Wilco, 2009 July 21, Royal Oak, Michigan

[Analogman]

Mabye I just should have not said anything. Didn't mean to get everyone all revved up and snippy this morning. Like I said above, I am DEEPLY appreciative of the effort that goes into capturing & distributing the recordings - there's no "bitching" coming from THIS guy - just observing that some recordings are great and others aren't. That's all. And I'm grateful for a great guy like the Owl who is willing to host the archive and provide all of us Wilco lovers with hours and hours of great material to geek out to.

 

On a personal level, the recordings of the shows that I've been to are the ones I listen to the least, and I've listened to a pretty broad range of stuff that's out there - so I'm not spoiled by official releases only.

 

Not trying to offend anyone here...golly.

 

I was making a general comment. As far as sound quality goes, I still think the first Wilco show I ever went to is one of the best I ever heard. As I said, I am into archiving, so I take whatever I can find.

[choo-choo-charlie]

I was making a general comment. As far as sound quality goes, I still think the first Wilco show I ever went to is one of the best I ever heard. As I said, I am into archiving, so I take whatever I can find.

 

It's all good in the neighborhood, then.

[H.Stone]

Wow. What a show, with so many highlights.

 

Of course the chance to participate on CA Stars was...surreal. After HMD, Jeff and John had an exchange, and I assumed they were calling an audible based on crowd energy. Then John walked to the front of the stage, in front of the monitors, and said to me, "Do you want to come up and sing CA Stars with us?" Uhhhhmmmm.... I was stupefied and utterly frozen until John kindly helped me process by saying, "Can you step under the barrier?" (which was just a chest-high metal bar). He worked his way down the little line of us in front (although someone did resist *cough*Brianne*cough*), and the next thing I knew we were standing behind Pat's mic. Before launching into the song, Jeff asked if we wanted to know what song we were singing and then joked that it was "War Pigs." It was such a surreal moment, though, that all I could manage was a nervous giggle with the subtext, "Holy shit, and WTF?" Then, well, we sang California Stars! We were prompted to step into the mic a few times as I'm sure no one could really hear us, so I did eventually use my foot to shove Pat's huge pedal...platter?...out of the way. (Apologies.) Obviously it was an unbelievable experience and an incredibly kind and generous thing for the band to do. It will probably take a little while for it to really sink in, but wow--being a fan of this band is one hell of a ride.

 

Outside of that, the rest of the show was also incredible! These were other highlights for me:

 

-"Sonny Feeling" I haven't seen this live since it was a WIP in Indy last summer. It was fantastic! It's probably been the biggest grower for me on the album, and last night's performance was incredible.

 

-"Can't Stand It" Maybe it was just me, but this song seemed to have a new "hoo-wah!" to it last night. Something about the sound of the guitar and the rhythm, but whatever it was, it was awesome.

 

- "Deeper Down" What a beautiful song with so much going on on stage. Can't wait to see/hear it again.

 

- "Magazine," "Summer Teeth," "In A Future Age" These were great little surprises in the setlist. I remember Jeff saying before (as he did last night) that he doesn't understand the appeal of Magazine but that it's always requested often. After seeing Handshake Drugs right before it, I can now understand why he doesn't really "get" it as it doesn't require anyone to bust their musical chops. However, I still love it, and it's a great sing-a-long song that's a rare treat.

 

- "Poor Places" --> "Reservations" I've seen PP-->Spiders often, but this was my first time seeing PP-->Reservations, and it was gorgeous. Reservations was especially poignant, and it was one of my favorite moments of the night.

 

- "You Never Know" Fun song live, and I know the liner notes say, "Get back to black metal and pearls," but I swear he sang, "Get back to black metal and PERMS" last night. Anyone else notice that? Going to have to figure that one out.

 

Gotta run for now, but to summarize: awesome fucking show (my bias being obvious, of course).

[ditty]

Wow. What a show, with so many highlights.

 

Of course the chance to participate on CA Stars was...surreal.

 

Gotta run for now, but to summarize: awesome fucking show (my bias being obvious, of course).

 

 

Congrats on your surreal experience, a great set and a small venue! I for one thinks its time for Wilco to play "An Evening Of Wilco" no opener at every show.

