tongue-tied lightning

and you call yerself a Reds fan

The Who camp is flush with activity as the band prepares to kick off its summer European tour Saturday (June 17) at Leeds University, the site of its iconic 1970 concert album "Live at Leeds." A number of rarely played old songs have been reintroduced to the band's live set thanks to "special requests from fans."

According to guitarist Pete Townshend's Web site, they include "Relay," "The Seeker," "Another Tricky Day," "Naked Eye," "Bargain, "I'm a Boy," "Let's See Action" and "Tattoo," plus the obscure "Cry if You Want," from the Who's final studio album, 1982's "It's Hard."

The artist is also promising more rarities (including his ukulele song "Blue, Red and Gray") to be rolled out one by one by the time the Who hits North America later this year. Venues are still being nailed down, but that portion of the outing will run from Sept. 7-Oct. 10 and Nov. 5-Dec. 5.

Townshend said he is particularly excited to feature the band's new mini-opera, "Wire & Glass," in the shows. The six-song suite ("Sound Round," "Pick up the Peace," "Endless Wire," "We Got a Hit," "They Made My Dreams Come True" and "Mirror Door") will be released July 10 internationally as a teaser to the Who's as-yet-untitled new studio album, which he says will be delivered in completed form June 28 to Polydor, the band's international record label.

"We are playing it. It sounds great," Townshend said of the "Wire & Glass" material. "It's new, and that feels strange. We haven't played anything new for such a long time, but it's also familiar -- I remember playing new songs to audiences who were really unsure they wanted to hear them. This selection is 11 minutes long, we will blast through it, and if the crowd gets distracted they can buy our fabulous merchandising."

Ever the iconoclast, Townshend has hinted at, but not revealed, "a very cool idea for how to launch our new record using the Web. If we can pull it off it will entirely change the way the music industry operates. If you are a Russian or Chinese Internet music seller, or a bootlegger, and you are refusing to pay a share of what you charge your customers to the artists who made the music, my cunning plan will ruin your year."

great news

NUREMBERG (AFP) - England's World Cup campaign received a huge boost when star striker Wayne Rooney was passed fit to play in the Group B clash with Trinidad and Tobago later in the day.

The 20-year-old, who broke his foot in April, underwent an examination by independent medical experts Angus Wallace and Chris Moran from the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham who flew out to Germany.

"Due to his positive attitude and approach and the care he has received, Wayne has made a more rapid recovery than initially anticipated. The injury has healed and we are satisfied that he is as fit as he can be," they said in a joint statement.

A risk assessment had also found that Rooney was "at no more risk than any other player who has recovered from an injury and is returning to competitive sport", the statement said.

The Manchester United striker's return is a massive lift for coach Sven-Goran Eriksson whose team badly missed Rooney's creative influence during an unimpressive 1-0 win over Paraguay in their opening game last Saturday.

He had been hurt in the Premiership match at Chelsea on April 29 and was originally considered a major doubt for the tournament but his recovery has gained momentum in recent weeks.

Rooney has resumed full-contact training this week and has been kicking balls at full force. He had also told Eriksson that he is ready to play - and on Thursday had his fitness endorsed by Wallace and Moran.

"This morning (June 15) we conducted a careful medical evaluation of Wayne Rooney," the statement said.

"Professor Wallace was invited as an expert in Sports Medicine and Professor Moran as an expert in Fracture Management.

"Waynes recovery has been more rapid than expected over the past week, and this is due to the excellent care he has received since suffering the injury to his foot and because Wayne has worked so hard at his recovery.

"Due to this, we were invited back earlier than anticipated to reassess Wayne by Dr Leif Sward, the England team doctor.

"We are independent experts and would like to make clear that the findings of our evaluation and decision have been made without any pressure from The Football Association.

"We have Waynes best interests at heart, as our sole concern is Waynes well being, now and in the future... Waynes fitness levels are better now than before Euro 2004.

"It is clear he has received excellent care and rehabilitation from the Manchester United medical team. This has continued with the England teams medical staff and it is obvious the two have worked very well together.

"It is our professional medical opinion that Wayne Rooney is now available to play in the World Cup."

Eriksson had incurred the wrath of Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson by refusing to concede that Rooney would not recover in time for the World Cup.

The two had a furious phone call last week after Eriksson also refused to rule out using Rooney during the group stage after a scan gave him the all clear to return to Germany and stay with the squad.

Manchester United issued a statement saying that the English Football Association (FA) had kept the club informed of developments.

"The Football Association has kept Manchester United informed of the medical progress of Wayne Rooney since he rejoined the England squad last week," said the statement.

"As a player on international duty, Wayne, like the rest of the squad, is in the care of the FA's medical staff.

"The Club has been assured by the FA that it has decided Wayne's fitness on the basis of medical evidence it has received and that such a decision was made with Wayne's welfare as a key consideration.

"We wish Wayne and the England squad the very best in what we hope will be a successful bid to win the World Cup."

Eriksson has indicated he may play Rooney against Trinidad but is unlikely to field him in the starting line-up.

