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Why no Philly Shows?


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Once again, the band is skipping Philadelphia while touring out east. Anybody have a clue why? Philly has always supported Uncle Tupelo + Wilco, but the gigs have been few and far between recently.

 

They played here a lot in the early days, but just twice in the last five years --- in 2003 and 2005, both outdoors, both somewhat limited sets. Both were fantastic shows, but the last time they actually played a real gig here was 2002.

 

Maybe it's the same in a lot of cities, but Philly is such a Wilco stronghold, huge college town ... just seems weird.

 

I need a fix.

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omg i went to the starland ballroom in sayerville back in july and wanted to walk out because it's such a terrible venue. i absolutely hated everything about it. i've noticed some other bands (which i can't recall right now) skipping philly lately too.

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Philly has great shows. of Montreal is playing the 11th, Animal Collective just played, Yo La Tengo is playing on the 19th I believe. There isn't a shortage of good shows in Philly. So I don't think its a question of Philly not getting good bands, because thats just isn't true, its just Wilco is skipping the city.

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Philly has great shows

 

Voxtrot, Architecture in Helsinki, Fionn Regan, Of Montreal, Black Mountain, Grizzly Bear, British Sea Power, The New Amsterdams, Spoon, Yo La Tengo, The Hold Steady, Art Brut, Stars, Jens Lekman, The New Pornographers, Patton Oswalt (comedian), Annuals, Manchester Orchestra, The Weakerthans, Over The Rhine, Son Volt, The Black Crowes, Sea Wolf, Josh Ritter, Casiotone For the Painfully Alone, Dr. Dog, Polyphonic Spree, VHS or Beta, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Broken Social Scene.

 

All will be performing within the next 2 months. Sounds like Philly has plenty of good shows to go see. Not to mention you aren't that far from NYC.

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Once again, the band is skipping Philadelphia while touring out east. Anybody have a clue why? Philly has always supported Uncle Tupelo + Wilco, but the gigs have been few and far between recently.

 

They played here a lot in the early days, but just twice in the last five years --- in 2003 and 2005, both outdoors, both somewhat limited sets. Both were fantastic shows, but the last time they actually played a real gig here was 2002.

 

Maybe it's the same in a lot of cities, but Philly is such a Wilco stronghold, huge college town ... just seems weird.

 

I need a fix.

 

While I agree that Philly has gotten a raw deal over the years, the 2005 show was far from a limited set. Not to mention the My Morning Jacket opener! I've been to a ton of Wilco shows before and since, and that's still one of my favorites!

 

1. Airline To Heaven

2. A Shot In The Arm

3. Handshake Drugs

4. Company In My Back

5. War On War

6. Hell Is Chrome

7. I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

8. Kamera

9. Heavy Metal Drummer

10. Hummingbird

11. At Least That's What You Said

12. Muzzle Of Bees

13. Sunken Treasure

14. Theologians

15. I'm Always In Love

16. I'm The Man Who Loves You

17. Spiders (Kidsmoke)

 

Encore 1:

18. Misunderstood

19. Jesus, Etc.

20. Kingpin

21. The Late Greats

 

Encore 2:

22. Just A Kid

23. I'm A Wheel

24. Monday

25. Outtasite (Outta Mind)

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Not to mention, that was one of like 3 shows where "Just A Kid" was performed. and "Sunken Treasure" was pretty incredible too, if I recall.

 

 

"Thank you Philadelphia! You sure know how to treat a band!"

 

Last words spoken on a Philly stage by Jeff Tweedy - Penn's Landing, 2005

 

Seeing that setlist again reminds me how excellent that night on the landing in the summer was. Theologians --> Always In Love --> ITMWLY --> Spiders to close the main set was fantastic.

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Not to mention, that was one of like 3 shows where "Just A Kid" was performed. and "Sunken Treasure" was pretty incredible too, if I recall.

 

You can thank me (and my then nine year old daughter) for "Just A Kid". We were at the afternoon soundcheck and "Kid" was the only Wilco song she new (thanks SpongeBob) so we both yelled for it. They smiled back at us, took a few moments to discuss, and then played it. John was not there yet, so Pat played bass.

 

I ironically couldn't make it to the show that night (I go all over N. America to see these guys, and then they play Philly on the one night when I can't make it), but got the report that they played "Kid", which was surprising considering that it wasn't rehearsed with the proper lineup.

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Would love to see them play the Tower Theater. Hands down the best venue in the Philly area in my opinion. Saw Norah Jones & Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals. Great sight lines and the acoustics cannot be beat. Plus Guinness on tap. Enough said.

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>I caught them in 06 when they played the Starland Ballroom in Sayerville, NJ since they weren't playing Philly. Worst fucking venue ever.

 

Wow, I'm surprised to hear that. I was at the show and thought the venue was great. Great sightlines, great soundsystem, bars everywhere. What's not to like?

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The crowd was horrible. Especially that group of assholes in the front that pissed Jeff off. And there weren't great sightlines, the place reminded me of a roadside bar, just wasn't great for a show IMO. My ex who went to the show with me met Wilco last month at the Denver show and they talked about the Starland Ballroom and they agreed that the venue was crap, lol Nels thought it was one of the shadiest venues he's played with Wilco

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Yeah, the Starland Ballroom is shite. The place was WAY oversold. Too many bars-if they got rid of, say, 8 of them there would be so much more room for the audience. My friend and I chose to stand on the side of the stage because there was no reasonable place to watch the band from the front. Keep in mind, I didn't really mind since it was a different perspective. However, that little pathway where we were standing happened to be the path to the bathroom AND to the back door to load/unload gear. So between the opener and Wilco, the crew puts up a barrier in front of a line of people all going to the bathroom and people keep coming and I'm just standing waiting for Wilco to come on and I'm basically being crushed by a non-stop wave of people who have absolutely no idea that they cannot get to the bathroom. Being semi-stoned and semi-calustrophobic, I nearly had a freaking breakdown.

 

And it is rather shady, is it not? lol

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