This Week in Music

Once the hotbed of the downtown rock scene, the Highdive dazzled last weekend with two well-attended early shows. Addison and The Redwalls wonderfully supplemented American Minor, and the More Ways than Three record release/Riley’s Children’s Hospital benefit/Troy Michael birthday party played out like some indie-rock fairy tale: nearly everybody came together over three solid acts and chocolate cake and raised more money than either prior Riley’s Children’s Hospital benefit.

It was the second show ever for the Cameron McGill quintet, although the third and fourth followed before the band went back to Chicago. Cameron McGill signed last month to Innocent Words Records and thereupon will issue the second studio album under his own name, Street Ballads & Murderesques, in May 2005. His next show here is March 19 at Mike ‘n Molly’s with Mad Science Fair and The Elanors. Terminus Victor has finished recording and started mixing Under Surveillance, due April 2005. Lorenzo Goetz-whose stage show now incorporates dancers from Ireland and Germany as well as the United States-toured the South (Gulf Coast) last month in promotion of November 2004 album Jesus Elephant and may play another smoke-free show tomorrow with Colonel Rhodes and Shipwreck in Urbana; ask around.

Nineties locals Third Stone will reunite for one concert and a possible radio presentation. In the vein of Alice in Chains and Metallica, Third Stone was the first signee and top seller for Hammerhead Records, even over Absinthe Blind. Third Stone last played publicly in 2000 at Assembly Hall to open for Motley CrÅe. The reunion is May 14 at The Canopy Club, with Sick Day and Lorenzo Goetz. The show will double as a DVD release of old performances, interviews and bloopers.

Disco goes political! “Metaphysical political spacefolk retrorock with funk and finesse” is how Darrin Drda and his quartet, Theory of Everything, describe the music on their December 2003 self-titled debut. So why does the brand-new follow-up sound like disco and Christmas music? Well, Evolution of the Art is the title. Celebrate its release tonight at 10 at Cowboy Monkey. Larry Gates of Lorenzo Goetz and Brandon T. Washington of Temple of Low Men open, and cover is $3.

Friday Night Out: Bread Box and Witness play at The Bridge (upstairs in New Covenant Fellowship) after the 7 p.m. coffeehouse. At Borders, Wheaton singer-teacher Lilia Griffin returns for an 8 p.m. performance. These shows are free. Then at 10 p.m., David Singer & The Sweet Science make up their Feb. 25 date at Cowboy Monkey, this time alongside Kate Hathaway Band. Cover is $4.

Saturday at Illinois Disciples Foundation, Danville hardcore group Vice Dolls plays its final concert, a benefit for Campaign for Access to Emergency Contraception. On the bill as well are The Opportunists, The Manners, Help Me Help Me I Can’t Breathe and Les Incroyables. Cover is on a $5-15 sliding scale, and show time is 8 p.m.

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