indy81

Don't get too excited by a report in a tabloid. All it says is that promoters "expect" the band to announce dates and that they're "falling over themselves" to get the band to tour. From what I hear, the band hasn't agreed to anything yet and no venues have been booked. Plant in particular is very reluctant, and he has actually booked venues with Alison Krauss for a spring/summer '08 tour (including Bonnaroo).

I found when I saw them this year some of the SBS stuff wasn't projecting as well live (particularily Either Way) I just found they were too mellow for such a rockin' show.

Yeah, this is probably it. Especially with an outdoor show, you need louder stuff. Too bad, though - I thought "On and On and On" was a highlight of the Madison show.

I love seeing more songs from the back catalogue, and I hope this tour is turning people onto A.M, a really underrated album. However, I'm a little disappointed that they seem to have retired "Either Way" and "On and On and On." This is the SBS tour, right?

Don't buy any codes off the internet. The promoter says they're going to check the name on the ticket with the ID you give them, and they won't let you in if it doesn't match. Some people are gonna pay a ton of $$ to scalpers, fly to London, and get turned away at the door.

Excellent recording. Thanks a lot for your work.

Funny that they're playing almost as many A.M. songs as SBS songs. They released a mellow album but they're focusing on old-school rockin' on the tour.

I'm quite sure they can create great music without your vibes.

That's my point. Great music is only part of a great concert. The audience should meet the band halfway, try to match its energy level and enthusiasm. That's why last year's show at the Barrymore (and the shows at Otto's in '04, for instance) were truly special, and Tuesday's show was merely good.

But hey, I understand that not everybody agrees with me on this. If you're purely focused on the band's performance and don't care about the atmosphere, I don't want to continue arguing with you. I'm not looking to be a buzz kill - I'm just giving my honest opinion about the venue.

People sat only for the second and third song on the floor, what are you talking about?

I wasn't talking about people sitting on the floor level (although Jeff did keep after the folks on the floor who were bobbing up and down depending on the song's tempo). I was sitting in the first balcony. Maybe this accounts for the misunderstanding. Also, as far as my "poseur" comment: I'm not sure why you took that personally. I was distracted by people around me who were clearly disinterested in the show - sitting and talking throughout songs, leaving 3-4 times, etc. I wasn't referring to genuine fans of the band like you.

I can't guarantee this, but I think the $30 is for VIP Parking, which is in the front and side of the venue. It's faster to get out. Parking in the lot behind the Rave is usually cheaper...but when I say cheaper, I mean $20 instead of $30.

Parking is always absurdly expensive there, especially when big acts come in. I think they take advantage of your fear of the neighborhood. But if you arrive very early, you can park right next to the venue for free. Latecomers will have a harder time, unfortunately.

Now I know why I have to see my favorite bands standing up in dumpy places. I can't believe the complaints about the crowd and the venue. Wouldn't someone who is more concerned about dancing, and what other fans are doing at the show than watching the band, be the poser? I can't think of a more fitting description. May I suggest a dance club for dancing, and State St. for people watching?

It wasn't a violin recital. Live rock music is all about the vibes between the band and the audience. From where I was sitting, it was a one-way thing. The band was playing its heart out, and the crowd was observing it like it was a lab specimen. You don't need to "people watch" to pick up the fact that lots of people in the crowd weren't allowing their pulse to raise beyond resting level. You can just feel it. As far as dancing, I couldn't care less about that. I much prefer standing during the entire show, though - the energy level in the place plummets when everyone sits. This is why Tweedy spent the whole night complaining about people sitting.

The Overture Center is beautiful; it's just not a rock venue. Elderly ushers shining flashlights in people's faces telling them to sit down just ain't right. I think we just have different attitudes toward concert-going. Sure, the Eagles Ballroom is a dump, but I've enjoyed the sweaty, crowded Wilco shows there more than the sterile luxury of the Overture. Having said all that, Tuesday night's show was still a lot of fun.

The crowd was small but polite for Dr. Dog. A good amount of applause at the end of each song. I'd seen them once before and thought they were terrific. I wish they could've played longer. Once again, thanks, Overture curfew!

I was in the first balcony and nearly everyone near me just sat there. No singing, no fist pumping, not even any feet stomping. Definitely no dancing. It was like they were watching it on TV. But at least they were quiet, i.e. no extended conversations during songs. Lots of getting up and leaving in the middle of songs.

Great show, but it KILLS me that we didn't get those last three songs. I haven't heard "Outtasite" in four years. There was clearly a curfew at the venue, because Dr. Dog was told to wrap up after only a half hour, and Wilco came back for the second encore after about 30 seconds. The Overture Center is pretty, but I'll take a smaller, cheaper venue that lets the band play as long as it wants. Plus with such a big crowd there were plenty of disinterested poseurs. Still a great time...a guitar orgy.

Before the album came out, they didn't. Afterwards, they would - but not for ten minutes.

By 10:02 I was unable to get a single ticket for Madison. Either the presale seats were gone really quickly, or there was some kind of error. Oh well, guess I'll have to try on Friday.

