Libertines, its no wonder the group succeeds at looking and sounding pretty shaggy. Baby, Tribes debut album, is set for release this January. Also playing: We Barbarians.
mary macaroni: Beat Kitchen, 12pm, $6, all ages Peaches staten blues band: Blue Chicago - Ohio St, 9pm, $8 sunday salon: Chicago Cultural Center, 3pm, free 4-0 + rota, Fundubmentals, Pmartt: Elbo Room, 8pm, $7 Nyodene d + sun splitter, consent: Empty Bottle, 7pm, $3 everyones a dJ: Empty Bottle, 10pm, free bill Oconnells chicago skyliners big band: FitzGeralds, 6pm, $5-$10, all ages Linsey alexander blues band + charlie Love and The silky smooth blues band: Kingston Mines, 6pm, $12

COMEDy

100 Proof comedy: ComedySportz Theatre, 8pm, $10 The chaser: ComedySportz Theatre, 9:30pm, free The armando diaz experience: iO Theater (Del Close), 8:30pm, $12 birthday Girl + berserker: iO Theater (Del Close), 10:30pm, free Williams and martinez: The Playground Theater, 10pm, $5

FiLM

Garbo The Spy: Facets Cinmathque, 7 & 9pm, $9 Silent Souls: Gene Siskel Film Center, 6pm, $11 Eugene Onegin: Gene Siskel Film Center, 6:30pm, $11

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calendar

VOLuME 47 NuMBER 49

= recommended

Tuesday december 13
MuSiC

G-side

empty bottle, 9:30pm, $8 Thanks to the playing field-leveling power of the Internet, rappers from truly underground locales can rise to semi-fame and be mentioned alongside the few major-label rap signees that still exist. Like Huntsville, Alabamas favorite sons, G-Side, the duo of ST 2 Lettaz and Yung Clova, who have parlayed multiple free albums (most recently, 2011s Island) into features in Spin, European tours, and headlining U.S. tours like the one that takes them to town this week. Taking breaks from their day jobs of cutting hair and working at a gas station to cut records with local producing powerhouses Block Beataz, G-Side approaches rap as a means of expressing its blue collar frustration as much as a means of getting out of Huntsville. Also playing: YP.
sexfist + Trevor mcspadden, Western automatic music: Abbey Pub, 9:30pm, $5 charlie Love blues band + demetria Taylor: Blue Chicago - Ohio St, 9pm, $8 dJ K marks + carrieanne: Coles Bar Stage, 10pm, free empty Pockets + briarhill, Trip effect: Elbo Room, 8pm, $7 dog Patch ramblers: The Hideout, 9pm, $5 eric Guitar davis & The Troublemakers + mike Wheeler blues band: Kingston Mines, 8pm, $12 macklemore and ryan Lewis + champagne champagne: Lincoln Hall, 7pm, $12/$15, all ages Northern magnolia + mad bread, american Wolf: Martyrs, 8pm, $7 soundtrack serenade: Quenchers, 9pm, $5 The mudflapps + The Keys: Red Line Tap, 9pm, free mr. blotto: Reggies Music Joint, 8pm, $5 inquisition: Reggies Rock Club, 7pm, $15 Wilco + eleventh dream day: Riviera Theatre, 8pm, sold out, all ages Pete Galanis + Nate manos: Rosas, 9:30pm, $5 harper blynn + republic Of Lights: Schubas, 8pm, $8/$10, 18+ dJ Greg corner + dJ hey champ: Schubas, 11pm, $13 Jaime rojo: Subterranean, 8pm, $8 east Fourteen + dave Prusina: uncommon Ground (Clark), 8pm, free, all ages Paul Giallorenzo + charles rumback, Toby summerfield: The Whistler, 10pm, free

