MattZ

This is awesome. Sounds amazing. Congrats!

I see what you are doing there. Nice.

Also, I highlighted the fact that the songs change from night to night not as a way to illustrate enormous changes in variety every night. I mentioned it as way of illustrating that the band does not have a canned way of playing every song and doesn't just mail in every performance. There is some spontaneity. Just not as much as you'd like.

Even when the set list is similar the songs themselves can change from night to night. And I happen to find it fun to listen for those differences.I think you should have italicized your "is" in addition to the ALLCAPS on the WOW. That would have indicated an additional level of sarcasm that would have really driven your point home. Maybe because they don't want to? And maybe because Wilco does not exist as a band to please you?

I just listened to it on rhapsody. I dont get the point of this album. Seems like half-hearted glossy reproductions of the originals without much flavor.

Not sure if that was a response to what I wrote, but if it was, my point wasn't that everyone that likes Ryan Adams loves that song. Just that the opinions of him and his songs seem to be pretty polar opposite. Some folks love Sylvia Plath and others think it's a transparent and lame attempt at depth that comes off as phony. Maybe you don't fall into either of those buckets, but there do often seem to be two distinct buckets when it comes to Ryan. That's all I meant.

Nels played his solos in Impossible Germany and Side with the Seeds differently each night of the back to back shows I saw.

me neither. A recent argument with a friend included ammo from Robert Christgau: "I asked for Roger McGuinn and got Billy Joel instead." An insult on about 4 different levels. One person listens to Sylvia Plath and thinks its fantastic. Someone else listens to it and thinks it's some punk trying to sound deep.

I have noticed that ryan seems to inspire pretty strong opinions on both sides. Friends of mine that don't like him -- really don't like him. To the point that they think he's a souped up adult contemporary artist who's a complete phony ripping off everyone left and right. On the other hand, friends of mine that don't like Wilco or (insert band name) don't like them but dont seem to have the same passionate hatred. Not that my friends are a proxy for all people that don't like Ryan Adams. But I do think it's interesting.

I happen to prefer a good rubbing to a good ribbing. But I can see the confusion.

Not even an email that it has shipped. And, I have to apologize to MusicToday. It's MusicDirect that I ordered it through. Ah, screw MusicToday too. They also suck.

Dear MusicToday, I hate you. Love, MattZ

I love Shine and For the Beauty of Wynona. Daniel Lanois is great. I also credit him with saving Bob Dylan. So, he's got that going for him.

Tom Glavine does not pitch many 1 hit complete game shutouts any more. Thank you rain.

Re: sound at Warsaw - I was on the front rail directly in front of Nels and his amp. That might explain why the sound mix was off for me. Nels overpowered Jeff and Pat on guitar. Every Nels chord exploded out of his amp. In a good way, of course. But it just covered up the other guitars. Also, Jeff was having problems with his amp for a couple of songs -- kept turning around, called the tech out to look at it, fiddled with the knobs, etc. Right? Um... right?

Also, for people that went on Monday, I thought the sound at Hammerstein was way better. Way better. It didn't matter that much, and I am not complaining, but if I were to complain about anything, it would be that the sound mix at Warsaw was less than ideal.

So, um, Wilco at Warsaw blew me away. I am sure Ryan at Hiro would've been sweet too, but Wilco at Warsaw could not have been topped. Pierogies. Sad I missed Ryan at Hiro, but not that sad anymore. Anyone here catch his show? I guess I should check After the Show.

The band really fed off the crowd. The crowd was amazing. Jeff looked so happy. John and Nels looked like they couldn't believe the energy from the crowd. Jeff had the crowd take over vocals in Jesus Etc and I have never heard it so loud. Same for Hummingbird. The crowd drowned Jeff out in parts of Either Way too. I think that explains the setlist in large part. I sing my head off at every show. Stinks that we only get shows like this when everyone else does too. Sing along people!! You should know that makes the band happy. You will be rewarded for it.

Did anyone else see religion during the dueling guitar solos between Nels and Pat in Hoodoo Voodoo? (Yes, I saw a taper in the center 3/4s of the way back)

I love you evil horn.

So Pitchfork isn't a big fan. Good thing we settled that that place isn't relevant any more.

There are going to be assholes at every show. Its unavoidable. And its sad, but probably true, that the bigger commitment you make to be there, the less likely you are to be surrounded by people there for reasons other than the music. Not every one can get out of work early and wait in line for 4 hours before the show starts -- luckily, I was able to do that yesterday. The result is that I was surrounded by people that waited just as long and so had the same love for the band that I had. That's frankly, one of the best positives about getting there early. You are close to the band, but y

Thanks man. I will definitely hop on this when I get home tonight.

Pat blew me away last night at Hammerstein. Wow.