Magnetized

I’ve really enjoyed your show recaps, Vince. And I salute your intrepid road trip!

I seem to remember that Chris Kattan and his girlfriend were serenaded by Jeff at the Letters to Santa auction a few months ago.

And best liner notes for the YHF deluxe edition went to Bob Mehr, who wrote Trouble Boys about The Replacments.

Thanks for your tremendous reportage on these shows, sir! With your setlist and Lady Susan’s videography, I think we are covered for night 4 except for one thing. Who was the opener? It looked like Judd Apatow was backstage so I’m guessing it was him but can you confirm?

Great write up, as usual. Next best thing to being there. Fascinating to hear about the new song, both lyrically and the way he sang it. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that he shares it on Starship Casual at some point, but there’s nothing like hearing it for the first time in a setting like Largo. 

 

Keep ‘em coming!

Nice report, Vince. How did the unruly audience react to Anbulance? And how was the singing along to the more familiar songs?

I was also up front so hard to gauge the enthusiasm level elsewhere, but it seemed like there was more than usual singing along (accurately!) and great, warm crowd responses. A friend who was farther back and lived in New Orleans said she thought it was an especially receptive crowd, and Jeff seemed genuinely pleased and appreciative. It was an absolutely stellar set and I can’t wait for tonight!

I’m no Bbop but since I was there I’ll try to give you a flavor of this festival and Wilco’s setlist. It was a 3-day festival set in the Botanical Gardens in Memphis. Apparently the festival has morphed a bit. It used to known by another name and was held elsewhere in town, but they seem to have settled on Memphofest in this location. There were two stages, one larger than the other and not too far apart, and they alternated set times so theoretically you could have seen all the acts on the bill if you didn’t care where you stood. No chairs allowed, and it was a late festival running from around 2:00PM-11:00PM all three days. The Black Keys headed the lineup on Friday, with Widespread Panic headlining Saturday and Sunday. Wilco had the slot just before WSP on Sunday. 

 

I’d call it a fairly standard festival setlist, but it was unusual to see them play in broad daylight, and kind of fun for that reason. The crowd was very light on hardcore Wilco fans. Several people I chatted with were barely aware of the band. Jeff didn’t make any remarks until after the first 4 or 5 songs, and it was just the usual joshing around with the audience. I can’t recall anything specifically notable. As they got down to the last few songs, he stopped and said  “Now this is the point in the show where some bands would tell you ‘We’ve still got a lot of show left’  but they would be lying. We’ve just got time for a few more songs for you.”

 

So here was the setlist as played. Started at 4:20, ended at 6:00. I didn’t see a printed setlist so I don’t know if there were any additions or deletions.

 

Handshake Drugs

I Am My Mother

Cruel Country

I Am Trying to Break Your Hesrt

Hints

War on War

Via Chicago

Many Worlds (coda only)

Story To Tell

Hummingbird

Bird Without a Tail

Jesus etc.

Impossible Germany

California Stars

Falling Apart (Right Now)

US Blues (Grateful Dead)

I Got You

Outtasite

 

It was a fun set, with the highlight (for me) being US Blues, since that was the first time I’d ever seen them play that in person. They looked loose and happy.

 

During the show a young couple asked if I was going to the “after show”? What? Turns out they were headed right after their set to the local Memphis station WYXR, where Pat does a show called Baroque Down Palace. Some friends and I hustled down right after Wilco’s set (sorry, didn’t need another night of WSP anyway) and were able to watch-and vaguely hear-the boys crammed into a tiny space for a very casual chat followed by 4 songs:

 

Passenger Side (which Jeff mentioned was recorded in Memphis)

Ripple (Grateful Dead)

Death of the Last Stripper (by Terry Allen)

Lifetime to Find

 

The songs were interspersed with questions and answers which were not really audible to the crowd gathered outside the glass window, but it was a really special treat to just watch the boys in such an intimate space. You can listen here. Https://crosstown-od.streamguys1.com/wyxr/20221002190006-40-768-komorebi-hour-wyxr.mp3?forcedownload=1

 

Now it’s time to check out of my Airbnb and begin the drive down to New Orleans, where I suspect I won’t be the only one in attendance who can provide show details!

