Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, August 29, 2007

[pnêyu]

Soundcheck:

ELT (partial)

Wishful Thinking

Company in My Back

Reservations

Either Way (paused)

 

Show:

You Are My Face

I Am Trying to Break Your Heart

Side with the Seeds

Shake It Off

Handshake Drugs

Shot in the Arm

Impossible Germany

Sky Blue Sky

Too Far Apart

Pot Kettle Black

War on War

Via Chicago

Jesus, etc.

Walken

I'm the Man Who Loves You

Hummingbird

On and On and On

-----------

California Stars

Hate It Here

I'm Always in Love

Outtasite (Outta Mind)

-----------

Heavy Metal Drummer

Spiders

[benjamin]

What a great venue! Outside ampitheatre but really really small. I can't believe Radiohead played there a while ago and I missed it!?!?

 

The band was pretty tight. There's was only one small complication of Jeff and his guitar for like 4 seconds. That was the only thing I noticed. They sounded great.

 

Wowaweewa... Impossible Germany is incredible live.

 

Highlights:

 

People weren't really good at getting to their seats. I guess that's LA. While the majority of people were finding their seats Jeff remarked, "I'm just going to play some music for you while you find your seats. Nothing to pay attention to up here"

 

Midway through the set, Jeff apologized to the right side of the stage because he says that he never looks over there. A fan told Jeff that Jeff missed him raising his lighter the whole song. Jeff responded that he wasn't sorry that he missed that. Then asked the guy how old he was... "15? 16? oh you are older than that? Well then you are too old to have a lighter sir."

 

Jeff remarked that LA was lucky to have Nels Kline living in their city and that he was back from the dead.... from chicken pox.

 

After they finished "Too Far Apart" someone yelled out Passenger Side! Jeff remarked, "Oh NOW you want to hear that whole album"

 

Before California Stars, Jeff remarked that they hadn't played this song the past 2 times they had been here and it was a no brainer.

[SarahC]

[quote name='pn

[stickman]

Bummed I was out of town for this.

[Chuck Turner]

What time does the 7:30 show start Los Angeles ?

 

Oh yeah, L.A. , fashionably late . . .

 

I live in Greater Los Angeles . . . whats so great about it ? . . . ah yes, Nels Cline does live here

 

o.k., i take it all back.

 

My first Wilco show. We were in Sec. B, Row L, Seats 25 and 23.

 

The sound was excelent. Wico played great . . .

 

Remember they're on the Tonight Show Tonite

 

I'm gonna keep coming back ;-)

 

---chuck t.

[SarahC]

What time does the Tonight Show come on?

I hope they play "Walken"

[Gregory]

What an absolutely amazing show. My first time seeing them and my world was officially rocked.

 

Via Chicago was the best live song I have ever seen. Impossible Germany, On and On and On, Spiders, I'm Always in Love, and Shake it Off were the highlights for me.

 

Also, cracked up quite a few times, especially at the "What am I, Don Rickles?" line.

 

 

Perfect show, perfect warm LA evening, perfect venue. Some of the people around me could have been a little more into it, but thats just LA.

[OOO]

What time does the Tonight Show come on?

I hope they play "Walken"

 

11:35PM - 12:35AM is when it airs in LA i believe. The band usually starts around 12:26ish id say.

[nurfherder]

Good show as always. I was hoping for a slightly different setlist for LA, so was a little disappointed that way, but still, it's a good setlist. Wish they would have played longer as I'm pretty sure the curfew was 11.

 

And yes, Jeff, NOW I would like to hear all of AM!

[Gregry]

11:35PM - 12:35AM is when it airs in LA i believe. The band usually starts around 12:26ish id say.

The curfew at the Greek is 10:30 . . . so they used every minute they had . . . even going on at 8:25, 5 minutes early!

[destijl-atmospheres]

Midway through the set, Jeff apologized to the right side of the stage because he says that he never looks over there. A fan told Jeff that Jeff missed him raising his lighter the whole song. Jeff responded that he wasn't sorry that he missed that. Then asked the guy how old he was... "15? 16? oh you are older than that? Well then you are too old to have a lighter sir."

 

 

Actually Jeff was saying that only very young people should be holding up lighters during songs. I took it to mean that it's something you grow out of when you're like 16...

 

The set started off great but once they got to Impossible Germany it was all downhill. Anyone else notice that they're just not rhythmically tight? They're speeding up all over the place. That didn't used to happen.

 

Via Chicago was fucking incredible as usual though, as Gregory mentioned.

 

Also while the show was sold out, the very front of section A didn't get full until maybe 9:30 or 10. I was dead center in row B and there was nobody to the left of me (maybe 15-20 seats) for at least 45 minutes after Wilco started. Stupid rich yuppies.

 

Richard Swift was boring. I can't believe he got a gig opening for Wilco. Then again, opening a show at the Greek must suck, relatively speaking anyway. I swear when he started there was no more than 100 people in the 5500 seat theatre..