albums have a taste for cutting to the chase and cranking the gain, The Big Roar keeps its buzzing bright and anthemic. Upping the records sunshine quotient: frontwoman Ritzy Bryan, a pixie-like figure of big eyes, whose even bigger voice cuts through the clouds of distortion like a beam of cooing light. Also playing: Bad Veins.
The elements Of style + iamdynamite, Little midnight: Beat Kitchen, 8pm, $8 JW Williams blues band + Laretha Weathersby: Blue Chicago - Ohio St, 9pm, $8 The Parlor mob: Bottom Lounge, 8pm, $8, 18+ dame myra hess concert series: Chicago Cultural Center, 12:15pm, free Kathryn calder + himalayan bear: Double Door, 9pm, $10 crystal bat + Open Land, Veritae: Elbo Room, 8pm, $7 melina ausikaitis: Empty Bottle, 6pm, $5 strychnine + charming People: Empty Bottle, 9:30pm, $8 Jason stein: The Hideout, 9:30pm, $7 carl Weathersby band + sam Goode blues band: Kingston Mines, 8pm, $12 The Night hours + shalloboi: Martyrs, 8pm, $7 a carpenters christmas special: Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 7:30pm, $25-$35 irish christmas in america: Old Town School of Folk Music, 9:30pm, $21-$25, all ages idealist: Reggies Rock Club, 7pm, free, all ages Josh caterer + scott Lucas, rainbow rhythms: Schubas, 9pm, $12 matt campbell: uncommon Ground (Clark), 8pm, free, all ages Kelly Zullo: underground Wonder Bar, 8pm, $8 hurricane reggae band: underground Wonder Bar, 1am, $8 Peabody and sherman: The Whistler, 9:30pm, free

COMEDy

Foz The hook + cameron esposito, adam burke: Coles Bar Stage, 9pm, free Free Night Of comedy: ComedySportz Theatre, 8pm, free a Loveless marriage + Virgin daiquiri, carl and The Passions: iO Theater (Cabaret), 8pm, free TJ and dave: iO Theater (Cabaret), 11pm, $5 The reavers + Felt: iO Theater (Del Close), 8pm, $5 Joy! an iO Family christmas special: iO Theater (Del Close), 9pm, $10 dummy + murderers: iO Theater (Del Close), 10:30pm, $5 comedians you should Know show: Timothy OTooles Pub, 9pm, $5

FiLM

Le Concert: Doc Films - Max Palevsky Cinema, 6:30pm, $7 Garbo The Spy: Facets Cinmathque, 7 & 9pm, $9 The Nutcracker: Gene Siskel Film Center, 6pm, $11 Silent Souls: Gene Siskel Film Center, 6:15pm, $11 The Guard: Gene Siskel Film Center, 7:45pm, $11 Everyday Sunshine: The Story Of Fishbone: Gene Siskel Film Center, 8:30pm, $11

COMEDy

chicagoland & Fishnuts: Annoyance Theatre, 8pm, $8 in a World...: Annoyance Theatre, 9:30pm, $8 chicago underground comedy: Beat Kitchen, 9:30pm, $5 inkling + cook county social club: iO Theater (Cabaret), 8pm, $12 Fiction For The Poor + The reckoning: iO Theater (Del Close), 10:30pm, $5 The Free improv show: The Playground Theater, 10pm, $5 7 day shorts: Second City (DeMaat Theatre), 10:30pm, $10

FiLM

Garbo The Spy: Facets Cinmathque, 7 & 9pm, $9 The Science Of Sleep: Gene Siskel Film Center, 6pm, $11 The Guard: Gene Siskel Film Center, 6pm, $11 Silent Souls: Gene Siskel Film Center, 8pm, $11

WedNesday december 14
MuSiC

Lincoln hall, 8pm, $20 Most people know Tim Reynolds only as Dave Matthews complementary guitar virtuoso and frequent collaborator, yet his 35-plus-year career got its start in the mid-80s as the eponymous member of the Tim Reynolds Trio (TR3). Featuring a rotating roster of musicians, Reynolds and his crew fused jazz, funk, and rock until the mid-90s, when he disbanded the group to embark on a solo career and play with Matthews. It was only recently that he reformed the TR3 with bass player Mick Vaughn and drummer Dan Martie, and in 2009 the group released Radiance, its first album in 14 years. This years hideously titled From Space And Beyond is yet another live record from the group which has made the majority of its cred out on the road.

Tim reynolds & Tr3

The Joy Formidable

metro, 8:30pm, $17/$20, 18+ In the grand tradition of no-bullshit record titles like Mudhoneys Superfuzz Bigmuff and Big Blacks Songs About Fucking, The Joy Formidables big, roaring debut for Atlantic is titled, well, The Big Roar. But while all three

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DECEMBER 8-14 2011