DiamondClaw

Hmm, you're right, that 11/24 pin does look like it's too far west to be Chicago. Maybe there are other hidden pins in that cluster that could be Chicago. Or maybe we don't get a show in town here until the next leg of the tour. It's worth noting that the band has stuck to the schedule of holding a Chicago residency every three years for a while now: 2005 (Vic), '08 (Riv), '11 (shrinking tour), '14 (Riv) and '17 (Chicago Theatre). If that pattern holds, 2020 would be next.

All right Chicago people, let's speculate (baselessly) here for a minute. It's September now, and there are no shows announced yet for the Ode to Joy tour here in town, despite many other Midwest dates on the schedule in November. They're obviously going to play a hometown show (or shows) at some point, but where and when? I get the feeling something is already planned but not announced. To quote Lionel Hutz, "We've got plenty of hearsay and conjecture — those are kinds of evidence." If it's going to happen in 2019, the most obvious possibility is probably the last week of November. They h

Love seeing these setlists and recaps, thanks bbop! It's going to be interesting to see how they juggle 10 albums worth of old material (plus MA stuff) in with the new songs. For example, looks like no Summerteeth, The Whole Love or Schmilco material last night.

Sunloathe Hey, somebody had to say it! Honestly though, I've been luck to live in Chicago and see the band air out just about everything I could ever hope for, especially in the residencies, even deep cuts I've loved but would have never expected live like Panthers, Dark Neon and Message From Mid Bar. Of the songs the band actually performs or has performed live (at least occasionally), the two I've never seen live but always wanted to are: That's Not the Issue More Like the Moon More recently, I've never seen the half of Star Wars that got dropped from the sets after the initial ru

Maybe someone else can weigh in if they know, or maybe we'll have to wait to see them perform it live, but my guess would be Nels on lap steel and Pat on the arpeggio/hammer-on/pull-off electric riff.

Late to this thread, but man, that show was excellent! Since it was more than likely a one-off, we might not get a show like this again for a good while. Actually, outside of Solid Sound, I don't think the there has ever been a full show like this. If you were a casual Wilco fan (if there is such a thing) and didn't know what you were getting into, all the unfamiliar material might've been off putting. And there were a few shout outs near me of "Poor Places," or "Handshake Drugs" or "Play some Wilco." But I'm glad Jeff went solo stuff all the way. I loved the mix of Sukierae, Warm and Warmer m

Listened this afternoon. It sounds great!

I completely agree with that aspect of the solo stuff. You can sit down and play YHF in its entirety with just an acoustic guitar. It is proof the songs are so durable, and it's what makes Tweedy's solo acoustic shows so good. I think the songs are just as good now — the songwriting on Warm/Warmer is as good as ever. For me, it's mostly about the production and arrangements. The vocal performances and recordings particularly have been weaker over the last few albums. In general, sonically, the mix hasn't been as crisp or full since The Whole Love. That's what I would like to see cleaned up a b

Really? That's interesting. What did he say?

I think this is just Jeff's process these days. Maybe he found it too difficult to build songs with six guys, it must be tough with so many hands in the pot. But everything he's done post-TWL has felt like personal demos that he picks guys to overdub on.

This is a great news! I like DTAS, but it's no secret the super glossy production on that album didn't suit the band. Looking forward to hearing those tracks in a new light.

Regarding "Everyone Hides": I assume they re-recorded it for all the reasons mentioned so far. I hope it doesn't veer too far from the vibe of the original though, because I really liked that groove.

I finally got to hear the bonus track yesterday. Another great song!

Interesting point about the seemingly counter-intuitive contracted universe of Wilco. It's ironic that the fullest, most virtuostic Wilco lineup can sometimes seem restrictive for Tweedy somehow. I have thought for a while this next record was going to be big for Wilco. Each record always sounds drastically different than the last, from BT on through Schmilco really. However, there has been a really similar vein underlining Tweedy's work for the past five years, namely Sukierae, Schmilco and Warm/Warmer. (Star Wars has similar production, but the songs dynamically are different.) Will Wilco ta

I loved "Everyone Hides"! Very glad it will get a proper release. The existing Tweedy version of the track is great, but I'm excited to hear what Nels and co. will bring to it (if it's been reworked/rerecorded). The new single is good — I especially like the guitar work — although I do admit I was/am hoping for something bigger than breezier this time around, as Warm/Warmer (plus Schmilco) scratched my itch for folky Tweedy.

Plus he wrote and produced a whole Mavis Staples album in 2017. Darn impressive.

Well, I wasn't planning on going to 10, but since you started it... Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars William Tyler – Goes West Josh Ritter – Fever Breaks Local Natives – Violet Street Mac DeMarco – Here Comes the Cowboy Jeff Tweedy - Warmer Son Volt - Union Cate Le Bon - Reward Jenny Lewis - On the Line Fujiya & Miyagi - Flashback

Getting a jump on those end-of-year lists with one at the midway point. What have been your favorite albums of 2019 so far? Here's my top 5: Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars William Tyler – Goes West Josh Ritter – Fever Breaks Local Natives – Violet Street Mac DeMarco – Here Comes the Cowboy

I haven't, but if I were forced to pick just 11 of the tracks, I think it'd be these: 1. Bombs Above 2. Some Birds 3. Don't Forget 4. How Hard it is for a Desert to Die 5. I Know What it's Like 6. Having Been in No Way to Be 7. Family Ghost 8. Sick Server 9. Empty Head 10. Evergreen 11. Guaranteed Just missed: And Then You Cut it in Half. I haven't heard the bonus track "Drawing From Memory," but I liked the solo acoustic version he played live once, so maybe that would make the cut as well.

And they might be waiting to announce anything until after Tweedy's solo show here in August.

It's interesting because, on the one hand, one of the great things about Wilco is that their setlist isn't rigid and they're free to play any song at any moment. And nothing's better than seeing them in a residency type setting with nearly the entire catalog covered. But Wilco is no nostalgia act. They're a contemporary band, and new material keeps the shows fresh and the band's purpose strong. I suspect this will all become moot relatively soon anyway.

Webcast was great! John's bass sounded particularly sharp to me. Jeff's vocals did seem a little strained in a few places, but aside from that, the band seemed locked in and totally on top of their game. Aside from my usual favorites, I liked "I'll Fight" and "The Joke Explained," which I think were both better than the studio versions. The one thing that occurred to me was that, as great as the band sounded, it's clear they need a new album to promote. The setlist variety is wonderful as always, but it will be nice when it is focused on new material.

It depends. If they're assembling the album piecemeal with lots of overdubs, they way they did Star Wars, they don't ever have to be in the same room at the same time to get it done. If they're trying to track live, like Sky Blue Sky, it might be a different story.

In all seriousness, do you guys really think the new album is 100% already in the can and they're just sitting on it? Or do you think there is still at least a little work to be done to complete it?

I'll chime in to say thanks bbop as always for these through recaps! I look forward to these every tour. If you're ever wondering whether the work you put into these is appreciated or not, it is! Great setlist last night. Surprising though that the newest song on there is from 2009. Nothing from any of the last three Wilco albums.