 

Jeff always starts talking and then feels weird about it - there was the "can you guys save me?" (talking to the band) moment last night when he got going on one of his monologues. Personally I LOVE when he talks. At one of his solo shows last year he told a big long story about going to Amoeba in Berkeley and it was hilarious. I wish he would do more of that.

 

I don't know, Wilco used to be an incredible live band. The first three times I saw them - El Rey, Ford, Wiltern - were absolutely great. The last three - SDSU and 2 LA Greeks - they have lost something. I don't think I'm going to go see them next time unless their next album is much much better than SBS...

 

Sorry to be negative...

 

And yes benjamin_kenobi, Radiohead at the Greek last year was quite a concert..

[Basil II]

thanks Maudie!!

 

 

-Robert.

[used_to_be]

once they got to Impossible Germany it was all downhill. Anyone else notice that they're just not rhythmically tight? They're speeding up all over the place. That didn't used to happen.

 

ARE YOU INSANE????

 

This band is so talented, so musically genius, so in command of their playing.... they are on top of the world and singing songs!

 

I've seen Wilco at all the shows you mentioned.... EL REY, FORD AMPITHEATER, WILTERN, GREEK.... and last night was one of the best I've ever seen! The setlist was immaculate. The performance was spectacular. These guys are the most amazing band making music today (but, I don't have to sell that here at V.C.)

 

I think you're confusing "rythmically tight" with "so talented that they can bend time itself". Glenn is a monster on the drums... John is at his most solid and subtle.... dynamic and loose and what a swing that they put on WALKEN... what an incredible crescendo and release to YOU ARE MY FACE.... a transcendant ON AND ON

 

this show was like seeing The Beatles in '68. This band is now part of history, part of the Universal Consciousness....

 

and last night was an incredible show. Thank you Jeff, John, Glenn, Mikael, Pat and Nels.

[benjamin]

Actually Jeff was saying that only very young people should be holding up lighters during songs. I took it to mean that it's something you grow out of when you're like 16...

 

I got the same thing out of it. Maybe my description of the event was a bit poor.

 

Richard Swift was boring. I can't believe he got a gig opening for Wilco.

 

I thought so too, but I enjoyed his final song.

 

I don't know, Wilco used to be an incredible live band. The first three times I saw them - El Rey, Ford, Wiltern - were absolutely great. The last three - SDSU and 2 LA Greeks - they have lost something.

 

I think that's what usually happens with a larger venue. The intimacy is sucked out and a lot of times that's what frustrates me. I don't believe the sound is as crisp and powerful as in a smaller venue. I don't think that's Wilco's fault. They still looked tight to me. The sound of the venue wasn't as superb as a smaller venue. I've been to the El Rey and Ford quite a few times and it's a much better feeling of being part of a concert. (So glad I'm seeing the New Pornographers & Spoon at Ford!)

[maxbak]

This was my fifth time to see the band; the last time being one of the Wiltern shows in November 2004 and at Coachella a few months later. I think they're even tighter and accomplished as a band right now, which I did not think was possible. The night before, I was at the Crowded House show, and while it's apples and oranges, the higher level of musicianship was really apparent to me. I cannot think of a band that is just so capable of blowing people away with that "wow" factor than the current Wilco lineup.

 

Pot Kettle Black was the highlight of the show for me last night. Outtasite Outta mind was three minutes of power pop bliss. I love that song.

 

I was disappointed that the second encore ended early. CH played until 11 the night before so I'm not sure about that curfew thing.

[evrgrnjaye]

ARE YOU INSANE????

 

This band is so talented, so musically genius, so in command of their playing.... they are on top of the world and singing songs!

 

I've seen Wilco at all the shows you mentioned.... EL REY, FORD AMPITHEATER, WILTERN, GREEK.... and last night was one of the best I've ever seen! The setlist was immaculate. The performance was spectacular. These guys are the most amazing band making music today (but, I don't have to sell that here at V.C.)

 

I think you're confusing "rythmically tight" with "so talented that they can bend time itself". Glenn is a monster on the drums... John is at his most solid and subtle.... dynamic and loose and what a swing that they put on WALKEN... what an incredible crescendo and release to YOU ARE MY FACE.... a transcendant ON AND ON

 

this show was like seeing The Beatles in '68. This band is now part of history, part of the Universal Consciousness....

 

and last night was an incredible show. Thank you Jeff, John, Glenn, Mikael, Pat and Nels.

 

such a great comment! gotta love the Universal Consciousness

rock on, los angeles!

[kidsmoke]

thanks Maudie!!

-Robert.

 

What are we thanking Maudie for now??? I swear, it's always something.

