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WILCO - 10/10/09 Memphis, TN


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I'm sure I'll get a lot of flak for saying this, but after the number of shows that Wilco has played over the years and the number of both good and bad things that it has experienced, I'm still amazed that Jeff Tweedy still lets the small, petty things like people holding up their cell phones bother him so much to the point where he arguably crosses the line.

 

maybe he'll adopt Hope Sandoval's policy:

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2009/10/hope_sandoval_t_1.html

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Can someone explain why the flask bothered Jeff?

 

Is it just that the person brought alcohol into the show and didn't buy it there?

 

Yeah, I don't really understand why that would make him say what he did. Sounds pretty judgmental to me.

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Yeah, I don't really understand why that would make him say what he did. Sounds pretty judgmental to me.

 

Well, can you really enjoy a show when you're really that fucking drunk? You're probably getting more fun out of being drunk than from actually being at the show, and in some weird way it is disrespectful to the artist. It obviously shouldn't really be too big of a deal, but I can see how Tweedy can take it personally.

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Guest Speed Racer

Yeah, I don't really understand why that would make him say what he did. Sounds pretty judgmental to me.

 

I think Jeff made a few pretty logical assumptions when he said that: that the person with the flask would likely drink to excess and that the person (who was already disruptive) would likely become more disruptive with more alcohol.

 

Drinking to excess is, as a rule, not very respectful of one's body (though certainly not the worst thing one can do now and again), and imbibing when it will likely make you rowdier at a place where you are already rowdy is not the most respectful way to behave toward those around you.

 

Edited to add: I'm far from a prude, but people who carry flasks generally have laser-beam focus on Destination: Shit-Canned.

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I think Jeff made a few pretty logical assumptions when he said that: that the person with the flask would likely drink to excess and that the person (who was already disruptive) would likely become more disruptive with more alcohol.

 

Drinking to excess is, as a rule, not very respectful of one's body (though certainly not the worst thing one can do now and again), and imbibing when it will likely make you rowdier at a place where you are already rowdy is not the most respectful way to behave toward those around you.

 

Edited to add: I'm far from a prude, but people who carry flasks generally have laser-beam focus on Destination: Shit-Canned.

 

Folks are really starting to take for granted Wilco's fan friendly policies even ALLOWING cameras into venues not to mention their Dead-like tolerance of recording of shows.

 

If the douches keep pushing the boundries, it is not an unforseeable step to see recordings banned. Then we will have to live with the shitty audience sneaked recordings that one gets for most other artists.

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Well, can you really enjoy a show when you're really that fucking drunk? You're probably getting more fun out of being drunk than from actually being at the show, and in some weird way it is disrespectful to the artist. It obviously shouldn't really be too big of a deal, but I can see how Tweedy can take it personally.

 

From what I understand about Wilco, 10-12 years ago this wouldn't have been a problem. It seems rather unfair of Jeff to hold everyone to his standards. Some people get drunk at shows. People in Wilco used to get drunk at shows. It's great that he's gotten past that, but bringing the entire show to a halt because a girl took a swig from a flask is pretty goddamned silly. And not to mention that he comes off like a real dick in the way he acted towards her.

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Guest Speed Racer

It seems rather unfair of Jeff to hold everyone to his standards.

 

Why? It's his party, isn't it?

 

It is entirely possible to get drunk at a show, have fun, and not disrupt the experience of others.

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Guest Speed Racer

Oooooh, I should also add:

 

Wilco's audience has widened significantly since 1997, and there are a LOT more children (kids under 15) at shows, from what I'm seeing and also hearing here on the boards. I don't think it's unfair at all to hold people to a higher standard when there are kids on the floor at a GA show.

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Why? It's his party, isn't it?

 

It is entirely possible to get drunk at a show, have fun, and not disrupt the experience of others.

 

I agree with the 2nd part.

 

The first part, I don't know. If you pay for a ticket to a show, you have the right, within reason, to act as you please. Drinking at a show isn't something that should draw the ire of the people on stage in a vacccum. If she was being loud and belligerent and causing a scene, yeah, call her out. In my opinion, he acted like a dick. I mean, come on. He took her phone away.

 

Also, I guess I'm in the minority in believing this, but it is entirely possible to record parts of a show, have fun, and remember the show. I don't see why holding a phone for 3 minutes means you aren't enjoying the show. I don't do this, but I don't get why Jeff would be so pissed about it.

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Wilco's audience has widened significantly since 1997, and there are a LOT more children (kids under 15) at shows, from what I'm seeing and also hearing here on the boards. I don't think it's unfair at all to hold people to a higher standard when there are kids on the floor at a GA show.

 

This is a much different point than "It's his party."

 

It doesn't sound like Jeff was worried about the children in the crowd when he was talking to her. It sounds like he was just looking to insult her.

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I just have to say that this thread (not to mention some of the other ones in Just A Fan) is getting a bit ridiculous. I can't believe that people are focusing on this sort of stuff rather than the music at this show. I mean, they essentially debuted Country Disappeared and played a Big Star song with Big Star's drummer for God's sake!