For anyone on Facebook, there’s a thread you might be interested in. https://www.facebook.com/groups/390889574423674/permalink/2256017774577502/

It’s always so interesting to read your take on things, Paul. I can’t wait to hear your further thoughts about the “Era of Good Feelings” and what you discern from Jeff’s specific reactions. I think we can assume (hope?) this Wilco era won’t devolve into chaos the way it did in the United States!

Hope all of our VC friends can join in a group photo shoot at Solid Sound. Meet under the WILCO letters at 4:00* (see correction below) on Saturday wearing your favorite Wilco or Tweedy Show gear. No RSVP needed but here’s a link to the Facebook event. https://fb.me/e/1N13T1oFQ

 

***Admin Edit from kidsmoke: Diane has advised me that the photo shoot time has been moved to 2:00 p.m.

Everybody don your Wilco finery and come join us for a SSF 7 commemorative photo!!! 

On 4/17/2022 at 6:55 AM, Cajun said:

Guess Jeff got a Shot in the Arm after first show!!! Will they offer tickets to their solid sound festival for folks that went to the Short Show???

 

Glad he was humbled by the response to Friday's show.

I wouldn’t say he was humbled by anything.

Boy, it was like a balm for the soul to read your recap, Paul. I wasn’t there last night but will be for the rest of the NY shows, and I was fuming after reading so many hateful/hurtful comments in the Facebook group. I was bitterly disappointed to see people expressing outrage and accusing Wilco of getting soft and lazy. How could they be so shortsighted and entitled? Your review put me in a better frame of mind, but I may never get over my negative feelings about some of the so-called “fans.”

I’ll be at all 5 shows. And very excited about spending all that time in sunny, warm Los Angeles too.

Oh my, where to start? I remember when I first signed up, following a Wilco show at a place in Tallahassee called The Moon. I had seen them a couple of times sporadically over the years but in this case I had just moved to Tallahassee for a new job and didn’t know anyone there and could not manage to get any of my new work friends to come with me to the show, so I went by myself. (Not for the first time and definitely not the last.) I came home so inspired and emotional that I just had to share my enthusiasm somewhere, so I did an extensive search for some kind of a Wilco group. [As an aside, didn’t Wilcoworld.net used to include a direct link to this group? I’m thinking that’s how I found you.] So my first post was 3/14/2006 (thanks Wilcobase!) under a guest or anonymous name. I soon adopted the name Wilco Me (after the stupid Beer Me phrase) and kept that name until a few years ago after Star Wars was released. I figured by then I was ride or die with Jeff Tweedy so Magnetized seemed quite appropriate as a new username.

 

I’ve had my ups and downs with this group, including a bad period where one or more people—who shall remain nameless—decided I was a weird stalker for knowing too much about Spencer Tweedy, whose blog I’d been following for years, and Danny Miller, whose Jew Eat Yet blog was also active. I guess I’ve always been more of a fangirl than a purist, a quality I inherited from my mom. But this place used to be (maybe still is?) an intimidatingly brutal crowd for naive, uninformed new fans. I just put my helmet on.

 

I can think of a few things related to VC that have hugely furthered my relationship with this group and Wilco. First was JHamm sending me a huge stack of CDs with such wonderful, rare content. I watched every one of them and couldn’t gobble them up fast enough. This was followed by going to the first Solid Sound in 2010 with Kidsmoke and having her fill my giddy head with even more rarities and personal encounter anecdotes throughout the drive and weekend. I was HOOKED. So much gratitude for these wonderful folks.

 

Nowadays, I mainly come to VC for Bbop’s show recaps—never miss ‘em. And I shouldn’t be ashamed to say that I’ve mostly migrated over to the evil empire which is anathema to many in this group, as the moderator for A Shot in the Arm. It’s always been my position that these are not competing groups. Come to VC for structured, searchable, authoritative content to which you can contribute when you have something to say. Come to Facebook for fanboy/girl posts, posting videos and sillier discussions. I think they both have their place and I try to spread the word about VC to newer fans.

 

So, happy birthday to you, Via Chicago. You’ve enriched my life in untold ways. Long may you run.

12 hours ago, kidsmoke said:

 

Lucky you!!! I'll buy you a Moscow Mule next door at the Roger Room on the 1st or 2nd. I only got those two nights,

what with the driving and holiday season and finances. But they'll be golden. You'll love Largo. Intimate and well-run!

