Your first Wilco show

[Nonlinear Nonfiction]

Saturday, August 21, 1999

Midway Stadium, St. Paul, MN

 

The first time I saw Wilco in concert was their Summerteeth tour. They opened for REM at the minor league ballpark where the St. Paul Saints play. I had just turned 15 that month and my dad took us early to get close to the stage where I felt like Jeff Tweedy, Jay Bennett, John Stirratt and Leroy Bach turned my world upside down. I actually still remember this physical high I got when I heard The Lonely 1 for the first time. Today that isn't even in my top ten songs but at the time for some reason it seemed to yank the grass right out from under me. Wilco rocked, then REM came out and the rain began to fall. My brother and I dried off in a dugout and discussed Wilco - far, far away from the headliners. For us, Wilco just simply stole the show. August 21, 1999 was the beginning of my heavy addiction to Wilco.

[brettac1]

My first one hasn't happened yet, but it is going to be the June 13th show in Davenport. 4th row, can't wait. Circumstances hadn't worked out for going to a show until this year finally, and Davenport is as close as they are going to be for me.

[mpolak21]

Saw them for the first time in Pittsburgh on June 21, 2003. I had gotten into the band heavily the year before, I had the fortune of seeing the 1999 ACL and getting Summerteeth from the library a couple of weeks before Yankee Hotel Foxtrot came out so I got into them very rapidly. The show that night was great they played everything from YHF except Radio Cure, and I got to here early versions of Muzzle of Bees, Kicking Television, Spiders and At Least That's What You Said. While I missed out on seeing perhaps my favorite live song that that lineup did "Not For The Season" I certainly didn't leave that night disappointed. Reservations was probably my highlight, though everything was great. Probably one of the greatest days of my life, I am really happy I got a chance to see them in that incarnation, much as love Nels and Pat, I always find myself playing shows from that era a little more. It's probably my man crush on Leroy, which I should probably seek help for.

 

--Mike

[Guest Rufer]

April 27, 1999--Virginia Beach, VA. A place called the Abyss. Vic Chessnut opened. Great show. Summerteeth had been recorded but not yet released.

[Willkoman]

Feb 15,1997 Irving Plaza, NYC!

 

Still my fav Wilco show by far!

 

Me too! My all time favorite Wilco show. "The Deli Tray Show". We drove to Boston the next night it was so good.

[remphish1]

Excellent! Was that the one that was filmed ?

 

Yep! Hbo Reverb. I have the taped version that appeared on tv. I wish I could get my hands on that full video! That show was sooo intense and Jeff was hillarious!

[ChicagoPepper]

First time seeing them live was the taping for PBS Soundstage.

[Edie]

10-30-04

 

Pot Kettle Black, Radio Cure, In a Future Age, and Another Man's Done Gone were some of the best tracks played that evening. Wilco got me hooked from the moment they banged out the first chord to Hummingbird to the final chords of Be Not So Fearful. As a 14 year old it blew my mind. Defidently the most worthwhile concert I've ever been to, life has never been the same...

 

My first show also.

[blueyedsoul]

i'm not sure of the exact date (and i'm too lazy to look it up), but it was sometime in late may or early june of 2002. i was in amsterdam for an art class, and they just happened to be playing at the melkwag. my brother had given me both being there and summerteeth for Christmas six months prior to my trip, and i'd been listening to them constantly. i had no clue that they were playing in amsterdam until i got there, so it was a very, very awesome surprise. seeing them live directly contributed to me being full-blown in love with their music.

[whoyaburnfrontman]

wed oct. 4, 2006 7:30pm

elliott hall of music

purdue university

my mom and ju

my sister casie and i and big al

it was amazing

 

then 4 days later

 

sun oct. 8, 2006 8:00pm

one of the most beautiful places i've been

iroquois amphitheater

louisville kentucky

ju and i

i totally lucked into this one and it was so awesome

[anodyne]

it was sometime in 2001 or 2000, i don't recall. i did have a massive european history test the next day, so i took my book and read during the openers. i got a lot of studying done. turns out my prof is also a massive wilco fan and as he distributed the blue books, he let us all know we missed a great rock show the night before. i told him i caught a great rock show and it was a kinda cool moment. afterwards, i told him i took my books to the show and he said he saw someone reading, but from a distance. guess you had to be there, but it was kinda funny.

 

ps - i scored 100% on that test, and he was a very difficult prof.

[northern_comfort]

The Guvernment in Toronto on April 17, 1999.

 

My girlfriend - now wife - bought me tickets to see them after Summerteeth was released. I was a big fan and she was learning about Wilco (first summer dating). A friend told her that when it says "doors open at 6:00 that the concert really starts at 9:00." We arrived a little after 8:00 and the band was just ending. We caught the final three encores. Afterwards everyone was in the parking lot saying it was the best show ever and how amazing it was. She felt so guilty she started to cry. It was amazing what we saw and memorable.