[mlmalo2]

i drove up from lexington, ky to see the show and stay with a friend in detroit. my jaw hit the floor when i heard magazine called sunset and summerteeth. third time i've seen them this year, and by far the best. MOST IMPORTANT...no seats! what a show! now i have to drive back

[kimcatch22]

What an epic setlist... Poor Places --> Reservations!? AND In a Future Age!? And Tamala, thanks for sharing your experiences! How amazing for you and the other girls. Holy shit!!

[j4lackey]

Wow....

Holy shit, Tamala. I am so happy for you guys. Very cool! Looks like an incredible setlist too!

[Preferred B]

He worked his way down the little line of us in front (although someone did resist *cough*Brianne*cough*), and the next thing I knew we were standing behind Pat's mic.

 

Ha. Yeah, in retrospect I'm kind of sorry I didn't go up, but I sort of froze in the headlights. But if I'd been up there I wouldn't have been able to watch you guys kick ass!

 

It was a fantastic show. I'm sure I'll have more to say later.

[dazzler]

Wilco will love ya, baby...but they won't drag their butts in to work for ya the next day.

 

The never ending encore (2nd set?) was mind blowing...Jeff's guitar tech just kept handing him different guitars after ea song. Wow. My only bitch is that the sound quality @ ROMT is ok at best. Songs like Deeper Down didn't get the justice they deserve. Same goes for PP>Res>Spdrs. Oh, and it seemed like we were surrounded by every tall person in the venue.

 

Our hard work yesterday (and our co-workers response)

 

My link

[Doug C]

Excellent show. The set list was one of the best but when they play an extra 30-40 minutes, it's going to be pretty bad ass no matter what. We hung at Gusoline Alley (Bell's Two Hearted pints for $3!!) until 20 'til 9. We were okay with whatever places we could get and moved into the sea of humanity and got a decent spot. A dude lit a smoke and I turned around and noticed that the stage left balcony rail was vacant so told my wife to wait and I high-tailed it up there to see 3 people get there just in front of me. I looked over to the other corner and noticed for some inexplicable reason that the folks had left. I hauled ass and snagged the rail and waved at my wife. Excellent spot similar to where we were for the 3 Pageant shows in May of '08. Plenty of room and a great view. Thanks for giving the spot up, whoever you were.

 

They rocked out. Lots of songs that weren't played in Lewiston. Summerteeth, Poor Places, Reservations, Magazine..., Red Eyed.../I Got You were extra special for us. It was great to hear I'll Fight and You never Know since we didn't get them in Lewiston. I have seen them, hell, I'd have to take time and figure it out, around 30 times since '95 and have honestly never seen a bad show. They truly love doing it every night for themselves and the fans.

 

I love this band. Another excellent Wilcation. Now we have Neko Case with Jason Lytle opening tonightin Pontiac and The Old 97s with Murry and Rhett solo stes tomorrow in Indy. Then home.

 

See Wilco specifically and great music in general whenever you can, ya'll. (End of blog) HA!

[gogo]

Ha. Yeah, in retrospect I'm kind of sorry I didn't go up, but I sort of froze in the headlights. But if I'd been up there I wouldn't have been able to watch you guys kick ass!

D'oh! Although, this makes you the official photographer, right?

[KenMc]

... Wow. My only bitch is that the sound quality @ ROMT is ok at best. Songs like Deeper Down didn't get the justice they deserve. Same goes for PP>Res>Spdrs. ...

The show was every bit as good as people have said, but for the reason you cited, there will never be a decent quality audience recording because the PA system was awful. A classic "had to be there" situation. Glad I was.

[bcart12]

I took a bunch of pictures but I left my camera cord at home and won't be back until next week. I got a few good ones of the backup singers so I'll pass them along when i get home.

 

What a great show. My friends and I got in a little late so we didn't have a very good view but oh well. The sound got better and better throughout the night but started out a little muffled. Really fun show with a lot of great highlights.

 

Thanks Wilco!

[Attack With Love]

I took a bunch of pictures but I left my camera cord at home and won't be back until next week. I got a few good ones of the backup singers so I'll pass them along when i get home.

 

What a great show. My friends and I got in a little late so we didn't have a very good view but oh well. The sound got better and better throughout the night but started out a little muffled. Really fun show with a lot of great highlights.

 

Thanks Wilco!

