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ianshaw

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Posts posted by ianshaw

    Chicago Sun 4/24 - Two seats. Dress-R, row LL seats 104 and 105

    in Got Extras?

    Posted

    Two seats for Sunday. Right side, row LL seats 104 and 105. So way at the back. Face on tickets is $85. Ended up being $103.50 with fees. 

    $50 each - $100 for the pair.

    Ticket is .pdf.  Paypal or Venmo to ian (at) ianandrach.com

    Contact me at that e-mail and I can send you cell number for text or call as I'm sure you'd be most comfortable touching base before sending $

    I will forward you the e-mail from Auditorium theater with the print at home tickets.

     

    Thank you!  Hate to eat the tickets or see them go to waste!

     

    Ian

    Jeff Playing a Danelectro

    in Solid State Technology

    Posted

    I noticed on the Wilco splash page that Jeff, wearing his nudie suit, is playing a Danelectro or (to be fair it could also be) a Jerry Jones / professional Danelectro. Does anyone who has been at one of the recent Wilco shows know which song(s) he's using this new axe on? They have such a distinctive mellow sound . . . would love to know. Thanks.

     

    Ian

    The Chicago shows

    in Just A Fan

    Posted

    All I know is I've seen The Slip, MMJ, and Spoon at the Riv, and never had a problem getting way up close, and always wished I could do the same at a Wilco show. :dancing

     

    I always felt very distanced the two times I saw them at the Auditorium. And it was a bitch to get decent tickets ( which didn't really even happen anyways). The Riv ain't even that bad. It's got 'character'. :thumbup

     

    I've seen Wilco at the Auditorium a few times (first time they played there at the end of the YHF tour, then 2 different times on AGIB). I've also seen Tom Waits at the Auditorium. And seen shows at the Chicago theater. And shows at the Riv and Vic over the years.

     

    1. Give me the Chicago Theater over the Auditorium any day. Better sightlines IMHO. Even the time I had good seats for Wilco I felt like I was far away. I've decided if I'm looking at the balcony at the AT - I'll just buy the frickin DVD when (if) it comes out.

     

    2. It seems like Wilco - between their presale and the XRT presale - did all they could to see that fans (those who would buy all 5 nights) got first crack at tickets.

     

    3. While I'm getting to the point (age / decrepitude) that I enjoy a good sit-down show on occasion . . . I'd rather have a chance to be shut out for tickets and see Wilco at the Riv or any other Chicago standing room than be somewhere else.

     

    I'm not being magnimonious because I have tickets. I don't. I just think the Auditorium is big-time overrated for a rock show.

     

    Ian

    Richard Thompson

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    If what you're looking for is a recording highlighting Thompson's acoustic guitar playing, I will concur that "Small Town Romance" might be a great place to start - it is just him and his acoustic, largely performing material from the catalog he amassed with Linda prior to their divorce. I will not say that "Small Town Romance" is my favorite RT album though. There's great playing and some stellar songs, but I think it's uneven.

     

    The man is a phenomenal electric guitar player as well though. He is one of my favorite guitarists, and I think any fan of AGIB and onward Wilco would appreciate what RT does with a Strat on his live outings.

     

    I do think the 3 CD "Watching the Dark" is a great overview (although '52 Vincent isn't on the set). There's an earlier CD - "Guitar, Vocal" that has some great stuff on it, and might have a little more of the acoustic focus you're looking for. I'm not as crazy about "1000 Years of Popular Music" but the acoustic playing there does shine. There's a new CD (import though) of a '75 RT and Linda Thomposon CD out that likely will be mostly acoustic. I haven't heard / seen it yet, but the CD / DVD of the "Live in Austin, Tx" from Austin City Limits looks like largely acoustic RT and a good set. The "You, Me, Us" is a 2 CD album with 1 cd electric the other acoustic.

