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Cue up the scene in that terrible Stones film Let's Spend The Night Together where old Keith wacks a dude with his Telecaster.

Or the scene from Altamont where Keef is saying(in your best drunk british hooligan accent) "If that cat right there don't knock it off man"

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:P good - this is more complex than even i at first thought!

 

complex is not the first word that came to mind when thinking about your posts and rationale.

 

To me, common sense is lacking in your arguments. Whatever though ... I think the general consensus on the board is that whatever transpired (punch, no punch), Jeff was justified in whatever course of action he took the second the guy made physical contact with him.

 

I personally wouldn't want anyone living in my neighborhood with my family if they think that unwanted physical contact is acceptable if the person initiating the contact doesn't intend to harm them and it is the responsibility of the recipient to know what the intentions are of such a person. Because that's what I hear you saying:

 

1. How do we know the guy meant to hurt him?

2. Why would Jeff ever think such a thing?

3. What kind of world do we live in where it is that kind of thinking that is the norm

4. Boy, no wonder our politics are in the state they are in ...

 

It sure seems to me that all the responsibility and accountability is falling on Jeff and not the drunken idiot. Is that your rationale? Is that the same rationale you use for rapists/rape victims and pedophiles/victims? Is it the responsibility of the victim to know the intentions of the assailant?

 

Such an analogy seems extreme, but to me it highlights the stupidity of your rationale. And not to be mean, but stupid was the nicest word I could come up with to describe your rationale.

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I don't really want to explain why I used the word 'complex'. Let's just say your interpretation of why I used it was wrong.

 

I am fine in the notion that Jeff was justified in hitting the bloke. I've always said that. I also think that the guy probably was a complete numpty. I've never disagreed with that either. I have only ever taken issue with the fact that he was a threat.

 

How many people would have posted the same comments in this thread if Jeff had put his arm around the guy and kissed him back? Nothing would have changed accept Jeff's responce to the situation - that phantom threat of extreme violence stilll remains doesn't it? Would you be saying - fuck me, Jeff is bit blahzay about his personal safety isn't he! or Damn he's a real nice guy, he even put his arm around the bloke!

 

All my posts in this thread really have nothing to do with Jeff or the events as such, they are about how people perceived it.

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I am personally always astonished at how well jeff puts up with drunken/drugged behavior--usually with a smile and/or a joke--especially considering his own sobriety.

 

One of the things that always makes me admire jeff is how he tries to look after his die-hard fans, whether it's telling obnoxious talkers to shut the F up, or telling incessant song-requesters to chill, etc.

 

This is a guy who puts up with a lot, in a very mature and usually humorous way. So when a member of the audience tramples on that relationship, I think it is perfectly understandable and acceptable for jeff to react, with force if necessary. How many other lead singers give so much to their fans as jeff does?

 

Reading about this whole episode just makes me embarrassed for that idiot really.

 

Thankfully jeff knows that this asshole is just an aberation, and I doubt if he gives it much thought in the future

 

edit: also, considering the facts that (i) Jeff just lost his mother, and (ii) he was playing a song like "Airline to Heaven"--without ascribing any specific beliefs or perspectives or whatever to Jeff--it is entirely possible that while playing a beautiful and soulful song like that that his mind was in an entirely different place, and when all of the sudden someone grabs him, that could very well feel like a jarring assault, whether the drunkard's intentions were harmless or otherwise.

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Just jumping onto stage isn't necessarily a breach at certain types of shows. As has been stated, at some kinds of shows it is expected or even encourage. I've never been under the impression that a Wilco show was like this at all though. If that guy thought so, well, he's an idiot, but whatever.

 

However, making physical contact with a performer (especially mid-song when they're engaged in the music) is obviously crossing a line. Any contact between performer and fans should be initiated by the performer because, as been stated, there's no way for the guys in the band to tell the difference between a psycho who wants to rumble and a fan who is simply overly-excited.

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Other than all the shenanigans and ass-kickery that went on, it was a very good show with an awesome setlist and Nels shredded harder than usual (I was standing right in front of him).

 

"Chill the fuck out! Those are nice girls and you just need to fuck off!"

 

Tweedy is a scary motherfucker when he wants to be.

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i have been attending rock shows for over 25 years and never have i been aware that jumping on stage was allowed, although i have seen it rarely. Unless it was a naked good looking woman. (this was the first time i saw it happened at a ZZ top show back in the "Deguello" tour. They let her dance from one end of the stage to the other but she never touched any of the band)

Any other time i saw it happened the intruder were guys who were tackled violently by stage security and removed from the stage and i assume arrested.

 

If this dumb ass who jumped on stage at the Springfield gig or anyone for that matter thinks they are allowed on stage at any rock show then they are out of touch with reality.

I hope the bitch got a night in Green county jail and fined!

 

Jeff Tweedy is more in-touch and accessible with his fans than any artist i have ever followed. And if events like this become frequent some of the privileges Jeff affords us; that are not common in the rock world, will soon become a thing of the past.

 

We come to see and hear the band we paid for, not some idiot in the audience!

 

dave

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i have been attending rock shows for over 25 years and never have i been aware that jumping on stage was allowed, although i have seen it rarely. Unless it was a naked good looking woman. (this was the first time i saw it happened at a ZZ top show back in the "Deguello" tour. They let her dance from one end of the stage to the other but she never touched any of the band)

Any other time i saw it happened the intruder were guys who were tackled violently by stage security and removed from the stage and i assume arrested.

 

If this dumb ass who jumped on stage at the Springfield gig or anyone for that matter thinks they are allowed on stage at any rock show then they are out of touch with reality.

I hope the bitch got a night in Green county jail and fined!

 

Jeff Tweedy is more in-touch and accessible with his fans than any artist i have ever followed. And if events like this become frequent some of the privileges Jeff affords us; that are not common in the rock world, will soon become a thing of the past.

 

We come to see and hear the band we paid for, not some idiot in the audience!

 

dave

 

 

 

Would have to agree with this. Almost every time I've seen someone get up on stage at a show it was immediately followed by a massive smack down by security.

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Theologians (when did this get so big & muscle-y? It's been working out!)

 

(thanks for the setlist and other info, btw)

 

I had the same feeling. As I posted on the the 10.13.06 San Antone thread, this song just paralyzed me. The whole sequence leading up to the "cherry ghost" part was nailed to perfection, bold and commanding.

 

Glad you all had a blast and dealt with the shitlicker with a great version of "Hummingbird" rather than options some (most?) other bands would have taken...

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I wasn't at the show, so I'm not clear on what happened, but I think it is funny that out of all the comments we've seen here explaining the incident, Pitchfork uses the most sensationalized version for its story before getting to the real details.

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I wasn't at the show, so I'm not clear on what happened, but I think it is funny that out of all the comments we've seen here explaining the incident, Pitchfork uses the most sensationalized version for its story before getting to the real details.

 

Pretty typical Pitchforking. :rolleyes

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anyone defending this action is a moron.

the only people who belong on the stage are the ones in the band and their crew.

if you are the one jumping on the stage, i have these things to say to you:

a.) the audience paid to see wilco perform, not you.

b.) you are not a unique and special "cool guy", you are a dumb asshole.

c.) if you manhandled a performer during a performance, especially one as "senstive" as jeff tweedy, then you deserve much, much worse than you got. this is not a van halen gig.

i can't believe there is even a discussion about this nonsense.

nels shoulda gone townshend on the guy.

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