 

Honestly, I don't really think Jeff cares what people do or don't consume/inhale/whatever at shows. And he knows that he can't win the camera/video battle either, as he basically said at this show. But he figures he'll ask nicely and make his feelings known and hopefully people will have enough respect not to go against his wishes. Now I've seen Jeff deal with people shooting videos with varying degrees of severity and Memphis was certainly one of the times when he seems to really have gotten irritated, but I think that had more to do with the fact that he had just asked her not to do it and then she was right in his face doing it. I mean, I would probably have snapped a little bit in that situation as well. As a friend said later, it's like dealing with a toddler or something! :angry

 

As for the flask, I'm certainly not speaking for Jeff (and wouldn't even try to do so), but I'm guessing he brought it up in part to let her know that he could see exactly what she was doing. Maybe people sometimes don't realize that, but especially when you're standing right in front of him, he pretty much knows exactly what's going on. So combined with the video thing, the flask thing probably just seemed like another slap in the face.

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The flask thing still makes no sense to me.

 

I think he acted like a dick somewhat with the video, but I understand that.

 

The flask thing doesn't make sense to me at all. Just makes him seem judgmental as hell.

 

 

Whats up Bob....been to any shows down here in SF?

 

 

To answer a question above about why we focus on these things....because it's like a car crash, people need to look. This makes a show unique in my opinion.

 

Last week Chris Robinson freaked out on security and it was on youtube......so funny.

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Guest Speed Racer

The flask thing still makes no sense to me.

 

I'm kind of with Paul: "I know why you're acting like a moron, and I'd like to believe you have the capacity to act better."

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The flask thing still makes no sense to me.

 

I think he acted like a dick somewhat with the video, but I understand that.

 

The flask thing doesn't make sense to me at all. Just makes him seem judgmental as hell.

 

Hey bobbob, did you read my post? Honestly, I feel pretty good saying this on behalf of Jeff that he could care less that she was drinking out of a flask. He was not, I REPEAT NOT, judging her for drinking out of a flask or otherwise! But he was letting her know that she was flaunting the rules, first by videotaping and then by using the flask, and that he could very well see it! :pirate

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I didn't get that out of your post before. I truly didn't understand what you meant when you said it was like a slap in the face. That's why I felt like it was judgmental.

 

It makes a little more sense, but frankly, I still think it's a pretty crappy way to react to the whole situation.

 

Whats up Bob....been to any shows down here in SF?

Last show I went to was the Decemberists up in St. Augustine. Haven't had much money to catch any of the limited shows I've wanted to see recently.

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My first thought on the Memphis show is more of a question. Was there a show poster that night? All I saw was the full tour poster and I didn’t see one up on the store site yet.

 

As for my review of the show: My wife and I drove in from Fort Worth for the show Saturday. We were both very excited after the great show we had seen Friday in Dallas and the fact that we had 5th row seats center. Unfortunately most of those good vibes went away once the show started.

 

First I was disappointed more people didn’t show up for Liam Finn. What a great show and from the looks of it the place wasn’t a quarter full. Maybe there were a lot of people up top but not many in the first few rows.

 

Once Wilco came on though there were two very tall men standing in front of us. I figured that is just how it was, they were able to get better tickets and besides I had a view right between them. But these two old yuppies were there to be social, talking and leaning into each other the whole time when they weren’t messing with their phones. The yuppie brothers by the way were sitting after 30 minutes still messing with their phones.

 

As far as the Jeff and taping, I am glad he called her out but I wish he had let it go. I don’t blame him but after a point just let it go. Ruined the whole vibe there for us in the middle of the show. And the pit did seem like a drunken mess. I know it wasn't all of you and half of them were probably the people who decided they didn't want to sit in their seats anymore and moved down. I am glad Jeff ignored the girl in the picnic table looking shirt who was dancing like an idiot the whole time. Second to the people who decided that seats numbers didn’t mean anything thanks. Because of you guys I had to fight through a sea of people who decided that they could do what they please while most others. And the couple that kept dancing and pushing my wife over who was in the aisle, if you are going to dance at least have some moves. Looked like two fish flailing around on the riverbank. You know who you are, the boy and girl wearing the matching green shirts.

 

 

Do not mean to sound negative but it was not the experience I thought it would be, especially after Dallas. The band was great, the set list even better, just a small group of people who think the rules don’t apply to them. Overall and especially the last hour or so of the show were great. Very excited they played Country Disappeared.

 

I was at Graceland the next morning and someone made a comment about my Wilco shirt. He said he goes to concerts all the time in Memphis. He said he couldn’t believe how rude the crowd was and was embarrassed. Again it was only a small group but they made a big impression. To end, love Memphis, love the great people I met, and Wilco still rocks. Thanks for letting me rant.

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holy cow, bleedorange, is that you?

 

also, the flask thing. I'm not sure why he got so upset over that. But, there was a little 6 year old girl standing in the vicinity, and that could play into it. I really think Jeff did go a little far, but, i can also see where he was justified. But, hey, it's Jeff Tweedy. He's known to be like this. Remember Sunken Treasure.....He called the audience out on his only solo DVD. That speaks volumes for the way the guy feels about the audience. If you paid to see the show, you should enjoy it. You shouldn't hide behind your camera, you shouldn't hide behind booze. You should live your life so you have those memories. And get the most out of your money...Don't just get drunk and not remember who you saw last night, much less how they played.

 

my two cents.

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