pillowy star

So that German woman found her login to still be intact and can elaborate further in order for people not to be totally dependent on the rantings of two Scottish drunks

Cologne had the problem that the venue was changed from Tanzbrunnen to Kulturkirche, from seated with guaranteed seats to GA. I was completely pissed off about that simply because it was a working day, and we were happy when we bought our front row seats so that meant we didn't have to take an additional holiday but could drive up to get there basically right for the show ...... this wasn't going to happen anymore so I complained with the ticket agency as well as the promoter. Turns out I by far wasn't the only one who complained, because we got an email that our front row seats still would be guaranteed - which is probably what people were upset about who queued in order to get to the front but were blocked by stewards who only let people in there with front seats, aka us. Sorry, but we paid almost a tenner more per ticket and there was no talk of reimbursement, so this was their solution, and it was only fair.

About the show in Cologne: Well ..... I still can't believe that the person there and the person in Leuven were actually the same person, as in Jeff himself. I was feeling very uncomfortable in Cologne because I wasn't familiar with Jeff's attitude of no pictures being allowed (well, I fondly remember the days a decade ago when he told security off for not allowing us to take pictures!), and I was quite shocked that he had a guy thrown out who just took a couple of photos without flash or anything, and who didn't seem annoying to me at all. I guess things changed a lot whilst real life was washing over us the past years ....

Leuven though was totally different. A blast from start to finish, and Jeff in a fantastic chatty mood, with his voice being top notch, and hell Spencer is just WOW. Amazingly talented and spot on. I also liked the bass player Darin very much, it was a lot of fun watching him having fun during the gigs!

I cannot comment on the setlist though, because on mine it says only "stuff".

I too wasn't too fond of the record itself, but now that I have heard it live, I look at it totally different. It's a perfect father-son collaboration. And at the shows it didn't hurt that Tweedy's version of "California Stars" is the very best I have ever heard.

The venue in Leuven was brilliant, great sound, just the right size for a show like that, and Iam looking very much forward to pennyghael's rcording, because what I heard via headphones sounded more than promising (ok that might have been influenced by 1 or 2 Belgian aftershow beers ).

Wilco

I request it for every single show I attend, but I know it's never gonna happen

F'n Oranje. Looked like shit against the Danes. Robben continues his choke-fest. I need to pick another team to root for, they always break my heart.

Same here I guess. Thank God there is still England. No wait ..... that's not gonna help much is it

It might very well become my new favorite Anglicism (or is it Americanism) ? Now if I only could get that image out of my head

Oh sorry Atticus, I wasn't aware that my non-existent pouting was the reason for the LRS threads to not exist/be frequented anymore .... seeing as I only voiced my feelings from donkey's years ago today, but those threads apparently got "circle-wankey" - what a great word - quite a while ago, I assume you have been foreseeing the future then, huh. Next time just read my posts properly (as in: word after word after word) before you make weird illogical assumptions as to why certain threads might not be what they used to be anymore.

Brianne, I can understand that you people also felt weird talking about the whole things when you were basically on your own, but even if people - due to whatever reason - don't join in straight away, they are probably still really enjoying the reports (or pouting about them )!

Oh no, I never did Anf of course it's not negative at all, I think they serve great causes and make a group of people really happy. There was just a time where I felt really left out, and that doesn't only go for the shows themselves but also for the gatherings that come along with them ... and I know about some people who felt the same, maybe they just didn't want to speak out (like I just did) and become unpopular for feeling that way, although it can't be said loud enough that feeling left out/like missing out does NOT automatically mean those who are lucky every time should miss out too! (I guess people know me well enough to realize that is so not what I would want ) And meanwhile I am enjoying reading about them too again, if I actually happen to realize they are on, that is

Speaking from personal observation, it seems that in recent years the living room show threads can become ... erm ... a bit of a circle wank? People who attended post, and nobody else (aside from a handful of folks, perhaps) really seems to care too much.

I guess the explanation might also be that not so much the threads, but the Living Room Shows themselves are very much a circle wank, i.e. only available to a very limited circle of people, and speaking from my point of view, I can only guess that the vast majority of fans who had to miss out every time, due to not being able to splash out on 1) trip to the US including accomodation to be able to bid, 2) the show "entry" itself, and 3) another trip to the US including accomodation to attend the actual show, at some point just don't want to read about what they missed anymore.

