adamt82 Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 I was unable to get Wico tickets for any of the shows at the Vic, but Son Volt is coming to Chicago in a few weeks and I got a ticket! The next best thing, I guess. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BigWheeledWagon Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 I imagine the forum bouncers will probably move this thread elsewhere, so I'll engage in a little non-Wilco discussion here and say that I'm not sure seeing Son Volt is the second best thing to seeing Wilco. I have no idea about how the live shows have been with the current incarnation of the group, but I saw Farrar solo a few years ago, and based upon my experience, I would probably pass on seeing him live again. He seemed utterly bored to be there, and the whole thing had a going through the motions quality to it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jc4prez Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 I imagine the forum bouncers will probably move this thread elsewhere, so I'll engage in a little non-Wilco discussion here and say that I'm not sure seeing Son Volt is the second best thing to seeing Wilco. I have no idea about how the live shows have been with the current incarnation of the group, but I saw Farrar solo a few years ago, and based upon my experience, I would probably pass on seeing him live again. He seemed utterly bored to be there, and the whole thing had a going through the motions quality to it. Yeah Son Volt isn't to hot live, or on record (in my mind) I will say I enjoyed them a lot more at Lolla this year then when i saw the band in 04. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scalzunfield Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 I too had a similar "going through the motions" experience with Farrar back in '02 when he was on tour with Mark Spencer. I have not enjoyed any of his releases very much since then and have not even really considered seeing him live again either. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
H.Stone Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Ditto. Summerfest show this year was mildly painful. Even with a keyboardist who has the energy of 10 people, Jay Farrar steals the show with his ennui. I don't dislike him or Son Volt, but the live show was exceptionally disappointing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
remphish1 Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Ditto. Summerfest show this year was mildly painful. Even with a keyboardist who has the energy of 10 people, Jay Farrar steals the show with his ennui. I don't dislike him or Son Volt, but the live show was exceptionally disappointing. I think Jay Farrar is a brilliant Songwritter even if their shows lack energy! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beltmann Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Ditto. Summerfest show this year was mildly painful. Even with a keyboardist who has the energy of 10 people, Jay Farrar steals the show with his ennui. I don't dislike him or Son Volt, but the live show was exceptionally disappointing.I caught Son Volt during the Okemah tour, and had a good time--but it was still probably one of the most monotone, and least exciting, rock shows I've ever seen. (The crappy sound at the Rave sure didn't help, either.) I'm a fan, but I doubt I'll pay to see them live again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lamradio Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Not a big Son Volt fan.. I Loved Jay in Uncle Tupelo. . but I dunno.. There's just something missing from Son Volt.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest David Puddy Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Not a big Son Volt fan.. I Loved Jay in Uncle Tupelo. . but I dunno.. There's just something missing from Son Volt.. i really like trace and straightaways, but they fizzled out big time since then. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mgsooner Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 i really like trace and straightaways, but they fizzled out big time since then. I have really enjoyed both Okemah and the Search. Are they what I would call great albums? No. Are they in my semi-regular rotation? Yes. I have seen SV 2.0 (this second incarnation of Son Volt) twice live, and I would say they were good performances. Again, not great, but good. Jay just doesn't interact very much with the crowd or show a lot of emotion on stage. While that can turn off many, that is just the nature of who he is. The one big problem I did have in the most recent show I saw (at Cain's in Tulsa) is that the sound was TERRIBLE. The vocals were muddy as hell. A friend of mine had seen them just a day or two earlier in Austin, and he said the vocals were extremely muddy there also. So obviously this is a problem with the band and not the venues. Jay is still an excellent songwriter. While Search certainly had some duds on it, it also had tracks like Methamphetamine, Circadian Rhythm, Underground Dream, Action, etc...great stuff. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
giraffo Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 Not a big Son Volt fan.. I Loved Jay in Uncle Tupelo. . but I dunno.. There's just something missing from Son Volt.. like Jeff Tweedy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
