Saturday, Nov. 18, Alliant Energy Center Coliseum, 7:30 p.m.
There is a new trend in live music worse than boy bands, novelty rap and the Zimbrick jingle combined. I'm talking about rock-band cruises.
For example, if you felt the only downside to a three-day Caribbean cruise (other than the Norwalk virus) was lack of one-on-one time with Lynyrd Skynyrd or Dave Matthews, there are two separate cruises this winter that should help. Others offer bluegrass, Christian rock or the Disco Biscuits. Of the lot, the only one worth considering boasts the Barenaked Ladies.
BNL have had several hits over the years; surely you remember "Brian Wilson" or "If I Had $1,000,000." And though their fun and quirky sound "matured" (read as if said by a 17-year-old) in their just released Barenaked Ladies Are Me, it's still worth a listen.
But what makes the live shows stick is the shtick -- audience banter, sing-alongs, improvised raps -- and let me say, you've not heard a knock-knock joke until you've heard an entire coliseum answer at once: "Orange who?" Top this off with their humor-heavy song library and you have a show that's already 50 percent Catskills summer retreat; shuffleboard fits in naturally.
However, should you lack the $800 to $3,000 needed to book a cabin, I suppose seeing them at the Alliant Energy Center on Saturday should suffice. The music will still amuse, plus there'll be no fear of pirates or bad shrimp.
Wednesday, Nov. 22, Barrymore Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
Wilco's prodigious output, frequent wanderings and dedicated fan base means that this week's sold-out Barrymore visit, and my promise that going makes you cool, should surprise no one.
With Wilco in the middle of recording a new album, this tour has offered a nice glimpse of their new material. This is typical for the band, and may be why their last few albums -- stage-tested before studio imprinted -- have been so successful.
But with fame comes danger. For example, fans who jump up on stage and have to be punched in the face by lead singer Jeff Tweedy. This happened a few weeks ago in Springfield, Mo. For those who downloaded it on YouTube, it was shocking to see the cerebral Tweedy get all Popeye on a guy.
