Head in a Guillotine

When on earth did being a decent, respectful human become the hardest fucking thing in the world?! If no one else around you is standing/smoking/yelling/pushing other people - and even then, if someone asks you politely to refrain from doing whatever you're doing - then be a courteous person. This rule doesn't just apply at concerts.

 

This thread may as well be titled, "How to be polite and socially appropriate?" The fact that it has gone on this damned long just blows my fucking mind. Do you all really think there's a special halo that sits atop your head, for when you want to get your way?

 

If you can't be courteous, don't leave the house. Period.

You're completely missing the point.

Of course, I would not stand if I was the only person in my section standing, etc. Most people aren't social idiots.

The point is that standing at a rock show should be an EXPECTATION. People should only attend a rock show if they can stand or if they know that the venue has a special section for those that lack the ability.

It's the people who go to a rock show and expect to sit who are the problem.

Wilco shows=STANDING

Maybe they should put it on their website in the "Shows" section or something, but the people who go to rock shows and expect to sit are morons who are ruining a really great thing. Rock and roll isn't about comfort. Being a Wilco fan, you should know that.

It's really not that hard.

 

If everybody around you is sitting...you sit.

 

If everybody around you is standing...you stand.

 

Don't sing along so loud as to annoy people.

Don't shout out "woo hoo" during the quite songs.

Don't block the view of people behind you holding up you cell phone for a one minute crappy phone video.

Don't spend the whold night talking.

Don't drink so much taht you miss the show with beer runs and Pee breaks.

If you do drink too much, don't pass out or throw up on annybody.

 

It's just that simple.

I completely agree with you on all of your "dont's," but at a rock and roll concert (with a full band), you ought to stand. It's obvious that the members of Wilco agree, so you should certainly stand during a Wilco show. How many fucking reports do you have to read of Tweedy scolding audiences to sit to make you realize that you should stand. It's not that hard!

Oh, I understood your post quite well.

 

Your "bigger problem" is the audience at a show that hasn't even happened yet.

 

My "bigger problem" is I don't even have a ticket to get in the door.

 

I happen to perceive my problem to be bigger than yours and I was just poking fun at you. Lighten up! Enjoy the show. I hope you are surrounded by people enjoying the show exactly to your wishes. And I really mean that, too.

I was trying to generate discussion on why people would buy up tickets so quickly to a show that they really don't even want to see (e.g. what happened at the Wolf Trap).

I honestly don't expect anything of the people around me. I really don't care, as long as they don't bitch about me wanting to stan,d I won't bitch about them checking their Blackberry every five minutes.

That being said, I am hoping for a fun audience. Rock and roll really loses its appeal when people treat loud concerts like a Broadway show.

Yeah, man! Who wants to be in a crowd of people and listen to live music? Ew!

What are you talking about? I don't get the sarcasm.

I'm new to living in DC and go to a couple shows a week. Some audiences are great, some are good, and rarely they are terrible. The Wilco audience at the Wolf Trap fell into the latter category. People sat the entire show. People chatted like they were a baseball game. It's a concert- stand up, shut up, and have some fun.

All I was saying was that it's sort of counter-intuitive that a show that sells out right away (which would imply an energized, excited fanbase) would have a so-so audience. Yet that happenned at the Wolf Trap. I'm hoping that it doesn't here.

I don't think my post was difficult to understand. Did you disagree with it or misread it? Or is there just a board rule that we all have to be blindly optimistic? I'm really excited for the show, but I just hope that the people who would prefer to have a dinner party just have one instead of hosting it at a rock show.

I think everyone should keep in mind that the Strathmore seats less than 2,000, DC has a population of 600,000 not counting the 2 hour span of suburbs in all directions, and the venue has season ticket holders. it is very similar to when the band plays the 9:30club. unfortunately at such small venues, it is extremely difficult to get hands on tickets. myself and a friend both tried for tickets and got shut out, we expected it though. i have also never paid more than face value for a wilco ticket, have always bought my wilco tickets, have been shut out of ticket sales, and have never missed a local show.

My bigger problem is despite the supposed rabid demand, the audience won't be great.

I'm sure some people will sit the entire show. I'm sure others will talk through it, etc.

It just sucks because you'd assume that playing a small venue in a large Metro area would guarantee a great audience, but it certainly doesn't.

Solace had it in his Top 50, but I wanted to comment that Leave Ruin by Strand of Oaks was the biggest surprise of the year for me.

It's such a beautiful and insightful record.

Anyone else enjoy this one?

I also enjoyed the 2009 output by following groups:

Animal Collective

The Antlers

Ben Gibbard & Jay Farrar

Bob Dylan

The Decemberists (I gave it time)

Great Lake Swimmers

Justin Townes Earle

Wilco

I thought the following had their moments, but were inconsistent:

Conor Oberst

Mike Doughty

Son Volt

Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs

I was disappointed with the following:

Monsters of Folk

The Swell Season

U2 (Terrible, just awful)

I really enjoyed your show review.