 

so glad you have pics!! i haven't been on VC in a while, but got to go up and sing CA stars with the band at Royal Oak. didn't bring my camera because of the terrifying "no cameras or your pictures will be destroyed" poster out front, and am so sad! i'll write more later, but this was probably my favorite wilco show i've been to (out of maybe 30) other than my first one. singing CA stars was awesome (i was the one with the "husky voice"...thanks jeff...) and playing jeff's guitar on Spiders was so cool. it's a night i'll never forget. so much love to everyone i saw at the show and the great new people i met last night!!

 

i love GA shows.

[u2roolz]

Yeah, Wilco should only have an opening act if culled from the following bands:

 

 

I'm all for An Evening With! (in the future)

[Hippycat]

I took a bunch of pictures but I left my camera cord at home and won't be back until next week. I got a few good ones of the backup singers so I'll pass them along when i get home.

 

What a great show. My friends and I got in a little late so we didn't have a very good view but oh well. The sound got better and better throughout the night but started out a little muffled. Really fun show with a lot of great highlights.

 

Thanks Wilco!

 

Oh damn. Sorry I wasn't really following who was going to this one. I still owe you a beer for that Vic show.

 

Such a great show last night! Leading up to this, last week, a big part of I75 was destroyed by a gas tanker explosion. Not only did that get fixed up just in time for the show (smoothest part of I75 right now), but there was nobody to collect the fee at the parking garage after the show - score free parking! Even Customs going over and coming back were cool. It's like the stars aligned for us Wilco fans last night!

 

I pity my girlfriend. Work at 8 am today. I took the day off.

[bcart12]

Oh damn. Sorry I wasn't really following who was going to this one. I still owe you a beer for that Vic show.

 

Such a great show last night! Leading up to this, last week, a big part of I75 was destroyed by a gas tanker explosion. Not only did that get fixed up just in time for the show (smoothest part of I75 right now), but there was nobody to collect the fee at the parking garage after the show - score free parking! Even Customs going over and coming back were cool. It's like the stars aligned for us Wilco fans last night!

 

I pity my girlfriend. Work at 8 am today. I took the day off.

 

 

No worries man, I actually didn't know I was going until Monday. My buddy had extra tickets but I wasn't going to go but suddenly had to come to MI so I made it work. It would have been good to say hello at least. Didn't even really get on VC to see who was going either.

 

I didn't take a lot of fantastic pics but some looked like they turned out fine. I had a bad eye line so a lot of the time I couldn't even see the band. But I did have a lot of room to dance so that was cool.

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

Yeah, Wilco should only have an opening act if culled from the following bands:

 

 

I'm all for An Evening With! (in the future)

First off, Rowlf was not a member of the Electric Mayhem. That picture is flawed.

 

Second, Wilco with special guests Dr. Teeth & The Electric Mayhem>>>>>>>An Evening With Wilco. By a longshot.

[Learn2swimz]

Long time Wilco fan, first time I've ever seen and wow was I blown away. I couldn't believe the energy in that place--the fans, the band--tickets were worth every cent and I can't wait to go see em again. I couldn't believe how they just kept playing and playing! Wilco definitely loves their fans. I saw Tweedy back at the Ann Arbor Folk Fest which was great but this was incredible. Forgive me for my ignorance since I'm new to the forum, but how do I get a recording of last night's show? Feel free to pm me or something because I'd love to hear it again (and again and again).

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

Long time Wilco fan, first time I've ever seen and wow was I blown away. I couldn't believe the energy in that place--the fans, the band--tickets were worth every cent and I can't wait to go see em again. I couldn't believe how they just kept playing and playing! Wilco definitely loves their fans. I saw Tweedy back at the Ann Arbor Folk Fest which was great but this was incredible. Forgive me for my ignorance since I'm new to the forum, but how do I get a recording of last night's show? Feel free to pm me or something because I'd love to hear it again (and again and again).

*cue Analogman lecture*

 

 

But if you want a recording, just be patient. When it surfaces, you'll know.

[gogo]

Forgive me for my ignorance since I'm new to the forum, but how do I get a recording of last night's show? Feel free to pm me or something because I'd love to hear it again (and again and again).

 

Welcome to VC!