This is at least what happened to me several years ago, I started to feel like a third class fan just for being born in the wrong part of the world, and well, just kind of couldn't be bothered anymore at some point. A very healthy attitude at least in my case, because it helped me get over the fact that I will never get a chance to attend, so much that I am meanwhile feeling sorry for Mr. Tweedy who will never be able to play in the most awesome living-room-to-be (aka our future one)

And I second the applause for the screenname

Happy wedding and afterlife to the young couple

When The Roses Bloom Again came from seemingly nowhere and sounded great, and Via Chicago reappeared (sorry Pillowy Star).

Oh well. I guess I can't really complain when I count how often I have heard it live.

Glad you had a good time at the Italian shows, Paul

The best thing about the show were the aftershow drinks with a.m. people.

I kid. I kid.

Great show, with the definite highlight Laminated Kat for me. I especially liked how laid back the crowd was, and yet how much into the show. No annoying talking, no screaming, no exaggerated jumping around, a very enjoyable night all over. Might have convinced us to check out more shows in Belgium.

Now back home for the usual stuff that can't be procrastinated, then off to Zurich.

I loved reading everyone's stories

My first encounter with Wilco couldn't have possibly been worse. They opened up for REM in Munich on July 13th, 1999. It was my first REM gig after years of waiting to be able to go, and needless to say, I just wanted them to finally start playing. The opener was the last thing to get in the way, so I hated them. I remember moaning to my exhusband - who was with me back then - all the time during Wilco's set "oh God they are terrible! I want them to go off stage! now!", and he replied "Jesus, just give that young poet there a bloody chance!" and me going on "no! I want him off stage! Shut up! now!"

So whenever I read somewhere that Wilco were THE band to check out (a lot of REM fans were into Wilco too), I just rolled my eyes. Until one day shortly after the release of YHF, I was so tired by all the attempts to convince me to give them another chance, so I went to the Amazon website and listened to random sound samples of "Summer Teeth" (I think I clicked on "Via Chicago" and "How To Fight Loneliness").

The rest is quickly told. Whilst the sound samples were still on the screen, I ran upstairs, grabbed my car keys and my purse, shouted "I'm off to town to buy a CD!!", bought ST and YHF, and my life has never been the same ever since . I not only have to thank Wilco for keeping me sane during the worst stages of my divorce, but also for a lot of fantastic people I met through them, most of all my best friend/life saver/husband Robert who I would have never started talking to the way I did during Wilco's European tour in early spring 2005 which I had to miss due to an emergency surgery. Everone else I used to talk to at that time was on the road, having a blast at the shows, whilst I was recovering from the operation and therefore bored out of my brains, until this guy sent me a PM if I was going to any of the Wilco shows ..... well I wasn't, but soon I was staying up all night to chat with him ....... we still do that from time to time, just that we are now doing it face to face since May 2005

We've made 2 resolutions:

1. Do more exercise than what we are already doing (and bought the EA Active Sports 2 for Wii for the days we can't go outdoors)

2. Buy/build a house. 2 appointments with builders this week.

Happy new year everyone!

I loved reading all the stories!

Marriage is a very important subject to me, I guess because my first attempt failed after 17 years due to the involvement of too much alcohol on his side...

Still, I was a dare-devil and did it a second time, with someone I met through an REM message board but got close to during the Wilco European Spring Tour 2005 which I had to miss out on albeit having tickets, hotel reservations etc to ALL shows, due to an emergency surgery. That Cornish guy literally was the only person left to talk to, because everyone else I knew was having a blast at the Wilco shows, and well ........... we found we had SO much in common!

We got married only a good year later in Cornwall, for my taste a bit too big, too posh, too fancy, too uncomfortable dress-wise, but hey, it was my husband's first (and hopefully only! ) wedding, so I wanted him to have everything you should have on a day like this.

The one thing I will always, always remember about it was that we walked down the aisle together to an instrumental of "Via Chicago" that our very own Martin Rivas did for us, because ... well,..... Via Chicago is ME. It had to be this song or none, but we thought that some of the old people at the wedding might be a bit creeped out about the lyrics , so we looked around for an instrumental, and with the help of Donna/kidsmoke (who was my Maid of Honor), it happened. Our wedding cake had the "Pillowy Star and Cracked Door Moon" theme

Now we are sometimes regretting that it was such a big do, and we are planning on renewing our vows at some point whenever we feel like it, maybe even during our next holiday on a beach, sunset, sand, cocktails, bare feet ..... you get the idea

Do what you want, Sarah, and JUST what you want. It is your wedding, not anyone else's!

