Albert Tatlock

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNxhbdPx7Sc

Nice to see the old rug again.

Hope you've packed enough commotion lotion for your trip.

http://www.uncut.co.uk/blog/index.php?blog=6&p=1739&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

Wild Mercury Sound

 

Uncut Playlist 38, 2011, plus Wilco live

 

2011-11-02 11:03:40

To the Roundhouse last Saturday, for the Wilco and Jonathan Wilson show, which I suspect one or two of you may also have seen.

 

More and more often these days, I turn to “Kicking Television” before any other Wilco album, and am beginning to suspect it might actually be their defining work. Watching on Saturday night, it’s clear that stability hasn’t brought any complacency to the lineup, and that now would be a sensible time to put out another live album. For all their imaginative use of the studio (not least on “The Whole Love”), it occurs that like one of their clear antecedents, The Grateful Dead, Wilco are at their most potent onstage.

 

Saturday’s show was a brilliant operation in drawing affinities between different phases of the band. So an opening “One Sunday Morning” flowed artfully into “Poor Places”, then into a take on “Art Of Almost” that, with Glenn Kotche playing breaks, was the closest Wilco have ever come to sonically justifying that old ‘American Radiohead’ tag.

 

A bit of a frontloaded set, I think: it’s hard to top a 5-6-7 of “At Least That's What You Said”, “Bull Black Nova” and “Via Chicago”; and some of the makeweight powerpop songs from the new album blurred into one another in the second half (culminating in Nick Lowe guesting on “Cruel To Be Kind”). Even then, though, there was always something interesting at the edges: Nels Cline, of course, providing imaginative friction; Pat Sansone’s intuitive piano lines; the relentless energy of the whole band, and the sheer creative joy that they seem to generate.

 

John Mulvey

The Financial Times review of night 1.

Was expecting a few more of the official reviews to filter through, maybe give them a couple of more days. But Arctic Monkeys were at the O2, and that new Damon Albarn venicle were performing for the first time too, and they might have hogged the live music coverage of the broadsheets.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/685ade62-046f-11e1-b309-00144feabdc0.html

November 1, 2011 6:15 pm

Wilco, Roundhouse, London

By Ludovic Hunter-Tilney

 

Wilco were over from Chicago touring their eighth studio album The Whole Love. In the past there was nothing remarkable about a band lasting long enough to release eight albums. But such longevity is rare in an age of record label churn and declining sales. For once the fans filming every guitar solo on their smartphones were performing a valuable documentary service. Disbelieving later generations will be able to marvel at shaky footage of a group of 40-something rock musicians at the peak of their powers.

 

Their show, the first of two nights at the Roundhouse, was a testament to the benefit of bands being allowed to mature. For the first decade of their 17-year existence Wilco underwent numerous personnel changes. Led by singer-guitarist Jeff Tweedy, they have had the same line-up since 2004, a period that has also been their most successful. The Whole Love, released on their own record label, was their third consecutive album to debut in the top five of the US album charts.

 

They began with a bold choice of opener. “Art of Almost”, from their new album, was a seven-minute krautrock jam climaxing in a wild scree of distortion from three electric guitarists. It was an abrupt jolt, like plunging into cold water, but the gambit paid off. The band’s confidence in each other and their audience was palpable.

 

The set went from the alt-country songs of their early years to The Whole Love’s expressive tour of classic rock, Can-style experimentalism and power pop. At times they seemed in danger of lapsing into a mid-tempo chug, the musical equivalent of developing a taste in real ale or complaining about young people’s hairstyles – but then they’d pull the rug from under your feet.

 

“I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” illustrated vocals about heartbreak by breaking down mid-song with a crazy patter of keyboards and drums. Lead guitarist Nels Cline, with a background in avant-garde jazz and rock, went from Television-style classicism to intense scribbles of noise in the course of a single fluent solo.

 

The only time the balance between wildness and tradition went wrong was when a grumbling hum of distortion marred the flowing acoustic melodies of “One Sunday Morning (Song for Jane Smiley’s Boyfriend)”, one of the most beautiful songs in Wilco’s increasingly impressive repertoire.

Italian Vogue of all places ... :-)

http://www.vogue.it/uomo-vogue/stars/2011/11/wilco

"Jeff Tweedy y sus cohortes" - nice.

That guitar looks snappy! Woof!

In the words of Vince Noir, it's impossible to be unhappy in a poncho.

Surely Nels Cline has provided good preparation for this?

Ha! In fact he is the only one I have had a few words with after bumping in to him on the streets of Paris on the afternoon of a show there. He declined my offer of a sandwich (I was having a picnic at a viewpoint - though picnic is too grand a word for the few bits and pieces I was munching). Probably quite wise. I did write a long piece on that day here. Probably lost in one of the server crashes.

I've still got a ticket from that as well.

 

I prefer the Roundhouse and the area more to the Academy and Brixton. No decent pubs there and getting back, for me, is a nightmare from there.

 

I'd like to see another Tweedy solo show in London...

There never was a reason given for that was there? Not even a blanket 'family/personal something came up'. Luckily for me it was during my little 'break' from live Wilco before the hunger returned.

You really missed out on the Union Chapel night Rich. The closest thing possible to a UK living room show. Even had a few words with Sue when she took requests in a clipboard beforehand. It did reinforce my view that any meeting with the man himself is probably best avoided though - they're not tall, I am, it gets a bit awkward Still, I wouldn't say no to a sit down chat though..

That's a shame, you should have posted here last week or something and we could have met up.

It was such a brilliant night wasn't it. Back to work now though ... but will have to give that encore video another lashing at lunchtime.