     

    My fave RT albums would include "Watching the Dark," "Shoot Out The Lights," "Mirror Blue," and (if you want to track it down "Two Letter Words" - a live 'fan club' CD. I do have a strong preference for his live stuff to studio. I also would agree the Captiol era stuff (from which Rumor and Sigh and 'Vincent' come) were pretty poppily produced by an artist who isn't really a pop artist.

     

    Hope this helps.

     

    Ian

    U2 CD/DVD/Vinyl Remasters

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    I'm probably reading this part incorrectly, but it sounds like you're saying people who listened to REM and U2 were cool while the previously mentioned groups weren't. Which would be a silly thing to say.

     

    Hmm. I wouldn't say you're reading incorrectly, but I think it indicates I wrote incorrectly. Or at least incoherently. It was still early.

     

    My perception was any of the bands I mentioned were "cool" to their respective crowds, as were REM and U2. Just REM and U2 got 'big' and their fanbase expanded far beyond their initial 'hipper' appeal but REM and U2 still could be respected as musicians, while some of the other pop stars were . . . well . . . Tiffany. :)

     

    If I weren't lazy, I'd edit my orignal post. Good call.

     

    Ian

    U2 CD/DVD/Vinyl Remasters

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    Music in the 80's defined your social groups - I think more so than with the teens I work with today. There was a Smiths / Cure kinda goth crowd. A few hardcore punks. Some definate denim and leather metal types (Ozzy written on the back of their jean jacket, adorned with band logos and the inevitable recreated Eddie from Iron Maiden). Then U2 and R.E.M. were the bands in high school that first defined you as cool, then crossed over into being something bigger. For me Joshua Tree was grandeur, depth, beauty. So much of their subsequent career has been trying to figure out what to do with the success that album brought. Still, I can put it on and as the washes of echo and reverb drift out of my speakers or headphones, I feel transformed and excited about what portent that song hold, "Where the Streets Have No Name."

     

    I know U2 isn't everyone's cup of tea. I suspect some of the distaste is (admittedly not entirely unustifiable) backlash against Bono's bombasticiscm (Bonobasticism). Some is recognition that the heights of "Josha Tree" can no more be reattained than the swagger of "Exile on Main Street," or the giddy freshness of "Summerteeth." The band(s) have changed, aged, and their musical pulse along with them. All of that is fine by me. Folks can dump on U2 all they want, but that doesn't take away that "Joshua Tree" holds great richness, depth, and resonance for me, and I believe always will.

     

    Speaking of richness, depth, and resonance, I think "Joshua Tree" is actually deserving of better CD matering that the silver disc I've had for the last 20 years (and yes, I really have been buying CD's for that long). I can put on "Joshua Tree" next to almost any other CD I own, and "Joshua Tree" sounds quiter. I hear just how much quieter when the next disc comes up and knocks me out of my seat. Louder may not be better, but I think they were playing with so much sonic space that I'm excited to dream about what new sounds might be waiting for me to discover. And if really all I'm buying with the resiusse is the demos and rarities and DVD documentary . . . I guess I just don't care. There has been some phenomenal bonus material on each issuing of Elvis Costello's "My Aim Is True." I'm looking forward to hearing what the Counting Crows sounded like live in 1987 or 1988 before they became a ROCK band, when the acoustic guitar was still such a big part of their sound. And the 1 CD 2 DVD box set I bought of Springsteens "Born To Run" contains what has been one of the most goose-bump inducing live performances I've ever had a chance to watch on my telelvsion. That revolutionized Springsteen for me. Your milage may vary, but those bonus goodies for me have more often than not been worth the price of admission. The "remastered" album is a bonus.

     

    And if there's ever any doubt - when the 20th anniversary remastered editions with bonus whatevers come out for any of Wilco's ourve, I'll be in line to buy them too. Cause I bet there are still some great goodies we haven't heard.

     

    Ian

    Coolest decision I'll ever have to make

    in Solid State Technology

    Posted

    I own a good number of guitars (14 at the moment if memory serves) and have bought and sold about that many too, as I've discovered what I do and don't like, bought to collect, sold because I got tired of the instrument, etc., etc.