 

As stated above, we ask that you wait at least a week before asking for a recording. Tapers need some time to get the finished product ready for distribution, and we don't like to rush them.

 

Having said that, keep checking back to this thread, when a recording becomes available, people will likely be talking about it in here. Also, there's a taping/trading/bittorrent subforum on the board, you can check in over there periodically. And eventually, it'll end up here: http://www.owlandbear.com/wilco-archive/

 

Sounds like you got a great one for your first show! Nice!

[Guest Alan]

I would have to agree with most of the sentiments shared so far in this thread. An incredible show last night. I've never seen the guys have so much damn fun while on stage. I wasn't sure I wanted to hear a ton of new songs since I'm not a big fan of the album but I enjoyed them all except for Deeper Down. Bull Black Nova is a fucking monster of a song. They can play that at the next 10 shows I go to and I'll be happy.

 

My only complaints are that In a Future Age was pretty much ruined by a majority of the crowd talking through it. When it was quiet you could hear the chattering over the music and that sucked.

 

Also, I think future Wilco setlists would benefit from these songs taking a hiatus:

 

IATMWLY

IATTBYH

HMD

Handshake Drugs

Jesus Etc

[thisyearsgirl]

there was nobody to collect the fee at the parking garage after the show - score free parking!

 

Awesome, right? We were so excited when we were told just to go through! Just another happy surprise on an unbelievably perfect and surreal day!

 

Thanks to the band for taking care of their fans and putting on such an awesome show. (Probably one of the best out of the many I've been privileged to experience!) We know that you all have to be wicked tired after crossing the U.S. and coming back again, but, as always, you brought all of your energies and talents together in such an amazing way that old fans were reminded why they keep coming back for more and new fans realized that they may have just found their new favorite live band.

 

Thanks as well to my friends and all of the other fans that made this night one of the greatest ones of my life. Friends that Wilco together do truly stay together! Let's do it again soon!

[smackdexter]

Fantastic show last night, I thought my previous Wilco show would be hard to top (Wilco and Andrew Bird at the Fox Theatre, Andrew played seven songs with them!) but this show topped every show I have ever been to. I took a few pictures and one video of Jeff during hummingbird which you can find here

 

EDIT: Sorry about posting the direct link, if you want to see the video you can check out my channel on youtube, it's the same as my user name.

Edited July 23, 2009 by smackdexter
Direct links to videos of the band not allowed. Sorry.

[Go Brew]

I figure this is a decent reason to finally register here at Via Chicago after lurking the past several years. I don't have a lot to add to the reports already here except to note a couple of things I particularly enjoyed that I didn't see mentioned elsewhere in the thread.

 

My 8th Wilco show and probably the best. Fox Theater in Detroit (SBS tour) and Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor (AGIB tour) are the other contenders.

 

The opening for I'm the Man Who Loves You was just great. A very sweaty Glenn standing on the seat of his drum kit arms fully raised in a victory type pose comes crashing down to his seat for a thunderous opening to the song. Wow!

 

Jeff's banter was particularly good and I loved his comments after A Magazine Called Sunset, which were something like this:

 

Jeff: It's kind of strange. That song gets requested all the time, but I don't think it's on any of our albums. Is that song on any of our albums?

 

Crowd: NOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

Jeff (in almost a Jim Gaffigan tone): That's really weird!

 

Another comment I liked was somewhere near the beginning of the second encore when Jeff thanked Wilco for opening. A hint that much more was to come. As others have said, the techs just kept handing guitars to Jeff after every song, which put a smile on my face every time.

 

H. Stone/Tamala & Co. being invited on stage was definitely a highlight. Tamala, my daughter was just behind you and thought you ladies were great. She was quite impressed by your command of the lyrics and got a really good vibe from your group. Not so much from some others in that part of theater including the crowd surfer and a dancer in front of her who was just a little beyond over-the-top. By far, it was her best Wilco experience so just being in the same room (albeit much further back) pretty much made the evening for me.

 

I attended the show with dazzler. As he says, it seemed like every tall guy in the house was in front of us. I'm 6'1'' so that wasn't a huge problem for me, but for those under 5'6'' it had to be a bit of a drag. A couple of the 6-10 guys could have made way for some of the vertically challenged, but first come first served I guess and it's a nit picky comment on an incredibly great evening.