I’ll take that Moscow Mule! 🇷🇺🍹

I won’t be at the Wilco shows in LA 😕 but will be making up for that by going to all 5 shows at Largo! 😍 It’ll be my first time at this venue and I couldn’t be more excited. See you there, Donna!

Bböp’s recap is spot on as usual and greatly appreciated for the detailed documentation. What’s impossible to capture in words though is the fire and energy coming off that stage. Right from the get go when they launched into Bright Leaves it just felt like they were playing at their absolute peak and it took my breath away. Almost every song seemed to have extra juice and some, like Sunken Treasure, went places I can’t recall seeing them go before. Not to mention, the sound was perfect, I mean PERFECT, from the rail in between John and Pat. You don’t often get that kind of sound quality when you’re that close to the stage. I can’t wait for tonight!

14 hours ago, Albert Tatlock said:

Генеральная линия партии

I assume this isn’t Swedish. But really, I haven’t got a clue what you’re getting at. 

On 9/10/2021 at 1:34 PM, Albert Tatlock said:

 

https://thenewsstation.com/with-new-newsletter-jeff-tweedy-has-discovered-an-ideal-way-of-connecting-with-fans/?fbclid=IwAR2GuM97d7vtvjXnsoZHE_dt5VJ2-yX146rQQ7djZBcvXlxefCBZDfvW14M

 

The editor in question is Jeff’s book editor, who clearly knows him well and is simpatico with his sensibilities and way of expressing himself. Jeff always has complex, original thoughts in interviews, etc., but he doesn’t always express them in the moment in a sound bite-ready way. A skilled editor can help a writer’s complex thoughts come across more clearly and concisely, while still retaining the unique “voice” of the writer.  

3 minutes ago, jff said:

Lots of people bought it before it was discontinued and made masks out of it.  There are pictures all over the FB page of this.

 

Nothing wrong with that.  It’s a cute way to show fandom. But it demonstrates to Jeff that people will pay him for just about anything. So if some feel this latest venture is a cash in, or isn’t worth the money, don’t blame Jeff.  He’s just following the lead of his fans.

Not trying to argue about your basic premise here, but the facts are wrong. The masks were made by a fan who lives in the LA area. He copied the design of the curtains and made the masks available for sale through the Tweedys, with all proceeds going to a Chicago-based charity. 

4 hours ago, jff said:

If I were Jeff, and I noticed that Wilco fans are running out to Ikea in droves and buying the same curtains he has in his house, I would smell dollar signs.  If it’s crass for Jeff to cash in (and I’m not saying it is), maybe it’s because the fans are a little too eager to buy anything that has the slightest whiff of Wilco or Tweedy.

The curtain design is discontinued.

5 hours ago, Albert Tatlock said:

 

Генеральная линия партии :-

 

Four legs good, two legs bad.

Animal Farm? Too inscrutable for me. 

It’s really hard to swallow, how people could be questioning Jeff’s decision to…gasp!…charge money to read and listen to exclusive content. After the totally free gift that has been the Tweedy Show for 200 episodes during the lockdown, after all the charitable projects he’s undertaken over the years, after performing free backstage shows and still refunding ticket prices for rained out shows, and after continuing to make some content free on his new substack, he has the temerity to actually want us to PAY for something he creates?? The nerve! 

 

It seems more than a bit churlish to whine about this. Nobody’s holding a gun to your head to force you to pay for something you don’t value.

I’ve been waiting for your show recap, Paul, because my friends and I were saying that that was the best show we’ve seen Wilco play on this tour. I always wonder if it’s just because it’s the most recent show that I’m all agog but your write up confirmed that it was a really special show indeed.

 

One small bit of banter you didn’t mention was Jeff saying that this was the most exposure his haunches have had in a long time, I guess because his pants were also thoroughly soaked and clinging. He said “drink it up!”

 

I don’t remember a livelier Spiders ever, or one with more involvement and commitment by Jeff. That was a huge treat for sure. 
 

We came home drenched and exhausted and proud that our Capital City had inspired such an awesome show. I did get a setlist by the way, and there were no deviations during the main set, but Spiders was NOT on the setlist and the encore was printed as either California Stars or The Late Greats.