WILCO - 10/16/2009 Ann Arbor, MI

[Wendy]

Hey Ann Arbor! What a terrific show at Hill Auditorium!

 

This list is copied from my photo of the setlist which the drum tech's mom kindly allowed me to photograph. But I think it's not 100% accurate, and needs some help to update.

 

Liam started at 7:30, Glenn sat in on drums for one song as has been typical for the tour, and Liam went a little over 45 min, allowing for a surprise Wilco (sans Jeff) stage rush complete with confetti poppers and some song and dance party shennanigans to commemorate Liam's last show opening on Wilco's tour. Later Liam came out for Wilco's California Stars wearing the single silver sequined glove Jeff had given him.

 

On Time: I don't know for sure, maybe 8:50, 9:00? Not much talking early on during the show to get in as many songs as possible.

 

Wilco (the song)

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

Bull Black Nova

You Are My Face

One Wing

Radio Cure

At Least That's What You Said

Company In My Back

Ashes of American Flags

War On War

Either Way

Impossible Germany

I'll Fight

Jesus, Etc. (sing-along)

Handshake Drugs

Box Full of Letters

Theologians

I'm The Man Who Loves You

_________________

 

You Never Know (with Liam Finn)

California Stars (with Liam Finn and Eliza Jane)

Hate It Here

Walken

Late Greats

Just A Kid (from a stuffed Wilcoworld ballot box! Jeff is onto you stuffers!)

I'm A Wheel

 

off @ 11:02 pm

 

 

Also played were: (sequence?)

 

* Kingpin (livin' in ... Michigan!)

* Casino Queen

* Outtasite (Outta Mind) (I think?!?)

 

OK, I hope someone actually kept a real setlist, as now I can't for sure remember if they actually played "I'm A Wheel" HELP!

 

There was a poster for the show, a mock Snellen eye chart that spelled out "w i l c o a t h i l l a u d i t o r i u m w i t h l i a m f i n n" in smaller and smaller letters.

[musikfilmbook]

Great show. I was in the second row so vocals were somewhat lost in the mix. BUT I was right in front of Nels which was fantastic. Jeff played a really cool colored wood grain Gibson which I never saw him play before. Of my 30something shows I'd say this is in my top 3.

 

Now I have to wait 4 months for my next show but my memories from last nights experience( no pictures taken) will keep me going until Portland.

[redstripe]

stuffing the ballot box - whatever it takes to get the band to dust of some rarely played songs.

[theashtraysays]

I don't know about you people, but I'm not usually up at 6:52AM after Wilco-night.

 

Glad you had fun.

 

Box Full of Letters .... sweet.

[dylan_1]

Sounds like a great show. How is "I'll Fight" in concert?? I wanted to hear that in Memphis. Hope the crowd was decent!

[cryptique]

Interesting how perspectives on a show can be so different. Of all the Wilco shows I've seen, to my mind this was the weakest.

 

The set list looks good on paper, but I wasn't feeling the flow, if you know what I mean. Just seemed scattershot somehow. And nothing from Summerteeth.

 

But more than the setlist, the band just wasn't on at times. There were a couple of tunes where part of the band was half a beat out of step with the rest, at least initially, and it took surprisingly long for everyone to fall back into rhythm. I'm accustomed to Wilco being rock-solid and tight as hell, and last night they simply weren't, at least toward the end of the main set.

 

I have to go on record and say that I really don't like the current arrangement of "Radio Cure." The keyboard parts are terrible. That's one of my favorite songs on YHF, but the way it's being played now, bleah.

 

I was rather disappointed with the encore. Typically the energy in the encore gets amped up considerably from the rest of the show, and last night it just slowly deflated. The highlight of the show, to me, was "Just A Kid," but it was a temporary surge of energy in an otherwise flat encore. (I'm not a fan of "Kingpin," so that's part of my issue with the encore.)

 

Don't get me wrong -- it was a Wilco show, and even a substandard Wilco show is still better than the vast majority of shows anyone will see in a year -- but personally, I think the boys had an off night.

 

Our seats, which I thought would be a disappointment, turned out to be great. We were just behind and a bit to the right of the soundboard, and the row in front of us was taped off so we had some breathing room. I think we were 18 rows back, but still close enough to see very well. It was also the first Wilco show I remember attending that didn't involve any audience-related annoyances. Everyone was attentive and into it and I had no complaints.

 

That said, the mix wasn't quite as good as you'd expect it to be for our location. It seemed like they were having trouble keeping a consistent mix -- Nels would be overpowering on one song and virtually absent on the next, and the drums were a bit lost over much of the evening. Jeff's vocals were fine throughout, with a couple of minor exceptions, and when John and Pat chimed in on backing vocals the levels were just right.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed it, of course ... but on the list of all-time Wilco shows, this one's gotta rank closer to the bottom. In my opinion.

[Leo]

Great show!

 

Liam Finn and Eliza Jane were fun. Dude is nuts. His energy was a nice set up to the rest of the evening.

