Toronto Dec. 5, 2008

[keylime]

Tonight's show was definitely unique. Wilco came on and started playing "Hesitating Beauty", which was an incredibly pleasant surprise as I had expected the same set from the last few shows. The second surprise (which was not so pleasant) was that Glen was not onstage with the band. After the song, Jeff explained that the band had been battling the flu the past few days and that Glenn wasn't well enough to join them for the night. After every song, Jeff came up with a different reason, including a zamboni accident, ice fishing accident, cosmetic surgery, fell down a well, etc. Jeff then mentioned having guest drummers, which I thought was a joke at first, but was completely true! Three different people took over for Glenn throughout the set- Donny, Steve and Brian, I believe. Apparently they got to choose which songs they played with the band. Jeff kept saying they were contest winners and that they hadn't played together before, but he also said that they were family and friends who were helping them out. I think I believe the latter. Anyway, the setlist was awesome and completely unexpected. It turned out to be great, but you could certainly feel Glenn's absence. I hope he gets better, and fast!

 

Set list (which is likely going to be inaccurate, so someone help me out):

 

(Without drums)

Hesitating Beauty

War on War

Jesus, etc.

(With drums)

Passenger Side

Hummingbird

California Stars

Handshake Drugs

Impossible Germany

Red Eyed and Blue

I Got You

Outtamind (Outtasite)

Heavy Metal Drummer

I Shall Be Released

[Kalle]

He wasn't sick he was at another gig! lol

 

Hope we can get a report from the Kronos show.

[bböp]

He wasn't sick he was at another gig! lol

 

Hope we can get a report from the Kronos show.

 

That sounds like a fun set in Toronto...definitely memorable anyway. A question for anyone at the TO show: Did the line from "Passenger Side" ("Roll another number for the road") got any sort of special reaction from the Neil crowd?

 

I went to the Kronos show here in NYC, and Glenn seemed to be in fine health. I think he'll be just fine for the Rochester show on Saturday night. He joined Kronos for the New York premiere of his composition "Anomaly" that was commissioned specifically for (and by?) Kronos. It has seven movements, including one with just handbells. Part of another movement features some handheld "whirly-gig" noisemakers. I thought Glenn's drumming was pretty subtle throughout, providing support and texture; for instance, a couple of times he played the drum with the air-regulating tube that he uses on "Reservations." Zankel Hall, where they played, has great acoustics and it was definitely a treat to get to hear all of the different details that Glenn wove into the piece.

 

Kronos also closed their show with a performance of George Crumb's composition "Black Angels." It's really a dramatic presentation, with three of the four Kronos members climbing onto black risers at one point and using their bows to play glasses of water. There are also two gongs on stage and the different instruments are suspended in midair at various points during the half-hour piece. If you ever get a chance to see all (or even part) of this program, it's an evening well spent.

[Mud]

[quote name='bb

[Panther]

well Glen did not show up for somereason sick Im guessing JT gave a bunch of reasons including cosmetic surgery and falling down a well.

Passanger side was cool and handshake drugs rocked but it was sorta just alrite, there were three drummers and a few songs just acousticly.

Im sure in a smaller venue it could have been pulled off but in the ACC it was sos so, Glen is like so important.

 

Neil was amazing no seriously amazing he closed with A Day In The Life and destroyed his guitar strings amazing, seriously his guitar work amazing.

I love the man for doing what he did tonight its cool that he played the"hits" this time he looked like he was enjoying himself on a intense level.

amazing.

[keylime]

Haha woops! I inferred that his mention of the flu was an explanation of Glenn's absence. I forgot Kronos was last night!!! I'm glad it was good, too. And I'm also glad that Glenn isn't ill!

[H.Stone]

Glenn had his own show with Kronos Quartet at Zankel Hall. It's been discussed in another thread.

[Leo]

[quote name='bb

[W(TF)]

LMAO!

 

Good to hear Glenn's back tonite for Rochester.....I'LL BE THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LouisvilleGreg]

Sounds like an interesting show. I guess if that's true that the various fill-in drummers picked the songs they wanted to play on, that explains the more varied setlist. Doesn't seem like too much of a stretch that Neil could possibly join Wilco on stage if they continue to perform "I Shall Be Released." How did the "Being There" rock block go over with the crowd? This one I would've liked to seen.

[c.lo]

Jeff introduced themselves as "5/6 of Wilco"

 

I believe the first 3 with no drummer were:

Hesitating Beauty

War on War

Hummingbird

 

& Jeff was ON lastnight! The quips about Glenn & the "contest winners" were great.

 

How did the "Being There" rock block go over with the crowd? This one I would've liked to seen.

I was looking forward to hearing You Are My Face & Hate It Here, but really enjoyed the older stuff.

 

I was not sure how the crowd would be... lots of talking during Everest's set & the frat boys in front of us kept yelling for Neil.

Once Wilco came on, people were in to it, lots of applause.

Nels tore it up on Handshake Drugs & Impossible Germany (as usual) & the crowd went nuts.