 

Now we're married and have seen them countless times in places like New York, Buffalo, London, Toronto and now this summer Vermont!

[phish907]

I just wanna say before I ad my experience that it has been really cool reading all the posts here. I was at some of the shows mentioned. Here is mine, 05-05-99 Bogarts Cincinnati Ohio. Bought three tickets, Myself, future wife and friend. To make make a long story short. Friend calls day of show with backstage access. says if i cant leave by 2p. that i have to find another ride. My future wife and myself drive seperate. Never meet Jeff. Turns out my friend gave Jeff some pills before the show. Later on around 4am or so my friend is leaving party with the band, driving home and is arrested with possession of several drugs. Anyhow, what an experience, the show by the way was great, although Jeff was clearly fucked up, Jay was on fire, it was also the first time I saw Leroy play with Wilco.

[Jimbo Jones]

10/26/95 at Irving Plaza in NYC. They played a bunch of songs that ended up on Being There. We got a couple of UT songs, Can't Keep from Talking, and even John got to sing It's Just That Simple. I remember them closing with Misunderstood and they switched up instruments. Jeff was playing drums and the version was very, very intense. Here's the setlist:

 

1. I Got You (At The End Of The Century)

2. I Must Be High

3. Box Full Of Letters

4. Shouldn't Be Ashamed

5. Say You Miss Me

6. That's Not The Issue

7. Forget The Flowers

8. Pick Up The Change

9. New Madrid

10. It's Just That Simple

11. (Was I) In Your Dreams

12. Passenger Side

13. Casino Queen

14. We've Been Had

15. Outtasite (Outta Mind)

16. The Lonely 1

17. Acuff-Rose

18. The Long Cut

19. Kingpin

20. I Can't Keep From Talking

21. Misunderstood

[welch79]

3/16/2006 @ the tennessee theatre right here in my backyard (knoxville).

 

freakin' amazin' show, my buddy and I had tickets in something like 3rd row balcony, with which we were pleased. Right before wilco took the stage, we saw one of his buddies down on the fifth row, motioning us to come down. now there was a real dilemma...go down to the fifth row where his buddy had two extra seats or stay and watch the first song. needless to say, i heard airline to heaven walking down from the balcony to the third row.

 

i have since been to one other wilco show and two other tweedster shows. i will see wilco in atl this june.

 

i doubt i will ever see a show as good as my first wilco show. if anyone has the opportunity to see a show at the tennessee theatre, i'd jump on it. even the tweedster said, "nice venue. congratulations."

[Nobody Girl]

My first Wilco show (12/8/01 show at the Ogden Theatre in Denver) involved the best road trip I've ever taken.

 

One of my best friends was about to graduate and go out into the real world, and I was going to go crazy if I didn't see Wilco soon. So she and I and another friend of ours decided to drive to Denver from Wichita as a last hurrah. Some dunderhead had the idea of stopping in Dallas first to see Mercury Rev, and the other two dunderheads thought it was a great idea for some reason.

 

Anyway, we ended up driving from Wichita to Dallas to Denver to Wichita in a little over 48 hours. By the end of the trip, there had been a towed car, a speeding ticket (I ask you, officer, why would anyone want to take her time driving through western Kansas?), and a little bit of crankiness, but mostly lots of fun. And those Wilco guys weren't half bad, either.

[blindgonzo]

My first show was last year, June 28th in Calgary. I drove up to Calgary by myself for the show and had a hell of a time finding the folk festival office to buy tickets for the folk fest. later in the summer. I was all stressed out driving, as I don't know Calgary very well, and there's really crappy singage. Because it took me sooooo long to find the fold festival office, I just decided to go to the venue instead of grabbing something to eat.

 

I got there around 4:00pm, and was 4th in line (it was GA). I was soooo damn excited, and I met some really cool people waiting in line. Elliot Brood opened the show, and I loved them!! Then when Wilco came on, I felt so wierd! I had that moment of fandom (omg, Jeff Tweedy is right in front of me!!!!) and then was just blown away during the entire show. I got to hear the very first live take of Impossible Germany, got some great banter, and the audience was VERY into the concert. I left the concert feeling so joyful and beautiful! I was so stunned, that it took me about an hour to find where I parked! I had the biggest smile on my face the entire drive home that night!

 

I can't wait to see them again, hopefully sometime later this summer/fall!!!

[DawgSong]

HORDE Tour 1995 in ATLanta was the first. I had seen Uncle Tupelo a few times prior. Most likely

saw the band in festival settings after 1995 but I really didn't "get into Wilco" until around 1999.

I caught my first full Wilco in Chattannoga on 8/28/99 at a dump called The Bay. Jeff wore pajamas on stage this night.

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

I'll make a confession.