 

8:45, Wilco comes on to the Price Is Right theme.

1. Wilco (the song)

2. I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

3. Bull Black Nova

4. You Are My Face

5. One Wing (nice, punchy performance)

6. Radio Cure (sweet surprise)

7. At Least That's What You Said

8. Company In My Back

9. Ashes Of American Flags (Nels' solo was scorching, perfect!)

10. War On War

11. Either Way

12. Impossible Germany

13. I'll Fight

- Jeff asks how many were at the 4 hour Royal Oak show. Claims not gonna happen again to a chorus of groans.

14. Jesus, etc. (sing-along)

15. Handshake Drugs.

16. Box Full Of Letters (dedicated to the old-timers)

17. Theologians

18. I'm The Man Who Loves You

- encore-

19. You Never Know (with Liam Finn)

20. California Stars (with Liam Finn and Eliza Jane)

21. Hate It Here

22. Walken (dedicated to attendee, Matthew Smith of Outrageous Cherry, an underrated Detroit band Jeff cites as inspirational. Very cool, Jeff.)

- Jeff asks, "you guys got anywhere to go? Want us to go off and come back on?" Skips the formality and launches into the 2nd encore.

23. The Late Greats

24. Just A Kid (rockin' surprise)

25. Kingpin

26. Casino Queen

27. Outtasite (Outta Mind)

-10:57

 

On to Chicago!

[cryptique]

5. One Wing (nice, punchy performance)

Absolutely. This was another highlight -- I think this is the best Wilco song since YHF, and it did not disappoint live.

[blureu]

Matthew Smith of the Volebeats too. Great band. Seek them out.

[DougoBlue]

Only my second Wilco show, and worth the 2-hour drive from Kalamazoo. I really wanted to hear how the newer material translated live and I was not disappointed. After seeing them at the State theater at the end of the Ghost is Born tour in Feb of '05, this show wasn't quite at that level for me... but that really wasn't expected. I thought the sound got a bit muffled at times (from where we sat in the mezzanine) but it was nice to see them at that vantage.

 

I saw Tweedy solo back in the summer and he played a few of these newer songs then - One Wing, Wilco, and I'll fight - it was interesting to contrast the sound with the full band.

 

Jeff's falsetto near the end was I guess about the only thing that really surprised me, cant' remember the song - Casino Queen?

[augurus]

I had second row seats, and Cryptique is sort of on the spot: I didn't feel much of the energy from the crowd. Many of the first row attendees didn't know what to do at a Wilco show, except a few. Jeff made a note of this after Jesus, Etc. when he said that some in the front didn't know the lyrics and wouldn't make eye contact with him, hahaha. I was also pretty disappointed by the lack of Summerteeth. We have more A.M. tunes (2) than Summerteeth tunes (0)!

 

If you kicked out The Late Greats and Hate It Here from the encore and replaced them with other songs, you'd probably have energy >= a normal Wilco encore. It wasn't a very good transition.

 

I thought this was one of the stronger performances, that I have heard, of Bull Black Nova on the tour. I also enjoyed their performance of Radio Cure.

 

I'll Fight sounds very similar to the album version, not much deviation.

 

Just A Kid sounded pretty lackluster. Sorry, dude who requested it, and Wilco. At the least, I've finally heard the rare song in person.

 

Definitely surprised by Company In My Back, and it sounded great, but it could use more xylophone.

 

I actually think Nels did an excellent job this time around. His solo on Ashes Of American Flags and Handshake Drugs definitely soared above any previous incarnation of the song I had heard. His sitting-kick-movements during Walken was hilarious to watch.

 

And the gong,... the gong, LOL.

 

---

 

A non-Wilco set highlight of the show was when Liam Finn performed his last song and everyone from Wilco except Jeff jumped out to play the theremin and other instruments. Hilarious and heartwarming!

[IATTBYB]

Highlights from last night show for me were in no particular order Handshake Drugs (which is just a freaking awesome song live, John's bass line was very prominent), the AM duo (both of which I requested online), One Wing (which was a new song I expected to be great) and You Never Know (which is the new song played that suprised me that it sounded so great live as I am not a fan of the recorded version).

 

Low points for me included the relatively downer mood created by including Radio Cure, Either Way and Company in my Back fairly early on in the setlist. I was also rather disappointed in how Bull Black Nova came across live.

 

I was about 16 rows back towards the right side of the house and I was also disappointed in the sound mix. I don't recall ever seeing a performance at Hill where the sound was so poor. Earlier comments about the inconsistency in the mix are spot on.

 

As for the opener, the only enjoyable part of Liam Finn's set was the MC5 homage to Kick Out the Jams.

 

Hopefully the show in East Lansing will have a little more spark to it. Despite all of my disappointments, it was still a good show. Plus I had lunch at Zingermans and plenty of pre-show beers at Ashleys.

[augurus]

Low points for me included the relatively downer mood created by including Radio Cure, Either Way and Company in my Back fairly early on in the setlist. I was also rather disappointed in how Bull Black Nova came across live.

