bobfrombob

The air is pretty electric around MSG. The arena itself is pretty average but it has that history and it’s New York. There is an energy in the air. I could feel it. Bruce has been playing albums from beginning to end on this tour. He has done Born To Run, Darkness on the Edge of Town and Born in the USA. But when it was announced early last week he was going to the The Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle, and The River, front to back in New York, fans went a little crazy.

I was lucky enough to have a GA ticket and it turned out that everybody who did the pit lottery was a winner. So I was dead centre, back the equivalent of about 6 rows. Before the show opens, Pat Riley is walking around in the pit with the setlist in his back pocket.

They open with Thundercrack. You know it’s going to be a pretty unique night when the opening song is an outtake…… It was a The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle-era outtake so it made sense but still. New York baby. And right into Seeds. The intensity of the night was already pretty evident. Bruce never really takes a night off but having seen more than 40 shows, it was clear they were stepping it up a notch this night.

Prove It All Night and then the Hungry Heart crowd surf. By the way, I had my back right up against the “Hungry Heart” stage. You can see some guy I met give me the high five at 2:43 – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTiWUL1_-Vk

On to the main event of the night. Augmented by 5 brass players, an additional percussionist, and I think 8 string players, the WIESS album was brought to life like it never has been in a live setting. Bruce introduced the album as taking place partly in Jersey and partly through his romantic imagination in New York.

The E Street Shuffle with the horns really swung. Real jazz fans would die if I called the WIESS a jazz album but the influence is clearly in there and this was a great version. If it is possible that Sandy was a little flat, Kitty’s Back more than made up for it. A remarkable version. In the instrumental break, the horn players all took a solo, and then Max played a remarkable, extended solo of his own. And then Bruce shredded it up. It was a little sad here to see that Bruce didn’t turn to Clarence to take a solo – he really is looking his age and really tired. They really made an effort to reproduce the album they way it was recorded - Wild Billy’s Circus Story was done with Roy on accordion and Gary on tuba. Garry is a little weak on the tuba but he made it work.

I’d heard Incident on 57th Street done live and I have seen Rosalita lots of times. But I’d never heard Incident run into Rosalita like it does on the album. Clearly the way it should be done. Monumental.

And close the album with New York Serenade. I’ve only seen this done a couple of times but this was by far the best. The strings really added to it. It’s midnight in Manhattan indeed.

WIESS start to end was so amazing that if felt at that point like the rest of the night would be anticlimactic. But there were still some highlights to come.

Waiting On A Sunny Day

Raise Your Hand

Another surprise. Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street? Great version.

Glory Days was played for the friggin Yankees.

If I had made a list of songs I wanted to hear, Human Touch would not likely have made the top 50. However, Patti has been home for most of this tour but was on stage in New York. And the duet they did on Human Touch was very hot. Truly passionate.

Lonesome Day

The Rising

House lights up. Born to Run. Killed - like always.

Wrecking Ball

Bobby Jean

American Land

Dancing in the Dark. Brought someone up to dance with him who was reportely his sister.

I was ready to die happy at that point and had a feeling the show was over. Nope. He brings out special guest Elvis Costello who joins the E Street Band for an extended version of the Jackie Wilson song Higher and Higher. Just nuts.

A truly magical night. In reply the above, they played just over 3 hours.

repeat. Sorry

I'm doing some travelling to get there so I probably won't get to a computer until at least Sunday night. How about I give you the setlist now:

some songs

E Street Shuffle

4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)

Kitty's Back

Wild Billy's Circus Story

Incident on 57th Street

Rosalita

NYC Serenade

some more songs

For the record- I really enjoy "Whisper Bee". I put it on my iPod ages ago, and actually forgot where I had found the record until I read this post. GREAT record!

Second that!

Great news on the producer Kalle. Congratulations. Keep us posted on upcoming appearances.

Now this is some unbelievably exciting news. I would die happy to see either one of these two performed. TWTITESS for its sheer power and ambitiousness and The River, because well damn it's 20 frickin' songs. Lucky, lucky New Yorkers.

 

11/3, NEW YORK: SPRINGSTEEN TO PERFORM THE WILD, THE INNOCENT & THE E STREET SHUFFLE AND THE RIVER AT MADISON SQUARE

GARDEN

Expanding on the full album theme of late, it has just been announced that Bruce will perform two new full album set this upcoming weekend in New York City.

 

11/7 - The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle

11/8 - The River

I have GA for 11/7. I was expecting a full Born To Run, and was looking forward to Meeting Across the River into Jungleland but this is friggin amazing. Wow. Meeting on 57th Street into Rosalita. The way it was meant to be heard. Just wow! I need to change my pants now.

Something being shot tonight in Toronto. McCartney?

Turns out the plans were for an "Elvis Costello" espisode of Spectacle. Elton was going to conduct the interview, which would have made a full circle from episode 1, season 1 when Elvis interviiewd Elton. But Elton is sick. So in what can only be described as an unexpected turn of events, (unexpected for me anyway), Mary Louise Parker interviewed Elvis. Reports are still sketchy. She may or may not have done a good job.

Something being shot tonight in Toronto. McCartney?

... I still greatly appreciate and enjoy the idea of free thoughts and opinions...

