Pitchfork

So traditionally this chilly time of year brings blanket upon blanket of dirty snow to smother Chicago's right-angled streets, but this particular January-- whether due to global warming, the atmosphere's whimsy, or Mayor Daley paying off Mother Nature-- we Chicagoans are puzzlingly drenched in rain.

That doesn't, however, make the impetus behind Schubas' latest annual Tomorrow Never Knows festival any less valid. Easily one of Chicago's finest intimate live venues-- and now refreshingly smoke-free-- Schubas put the fest together again this year to celebrate choice acts from afar alongside the brightest local talent for five nights of rock-away-your- winter-woes goodness.

Leading the charge for the 2007 fest, which kicks off January 10, are local heroes the Ponys (who just signed to Matador and have a new LP on the way March 20), DJ phenoms Flosstradamus (who whipped up an afternoon dance party at the Pitchfork Music Festival) and Bound Stems (whose "Western Biographic" made Pitchfork's Infinite Mixtape). Other highlights include New York stalwarts French Kicks, Domino-signed DC dude Benjy Ferree, Philly blues rockers Dr. Dog, New York dream-poppers Dirty on Purpose, Polyvinyl pop-dreamers Headlights, ex-Granddaddy guy Jim Fairchild's All Smiles, and Indiana-spawned orchestral mopers Margot & the Nuclear So and So's.

Chicago acts on the rise like Office, Mucca Pazza, Skybox, and a pair of M's side projects (Brooklyn Bridegrooms and Sano) round out the action-packed bills while the Second City's top crop DJs (including Flosstradamus) work the decks at after-parties. Those with insatiable rock appetites can even check out several all-ages afternoon events featuring performers from Paul Green's Chicago branch of the School of Rock Music, an actual school of, you guessed it, rock music.

Get yr tickets here and check yr umbrellas at the door.

Tomorrow Never Knows 2007:
(all events at Schubas, Chicago, IL)

01-10 French Kicks, Headlights, Skybox, Eagle*Seagull, Flosstradamus
01-11 Margot & the Nuclear So and So's, Dr. Dog, the Bees (U.S.), Brooklyn Bridegrooms, DJ Bald Eagle
01-12 The Ponys, Benjy Ferree, Sano, the Early Tapes, DJ Matt Fields
01-13 Paul Green's School of Rock (afternoon show)
01-13 Mucca Pazza, Office, the God Damn Doo Wop Band, Tigercity, DJ Major Taylor
01-14 Paul Green's School of Rock, the Blisters (afternoon show)
01-14 Bound Stems, Dirty on Purpose, All Smiles, the A-Sides, DJ Matt ROAN