"For me, Rooney is match fit but let me sleep on it. I will decide Thursday morning," Eriksson said Wednesday.

"Almost for sure he is not starting the match. I don't think he has 90 minutes in him yet."

I just think stopping the clock for injury wouldn't take away from the game. How much injury time is used anyway ?

the games usually go 1 or maybe 2 min over.

Why can't they just stop the clock for an injury, then we would know how much time is left. Every sport stops the clock at some point.

Reds broke the 5 game losing streak

Mets are what you'd call hot ! glad to see it too

Eriksson mulling shock Rooney return for Trinidad clash

by Rob Woollard

June 12, 2006

BADEN-BADEN (AFP) - England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson is poised to unleash Wayne Rooney upon Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday as his team seeks to wrap up qualification from Group B.

The Manchester United star has impressed in training after returning from injury and is now set to make an appearance from the substitutes bench against the 'Soca Warriors' in Nuremberg.

The 20-year-old's absence was keenly felt in England's drab 1-0 victory over Paraguay on Saturday, where chants of 'Rooney, Rooney' echoed around Frankfurt's Waldstadion towards the end of a lacklustre match.

Eriksson was cautious about the prospect of a swift return for Rooney.

"We have to decide on Rooney day by day, to be honest," Eriksson said after the Paraguay victory. "I'm very optimistic, always. I will change something in the team if we have some problems."

Results of a scan last week showed that the fracture in Rooney's right foot had healed. England's coaches say the only issue now preventing the player's return is his match fitness.

Any appearance by Rooney during the group stages will infuriate Sir Alex Ferguson, who believes Eriksson has gone back on an agreement to wait until the second round before using the player.

But Eriksson has made it clear that he will not bow to pressure from United over the use of their star player.

Rooney's chance could come sooner than expected after Theo Walcott picked up a minor injury during a post-match five-a-side on Saturday that left the teenager needing strapping to a sore calf.

Ironically, Walcott picked up the knock courtesy of a clattering tackle by Rooney. "Theo has a slight knock and it has been strapped up for compression purposes," the FA confirmed.

"It's precautionary and after a day off on Monday he will take part in our next training session on Tuesday."

Walcott's knock in theory leaves England with only one fully fit striker, Peter Crouch, following Eriksson's decision to include only four forwards in his 23-man squad for Germany.

Michael Owen, who missed most of the Premiership season after breaking his foot on New Year's Eve, looked desperately short of match sharpness against Paraguay and was replaced after 53 minutes.

"I'm sure Michael Owen will get better and better," Eriksson said.

Eriksson said Owen's substitution for Stewart Downing that saw Joe Cole shifted into a central role was tactical but the switch was sharply criticised by former England captain Alan Shearer.

Shearer, now working as a pundit for Britain's BBC television, described the decision to replace Owen as "unbelievable".

"Sven brought Theo Walcott as a centre-forward but when he took Michael Owen off and put Joe Cole in Michael's place, Walcott must have been on the bench thinking: 'There's a midfielder in my position'.

"Eriksson probably doesn't think he's ready at this moment in time, but if that's the case, why take him in the first place?"

Former England coach Sir Bobby Robson also admitted to being baffled by Owen's substitution. "I assumed at first that Owen was injured when he went off ... I couldn't believe it when I discovered it was tactical," he said.

Former Scotland international Alan Hansen blasted Eriksson's tactical tinkering as 'appalling', and said England were paying for the decision not to include Tottenham's Jermain Defoe as a fifth forward.

"It all goes back to this issue of not taking Jermain Defoe," said Hansen. "If you're taking Michael Owen off it should be like for like - off goes Owen and on comes Defoe."

Defoe meanwhile has denied weekend reports that quoted him criticising Eriksson's decision to send him back to Britain.

"It's a strange one. I am still trying to understand it. It's a strange decision and everybody I speak to thinks so as well," Defoe was quoted as saying. Defoe's representatives said he had not spoken to any media, however.

I'm crossing me fingers Pete has found some magic

I got to see Johan Cruyff play

Rodney Marsh was a fav

Georgio, Franz

I was a Tampa Bay Rowdy fan

those were the days my friend

Cosmos, Cosmos, Cosmos !!!!!!!!

my fav World Cup player

Gary Lineker

will Michael Owen play ?

awww

the show is up at the dime

 

http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=92817

 

enjoy!

It sounds as close to a soundboard as it could be, great recording !

love the Glenn pic

I agree the place was way over sold. Sardines fo sho !!

sorry to hear a few bad reports. I had a great time, and thought the band was rockin', having fun. Tweedy always seems to yell at someone at a Wilco show, so I didn't think much about it.

The horns were a highlight, just seeing how much fun those kids were having put a smile to yer face.

biggest disappointment was missing seeing ya Jen, how did that happen ?

I liked the 3 Stooges, but jeez, it was loud !

nothing to say but, WOW. great [pics U !

hey Mart, Dave, neither of you could've snatched Tweedy's acoustic ?

I saw that on the set list it had anything by Springsteen song on it.

Did Jeff say anything about palying something ?

thanks for all the info