H.Stone

I'll add another vote for more Jeff solos added to the mix.

Heartwarming indeed! Nice recap, T. I love Cain's and had so much fun last night. (God, it was just last night?) I think one of my favorite songs of the night was "Box Full of Letters" ... you know, one of those Wilco wrote and recorded before the band emigrated to America.

Ah, yes. A song from the Old Country! A Box Full of Letters was great. As I think about it, that would be a really good song to point to. You know, raise your hand in the air and just point the sh*t out of it?

It did become incredibly hot in the hours before doors, but I have to say I was mostly thrilled to be soaking up so much Tulsa sun. (Some may even say I overdid it... ) Spring in WI this year has been abysmal.

I hadn't seen the full band since Solid Sound, so ending the drought with a show at Cains (my first visit) was terrific! After the "Evening With..." shows and enjoying a variety of Solid Sound Wilco shenanigans, a fan can become downright spoiled in terms of the set list, so I tried to keep that in mind going in. I also recognized my good fortune in being able to attend a Sunday night/Mothers Day show 900 miles from home and work (and my children), so I was ready to enjoy and appreciate whatever turned up in the set list. It also helped to be surrounded by so many familiar faces who always make things more fun. I especially loved hearing Theologians and Misunderstood. Jeff's guitar was blazing from where I stood, and it was great! I love his soloing, even though I recognize Nels is the Guitar God, so it was nice to enjoy the full effect.

There was a funny bit before Jesus, Etc., when Jeff described the indignities they had suffered on their brief tour. The first was in Denton, when the venue put up a barricade but then also enforced (or attempted to enforce?) an additional 3 foot "dead zone" beyond the barricade. The second was in Alabama (not sure which city) when Jeff spotted a guy walking down the aisle toward the stage. Jeff knew the crazy *cough*guy*cough* was going to do something stupid, and he did: he walked to the edge of the stage and threw a beer koozie on the stage. However, that wasn't the full insult. The koozie was a promo for a law firm. Jeff asked if we had any idea what that did to a rock band's libido. He then entreated us to sing along loudly to Jesus, Etc. to help them once again feel ... potent. He assured us afterward that we were successful, and based on the somewhat comic yet captivatingly erotic gyrations by Josh And His Cowbell during Hoodoo Voodoo, it's safe to say at least one crew member was feeling virile by the end of the night.

He also dedicated "I'm The Man Who Loves You" to all the moms because, without them, where would we be? "Nowhere." He also charged that if Glenn didn't stand on his stool for the intro, it meant he didn't love his mom. Ouch! Of course Glenn obliged and offered up a heartwarming declaration of love for his mother before launching into ITMWLY.

All in all, it was a great night. Cains, the band, the company, the sun... Boo to tomorrow's obligations!

These shows might be on the pricier side, in terms of the price of admission, but I would bet that not too many people who attended either or both nights walked away feeling like they didn't get their money's worth.

You're right, they are typically seen as pricey shows. However, if you get the $50 tickets, they really are a bargain. Varied setlists, no opener, great banter...and it's a benefit. This was my first time missing these shows in a few years, and I plan to make whatever arrangements necessary to make it back next year. They really are amazing shows, and missing them was sad.

 

-A guy requested Pick Up the Change, so Jeff serenaded him, staring at him and singing it to him.

 

Awwwww.... Wouldn't it be cool if it was that guy's first Tweedy show?

[swoon] At My Window Sad and Lonely, sans PA [/swoon]

Thanks for the setlist--wish I could have been there!

Thanks for the recap. The "Is Glenn here?" bit is really funny...except that the mayor's daughter sullied it. Clearly this show wasn't on the dry campus.

I was totally going to say "Invisible Touch," but I didn't because technically that's Genesis!

Oh, check out the Phil Collins purist!

Jeff singing the guitar solos is certainly a step up from a couple of guys sitting behind you doing it.

And Forget the Flowers--that's nice!

By the way, the song I was trying to get you guys to figure out as "the one where I never understood any of the words" was Invisible Touch. I actually had trouble Googling it because ... of the whole never understanding any of the words thing.

 

And on the subject of the show, I can't believe I didn't mention how much I enjoyed the new song. I'm excited to hear it with more instruments.

Oh, good god...I'm glad you couldn't think of it last night! The Eddie Money/Groovy Kind of Love duo was more than enough.

Re: the new song: that's what happens when the Interwebs ruins surprises!! I lovelovelove the melody of it. It may be "Oh yeahhhhh" worthy one day.

HaHa Yeah, it was Russ, who forgot his login. Although, I had to laugh as he listed the new song as "Finger".

Hey strangers! Hope to see you soon down the road.

I had a lot of fun last night - excellent show, and our dinner beforehand was nearly as much fun. I've missed the local crew!

Cheers to that!

When I'm feeling BLUE

All I have to DO

Is take a look at YOU

And then I'm not sooooo BLUE...

(Paul, you bastard!)

If I may make a credit suggestion, use "Mancakes."