Thanks for posting it here.

I was also at the 9:30 Club show. I thought SV was very good.

Methamphetimine off of The Search may be my new favorite SV song. Also, they played a prolonged psychedelic version of Medication from Okemah which was pretty epic.

The new songs sounded a lot better than they did on record too. For some reason, the lines that I found to be cringe worthy when listening to ACD ("Celebrating the 4th of July with Dynamite," "Mother Theresa to the animal kingdom," "I did it because that's how it is done") didn't bother me too much live.

I've only seen SV once before, and this show was much better.

My initial list (Not in order)

Black Eye

New Madrid

Box Full of Letters

Please Tell My Brother

Radio King

Misunderstood

Sunken Treasure

Via Chicago

Summerteeth

Venus Stopped the Train

IATTBYH

Ashes

Poor Places

ALTWYS

Late Greats

Either Way

You Are My Face

Bull Black Nova

You and I

Solitaire

is that the line? I thought he sings "met" not "might"...

 

Excuse me while I kiss this guy.

It's "met," the guy's wrong.

Did anyone here take the bus yesterday? I drove, but it took almost an hour (54 minutes, to be precise) to get out of the parking lot. I'm going to the NSO/John Williams show in a few weeks, and I might want to try alternative transportation.

Buses were lined up 2 hours before the show such that after a five or ten minute wait a full bus would depart from the West Falls Church station to the Wolf Trap. Same with after the show. I took the Metro and the bus and found it to be a cheap convenient form of transportation

The opener is A Hawk and a Hacksaw.

They consist of Jeremy Barnes (previously of NMH) and violinist Heather Trost.

I saw them at the Pitchfork Music Preview at Millenium Park last summer.

The music is mostly instrumental and Barnes plays a lot of accordian if I remember correctly.

Their tunes Eastern European influenced, which I don't care for, but I'm sure many others will find it enjoyable.

More news...

http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/turn_it_up/

Excited about Lou Reed and The Decemberists, but disappointed in the headliners.

Yeah and that's fine.

I was just looking to get people's thoughts.

Thanks everyone for sharing and I'm sure I need to rethink my interpretation a bit.

Solace,

I understand what the song means in terms of those verses.

My problem is more that there seems to be a sense of complacency about the situation.

He's saying the have-nots are not well off, but they're still happy with their situation.

The haves ("who vacation in the Gulf Of Mexico") are sometimes not as happy.

I think most of us can see examples of that. But he seems to suggest that this situation may be alright. As opposed to suggesting that something ought to be done due to this unequal distribution of wealth.

Like the chorus could have been "Little pink shacks that you are forced to live in by you and me"

I just wish a little more blame was placed on "you and me"

I guess it just seems like such a rosy eyed sentiment from a man who claims to have a understanding on American power structures and how they are injurious to average people.

I just don't think many people think of the United States as a place where we all have little pink houses.

That's kind of a bullshit sentiment fed by conservatives to create a sense of complacency.

I'm just getting around to watching the Obama Inaugural Celebration, which I had on DVR.

I always assumed that "Pink Houses" by John Mellencamp was meant to be a satire, or at the very least sarcastic.

After watching his performance and reading up on a few interviews, I was surprised to find out that the song is not satirical.

Am I wrong in thinking that Mellencamp is a complete loser to write a song like that?

"Ain't that America, little pink houses for you and me?"

Are you kidding me, is he blind? Especially when invoking a scene of an African American in Indiana. More like "Ain't that America, a lack of good jobs for low skilled workers accompanied by a heavy dose of racism for you and me"

I have two available tickets. I sent you a PM, but you can also e-mail me jdubray@nd.edu.

I'd like the tickets. E-mail sent.

E-mail sent. If still interested I'm at jdubray@nd.edu.

Wilco's performance will be airing at 11 PM Central tonight on PBS.

I'm excited to check it out.

Just saw Neil last night in Chicago and the second opender there (Dr. John) came on at about 8.

Not sure if this answers your question, but when he was on the XRT's The Electic Company he played a few songs by The Byrds.

Greg Kot's book mentions how much Tweedy loved Neil Young's album "Tonight's The Night."

I've read an article about the loft saying that Dylan's "Bringing It All Back Home" was spinning.

Also, in a NYT article, Tweedy mentions being fond of Dr. Dog and Grizzly Bear.

I'm sure based on Wilco's music that Jeff likes Dylan, Neil Young, The Beatles (the Classics) and punk influences rock banks (X, The Replacements), but I'm sure that like all of us he has a wide, wide variety of tastes.

Bump.

I'm willing to take well below face, just shoot me any sort of offer.

I have two GA admission tickets to this show in Detroit.

I am unable to go due to college finals.

Will sell below face and willing to negotiate price.

I would love if fans could use these seats.

Email an offer to jdubray@nd.edu