Tom Lynch

Dave Eggers has managed to put together some impressive lineups for his 826 benefits--a different assortment of artists for each date, varying from Sufjan Stevens and David Byrne in New York, The Mountain Goats and Jake Gyllenhaal in Los Angeles and Stephen Merritt and Sarah Vowell in Seattle. Chicago gets the talents of Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard and The Long Winters' John Roderick, plus readings by ZZ Packer and Dave Eggers and hosting by Ira Glass. The tour is in support of Egger's 826 writing centers across the country, which teach writing skills to kids ages 8-18. A solo Gibbard show is an entirely different animal than a straight-up DCFC appearance, so expect the unexpected--covers, old material, maybe All-Time Quarterback songs. The same can be said for Roderick when he's away from The Long Winters, whose recent album, "Putting the Days to Bed," could easily be the band's best, most ambitious, most soulful effort. A $35 price doesn't make this the cheapest show of the week, but it's for a worthy cause. And if you have the dough, you can cough up $100 and get admission to the pre-show cocktail hour, where you can hang out with the performers.

Revenge of the Book Eaters happens August 24 at Park West, 322 West Armitage, (773)929-5959, at 8:30pm. $35-$100. (2006-08-22)

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