GeckoRlz

One comment that many probably didn't hear, bu tthat was perfectly audible from my seat was a woman asking Jeff why he sold himself to Volkswagon right before Shake it Off. Thank goodness he didn't hear from the stage. that's all i've got.

That was my girlfriend... She asked why he sold his SONGS to VW... at least she didn't try again after that point, but she was pretty determined before the show to get him to comment on it. I would've liked to hear his response.

I thought the show was great, but also feel that the show 2 years ago on the AGIB tour was far better. Their seemed to be an unexplainable energy to me at that show that is missing these days. Someone mentioned the solos were a lot cleaner, I agree. Everything seems a little more considered, tighter, clearer, but lacking that uncontrollable passion that kind of has a will of its own. I loved the first show for the little scuffle Tweedy had with the audience... It was very revealing and expressive of Jeff's passion for music. That was just the electricity that show had.

While they did mix in some old songs, really... can you drop hummingbird, shot in the arm, or all those other songs played at every single show for some of the ignored numbers on summerteeth, AGIB, or yankee hotel? Obviously the band knows those songs ridiculously well, it seems like itd breathe a little fresh air into the performances...

MMJ at their worst are better than MM at their best. not that MM are bad live, but they've always been really hit or miss.

It still really sucks balls that they would put two of the largest names that have a largely overlapping audience right against each other. Those are the two bands I was most excited to see. I'm feeling pretty ripped off right about now.

And Yes, MM are hit or miss live, but Modest Mouse at Sasquatch in 2005 was one of the best shows in my life, so I think saying MMJ at their worst are better than MM at their best is way off. It's hard to beat Modest Mouse when they are on, which is less and less frequent these days... I'd say MMJ is just flat out always a great show. I saw MMJ at 'roo latenite in 2006 so I'm fully aware of what they are capable of... that's why this hurts so much.

I know it's just over a week ahead of time, but I thought I'd go ahead and post.. Who's going to the Charlotte show? My wife and I will be there.. Anyone know of any good places to eat before the show?

My Girlfriend and I will be going... for our second Wilco show at this venue! Charlotte sucks donkey balls, in my expert opinion... hoping for a great show though, I really hope they play that VW song!

I don't buy the "giving up control of people's primary associations with your music" argument. You do that the second you release a song, either through a leak, on an album or as a single. People will make their own associations regardless of how the song is released - licensing it for use in a commercial only creates one more out of an infinite number of possibilities.

Exactly - people can make their OWN associations when a song is released, but when it's placed in the context of an advertisement it's a whole lot more limiting. I can't tell you how many threads/stories I've seen on these boards about the first time people heard a Wilco song. That first impression is crucial, often the most emotionally impacting and lasting impression. I think it's unjustifiable that the band would allow that to take place in the context of a TV ad, the most emotionally lifeless and individuality stifling format I can think of.

From the back page of the Entertainment section in the Chicago Trib today.

 

LouieB

POP MACHINE

...you've given up any control of people's primary associations with your music.

 

You can make pragmatic calculations about gaining exposure for your art, but when you collect that check, you're giving up something in return. That's just how it works.

Bingo. This is my main gripe with the whole deal.

Also, I look forward to the day when I'm at a Wilco show and someone shouts, "play that VW song!" (maybe it will be me) and seeing how Jeff reacts to THAT one...

Says the individuals that wrote the documents this country was founded on for starters. You have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That goes for others as well. Your rights end where theirs begin. You do not have the right to force them to do something as it infringes on their right to liberty. So, again, nothing can be a basic human right if it requires someone else to provide it.

And your convinced that those ideals of american democracy are manifest today huh? I'm feeling pretty good about my personal liberties these days...

I can't think of a single thing the government has ever done better or more efficiently than private individuals have. Health care, in my opinion, is way too important to hand over to the government.

I dont think private individuals (ie. huge corporations) have done any better job with healthcare in this country than many foreign gvts have. In fact we're almost unanimous in this country today (how common is that these days?) that our healthcare system is completely in the gutters.

If the last 6 years of government haven't taught you the need for using reason over living in a fantasy world, then you may be beyond help.

Oh, I thought it was abandoning our morals and ideals for knee-jerk arguements with poor evidence that constituted retreating to the fantasy world in the first place. My bad.

You're surely right. You are a man or woman of reason. I need to lighten up. It's just I like having my illusions. We all need them, you know.

you know, you left out a crucial element in your story - how you came to be convinced by your professors argument.

Why is it that in our culture recognizing ideals of youth as illusions or unrealistic fantasies is considered a necessary part of the "growing-up process"? We thus abandon what we instinctually feel is right to arguments of reason that are never entirely convincing... and the quality of our culture/world continues to deteriorate.

until they brand Nike on the inside of your eyeballs or your significant others good parts, you can choose to physically structure your life outside it's reach or learn to shut it out. we're all involved in this scenario and while some people in the equation have more power than others...

And how much longer do you think THAT will take? Do you really want to play god of the gaps with humanity?! You admit you don't like these things, and your best advice is AVOIDANCE?! I really do hope one day people will grow tired of allowing themselves to be backed into corners as everything they value disappears/is replaced.

nah I'm sure they thought their fans would love them unconditionally but I guess they were wrong since lost so many fans because of a 30 second commercial.

Actually, 5 or 6 commercials. Including the guitar solo part of "you are my face" (so painfull to watch/hear). But whos counting?

no they should have said "No thanks we already have enough money we don't want any more, we don't want to promote our music any more either." that would have been the right thing to do.