Last night Jeff played it and afterward announced that it was a new song. He said the night (or two?) before, he made the mistake of announcing that it was a new song beforehand and then people recorded. He thought by announcing it afterward, he could avoid that problem. (He followed that up with, "Not really; I've given up all hope.") It was really pleasant not seeing a lot of glaring screens in the crowd last night, and I'm bummed Paste picked up the recording. It seems there are two choices for Jeff/Wilco: be hard-core about recording/cameras/etc., much to the ire of some attendees, or just let people do whatever they want and have your works-in-progress publicized across the web. I think it was last year at one of the Vic shows that Jeff announced the next song was written for Mavis Staples and that no one could record it--he was going to trust us. (He intimated, of course, that he knew he couldn't.) The guy in front of me immediately nudged his buddy and then started recording with his iPhone. Seriously, wtf?

From what I heard last night, I like the song a lot. Of course, who knows what it will sound like with the full band, and that's part of the excitement of waiting for the new album.

Oooo (ooooohhhhhh?), P -- I like the Wordpress. A great recounting, of course. As soon as Jeff noted how quiet the room was, I had a feeling it would be received as an invitation to, well, not be quiet. But people also seem to want to reenact moments from the Sunken Treasure DVD ("Play whatever you want!") at solo shows, so maybe it's just a matter of time before that kind of racket erupts, regardless of how the evening starts.

It's been a long (loooooong, sad, lonely) time since I've seen any incarnations of Wilco, so I was really looking forward to hearing whatever songs showed up in the setlist. Pieholden and Candyfloss were definitely highlights of the night, and there was a lot of love for "You Are Not Alone" from my vicinity. But really, who can blame the fine gentleman in the audience? That song is worthy of any and all Barry White-esque utterances. (Actually, having just seen Mavis Staples & her band perform it a week or two ago, Jeff's imitations of the "Ohhhh yeah" reminded me more of Donny Gerrard than Barry...and I'll take Donny every time.) But I digress. Back to the point: that song is magic.

Jeff had a few great bits, as usual. I thought one of the funniest moments was when Jeff stated that he wrote "Born Alone" in response to him writing "You Are Not Alone." HA! And as noted, there were a few references to the current political "unrest" in Madison. Regarding the story about his family, I think he was saying that his dad was a "company man" while his brothers were in the union, and there was a great deal of conflict in his house around that. I think he said something like, "I hated being around that conflict" or ... "shit" ... or something. That's when his story was interrupted by the Ruling Class request, although I also got the impression he didn't have a lot more to say about it. (I didn't catch the Jolly Banker request! Damn, that would have been great!) He was more reticent than I expected on the subject, but not in a way that was disappointing. What's he going to say? Plus, I enjoy having the music as an escape. At the end, when he said, "This is what concerts would sound like without unions!" I leaned over to my husband and said, "Wait, is that an endorsement of unions or not?" Which was followed promptly by his, "Pretty good, right?" Ha.

It was a really nice night; I can't wait for Solid Sound.

The line-up looks fantastic! Two nights of Wilco sounds great to me. I remember hearing plenty of complaints last year because they were only headlining one night of their own festival, so now we're getting two full shows plus the rest of the line-up for under $100? Pretty ridiculous if you ask me. (As for a solo set, maybe Jeff wants to spend more time in the dunk tank this year and knows his voice won't survive it.)

I'm curious to see what changes the city of North Adams makes for 2011. I hope someone at least talks to the management at the Holiday Inn restaurant so we aren't booted off the patio at midnight on Sunday.

Also, will there be a beer announcement? I don't want any of that non-local, Magic Hat bullshit like last year.

Ahem, the correct spelling is "spexxxy" ™.

Wait, isn't it Spanx?

Thanks for the tips! We've done the Pearl St thing in the past, and our friends were married at Chautauqua (and we stayed in cabins there), so we've got a few things under our belts. We're taking the girls skiing one of the days, and then we'll have to hit a few of the places you mentioned. I'd love to go to the vinyl shop, but I don't foresee us putting many albums in our luggage. Or do I? Because there's no way we'll go there and resist buying.

Hey, did you see the zip code guy? Or doesn't he "do" Pearl St. in the winter?

What a great setlist! Wait Up, Someday..., Summer Teeth, Either Way, ELT, Red-Eyed, Dreamer... all without a single repeat. Damn. Was this GA seated or assigned?

It would seem strange that suddenly no audio recording equipment would be allowed, especially since he referenced the live recording from stage.

P, any Boulder finds you recommend before we head that way in a couple of weeks?

For the kids, I hope they bring The Story Pirates back. They were great.

I haven't heard anything about it, Louie.

When I watch this, I feel like it was shot using My Hipstamatic Prints, Lens: -10 years. Jeff looks much younger.

Maybe YLT has rules about suggestions regarding clips from their shows being posted on VC?

Cool. Thanks for posting.

...a lesser-known, unsuccessful TLC album from the late 1990's.

"A Retrospective of the Decade"