     

    I bought a 1990 Japanese made Telecaster in 1991 for $200. I still have that one and can't imagine ever parting with it. Sure sentimentality plays into that a little. But it's just a solid, solid, verstaile guitar that will never go out of style. It also is an instrument where if somehting happens to it, heartbreak doesn't necessarily ensue. That Gretsch is a collector's piece for sure.

     

    I think you made a great choice.

     

    Ian

    Lap Steel

    in Solid State Technology

    Posted

    for Lap Steels, I believe Chandler, Goldtone, Fender, and Gretsch are all making current production lapsteels in a $300 to $500 range. Morrell also makes steels in a $100-$200 range. 50's era steels are in that price range too.

     

    The may seem obvious, but even more essential than a volume pedal is a solid tone bar of some sort (aka the slide you use to 'fret' the notes). Yes, duh. My favorie place for a selection of tone bars is http://www.elderly.com - you'll also have an excellent choice of different steels here. All the brands I mentioned except Chandler are available. I'm partial to the DUNLOP LAP DAWG TONEBAR SLIDE. You want to balance weight, grip, and price. Elderly also has for about $7 an extension nut to turn any standard acoustic or electric into a "lap style" guitar. This is a good way to get a feel for what lap is like without buying an inexpensive steel (Artisan) or making a $300 investment.

     

    Lots of ways to tune a lap steel. Open E might be the most common. I use open D or sometimes drop to C, but all three have the same "shape." This way I can bar all 6 strings and get a major chord. Some of the books talk about odd variations of Cth and E7th being the most common. I think those are often the sounds for traditional Hawaiian and Western Swing sounds. I don't remember what Nels says he uses, but I think that it's been in some of the interviews and / or on his site.

     

    Ian

    Wilco's relevance.

    in Just A Fan

    Posted

    I've yet to have a big breakthrough moment with either Love & Theft or Modern Times. To me, they're both good modern Dylan (better than a lot of other things, but not essential listening). I think Time Out of Mind is a masterpiece of writing though. I come back to some of those songs - particularly "Not Dark Yet" again and again.

     

    Just that any recording artist could release work over the span of 40 years and have people discussing the artistic impact is impressive to me.

     

    To be on topic - I think the question is, will Wilco still be discussed in these terms in 40 years?

     

    to which all I think I can offer is . . . damned if I know.

     

    Ian

    Building a Rehearsal Room

    in Solid State Technology

    Posted

    2. Build a self-contained room inside the garage--a room within a room with no common walls.

     

    Errr . . . Uhmmm . . . I've also thought about doing something like this with my garage. Someday. But in the meantime - I may have a dumb question (since it's a little late) but doesn't the room within a room concept also require a floating floor so that the bass doesn't transmit through the ground? I'm sure you're nuking the high end stuff (guitars and vox and snare) but what about the kick and the bass?

     

    If you've succeeded at nuking those two, my hat is off to you, and my own concept of how to build this in my garage just got a lot simpler.

     

    Ian

    Glenn Kotche is inhuman

    in Just A Fan

    Posted

    Late addition for Charlie Watts. "Bitch" came on the radio on my way to work this morning and his drumming just kills in that song. He's not flashy, but it works.

     

    Yup. It may not be the most inventive stuff, but Charlie grooves like nobody else. Or as Mick sings, "It's only rock and roll, but I LIKE IT, yes I do."

     

    Next, Glenn just kills me. So consistently interesting, innovative, but still rocking and grooving. Wow. One of my quibbles with SBS is definately that Glenn doesn't get to stretch out more. (not that I mean to slag the record - it has really grown on me).

     

    Next, regarding the DMB guy - I find his playing really interesting and enjoyable. I'm not a big DMB fan (really only get into the Listener Supported disc, which I do find pretty interesting) but I will say that I don't think I'd be nearly as interested in DMB if there was a different drummer.