If you wish to take the case that streaming the album did effect sales, then you can only conclude that it was in a positive way (seeing as how it went into the charts at no. 4 or something in the USA - I think, I am sure someone posted that fact in another thread once).

But who's to say it wouldn't have premiered at no. 3 if it wouldn't have been leaked? I'll never buy the argument that an album showing up on Bit Torrent leads to more album sales. Surely there are many more people who download it for free and say "this sucks" or say "I like this, but now I've got it and don't need to buy it" than people who say "I really like this album, I think I'll pay $13 for the packaging." I know lots of people who downloaded SBS and haven't bought it, despite my efforts to get them to support the band. They'd rather spend their money on something they don't already have.

As for the whole Jack White shouting thing, I just can't take it too seriously. Who really gives a fuck, apart from him and a few people on his record label? Acting like a cock isn't going to change what happened.

Agreed, but that doesn't mean he didn't have the right to act like a cock. Right now thousands of people are downloading (for free) a 40 megabyte file that contains a super-compressed version of his entire new album. I'd be pissed too.

I think that Jack White has just been subjected to an old fashioned - "see if your songs can stand up to shitty sound quality test" - which all his old blues heroes unwittingly took and came through with flying colours. If he feels that his songs can't stand up to the test, then maybe he needs to have a think about where he is going wrong.

Um, maybe he's mad because a moron DJ played a leaked copy of the album weeks before its release date, and now it's all over the internet in crappy quality for everyone to download instead of buying it.

Yes, it's cool that Wilco streamed SBS before it came out, but we can't act like that didn't affect album sales. There are loads of people who downloaded the album off Bit Torrent that will never buy the album. You have to respect White's wishes if he wants people to actually 1) buy the album and 2) listen to it in its intended form. Plus the DJ's "I didn't know it was a big deal" excuse makes her seem either very naive or disingenuous.

In today's media market, putting your music in a commercial is the equivalent of what a music video and radio used to be. It's the only way to get a mass audience to hear your music. I think it's a smart move. Hell, I wish the VW ads would say "Wilco" on them.

...Of course, I also wish "The Thanks I Get" would've been on SBS, and it would've been a top 10 hit. And I honestly wish Wilco were the biggest rock band in the world. I know others don't agree and I respect their reasons, but I think it would be a blast to see them in a giant arena with 20,000 people going crazy. As long as the music isn't compromised, it isn't selling out.

I can't resist a "me too" email...this sounds great. First "One True Vine", now this: two of the best songs from the sessions get buried as b-sides...a real shame. This would have gotten a lot more exposure than "What Light" as a first single. Oh well, happy to have it in any case.

AM = B-

BT = B+

MM vol1 = B

ST = A-

MM vol 2 = B

YHF = A

AGIB = B+

SBS = B

Damn, "One True Vine" is shockingly great for a short b-side. They should've put it on the album in place of "Leave Me".

I don't love the new album but even I've gotta say that a lot of the negative criticism is stemming from the reviewer's preconceptions. At least Jim DeRogatis could admit that he had to listen to it 12 times before he could get rid of his expectations. And the guy at Pitchfork obviously was expecting another avant-gardish, indie rock album from Wilco. His review is expressing his personal disappointment at the band's direction more than an actual assessment of the music.

An interesting article, although you've gotta think Tweedy is being disingenuous when he claims they weren't trying to be experimental or avant-garde with YHF and Ghost. A 30 minute stretch of noise is "experimental" but 15 min. isn't? It's intriguing to see him distance himself somewhat from YHF recently, since/because it's generally considered the band's high water mark. SBS is certainly a deliberate effort to go a different musical route.

You guys are bitching about an A- review?

From this discussion it's clear to me that people who don't like the album just haven't listened to it enough or are too cynical. Furthermore, people who like the album are simply fooling themselves into liking anything Wilco puts out, no matter how bad it is.

After a few listens I like the album but I'll admit to being a bit disappointed. This isn't something I would recommend to someone who doesn't already like Wilco. Someone who really enjoys Tweedy's solo shows should dig this one, although I'm not thrilled with Jeff's choice to push his singing range with all the falsetto, upper register stuff. It doesn't put his (nice but limited) voice in the best light. And yes, the indie rock community will be horrified by this album. It is the opposite of "edgy." But if the band is feeling mellow, I suppose you can't really fault them for expressing this in their music.

It's a very pleasant listening experience overall but for me the songwriting isn't as strong as previous albums. I can't see any of these songs getting any radio play. The little pop masterpieces of Summerteeth seem long in the past. But the musicianship is very strong and some of the terrific instrumental breaks bail out the places where the songwriting doesn't hold up. "Impossible Germany" and "On and On and On" are the highlights right now, but I'm sure I'll like others with a few more listens. "Side with the Seeds" is already growing on me.

Finally, how did "Let's Fight" not make the cut over "Shake It Off"?

I bailed when I realized that $27.50 tickets were actually $45 with all the surcharges, taxes, etc. Grrrr....Ticketmaster...