californiastar

A glowing review from our local critic/fan: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/entertainment/reviews/3641987/Gig-review-Wilco

To add a bit of color, the conversation went something like this:

(queue scene: End of "Misunderstood", crowd gives a huge ovation, and just as the applause settles down)

female fan (standing up, arms in the air): "Understand Me!"

Jeff: "No, I don't understand you. Wasn't that you talking through the entire set? I don't understand why somebody pays good money to see a band and talks through the show..."

fan: continues to yell things at Jeff [peeps please help me out if you heard any of this]

Jeff (staring at his shoes while waiting for her to finish): "please just be quiet... funny thing, we just happen to be playing a song about hitting women next... don't take that the wrong way, but that's what it says here on my setlist."

(queue opening chords to "She's A Jar")

What a show! Thanks for the setlist!!! Of special note, Jeff threw the microphone in the air and it hit John in the head. John's amp stopped working and he threw his bass across the stage, and Jeff did a pretty good job of stage banter while it got fixed up. And one poor (but annoying) fan got a heavy dose of dissing from Jeff after talking throughout the set. She was front row balcony and he kept referring back to her throughout the night, and by the end she looked pretty miserable.

And of course a lot of Wellington vs. Auckland references from "frontman 101", but Jeff insists we sing better than Auckland!

Come-on, anybody get to the Auckland gig last night? Still working off your hang-overs? Let me kick-start the conversation:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10641395

It's very rare but Acuff Rose and New Madrid are probably the most likely ones. Last played by Wilco in 2007 and 2008, respectively. See for example http://wilcobase.com/song.php?numBegin=11&num=11&begin=250&song_key=134

Jeff still plays the occasional Tupelo if you get along to a gig.

Justin Townes Earle announced as support act for Wellington and Auckland. Not sure where that leaves Don McGlashan, who I thought was originally down to open. Perhaps both?

 

I heard that JTE was great when he played here last year.

I am guessing, and secretly hoping, that JTE replaces Don McGlashin. No mention of Don on the wilco website anymore, and no disrespect to Sir Don, but I have just heard great things about JTE, and would rather have more time for Wilco to rock out rather than split the bill 3 ways.

So I have just brought A Reserve Top Dollar tickets, to see Wilco backsides

Sorry for the freak out. I must be reading the venue map wrong. You are probably ok up there.

Crap! trying to work out this map

so are these tickets behind the stage?

GALSection: GA-HRow: DDSeat: 78

Yeah, that's what it looks like to me. seats numbered 44 - 91 look like they're behind the stage. I would call up and complain if you've bought these seats already.

I was surprised to hear that the GA area on the floor (stalls) will be seated!!

Who did you hear this from? What is the point of having GA if it is going to be seated?

Wellington tix finally went on sale at 11:30. Best to call up if you want reserved though, the ones that they are selling online put you behind the stage!!!

damn still no Wellington tix online or over the phone

My ticketek person said "11am or sometime before then".

Night 3 up on Dime - truly amazing.

Sorry, but what is "Dime"?

Jeff again took the lead on "Fake Plastic Trees" and also sang with Neil on "Throw Your Arm Around Me".

I don't think Jeff sang on "Throw Your Arms Around Me". That was Don McGlashin trading verses with Neil, and I don't remember seeing Jeff on stage during that song.

However, it was awesome seeing Jeff and Neil trading verses on "I Got You", even if Jeff was quite visibly looking down at the lyrics on the floor. I was standing upstairs and could see the whole floor bouncing up and down on that number, more than any other song. That was one the show's highlights, along with Jeff singing "Fake Plastic Trees" with the Radiohead guys backing. Then the all-hands-on-stage closer "Something in the Air" with Jeff taking the lead.

Although of course I would have liked to have seen more Wilco -- we got robbed of California Stars on the 3rd night! -- one of the highlights of the show was when Wilco came out and their first song was "At Least that's what You Said", a song I'd always liked but never fully appreciated. Jeff's vocals were just so strong, just totally hit the mark, and then he tore off the most blistering guitar solo I've ever seen him do, and most animated too, making full use of the stage.

Overall, a great night and it was good to see Neil pull out all his classics and have the whole crowd singing along, and seeing young Liam feeding off the energy of all these great musicians on one stage.

Now, has anyone seen a setlist for the 3rd night?

And http://www.stuff.co.nz/4452637a1860.html

20 - I don't know if it started here, but at the Wellington gig, they were taking the piss out of all the acts at "Rock2Wellington", i.e. Ozzie, Alice Cooper, Whitesnake, etc. Jeff did a good Ozzie impersonation, and Glenn stood up and did his best Heavy Metal Drummer impersonation.

So what's the deal? Are you a professional rock photog? These photos are incredible!!!