anysongworthsinging

Yeah, really enjoyed sitting for 3 hours. I guess it's unacceptable to stand and dance at a rock concert. Thankfully I am a nice guy and fell into the "democracy of seated concerts" in the grand tier. seriously, people learn how to let loose.

 

Aside from that, acoustic set was the highlight for me. Strathmore has a lot of empty space and isn't the right place for Wilco. Hope they never play there again - Warner Theater would have been much better. Sound was great though.

Yeah, hard to say with Strathmore. Saw Derek Trucks Band there (had awesome seats on the little mini-balcony right close to the stage) and it was fantastic, but liked them a lot more at the 9:30 Club (standing show of course).

Dude, Box Full of Letters! I was one of the requesters of that (I was not as repetitive as the other guy, though, it was his effort, not mine) I wanted Box of Rain next (when will they think of that? people would fucking die if they played that! especially after BFL).

I suspect there may have been 36 songs on the printed setlist, but we can "thank" a guy in the first row of the first balcony for yelling out for Box Full of Letters all night. Jeff poked some fun at him during the show, but the band finally appeased him in the first song of the encore. And perhaps there was your 37th tune.

 

 

 

Four, actually. Don't forget Someday, Some Morning, Sometime. Just the second full-band performance ever!

Ah yes, good call, thank you, friend!

Great show, a little slow at times but really picked up. Transition into and out of the acoustic set is way cool, seamless (and not always utilizing the same intro/outro songs bookending the switcheroo). Terrific encore -- Box Full of Letters (requested by fans! they heard us!), Hoodoo Voodoo (face-melting guitar licks traded by Nels and Pat) and I'm a Wheel. 3 hours for two nights in a row (for them and me - whew!). Airline was awesome, too, as were many, many songs. Very good sound mix (Richmond last night was just too loud), could hear all three guitarists but, as often, Nels needed more V! Pat was very sharp on guitar tonight, but his hair is getting way too creepy middle-aged faux glam guy. Nels' solo on Impossible Germany was probably the best I've heard in four shows, I think longer than usual, very silky yet sinuous and jazzy. Three Woody/Mermaid Ave. songs tonight! - CA stars, Airline 2 Heaven, Hoodoo Voodoo.

Have to say although they all rocked, the setlist starting with Jesus (not a bad singalong, Richmond may have been better last night, well yes, it was) up until Thank You Friends, which honky-tonked even more than last night, felt kinda obligatory, "we have to get in Hate it Here, ITMWLY, Walken, HMD etc. in real quick b4 someone complains" kinma thing, though again they did all rock.

Tweedy wasn't very cranky at all tonight, actually very charming and funny 2nite. Strathmore is almost too nice, Tweedy was afraid they might break it.

I guess it might come off as a little cranky when Jeff schools the audience, but that's what's so refreshing about him. Last night in Richmond, for instance, I had yelled out a couple of requests for Passenger Side (OK, 3 times) and then when he got ready to play it he said something about "well, I know somebody's just been requesting this song, but that's not why we're playing it. It was on the setlist already." Like, hey, we're not doing you any favors! Some might interpret that as cranky, but to me it's just Jeff being Jeff. He's got integrity, and I love him for it.

yep, that was funny, and then they played a rousing "Passenger Side" so that exchange was all to the good!

Everybody gets cranky sometimes; you got cranky last night - how is that different from him?

i wasn't cranky, had a great time!

How to Fight Loneliness had a great bossa nova shuffle to it. The acoustic set dragged a little for me, but it was very intimate and fun.

Loved the Richmond show last night, looking forward to Philly, but JT was pretty cranky, as I've read he has been at other shows, with the chatty crowd and cell-phone pic snappers. He's getting like a bluegrass musician with his intolerance of chatterers. I have to confess I was a bit irritated or on edge a few times about his grousing (not that I was doing anything he'd get cranky with me about!), but then I thought if I were him I'd be much nastier than he was. Is it the smaller, more intimate venues this tour (dunno, he is always pretty attentive and interactive with the crowd, which I love about him), or perhaps so far anyway on this southern leg maybe there are a lot of very casual Wilco fans (just guessing there are not as many Wilco-heads in the South as the Midwest and Northeast but that could be wrong, too). Any other theories? Great show, but loud, left ear still ringing.

Not really. Phish rarely plays the same song two straight shows. Their sets are always wildly different. Wilco could do this, but doesn't.

 

Then again, Wilco could really jam, but doesn't.

 

Two different bands, I suppose.

Agreed. I love Wilco but they hardly improvise a single note or drum beat all night long.