Because all money is good money, and because all publicity is good publicity...

time tested truths

Dude, did you not see that part in IATTBYH where they were at Wendy's and the dude only had $6?!!?!?!?!? They probably now (I hope) make more money that I do - 41K USD per annum - but they ain't the Rolling Stones, that's for sure.

I guess I'm coming from my own experiences, ie. the many times I've participated in the scrambles to get tickets to the shows before they sell out, which nearly every one does quickly...

Are you really entertaining the fantasy that any of the members of the band are having ANY problem being fed, clothed, housed, medically insured, or "making a living at it"? They made this decision to gain additional revenue/exposure at the expense of cheapening the music to a huge number of their longtime fans... that to me is a very selfish and disappointing decision.

It's been mentioned. Per Volkswagen, Sky Blue Sky is the soundtrack to their new marketing campaign.

 

Awesome.

 

Stop shopping, even

Stop buying things

 

I'm kickin'

Yeah, I'm calm

Oh, I'm kickin'

Television

Television

Man, you don't actually take their music SERIOUSLY do you? It's all just good fun and TV commercials...

I can't possibly imagine how the band would think this kind of exposure would be a positive thing for the band. I'd REALLY like to hear Jeff Tweedy/anyone else from the band defend this decision/avoid it like the plague in forthcoming interviews. I think they owe us that (go on, tell me how they don't owe us loyal fans shit).

You're forgetting that the new album isn't out for another three weeks. They'll incorporate more songs from it once it's in people's hands.

 

And yes, most of us on this board have copies of it by now, obtained by whatever means, but as an artist, I think you have to assume that most of the crowd at your shows haven't heard the record before its release date. Sprinkle in a few new songs, but don't overwhelm people with stuff they don't know.

I was under the impression that that's not how they treated YHF and AGIB at shows before they were "officially" released... Wilco have a history now of making their albums available online before they release them, and I'm pretty sure the band knows by now that most folk at their concerts arent exactly there for the first time...

I'm confident youre right, but I am a little nervous as minus 4 songs on that set I've seen that show 5 times already, and am hoping for something different this go around...

I was there and it was a fucking amazing show. I hope someone recorded the webcast!

 

I've posted what I think is an accurate setlist in the 'After The Shows' section, though HighFives' was pretty spot on.

 

Wilco, you are a bunch of geniuses.

my god, only FOUR new songs out of 24? That's ridiculous... seems like the guys like the new record about as much as I do...

Be still my beating heart! Hammerstein here we come. Why are these things so nerve-wracking!?

 

One question, does anyone know what the .55 cent "optional charge" was? I was so anxious about making a mistake that I just checked it, but I have no idea what it was for....I figured what's another dollar!

I didnt check this... I figured my browser just wasnt displaying what it was

Good luck to everyone on the pre-sales today!

It just says on sale now.. HOW DO I GET IN?!?!?!

I'm surprised that they picked Ovens to play at again.. I figured after the god-awful crowd there was last time, they probably would have shunned it for all eternity.

Well, Jeff takes issues with the crowd at so many shows, the list of venues he's never had problems at would be pretty damn short by now...

Besides, I thought ovens was great - one of the best sounding venues I've ever been at. That show has a special place in my heart as my first wilco show, and I'm really excited they are returning.

I really dislike the instrumental part during the "shake it off" section, the sloppy descending 2nds are annoyingly atonal and destroy the rhythmic groove established...

I can see jeff really playing up some lyrics live though... "so many hearts beating in one place"

And I bet of all the people who say that you are the only one around here that can't dance (or, worse, have not the balls to try).

Of all the people who say what? That the rhythmic breakdown of shake it off is a terrible groove and would be humorous to attempt to dance to? Well I'm glad I'm not alone in my opinion. Your assertion that I'm the only one who can't dance on this board is retarted, I'm sure lots of other people besides myself can't dance (represent!), and your assertion that I don't have the balls is just, unfortunately, wrong... oh yeah, and hostile/prickish of you.

Shake It Off ... The chorus/middle has an amazing groove to it, I can't wait to hear this live.

Are you f'ing joking?! That awkward stop-start rhythmic jolting is an "amazing groove"? I can't WAIT to see people try to dance to that shit in concert... its going to be hi-larious...

The reasons You are my face and Hate it here are proving themselves to be fan favorites thus far is most likely because those are the only parts that show some real flourishes of interest on the album. The rest is just so monotonous... for me, it's so mellow as to be aggravating... I just keep itching for them to mix it up a bit and throw in some crunch, and besides from those aformentions sections, theres not much relief to be had. I find it frustrating.

To me it seems like so much of this album is an experiment in how little noise 6 guys can make... Though it provides some interesting results, considering the talent of each member, it seems to me to be mostly just wasteful.

Am i the only one who thinks impossible germany is probably the worst song on the album? A decent solo from nels, but the outro is the cheesiest hogwash I could imagine them releasing... the guitar tones and hooks remind me more of music played as background on the weather channel than of the inventive and energetic band I know and love.

That and the instrumental breakdown passage of "shake it off" are incredible lows.... and though I've heard some diss it, I really think they NAILED walken on the album... the only thing I'm not sure about is whether or not the absence of pat's pick scrape is for the better. All and all, the most disappointing album I've heard in a long, long time

If someone would add me to the long list of PM i'd be most

That was quick! much thanks... lots of pages here, quick question: hows the quality of the rip?