kidsmoke

Rest in peace, Shane.

Congratulations!!!

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! Even in dark times, there is always so much to be thankful for. Today we take stock of our blessings. Be happy. 

I'd say these setlists are typical of setlists introducing a new album. Their priority is to present the new songs, while simultaneously including past favorites the audience will hope to hear. This early in a tour of a new album, it's unreasonable to think they won't stick to a fairly tight setlist to fit it all in. We'll see the setlists expand & loosen up once everyone around Wilco World has had a chance to hear their newest. First things first.

I've seen several shows from the current tour and they were all pretty satisfying. I thought the "Cousin" material was strong and captivating, but it was nice then to slip inside a familiar favorite like Handshake Drugs or something unexpected from that vast back catalog. They have a lot of songs to remember at this point!

Anyway, catch them down the line a bit when their focus is less strongly on Cousin, and you'll get more of that mix you're hoping for. I don't think anyone in this band could be called lazy. Right now they're more "focused".

8 hours ago, Chez said:

Friday, Saturday and Sunday:  Drive-By Truckers @ Pappy & Harriet's

 

Flying to San Diego tomorrow morning, getting picked up at the airport by my oldest son and we're driving to Pioneertown for three nights of DBT-mania.  We're staying with my college roommate who lives in the Palm Springs area.  Can't wait.    

Have you been to Pappy & Harriet's before? You're in for such a treat! If you're having dinner beforehand, I recommend their flat iron steak. Have fun!
If you have time, drive on down the road past P&H for about 10 minutes...don't turn off at the curve, stay to the straight-ahead road. In about 10 minutes, on your right, you'll come to a very cool pile-up of rock formations close to the roadway, and fun to climb up. No gear needed, it's just a hill with paths worn into it. Neat views! 

6 hours ago, KevinG said:

not so much still life, but still autographed CD. This is when I saw the band perform at WMMM (Triple M in Madison WI) early 2002 iirc

I loved that era when the band was just Jeff, John, Glenn, and LeRoy. What a handsome little treasure of those times!

14 hours ago, Brian F. said:

That is Mikael's handwriting. Are you are a graphologist?

 

The full story is that Donna wasn't able to make it out to L.A. for the signing and asked if I might be able to get a CD signed for her. Mikael was the first person seated at the table. I said, "Hi, Mikael!" He smiled and said hello, displaying no special enthusiasm for me. But when I told him that the CD was actually for Donna a.k.a. Kidsmoke, he lit up and exclaimed, "Donna!" And then he wrote exactly that on the CD.

Now see, Brian, knowing how shy you are, I was going to just leave you as the unmensch-ioned mensch! 

But it's such a good story and warms my heart. Thank you again for doing the legwork to secure this little beauty. 

And love to the Wilcoes as always.

12 hours ago, ZiggyBratwurst said:

I'm kinda distracted by the knife. Love that handle.

Part of a set my sister gifted me. A great stabby little knife! 

3 hours ago, 5hake1t0ff said:

I'm stuck wondering what you cook in such a diminutive oven, but I'll recover.

I haven't had much of an appetite lately. 

4 minutes ago, Brian F. said:

It's an abstract still life.

What, you people have no imaginations? Fill in the blanks! 

8 hours ago, Marijn said:

So... where's the still life?

Sorry! I didn't notice that it hadn't uploaded the photo! Thanks for tipping me off. 

Those of you lined up at the Bellwether tonight will hopefully have no issues with line management tonight. My husband Bob has been a house manager and so poor house management bugs him. Last night he sought out the house manager and paid his compliments to the venue, as due, but told her about the line fiasco. It appeared to be accidental, in that the restaurant doors upstairs had apparently been, ah, 'left open" by the restaurant security, and people up there just took advantage of it and streamed in early, having already been ID-checked at the restaurant. Vanessa, the House Manager, was very apologetic and assured us it would be corrected tonight.
I can't be there, but I hope that's the case.

12 hours ago, Albert Tatlock said:

I for one vote for a return of the Goth version of HMD. (FYI this is not a joke - I can't remember where I got it but it is in my iTunes and must be out there "playing Joy Division covers beautiful and alone")

 

Ta.

This was in San Francisco on January 12, 2003 at the Great American Music Hall. That bouncy wooden floor was MOVING that night! I remember it was a quick show before they headed to Australia on tour. That is a terrific recording...that whole show! Jeff was so funny singing that goth version in his gothiest voice, and then he ended by posing, frozen, as if crucified, his head dropped. And held that position for a beat, then morphed back into Jeff, grinning, saying, "See? That's how I shoulda done it!" or something like that. It was a gloriously funny moment.