 

Due to social anxiety disorder and calustrophobia, I don't go to concerts anymore (that and hearing loss from the glory days of the 70's). I get excited when I see Wilco coming to the DFW area and always make all kinds of plans to go see the boys. But in my heart of hearts, I know I won't be leaving the safety of my home office.

 

Does that make me any less of a fan? Do I get a mulligan for the fact that I have been on board since A.M.? I've procured boots, demos and outtakes...do I get a free pass for that?

[m_to_the_c]

Walnut Creek Amphitheater,

Raleigh North Carolina 8/27/1999

opening for REM

 

Skipped whisky and fried chicken in the parking lot as soon as Wilco hit the stage. My friends kept tailgating, but I was deep into Summerteeth at that point. Once I heard the opening notes to "Can't Stand It" I couldn't get in soon enough.

 

my dad actually met the band that previous July (1999) in Zurich, Switzerland as they were flying home from the European leg of the REM tour. He saw two guys, one in "Buddy Holly glasses" and saw a guitar case with WILCO spray painted on it. When asking if they were that band, said that his son loved their music, and that it reminded him of The Band.

 

They seemed flattered and said "thanks," then continued to fly coach on the same flight from Zurich to Chicago.

[DawgSong]

Does that make me any less of a fan?

 

Man, thats tough and I feel for you. A few years back, thanks to some TMJ troubles causing anxiety issues and such

caused me to skip many a shows for reasons you well understand. For someone whose outlet, hobby if you will is

live music it was awful. Thankfully problems are behind me. I do undertand your situation and be grateful the boys

allow us to tape shows and freely trade, etc.

[SarahC]

I caught my first full Wilco in Chattannoga on 8/28/99 at a dump called The Bay. Jeff wore pajamas on stage this night.

Lucky!!

I was like 13 in 99... crazy. I wish I could take a time machine and see that show!!

 

I never got to see a show at the Bay either. Now all we have mostly is R&B....

[jayacoop]

11-01-1996, Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, GA

 

1. Sunken Treasure

2. The Long Cut

3. Someday Soon

4. Forget The Flowers

5. New Madrid

6. What's The World Got In Store

7. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow

8. Red-Eyed And Blue

9. I Got You (At The End Of The Century)

10. Someone Else's Song

11. I Must Be High

12. Passenger Side

13. Hotel Arizona

14. Kingpin

15. We've Been Had

16. Outtasite (Outta Mind)

17. Box Full Of Letters

18. Casino Queen

19. Gun

20. The Lonely 1

21. Henry & The H Bombs

22. Dreamer In My Dreams

[solace]

1997-04-30

Emerson Cultural Center

Bozeman, MT

 

1. Misunderstood

2. Forget The Flowers

3. That's Not The Issue

4. Someday Soon

5. New Madrid

6. Pick Up The Change

7. Red-Eyed And Blue

8. I Got You (At The End Of The Century)

9. Someone Else's Song

10. Why Would You Wanna Live

11. I Must Be High

12. Passenger Side

13. Hotel Arizona

14. Monday

15. Kingpin

16. Outtasite (Outta Mind)

 

Encore 1:

17. Sunken Treasure

18. Casino Queen

19. The Shape I'm In (jam)

20. Dueling Banjos

21. I'm Going Home (jam)

22. Casino Queen

 

was a fan of UT for a year or two before they broke up, slept on AM a bit (was way more into Trace), really started to get into Wilco w/ Being There, saw them live... rest is history

[yankee]

I have to admit, I actually played with Jeff at a living room show before I ever saw a Wilco show.

I'd been listening to all the albums for a while and I had seen Jeff solo, Golden Smog, two Autumn Defense shows, and a Glenn and Nels show. I'd even performed Wilco stuff with a group of musician friends before I ever saw a Wilco show. Yeah, I know, pretty weird.

 

Anyway, I finally made it to a show in November of last year. I saw them in Madison, WI and then at the Auditorium theatre in Chicago. The auditorium show was cool, but I liked the more intimate space in Madison better. In Madsion we were really close to the stage and the crowd was pumped!

 

I love the albums, and I was even more impressed with the band after seeing them live. In addition to being great at writing and producing music, they work brilliantly as a band and have amazing energy as a live act. And they are very skilled musicians, unlike a lot of big money acts.

 

With so much music that's really just highly produced karaoke (yes, I'm looking at you American Idol, Ashley Simpson, etc.), it's great to see a band made up of hardworking, skilled, talented, creative musicians who are genuine artists. That's why I'll gladly shell out some cash to see another Wilco show as soon as they schedule something in Chicago.

 

In the meantime, I'll be hanging with musician friends trying to figure out how to play the songs on Sky Blue Sky. Learning how to play the stuff actually makes me appreciate it more. With every album, the material gets more challenging!

 

Rock on!