 

Just listening to the very clean audience that has already surfaced...

.........care to make other fans happy ?

Thank you Berlin! And thank you Tempodrom for letting people go down on the floor and enjoy the show up close!! We left our coats in our seats and went downstairs and right up front. Apologies to the folks with tickets in the front rows, but this is rock and roll...

 

An amazing show

As one of the people with front row seat tickets, I can rest your mind, because we were quite happy to race to the stage as soon as we realized the security wasn't gonna do anything about people filling in the gap

It's nice to hear from so many sources (here, FB etc) that Berlin is being regarded as one of the best Wilco shows .... I have seen quite a few, but I caught myself saying to my husband right after the show "this might have been the best Wilco show ever". That might not exactly have been the case - who could tell anyway - but it surely was a memorable one.

Bring on Brussels

Well, people sitting down doesn't necessarily mean they won't talk during the songs (in Frankfurt there were 2 guys sitting right behind us, yapping away all the time, except the 4 or 5 times one of them went out to have a smoke)

I think us Germans just aren't used to people immediately standing up from their seats as soon as the main act comes on stage, like I've been able to experience it many times in the US. It's a tricky situation, because if only a few people get up, they get in the way of those still sitting, and block their sight. So it's really up to the band to encourage everyone to stand up, right at the beginning of the show if it was up to me. I find it almost unbearable to sit down during a Wilco set

Thanks Wilco, you've made my year

Enough said.

I L-O-V-E it. I couldn't love it more than I do. I am floored. Didn't happen to me in a very very long time with any album by any band. Probably the last time with AGIB.

Problem with this: For the first time ever, the German RS has released a magazine issue with two different covers. One with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers which is available at magazine stands, and one exclusively available to subscribers of the magazine. Sorry to everyone who I promised to grab a copy for, but I am unable to. And if I ever thought of subscribing to RS, this has so totally changed my mind now

http://www.rollingstone.de/das-heft/aktuelle-ausgabe/article113575/Ab-morgen-am-Kiosk-Die-September-Ausgabe-2011.html (that's the disclaimer on their website where they announce this sh*t)

Sorry but I just laughed out loud when I read your last post I know that was bad. Healing vibes to you

All the best to the reason why we're all here (presumably ). May your life continue to be filled with creativity, great music, love & everything you wish for yourself. And thank you for everything.

(Which summer are you talking about btw? Oh ..... the one that happened on August 1st this year in Germany, right. )

Apart from trying to stay as dry as possible when running to the car, and not get blown away by the daily rainstorms, we haven't really done much at home here. Our trip to Egypt in June was the only summer we had, with 50 degrees Celsius already at 10 am, and some mind-blowing experiences re: sightseeing.

Other than that, Tara graduated and got engaged in July, so I guess you can call July "exciting"!

I was also told (by our highest sales boss who came all the way down to Bavaria to tell me) that I will most likely be offered a huge promotion at work in the not too far future which might involve company car, significant pay rise, responsibility for about 80 - 100 people, and us deciding to stay in Germany for the time being instead of emigrating to NZ in 2013 .... I am not sure if this is the decision my heart would make, though

Summer also always means my work time takes a 180 degree turn from afternoons to mornings, but the good thing is nobody expects me to go in every day, so it also means a bit of "getting rid of ridiculous amounts of overtime".

Most of the rainy summer days were spent by planning short trips though! The 2nd week in September will be my birthday as well as our wedding anniversary week, so we are doing a little road trip (nothing compared to your's Donna! ) through the far North-East of Germany and back, which will include 2 days in Berlin and 2 days in Dresden, and some sightseeing. In December we'll head over to the UK to spend 4 days there shopping, eating and drinking

Oh yeah, and of course I've been cooking. A lot. Nothing new on that front then

WOW! Can't wait to see at least a 10th of those pictures! I might have to consult you, as we are seriously planning a US roadtrip for next spring

Haha, you're not the only one that gets headaches from the Euro. Pretty much everyone in Europe is affected by it