Loved the show, killer set list but I have to say this is the first time i've encountered a large number of very rude people at a Wilco show. I don't know if it was the venue being sold out (which was quite a sight) or something else but it kind of took me out of the moment to encounter people being so rude. I suppose thats part of the deal as the band gets more popular.
Completely agree, Patrick. I'm sure the show at the Greek was great on Saturday, but our group could barely hear any of Jeff's singing due to the two maniacs behind us literally bellowing the words to every song. They seemed especially intent on yelling the words to the songs from the new album, I guess to prove that they knew them...? Yes, we get it, you love Wilco. We all do, very much; that's why we're here. They also screamed back at Jeff during all of his onstage banter (and we were in the fourth row of the tiered seats so there was no way he could have heard them) and yelled back and forth at one another nonstop between songs. They were obviously superfans, which I can appreciate, but they were completely out of control. At one point they spilled a beer onto my friend's back, and they kicked two of my friends repeatedly during the show (and then denied that that was even possible, even though they were the only ones behind us).
I turned around probably twenty times to catch their eye and either give them pointed looks or politely ask them to lower their voices, but they pretended I wasn't even there staring at them and continued to bellow. And because of the steepness of the rows, I would have had to stand up to get in their faces, which as a lady I was not comfortable doing. I'm sure they ruined the show for more than just me and my friends.
So as a warning, if you're ever at a general admission Wilco show and see a tubby, bearded red-haired guy and a clean-shaven dark-haired guy with their girlfriends/wives, stay far, far away unless you'd rather hear them than Jeff. They were bragging - loudly, of course - about being at the Saratoga show and heading to Stateline after Saturday. I feel for the folks who had to sit anywhere near these douchebags.
Wilco's Favorite Venue 6/27/2009 Berkeley, CA
in After The Show
Posted
Completely agree, Patrick. I'm sure the show at the Greek was great on Saturday, but our group could barely hear any of Jeff's singing due to the two maniacs behind us literally bellowing the words to every song. They seemed especially intent on yelling the words to the songs from the new album, I guess to prove that they knew them...? Yes, we get it, you love Wilco. We all do, very much; that's why we're here. They also screamed back at Jeff during all of his onstage banter (and we were in the fourth row of the tiered seats so there was no way he could have heard them) and yelled back and forth at one another nonstop between songs. They were obviously superfans, which I can appreciate, but they were completely out of control. At one point they spilled a beer onto my friend's back, and they kicked two of my friends repeatedly during the show (and then denied that that was even possible, even though they were the only ones behind us).
I turned around probably twenty times to catch their eye and either give them pointed looks or politely ask them to lower their voices, but they pretended I wasn't even there staring at them and continued to bellow. And because of the steepness of the rows, I would have had to stand up to get in their faces, which as a lady I was not comfortable doing. I'm sure they ruined the show for more than just me and my friends.
So as a warning, if you're ever at a general admission Wilco show and see a tubby, bearded red-haired guy and a clean-shaven dark-haired guy with their girlfriends/wives, stay far, far away unless you'd rather hear them than Jeff. They were bragging - loudly, of course - about being at the Saratoga show and heading to Stateline after Saturday. I feel for the folks who had to sit anywhere near these douchebags.