DougoBlue

One my favorite Wilco shows was in Kalamazoo (2005) -- great town and great crowd that night. The wife and I may have spent too much time a Bells Brewery prior to the show, though.

I was at that show as well... the last date of the Ghost Is Born tour. You could tell the band loves playing Kalamazoo. Tweedy played solo here in Kzoo several years ago too.

I had a blast at this most recent show at the State Theater, again!

I really enjoyed the show last night. They seem to stop here on the way out or the way in, lucky us. Via Kalamazoo. The last time they played here was the last show on the Ghost is Born tour.

The entire Star Wars album to start the show was really well done and sounded amazing, even from up in the balcony.  The whole middle section - which could have been a concert in itself - great arrangements of mostly older material with special attention to YHF favorites. The first encore, then second, acoustic encore were extra special and sounded really great. Easy to see why they like playing this great old historic theater - exceptional acoustics. 

Seemed like they were using this date as kind of a proving ground for material and to see what translates. Jeff said, at one point they weren't going to do a lot of talking between songs so they could fit as many tunes in as possible... and that "nobody wants to hear me talk". Fine with me - even though I enjoy his usual banter - there was so much music and it seemed like three concerts in one.

Only my second Wilco show, and worth the 2-hour drive from Kalamazoo. I really wanted to hear how the newer material translated live and I was not disappointed. After seeing them at the State theater at the end of the Ghost is Born tour in Feb of '05, this show wasn't quite at that level for me... but that really wasn't expected. I thought the sound got a bit muffled at times (from where we sat in the mezzanine) but it was nice to see them at that vantage.

I saw Tweedy solo back in the summer and he played a few of these newer songs then - One Wing, Wilco, and I'll fight - it was interesting to contrast the sound with the full band.

Jeff's falsetto near the end was I guess about the only thing that really surprised me, cant' remember the song - Casino Queen?

He must be endlessly amused by a lot of the stuff people put out there.

Blather.

I'm headed to Hill Auditorium on Friday and I am anxious to hear how some of the material off the last couple albums translates live. The only other Wilco concert I have attended was at the State Theater in Kalamazoo (the last show on the Ghost is Born tour). I was so happy to hear Remember the Mountain Bed at that show and a little surprised they played it. There were a couple of other fairly obscure selections that night - and opening up with Via Chicago just killed. Even though I don't expect this show to have that same excitement and intensity, I know I'll get my hard-earned money's worth.

Can't wait.

Just bought a Heritage 535 a couple of months ago and love it. Better in every way than the new Gibsons. Built in Kalamazoo at the old Gibson plant, on the old machinery by people that care.

I liked the Great Lake Swimmers as well.

I was hoping he'd do Remember the Mountain Bed, when I saw him play it with Wilco there a few years ago it was definately a highlight.

This show was great. My first MMJ concert and I was very pleasantly surprised.

There were some pretty sweet guitars up there on stage with him as well.

Yes, Gibson moved out of town in the mid 70's. Heritage guitars is located in the old Gibson factory now and makes some great guitars. A few of the old luthiers are still around working there from the old Gibson days.

I enjoyed the show, the acoustics are great there. I was really pleased with the song selection.