[Ranglin]

Much better than Sky Blue Sky? I'm sorry you don't appreciate a really great album more, there's real beauty in simplicity. I've seen Wilco in Chicago, New York, and now L.A. over the last ten years, and they're better than ever. Unfortunately, the L.A. crowd sucked. If you want to sit down for an entire Wilco show, do me a favor, stay home and watch PBS and discuss the benefits of comunism with your psuedo intellectual snobbish hipster urbanite dirt bag friends. And please, don't ever ask me to sit down because when I'm feeling the music I gosta move! Again, this band is stellar and I can't wait for the Chicago show at Jay Pritzker Pavilion-I guarantee that my Chicago peopes will not be sitting on their arses pleading for the guy in front of them to sit down.

[Basil II]

What are we thanking Maudie for now??? I swear, it's always something.

 

 

 

 

Stealth phone calls from under California Stars......usually Wilco is REALLY close by!!!!

 

 

-Robert.

[chockablock]

The problem with the show was the damn Greek. I hadn't been there in more than a decade cuz I was always so desperately disappointed after seeing shows there...The number one problem is the volume, or lack of it. If you have 12th row tickets, you shouldn't be able to hear the conversations of people 5 rows in front of you. Not that it should be be damaging, but your ears are SUPPOSED to ring on the way back to the car...you should be able to "feel" the music. I bet it would be AWESOME to see Barry Manilow there!

Wilco IS my fave band. Last time they played there, I just put it out of my head. The Wiltern shows were so great that I didnt wanna ruin the memory by going to the freakin' greek. This time it was the only local show, so I took a chance. The band was GREAT, the audience was catatonic (probably busy freakin' texting) and the venue sucked as always.

It's like when you need the turn the TV up just that one "click" to better understand the dialog....That how I felt for 2 hours last night.

Nels was freakin' flyin' though!!! The band was TIGHT, and the set was great. Tweedy really is The Man. Can't wait to see 'em again.

 

 

P.S. The Greek sucks, but it doesn't Price Center/UCSD suck.

[Chuck Turner]

So when the band came out to the 70's TV theme music I blurted out Bob Neuhart(sp) and a young woman in the row in front said "thanks, I was trying to place that . . . " (or something). It must be a Pavlov's Dog thing with how many reruns I watched . . . dang I gotta kick television (b4 i start wrighting bad checks)

 

Do they always use that theme or do they mix it up with regards to entrance music? (or just making fun of L.A.)

 

In 1974 I went to a Stan Kenton clinic at El Camino College in Torrance. Anyway at the concert that night sitting near me were two guys from the Bob Neuhart cast. The orthidontist guy and the black hair group therapy patient (the one that was in "Attack of the Killer Tomato's").

 

Just tripping I guess. Lot's of musicians went to those Kenton clinics at a young age (Keith Jarret, Bobby Watson). I guess Kenton did em for a couple decades.

 

So yeah seventies, The Ray Coniff Singers, The Nel's Cline Singers, Destroy all Monsters, Destroy all Nels Cline . . .

 

I digress, "The Kid's of Today Should Defend Themselves against the Seventies"

[cre618]

Here is the review from the LA Times.

 

http://www.calendarlive.com/music/cl-et-wi...music-top-right

 

What song is "Feed The Man"?

 

Jack

[kidsmoke]

There is no such song as "Feed the Man"...........there is a song called "Feed of Man" that is off of the Mermaid Ave. sessions....BUT it wasn't played last night.

 

I wonder what song the reviewer was referring to!

 

That reviewer managed some lovely imagery & wordplay, despite that error. A nice read. He was clearly quite taken with Nels!

 

The Bob Newhart intro cracked me up.....let's see, would that be Jeff as Bob, John as Jerry the orthodontist......Glenn as that intense Mr. Carlin? Perhaps Pat as the flighty, chatty Carol? Ok, I think that's enough outta me.....you guys figure out the rest....

[zebra]

My brother drove from Phoenix to photograph the show. He said the show was amazing and he will have a link with the photos in a day or two. In the mean time, here is one of his.

 

His site: http://www.exhalestudios.net/indexold.html (no wilco photos yet, just glenn)

[Chuck Turner]

Dang, Kidsmoke, you are one of the VCer's I'd would love to meet at a show. I don't actually know anyone on VC, at least by there screen names.

 

I realize I'm a "major nobody" (watt pedro speil) but I would dig being at some sort So. Cal VC summit some day. I don't quite have the VC ettiquitte down yet. I've put my foot in mouth so many times on the boards I figured I'd get a pie in the face if I posted a seat no. b4 the Greek. So any way. You guys are the coolest fans a band could want. I aspire to be a worthy Wilco fan someday. Lurk and learn I guess.

 

Earlier this summer I did get to say hello to Mr. Cline at a Baynan gig. Nels was like, "Chuck Turner, what a suprise, you still livin in Torrance ?" . . . anyway I'm a dick, I'm addicted to VC . . .

 

Did anybody hang out after the show ? It was my first Wilco concert. So I don't know what hard core Wilco fans do after the band's done playin . . . I was home by 11:30 . . .

 

O.K. almost time for Jay Leno . . .