 

I missed Glenn, but it was still a great show.

[Doc Weasel]

Sounds like an interesting show. I guess if that's true that the various fill-in drummers picked the songs they wanted to play on, that explains the more varied setlist. Doesn't seem like too much of a stretch that Neil could possibly join Wilco on stage if they continue to perform "I Shall Be Released." How did the "Being There" rock block go over with the crowd? This one I would've liked to seen.

 

To be blunt Neil Young would never join them on stage. They're the opening act and it would kinda ruin his intro.

What I could see happening is Wilco (or Jeff Tweedy) joining Neil Young on stage at the end. That'd be neat.

 

As for the 'Being There' block, the girl I was with had never heard of Wilco before and afterward she thought they were pretty alright.

[LouisvilleGreg]

To be blunt Neil Young would never join them on stage. They're the opening act and it would kinda ruin his intro.

What I could see happening is Wilco (or Jeff Tweedy) joining Neil Young on stage at the end. That'd be neat.

 

As for the 'Being There' block, the girl I was with had never heard of Wilco before and afterward she thought they were pretty alright.

 

I'm a moderate Young fan, but a much bigger Springsteen fan. Bruce does tons of cameos on stage with lessor artists, dropping in at clubs, inviting band members to join him on stage, etc. I don't follow the day to day nuances of Neil, so I don't really have a jumping off point. As far as Wilco joining him, "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere," is a no brainer, and Uncle Tupelo covered it regularly, in fact I think they even did it at their last show. Let's just hope that some kind of stage sharing happens.

[bböp]

I suppose such a fancy event would not allow for tapers!?!

 

Yeah, I doubt it unless someone was stealthing. They're pretty strict at Carnegie Hall in general, even though Zankel is supposed to be the more casual, avant garde space. No recording and definitely no photos (though I saw a few people snap some at the end when the ushers weren't as hawkish as usual), unfortunately.

[W(TF)]

[quote name='bb

[Panther]

Glenn had his own show with Kronos Quartet at Zankel Hall. It's been discussed in another thread.

 

Oh , yea JT gave a bunch of escuses all night it was pretty entertaing

[teleman]

Friday night was my first time seeing Wilco. I've missed them every time they've been in Toronto and have wanted to see them for some time. I thought they did well for a band missing it's drummer.

The "contest winners" did okay filling in. Best quip IMO about Glen's absence was that he'd drowned in a vat of beer ay Elsinore Castle.

I'll never go to the ACC for another concert.

I had to deal with a bunch of drunks behind me. One of them couldn't stand up on his own and another one of the drunks decided everyone in the section needed to know his unfavorable opinion of Wilco. My sister asked him to show some respect for others in the section who were trying to listen to Wilco. He threatened to pound the s*** out of my sister. ACC security removed us and relocated us to seats by the stage. Nice to know obnoxious drunks are preferred customers in Toronto.(as a musician I've played in tons of bars and I'm not against the consumption of alcohol but the tolerance of what most would consider unacceptable behavior. DUI isn't acceptable but threatening a woman under the influence is?)

Next time Wilco tours I hope I can see them at Massey Hall. If they play the ACC I'll drive down to Buffalo or Detroit to see them. The staff at Auburn Hills and HSBC are head and shoulders above the staff in Toronto.

[barnyard pimp]

howdy folks!

 

HILARIOUS show, they really didn't seem like they were sure if they could pull it off at the beginning (jeff broke a string during 'war on war'!) but as the set progressed it became clear that it was going to be a fun night. it was kinda like a mini-wilco show, slow start and then that build into the eventual explosive rock finale (and then 'released').

 

so cool to see nels play acoustic! (i agree with somebody else about the thursday night show, nels was WAY too quiet and jeff was pumped up superloud---thought they played too slow and jeff being sick explains it.. everyone was mystified by 'via chicago' though, huge highlight)

 

i got a set list, i think this is how it broke down:

 

 

FIVE PIECE ALL ACOUSTIC:

 

1. Hesitating Beauty

2. War on War

3. Jesus, etc

 

WITH DONNY:

 

4. Passenger Side

5. Hummingbird

6. California Stars

7. Handshake Drugs

 

WITH STEVE..?:

 

8. Impossible Germany (jeff said he'd picked a particularly tough one for his first song)

9. Red-Eyed and Blue

10. I Got You

11. Outtasite

 

WITH .. uh.. MIKE? I DONT THINK IT WAS BRIAN...:

 

12. Heavy Metal Drummer (not on the set list, jeff said he was only supposed to do one but asked if he'd wanna try HMD..funny w/out the triggers)

13. I Shall Be Released (jeff fucking nailed this and people LOVED it)

 

 

the band, particularly jeff and john, really helped guide the drummers thru some of the more difficult passages, but WOW did they ever do a phenomenal job, all things considered. jeff was clearly having so much fun, coming up with all his dumb canadian deaths, and they totally pulled it off. quite a unique experience! i really hope someone taped it