Yes, Wilco should always play uptempo positive mood songs, until the end. No more Via Chicago, Misunderstood, and She's A Jar please.

[IATTBYB]

Yes, Wilco should always play uptempo positive mood songs, until the end. No more Via Chicago, Misunderstood, and She's A Jar please.

I guess I need to remember that some opinions are more valid than other opinions.

 

Jeez, lighten up. I wasn't in the mood for the songs mentioned. Notice I didn't say anything negative about ATWYS, Ashes, of the crowd sing-along to Jesus?

[smackdexter]

Good show, but I can tell you going into this show - there was no way it was going to live up to the Royal Oak show. Such an epic performance that Jeff & the guys clearly remember!

 

I couldn't believe after the first encore people just started leaving! and then eventually they turned the lights on, the audience was really the weak link in this performance.

[King Crawler]

I enjoyed it immensely. As mentioned, not on par with Royal Oak, but still great. Highlights for me were finally seeing Casino Queen live(requested), and Box Full of Letters (guess that makes me an old timer according to Jeff).

 

Mix seemed a bit off at first but got better as the show went on. With the exception of the sleeping 10 year old in the row in front of me, I thought the crowd was into it. The entire lower level stood for the whole show.

 

On to E. Lansing in February. Michigan is on a roll.

 

IATTBYH - I also was at Ashley prior to the show. 4 of us drinking beers at a table up near there front. I had on a tigers cap.

[IATTBYB]

I enjoyed it immensely. As mentioned, not on par with Royal Oak, but still great. Highlights for me were finally seeing Casino Queen live(requested), and Box Full of Letters (guess that makes me an old timer according to Jeff).

 

Mix seemed a bit off at first but got better as the show went on. With the exception of the sleeping 10 year old in the row in front of me, I thought the crowd was into it. The entire lower level stood for the whole show.

 

On to E. Lansing in February. Michigan is on a roll.

 

IATTBYH - I also was at Ashley prior to the show. 4 of us drinking beers at a table up near there front. I had on a tigers cap.

King, my friends and I were near the front at Ashleys as well. If you were offended by our conversations about prostate exams and colonoscopys, well, I apologize.

[Bobby Lewis]

Does anyone have a recording/know where I can find a recording of this, my first Wilco show?

[cryptique]

Does anyone have a recording/know where I can find a recording of this, my first Wilco show?

Wait at least another week (as a courtesy to any tapers), then inquire in this forum.

[Busie]

I really enjoyed the show. Definitely not the best I have ever seen but it's been awhile since I have seen them and I really needed that show to remind me why I love them so much. About 8 years ago I was reading a magazine interview with Jeff I found online. I wrote down part of it because it was such a good article. Well, I just found it today in a box of old pictures, ironic timing. Thought I would share it with you all.

 

 

"I don't believe art exist in the mind of the artist, and its not in the work itself. What is beautiful and profound and human is when that art connects with the talented listener- the mind on the other end of the equation. That's what art is. Not the music itself. And that leads me to believe it's not necessarily a moral certainty that people deserve to get paid for music, period. That Don Henley doesn't deserve a house with a swimming pool shaped like a guitar. Or whatever he has."

[KenMc]

...Mix seemed a bit off at first but got better as the show went on. With the exception of the sleeping 10 year old in the row in front of me, I thought the crowd was into it. The entire lower level stood for the whole show.

...

If you were on the far stage right side in Row G, she was 13 years old, had been up since 4AM, and flew in from Florida that morning. She may also have still been star struck from meeting Jerry of "Ben and Jerry" fame when he did an in-store at the State Street Ben & Jerry's ice cream parlor an hour earlier.

[RKiller]

Jesus Etc Singalong

[Matt O.]

I promised Wendy (who stood next to me the entire show) that I'd post a link to the pictures I took at the show last Friday. Being an amateur, they didn't turn out quite as good as I would have hoped, but working at about a 10% rate of success, there were still some keepers from the 500 or so pics I took...just happy that neither security nor Jeff were upset with a 6'6" guy taking pictures from the 4th row.

 

Here's the link: Hill Auditorium

 

As for the show, it was my 12th time seeing the boys, and while it wasn't quite as mind-blowing as the Royal Oak show from the spring, they still managed to throw down...was particularly happy to hear so many YHF songs (Radio Cure and Ashes especially), but as one person already pointed out, no Summerteeth material was somewhat disappointing. And if I never hear Impossible Germany again, it'll be too soon!

 

Hope y'all enjoy the pics.

[paulcalypse]

Jesus Etc Singalong

Nice picture of the back of my head, haha. Everyone kept coming up to me at the end of the show. "Hey you're that guy that was up front wearing the red sweatshirt!"

[augurus]

Nice picture of the back of my head, haha. Everyone kept coming up to me at the end of the show. "Hey you're that guy that was up front wearing the red sweatshirt!"

So you were the guy trying to talk to Liam Finn and requesting Cinnamon Girl.