On 10/11/2023 at 1:49 PM, chaslor said:

For anyone sitting on the fence, here's a Solid recap of photos from 2010, 2011 and 2022. Gallery limitations forced me to break into two galleries. Enjoy, please let me know what you think...

 

https://www.charlesharris.photography/solidsound

 

https://www.charlesharris.photography/solidsound2

Your photography is so gorgeous it makes me look at my own photos with a bit of horror.  Nice to know someone is out there capturing the glory with real skill. Thanks always for sharing!

13 hours ago, used_to_be said:

great stuff, Charles!  Hoping to make it to SS this year... a first!

You HAVE to come!

It looks like a wonderful squad of Wilco fans is assembling in L.A. for tomorrow's show at the brand-new Bellwether. Can't wait to see you all!!!

Here's a few more. 

A few photos from Friday night.

Thanks Wilcos! 

Trying to start a new art trend, here. 

...my son & his wife have decided they want to come. But of course waited til now. 

Just don't want to pay those nasty scalpers.

WOW, Charles! As usual they are magnificent! Love the one of Wild Rock Mikael with his Rock Pillow! 

On 10/7/2023 at 11:20 AM, lost highway said:

I've decided "Sunlight Ends" has a melancholic sweetness that hits me in the heart like nothing since "Wishful Thinking".

What a nice way of expressing it! 

I should add that part of my non-complete-hatred of occasional sitting in a seated venue is the simple fact that I have foot & leg problems myself. So long standing is hard for me. Nonetheless, if we are in certain songs I don't even care if my feet are numb or screaming, I'll be on them for the duration of the song or encore. A sacrifice to the rock godz.

1 hour ago, DiamondClaw said:

Total sidetrack but, this is why I am puzzled why bands want to go out on tour immediately after releasing a new album. I always thought it would be better to let an album get out there for a bit, settle in and have fans make some connections to the songs. Maybe play a few late night shows, promote the new material a bit, whatever. Then, a few months later, start the tour with the new stuff feeling more familiar. Probably doesn't work with the business and/or logistics sides of things I'd guess. And of course you're never going to make connections comparable to classic, nostalgic, emotional reactions to older stuff. But I always thought it would at least help give the new stuff at least bit of a boost.

I hear what you're saying. The release was so close to the shows I'd be seeing that I was tempted not to listen to the album until after the shows. Learn the live versions of the songs first, since I often prefer the live versions that evolve. But in the end I HAD to listen, of course, and I'm glad I did because you need that baseline, that template given by the studio version, to really appreciate then where the band departs from it, swirls off into a version that may be specific to that night, never repeated....in a word, LIVE. It's good to hear both and love their differences, for me. 
As to touring so soon, I think it's likely 2 things: Mainly, they've held this music close to their chests for a loooooonnng while now, and are anxious to give it to the world & hear the reaction! 
And secondarily, they may be scheduling ahead of Jeff's impending hip surgeries. And may I say BRAVO to our captain for his Real Life Courage, out there being the fantastic, talented & funny front man that he is, all the while likely hurting, certainly by show's end. The man's a trouper. 

Ha! I must respond to this! I don't completely agree on the standing/sitting assessment. I thought when Jeff called us the Goldilocks audience, he was saying we got it "just right". Not "too cold"...night one & all the sitters, not "too hot"...night two and nobody ever sitting down...but "just right". Standing for the rockers, sitting for the slower "listeners". Nothing wrong with an audience sitting to listen respectfully to a slower, more introspective song! 

Of course there was unfamiliarity in the audience with the Cousin material. We can't expect that the audience is made up entirely of passionate diehard fans. So there was a dropoff when a new song began, but as the musicianship built to a swell, even the new songs had many on their feet in appreciation. I thought it was a fine audience for a seated venue. And a happy one...people leaving looked elevated & happy. The crowd mood after says a lot about how a concert went.

As for choosing a favorite of these shows, I had to give the 2nd a miss so I may have missed the best. I heard rave reviews. But no problem...I adored Night One (Wednesday) despite the shy audience being slow to stand. The folks around me were plenty enthusiastic that night and I was in pure Wilco heaven. It was great! Last night the audience was more committed and confident which of course feeds the band's energy, so that was better. But in the end I'd have to call it about a draw between the two, balancing my more preferred setlist (Night One) against a more involved audience on Night 3.

All in all, another set of stellar, satisfying Wilco shows. Bring on the Bellwether!!! Where Brian is far more likely to get that standing audience he craves!