Also, thought I might have seen Rich T across a crowded floor on Friday, but couldn't be sure ...

The encore! Damn cool.

Wowsah! Thanks a lot - such great sound. That should be put in it's own thread and pinned, followed by a submission for beatification. That miracle with the crutches guy was witnessed by enough people.

Dear Wilco management : please don't get this one pulled. Think of Sir Nicholas. The old guy could do with the publicity!

Pat was in his command bunker with the 3rd acoustic on the go. The stage front could not contain two larger than life barnets. And that Christ (on a bike) pose from Nels during The Late Greats. Comic genius!

Also, I just read a short post elsewhere describing Wilco, affectionately, as a tramp and 5 schoolteachers. Made me laugh anyway.

After seeing the current stage lighting rig, I think they must have called in and bought the place out of lamp shades

I just heard this station on my ipod, bbc radio 2 89.1, today, there's a good special with mike mills of r.e.m. and it's a four part on glen campbell. i thought this was some electronic shit the british play.lol

It is a very schizophrenic station. When I was a lad it was the home of easy listening, big band, and pre-rock'n roll music (classical and a bit of jazz is radio3).

Now there are still such shows, but now people of the equivalent age to those times are listening to all kinds of 'rock' music and it has specialised shows for country etc.. Radio 1 is more for urban and disposable pop. Radio 6 is the more indie station, for which John Peel would have been a doting grandfather.

I actually spend almost all my radio time with radio 4 and '4 extra' - spoken word: current affairs, drama, serialised books, comedy, documentaries. Some excellent podcasts from them e.g 'in our time'.

The song I always think about when it comes to Margaret Thatcher is Elvis Costello's "Tramp the Dirt Down." That's one of the angriest, harshest songs I've ever heard. Not saying it's not justified, mind you!

Indeed. Oh, and please don't humanise her by use of a first name :-)

P.S. ending a sentence with 'mind you' makes you sound like you're almost Welsh :-)

Bumpety bump bump after last night. Please refer to post #1

Second night was loud, just no distortion where I was. Agree with others - they have been loud for years. A while back in Hammersmith we were even 'treated' to the drone from Less Than You Think. It wasn't full length, but was definitely 'challenging' passing through the awkward 'ok I get the statement, now how much longer will this go on for' stage, and everyone was still heads down coaxing feedback out of their instruments for some considerable time more. I still think it was the result of a little contrary streak JT harboured towards the London 'musical establishment/concert-going elite' (if you know what I mean), though the night ended with everyone seemingly happy enough and perhaps was the beginning of the end of PERCEIVED hostilities. Now it definitely feels from my side of the fence that the crowd are there because they want to see Wilco, not because they want to be seen to be going to a Wilco show, and I hope Wilco themselves now realise it.

Oh, and later on the same night there was a gorgeously frail Reservations as far as the discussion about always being loud goes. One of the prime reasons why I love Wilco almost as much as my beloved Beatles - the variety. I love them but certainly don't love everything they do - even within a given album, but I have a 'defend to the hilt their right to do it' type attitude. Sometimes they convert me to the wisdom of their examples, sometimes I remain a stubborn old bastard naysayer, but I enjoy the tussle - their musical creativity and my subjective preferences.

Oh, back to the person who was unhappy with the volume: if you want the softer side then please try to get to a JT solo show. They don't come around very often here, but that would be worth making a financial/logistical commitment to see. Believe me they're special.

Thanks to all for all the reviews, setlists and insights! Especially Flying Burrito Bro for extensive research/reporting!! I have tics for the 2nd and Final Chicago shows and appriciate songlist updates. I know all setlists may fly out the Window in Dec/Chicago on any given night. However, "Banter Corner" is priceless !!

You are now honour bound to reciprocate in December. This is how it works in the Way of the Wilco. There is no alternative. Submit. We know where you live!

Your review made me warm and fuzzy reading it.

Nah, it's the time of year. You're obviously coming down with something. Please seek medical advice.

The first moment JT mentioned it, I thought he said "Did you see the guy waving his crotch in the air".

That would have been an achievement.

True story.

I'll follow that up - thanks. I do have a solo album of his from about 4 years ago thats got some pretty good stuff and am vaguely aware of Hefner - via John Peel I think.

As a member of a music forum I' m not too hardcore when it comes to collecting etc. Not so much time for that sort of thing ... I just kind of bump into music I like ... :-)

Also, i didn't see any official photographers during the first few minutes. They might of been keeping very low down, but is that a change in policy? They can be very distracting (presumably to both sides) so i'm all in favour of it.

I share the happy feelings with the previous reviewers - this one ended up being one of my favorite Wilco shows (and my first one outside the US)

care to offer any thoughts on the difference (band or audience) based upon sweeping generalisations and a small sample?

I've seen Wilco a few times in europe (I.e. Not UK) and in the past I would have said they were more relaxed. London often has more pressure because of extra media scrutiny and the 'history'. It's been heading this way for some time, but last night felt like a game changer - in a good way.

Good work. Would love to see a show there one day after popping in for a cup of tea with Emmylou. Was surprised how sanitised the surrounding area is though. Where are all the drunk people kicking dogs or beating their spouses? :-)

And whilst we're being all biblical, here's Nels' frozen Christ (on a bike) moments during Late Greats. He kept that pose throughout the build segment :-)

Not mine and not condoning the photography you understand. It was nicely mobile phone free all night. Just for those following vicariously far away.

And finally, documentary evidence of the second coming. The Very Reverend Sir Nicholas of Lowe

No IATTBYH either, though that is one song I've never tired of hearing. Maybe someone read a few posts here ;-)

Ta!