     

    I'm trying to think of who else I really enjoy and blanking. Maybe more later. How do you classify some of the stuff happening with Tom Waits' records?

     

    Ian

    Tweedy on NBC Nightly News

    in Just A Fan

    Posted

    OK - I haven't watched the clip, so I'm talking out my ass, but . . .

     

    Yes, Wilco releases have always been Warner-ized.

     

    BUT

     

    Wilco's approach to taping (while not that original), giving away bonus material to buyers of the CD (original), and (most of all) streaming (particularly of YHF, where it was fairly groundbreaking) sure seem to me to give Jeff enough "indie" cred to be a valuable interviewee about the internet's impact on musicians.

     

    Ian

    Jay Bennett article in Daytrotter Blog

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    JB: I have a lot of quite humorous ways (at least to me) to answer this question, but I fear that some folks would mistake the humor for something deeper. I can only tell you how it used to feel, and can’t conjecture on how it would still feel, so suffice it to say 99.9% of my time in the band was nothing but a great experience.

     

    I don't really know how "full of himself" Jay may or may not be. Musicians generally have egos, much as old golfers generally wear bad pants. But I will say that for the one question he probably gets asked in 99% of interviews (Wilco) this is a pretty classy answer. "99.9% of my time in the band was nothing but a great experience."

     

    Ian

    Bonus DVD with Sky Blue Sky

    in Just A Fan

    Posted

    is the dvd going to come out with the actual SBS disc you buy in stores? or is it ONLY a pre-order type thing?

     

    My wife works for a mail order music catalog. She just received the following e-mail from her WEA rep. I think it is safe to assume that the CD/DVD combo will be available in stores, along with a CD only version.

     

    The e-mail (with identifying stuff removed):

     

    From:

    Sent: Friday, April 06, 2007 1:22 PM

    To:

    Subject: Re: WILCO 5/15 New Format added! CD/DVD

     

    > Now available on CD, LP (includes full length cd) and CX.

    >

    > Wilco

    >

    > Sky Blue Sky

    >

    > The Deluxe Edition includes a bonus DVD, which contains more than 45

    > minutes of footage of the band performing songs from Sky Blue

    > Sky. The DVD also contains interview segments with all six band

    > members. The film was directed by Christoph Green and Fugazi's

    > Brendan Canty, the creators of the Jeff Tweedy solo concert film,

    > Sunken

    > Treasure: Live in the Pacific Northwest, as well as the

    > acclaimed documentary series, Burn to Shine.

    >

    >

    > Warner/Elektra/Atlantic | Sales & Market Development Eastern Region |

    Versatile Hollow Body

    in Someone Else's Song

    Posted

    So I'm in the market for an electric guitar, wanting to shift from acoustic, and I've decided to go with a hollow body or semi-hollow body. However, I'd like to keep this purchase under $1000, so I've played some Epiphones and Gretsch guitars. Anyone out there who can offer help and/or recommendations? Thanks.

     

    I could offer lots of suggetions. Most of what has been offered above are good suggestions too. But the real important question(s) you need to answer to get a recomendation that might make more sense for you is: what kind of music do you want to be playing on your new electric guitar? What are you into? Also:

     

    - do you want to play LOUD? (how loud? like metal loud?)

    - do you want to primarily sound jazzy / more mellow? (think Cowboy Junkies, Trinity Sessions)

    - do you want to sound more jangly? (think AM)

    - Are you interested in a fairly normal guitar sound, or are you interested in getting some distortion, crunch (ala Monday), feedback, or Nels Cline experimental weirdness going on?

     

    The answer to each of these matters somewhat in making a guitar suggestion. Also - an electric guitar isn't much good without an amplifier. Do you already own an amp? If so, what kind. If not - your answers to the above questions matter just as much, but we need to know if we need to get a guitar AND an amplifier recomendation in under a grand?

     

    Ian

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