W(TF) Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 exactly. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 I think Jay Farrar is a brilliant Songwritter Sure, it is the same song over and over again. I have seen the new line-up twice in the past couple years and they are enjoyable enough (being nice about it), but at the first show the group only stopped being bored looking after they started playing older songs and the second time, they really kicked some (relative) ass at the Vic, but ultimately the entire show was sort of dull. Getting a ticket for a Son Volt show isn't that difficult, I walked up and got one the night of the Vic show no problem. Ultimately the show pretty much sold out, I suppose, but Wilco sells out the Vic (as with the Riv) in a flash. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IRememberDBoon Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 this thread suck donkey peni i think Okemah and Search are absolute masterpieces and the lyrics are insanely good. i mean top of the line the SV show I saw last year was unreal. absolutely insanely great. you naysayers suck! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spawn's dad Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 but Wilco sells out the Vic (as with the Riv) in a flash. yay Quote Link to post Share on other sites
myboyblue Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 I cringe every time I see a Son Volt thread on VC. Very rarely will anything of interest come from it. I agree that "The Search" and "Okemah" are both excellent efforts. "The Search" probably could have been edited back by a song or two but I'm actually surprised that those around these parts don't widely like it. As far as live shows go, I think Jay is putting on far better shows nowadays than when he was in Uncle Tupelo. I'd pick a Jay solo show in a small club over Wilco at Pritzker Auditorium any day of the week (although that doesn't say too much ). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mgsooner Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 I just wish we could discuss the merits of Son Volt's studio work and live performance on their own, without comparing them to JT and Wilco. Oh, to live in a perfect world. Jay is a major league INTROvert. That's just who he is. He's not going to exhibit a lot of emotion on stage. I realize that is boring to some, and believe me I completely understand. But if Jay got up there and tried to act like something different than what he is, it would show and would end up being really, really lame. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IRememberDBoon Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 Jay should start wearing cute country hats and running in place during Chickamagua Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beltmann Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 Jay should start wearing cute country hats and running in place during Chickamagua Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PopTodd Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 I thought that Trace was a freaking masterpiece.It supported every single reason I loved Jay, as a songwriter, in the first pace. If I could write just one song as classic, timeless, and indellible as "Windfall" or "Tear-Stained Eye", I could die a happy man. And the rest of the album, was pretty solid, too. But, after that, I though the Son Volt releases were pretty spotty. However, the new record, is quite good. It's just tough to live up to the standards that an album like Trace has already set. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
giraffo Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 I just wish we could discuss the merits of Son Volt's studio work and live performance on their own, without comparing them to JT and Wilco. Oh, to live in a perfect world. Jay is a major league INTROvert. That's just who he is. He's not going to exhibit a lot of emotion on stage. I realize that is boring to some, and believe me I completely understand. But if Jay got up there and tried to act like something different than what he is, it would show and would end up being really, really lame. do you realize his job is to get up and perform for hundreds/thousands of people? if he was an introvert and this wasn't necesarily an interesting concept to him, maybe he should reconsider his job? People go pay money to see these shows, the least he could do is act interested in the music he's made. plenty of rock stars do it, he could at least try. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IRememberDBoon Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 do you realize his job is to get up and perform for hundreds/thousands of people? if he was an introvert and this wasn't necesarily an interesting concept to him, maybe he should reconsider his job? People go pay money to see these shows, the least he could do is act interested in the music he's made. plenty of rock stars do it, he could at least try. You do realize you have a Bob Dylan picture in your avatar don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mgsooner Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 I have found or seen no indication that Jay's music is NOT important or interesting to him. Some performers act differently than others do on stage, because they are different people. Human beings are different. Jay happens to be much less animated than what you would see at say a GWAR show. Take the man in your avatar, for instance. Been to a Dylan show lately? If we want to talk about showing more interest, the conversation should start with Mr. D. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
myboyblue Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 I have yet to see a crowd disappointed with Jay/Son Volt during a show. He may not have the showmanship of some band leads but he is very into what he is doing and sounds great live. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wendy Posted December 31, 2007 Share Posted December 31, 2007 Many people say the same thing about The Shins live shows. You may love their recorded songs but their live show just isn't very exciting. Of course no one expects Jay to be any other kind of entertainer than he is. He's true to himself and his music, and I admire him for that. And it seems like he does try, he is just not animated in any way. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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