I didn't see a lot of "thoughts" in that thread. I just saw people saying that you were wrong and you replying that you were right. In addition, you took shots at people older than you, shots at people who show up early, and shots at people who use earplugs.

Given those are your first posts here, I can't believe you are really surprised at the reaction. It looked like a troll job to me - I think that's why the thread was closed.

Does anyone one know if we can currently buy physical tickets at L'Olympia? I'm having trouble understanding how all these sales and pre-sales work...

You could only purchase "will call" tickets during the presale. You would have to pick those up at the box office the day of the show.

The public onsale is today at noon EST. You can't tell from the Admission.com site but I assume they will sell "physical" tickets. The Olympia website says tickets will be available there too so I would guess they are hard tickets too.

Do they actually take the seats out at this place? I kinda' doubt it. It's probably a GA show, just the first people in get the front row. Seems kinda' nutty to me, but that's my bet for how it goes down.

I have no idea what the Wilco configuration will be but they clearly can and do take out all the seats:

http://www.olympiademontreal.com/en/olympia/cabaret.php

.....I'm afraid I can't speak for venue policy for the others.

There won't be any standing in the town that fun forgot

Happy and a little surprised that worked out for you. I watched most of the drama play out from my seat and I saw a security guard standing at the end of the row, trying to get you to sit. Regardless of venue policy, and despite what you think is right, I was pretty sure that wasn't going to end well for you. On the other hand, I'm a stander and have pushed the envelope myself from time to time. Jeff held an informal vote in Massey Hall in 2004 when I stood, at the very front, alone for one song and then some people joined me. The vote ended in more or less a tie so we sat. And the next time they played Massey, the sitting crowd was cursed by Jeff. There is no simple, "right" answer.

What's this venue like...? Good sound? What's the capacity of the place? Thinking about a road trip.

Merci.

I think I saw somewhere that the seated capacity is 1,200. So probably 1,500 - 2,000 GA?

I'm a fan of "You And I". And I absolutely love the way the duet vocals are just slightly out of synch - the way they get just a little ahead or behind each other from time to time.

FUCKKKK MEEE!!!

 

I HAD SECOND ROW TICKETS THROUGH FRONT GATE FOR HAMILTON SHOW - AND THEN I OPENED A NEW WINDOW WHILE CHECKING OUT JUST TO SEE IF I COULD GET BETTER SEATS, IT CHANGED MY FIRST WINDOW TO THE OTHER SEATS AND I LOST THE SECOND ROW SEATS!

 

WHY WAS I SO GREEDY!!!

 

FUCK ME!

 

SHIT

 

NOW I DIDNT GET ANY SEATS!

Keep trying. I just pulled up a pair in row FF for Hamilton.

And speaking of Montreal (wasn't somebody speaking of Montreal?), I don't think I've ever been to Olympia. I get the impression that they do both reserved seating and general admission shows there. Is this correct, and if so, do we have any idea which configuration they'll use for Wilco?

Going all self-referential and quoting myself because I'm about to answer my own question for anybody who is interested. According to Front Gate, Montreal is general admission.

And speaking of Montreal (wasn't somebody speaking of Montreal?), I don't think I've ever been to Olympia. I get the impression that they do both reserved seating and general admission shows there. Is this correct, and if so, do we have any idea which configuration they'll use for Wilco?

I can guarantee you I'll be standing in my front row seat tonight!!!

If you actually stand at your seat, I'll be standing in front of you

I don't know what your definition of "star" is but I'd be surprised if Ken Hodge and Ron Maclean don't show up.

I think you need to set up an account at Frontgate. As part of the process, you create your own password. There wasn't a seperate "Wilco-generated" passworkd for the Toronto show (which is tonight and tomorrow by the way).

What's wrong with you people? You want a nice photo of tweedy to put next to Grandma in the family photo album. Put the stupid camera/video/phone away and enjoy the damn the show. Why do you clowns feel the need to document every f-ing moment in the your f-ing stupid phone/camera/video contraption. I didn't know so many people suffer from short-term memory loss. Morons.

If this was a poll, I take it this would be a vote for "opposed".

If he's doing the "talk-singing shtick", it sounds like you have hit on some pretty representative stuff. I wouldn't really connect the talking-singing thing with Springsteen if that's the Bruce you are thinking of. But you are not the first person to find Finn annoying or aggravating. If anything, the only thing you are possibly missing is the atmosphere at a live show - the interaction between him and the fans that do like him is pretty intense. Otherwise it's probably just not for you.

It's pretty much all in the subject line. Single ticket on the floor in row 4, I think it's one seat away from the centre aisle. For the second show, Thursday night October 15th. Selling for my cost which was about $55. Ticket is in Ottawa right now so a pick up/drop off near Massey Hall Thursday night would suit me. Best to email me at rick.upton@inac.gc.ca

Cheers

I am a little surprised to see no Montreal show but does that really say Ottawa?

OK, the google link didn't say anything about Montreal.

This doesn't really deserve it's own thread but I thought I would chime in on this one.... I received my Wilco Toronto ticket last night from Front Gate presale. In addition to a $6 service charge, they hit me with $10.50 for delivery. And it came USPS. I figured for $10 it would be couriered - stuff from them has been couried before. I think it was a 44 cent stamp. Cripes.

And they seem to be pretty much unanimous in the glowing reviews.