Shitty station promotes good music?!?

Conspiculously absent from the RFC concert calendar this week were appearances by The Hives, Modest Mouse, Franz Ferdinand, Secret Machines, Califone and Snow Patrol. Normally I wouldn't hesitate to add any of those bands to the concert listings but... They're all be presented by..(gasp!)..Q-101! Yes, I know...The Hives, Modest Mouse and Califone are all great live bands and Franz Ferdinand is easily the hottest rock act of the year...but the show is sponsored by Q-101! I just couldn't list anything associated with that pale excuse of an "alternative" station. Plus, you know that Q-101 association is going to bring the dorks from the 'burbs in like droves to Uptown. Not to mention the shows are at The Aragon (aka The Scaragon) , which is notoriously known for its bad sound. So the crowd is going to suck, the sound is going to suck and you're going to have to pay 6 bucks for lukewarm and watered-down drinks. Resist the urge...all of these bands have played here before and are almost guaranteed to return soon to much better venues. Besides it's not there's a shortage of great shows and events this weekend, here's some quick recommendations: Typical Cats at the Logan Square Auditorium (Fri, 12/3) In the final years of the last millenium, two native New Yorkers added a page to Chicago's hip hop history with the advent of the WHPK Wednesday Night Rap Show. Although short-lived and never formally christened, the Show had heads from Roosevelt to the Hundreds stuck on 88.5 FM midweek. In the show's aftermath, from the ashes of countless vinyl crates and echoes of chaotic show-closing freestyle sessions, Typical Cats was born. Featuring MCs Qwazaar, Qwel and Denizen Kane, producer/dj Natural and media assassin Kid Knish, the Typical Cats are firmly planted in tradition, unorthodox in invention and possessed of a strength only earned in the furnace of experience. Their sound is the Future that hip hop's Past would have had if its Present weren't held hostage by the uninspired and unrepentant. Matthew Dear at SmartBar (Sat, 12/4) Texas-born, Detroit-based Matthew Dear has made remarkable steps toward becoming one of America’s best new techno artists. Between his stunning live performances and evolved DJ sets, Matthew has perked the ears of the industry’s best. His debut album under his birth name, Leave Luck to Heaven, was released in winter 2003-04 on Spectral Sound/Ghostly International, having garnered positive reviews in such publications as Rolling Stone, Spin, NME, and the NY Times and remaining on the CMJ RPM chart for over 13 weeks. "Fruit," Chicago's Queerest Dance Party at The Hideout (Sat, 12/4) WLUW's Think Pink radio program is hosting an event they're dubbing "Chicago's queerest dance party." Think Pink hosts Erik and Ali will be spinning music ranging from 80s to Electro and Hip-Hop to Dance Punk. Chicago's hottest homos, femmes, butches and straights are all invited. Resfest 2004 at MCA (Fri, 12/3-Sun, 12/5) The 8th annual RESFEST Digital Film Festival rolls into Chicago's Museum of Contemporary Art this weekend. Advertised as their biggest yet, the festival features short films, music videos, motion design, live music, guest speakers and much more. Currently taking touring 33 cities in 13 countries on six continents, it is the largest festival of its kind in the world. For a complete listing of events, visit www.resfest.com.