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There are random things here, so bear with me:

 

First, does anyone know if they soundcheck all the time? I get there at 6am everyday for work and hear groups check all the time and I think it would be pretty cool to sit and watch the guys set up and get loose.

 

Second, for the life of me, I can't remember the sound guy's name (even though I should....Stan?). It may be pertainent if the first thing pans out.

 

Finally, if anyone reading this wants to get some gooooood food down there, stop by The Venice Club and look for me. The food, as the name implies, is Italian, and includes pizza and our famous fried eggplant. If you get there before 3pm, look for a kid named Matt on a register....that'll be me. Be sure to introduce yourself too (a discount may be involved :ninja ) And if Wilco themselves gets a little hungry and stops by, my sister and I would feel quite honored.

 

Just a tip for all you people unfamiliar with Summerfest--come before 4pm because admission is only $8 as opposed to $15, and be sure to check the website for ways to get discounted or free admission.

 

See you all there!!!

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So the night was amazing. Jeff was in a very jovial mood as his family watched from the right side of the stage. Too many quotes to list right now, but each band member got his name chanted, a girl threw a bouquet of flowers on the stage after 'Forget the Flowers', and during the encore breaks, the crowd chanted "Ole! Ole, ole, ole...." as per Jeff's world cup comment earlier. Here's the set...

 

Ashes of American Flags

Handshake Drugs

The Late Greats

IATTBYH

Impossible Germany

Airline to Heaven

Forget the Flowers

ALTWYS

Jesus, etc.

Walken

Theologians

ITMWLY

HMD

Kingpin

Hummingbird

-----------------

Misunderstood (I estimate close to 50 nothings)

War on War

-----------------

Shot in the Arm

Spiders

 

 

Passenger Side was on the setlist in place of Spiders (I'm glad they did what they did).

 

On a side note, I'll be posting a complete video of Impossible Germany and Kingpin, as well as a partial video of Walken (I wanted to rock out....sorry), somewhere between Sunday night and Tuesday (I work 12 hour days through Sunday). Should come out great as I was in the first row and I'm 6 foot. Cheers!

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the show was awesome. my first time seeing wilco not including farm aid.

 

it's wierd though, usually the summerfest crowds are loud and obnoxious but this was quite oppositte. they were very quiet, almost too quiet. at least by me, anyone else notice that?

 

by the way, anyone know if anyone was taping the show?

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It was a good show. Jeff moved quite a bit despite having a broken foot. I liked the end of "Spiders" where they essentially stopped playing and then blasted the ending. I enjoyed it. First time seeing them since May of 05, and I needed it.

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thanks for the report... looks like a weird structure for the setlist though!

is that in order it was played?

 

Yep! I snagged an official setlist (and my memorty can confirm the order too seeing as how I was probably one of the only sober people around me). Funny thing--they write out 'Impossible Germany' on the setlist, yet keep everything else down to a couple words. As for a quiet crowd, it was loud and obnoxious up front....full Summerfest experience.

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I was expecting bbop to post the set list.

 

This was a terrific show. Wilco brought their A game and the band seemed really into it.

 

Let's start from the beginning, which included having to sit through three cover bands, one of which was so horrible it was beyond belief. I thought I was gonna have a heart attack if they didn't stop the heavy bass of the keyboard player; really obnoxious stuff. I found time to leave the stage area during the cover bands, because they were so boring/dreadful. However, even during these groups, there were several light moments, particularly the heavy metal version of Dancing Queen and some others.

 

Andrew Bird was fantastic as was expected. Needless to say, some of what makes him special didn't necessarily translate that well into the open air and large venue, but under the circumstances it was great to see him get the crowd's attention (most of it anyway) and hold it. He connected better during the songs people knew from his more recent album, than the new songs and the drummer/keyboard player he brought along certainly helped fill things in. The kind of looping and overdubbing he did on the recent album came across okay, although there were some moments I wished he had just cut loose and played the violin. Andrew deserves a wider audience and luckily he got a pretty good one last night.

 

As for the crowd, it was not bad, in terms of attention and space invasion. Only one guy nearly crawled up my ass in order to stand behind me and I finally told him to give me two more inches so I wouldn't break my knees on the bench. He shifted behind a couple who had come up earlier and that eased the space issue, although they spent the evening necking throughout the set. (Not sure why the guys to my right thought they needed to light up stogies during Wilco, but at least they didn't blow the smoke around too badly.) No one seemed too drunk and disorderly and Jeff connected with the crowd and it made for pleasant evening, including soliciting some nice remarks from him. The song selection was great and after hearing "impossible Germany" a song I had not heard before and Walken, which I have heard many times, I think the band should get into the studio and finish the new record off in a hurry. It is going to be a good one.

 

I thought Nels was particularly good last night and connecting well with Jeff. Anyone here who still misses Jay needed to see (or at least hear) this set. Nels was magnificent, restrained in some cases and played beautifully. I know he has gotten some flack here for supposed "wankery" but he seems to have pared some of that down and now plays completely on target to my mind. Pat's moves were tasteful and everyone played to the highest level. Of course Glenn is always great and John anchors the whole thing. As usual the keyboards weren't mixed that well.

 

Despite the reasonably well behaved crowd and good set, I don't know that I will return to Summerfest again. It is really not the best venue to see a show at, but the price is sure right and it is close to Chicago. Even Jeff commented that he doesn't like playing to such a large crowd. This is one show I would like to hear when a tape surfaces. Nice mix of songs, great performances and and a crowd that seemed engaged. Seemed like a keeper.

 

To the young guys I talked to earier (who thought I looked like Allen Ginsburg), they had a great time at their first Wilco concert. It seemed like lots of new people last night were getting a chance to see Wilco for the first time and see them tear the roof off of the roofless Summerfest stage.

 

LouieB

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I would like a copy too...

 

By the way, having seen Son Volt recently, Jeff wins the battle of the bands hands down. Not only has Jeff become a better songwriter, bandleader and guitar player, he is also an entertainer who seems genuinely happy and pleased to be on stage and fronting a band. Jay Farrar ain't bad (I enjoyed him at Randolph St.), but there is no comparision to a night out with Jeff and night out with Jay.

 

(As for Jay Bennett, I had people asking whatever happened to the guy.)

 

LouieB

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Once he crossed 50, I started wondering what the record is. What is the record?
I wondered that too..I figured we SAW the record last night.....(probably not...but it sure seemed close.) In fact I may have lost 5 misunderstoods, I don't know. Someone who taped it will know the real answer.

 

By the way, it was nice to see you last night. I lost your student in the crowd after the show, so I didn't get to hear how he liked it. Good to know you inserted the Harlem Rennisance into your class. I just bought an autobiography of Lanston Hughes recently (I don't know if there are more than one, this is his early life).

 

LouieB

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how did the quality turn out?

 

The quality is quite good but I'm only 15 minutes in so hopefully things won't go downhill. I was afraid it would sound pretty bad since the benches were shaking a lot causing me to move more than just my regular foot taps. But yeah, I'm pretty damn impressed with it.

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The quality is quite good but I'm only 15 minutes in so hopefully things won't go downhill. I was afraid it would sound pretty bad since the benches were shaking a lot causing me to move more than just my regular foot taps. But yeah, I'm pretty damn impressed with it.

 

awesome, i can't wait. Thanks a ton for taping it! it's always great getting to relive the concert after it's over

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