The Walkmen seemed poised for the big time in 2004 after appearing at the Bait Shop on the soapy teen drama “The O.C.,” where they performed the gems “The Rat” and “Little House of Savages” from 2004’s “Bows + Arrows.” Unlike fellow Bait Shoppers Death Cab for Cutie, that mainstream success didn’t happen for Hamilton Leithauser & co. (though The Walkmen are still highly regarded in the indie-rock world). After two so-so releases in 2006, the band returned last year with “You & Me,” which received rave reviews from critics and fans alike, and even led Drowned in Sound to proclaim it “the best thing they’ve ever done.” This Schubas show is one of its twentieth-anniversary concerts, and the band probably won’t be back until sometime next spring when they expect to drop their sixth album. (Kelley Hecker)
November 11 at Schubas, 3159 N. Southport, (773)525-2508. 9pm. $20.
For “Want” of a Change: A Preview of Rufus Wainwright at Ravinia Park Rufus Wainwright isn’t the first singer-songwriter to reinterpret earlier work through an orchestral lens. And much of Wainwright’s third and fourth albums, “Want One” and “Want Two”—whose twentieth anniversaries are the prompt for this new tour—is fully scored. But when Wainwright hits the Pavilion stage at Ravinia tonight, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will be behind him.
Brutal Finesse: A Preview of King Crimson at Ravinia There have been few new compositions from King Crimson these past two decades, but the live arrangements of songs from its catalog are often strikingly different than the recorded versions.
Cooling It: A Preview of Colleen Green at Cole’s Bar When Green strums power chords or chiming notes on top of her backing track, you might think you’re at Ramones karaoke night and Madonna is taking her turn.
