Wilco -- 26/9/10, Hamburg, Germany

[bböp]

Don't really have a lot to report from this one. I had one of those seats in a seated auditorium that are toward the front but far, far off to one side so that a lot of my view was blocked by speakers. It might have been the first gig I've been to where I couldn't see Glenn for one single second. So that kind of sucked. (Of course, the seat wasn't ever advertised at any point as having an obstructed view. But that's another story. )

 

So I'll leave it to others to fill in anything that I couldn't see. What I can say was that the Laeiszhalle was a formal concert hall mostly used for classical music. It had three levels (main floor and two balconies), and sort of reminded me of a smaller Carnegie Hall for some reason. Certainly a far cry from their last show in Hamburg, which was at Große Freiheit 36 — right in the heart of the infamous Reeperbahn district — in 2007. As you might expect in such a setting, the crowd was pretty reserved for much of the show. Most everyone finally got on their feet for Hummingbird, as Jeff waved goodnight. At least people stayed standing throughout the encore.

 

Seemed like the band was focused on playing as much music as possible in the time allotted. They went on right at 9 p.m. and were done right on curfew at 11. Great to hear Radio Cure and Either Way, two that I think hadn't been played yet on this tour. Jeff didn't say all that much, except to apologize for not being able to speak to the crowd in German and to mention going to the St. Pauli football match the previous day.

 

For the most part, it was pretty by-the-book — a professional show. I didn't see too many hiccups. I guess one was averted when Nels seemed to be a bit confused at the start of You Are My Face. For some reason, he grabbed his Nashguitars Telecaster and started the song with that before quickly switching back to the white Jerry Jones 12-string he normally uses for that one.

 

OK, that's pretty much all I've got on this one. This was the complete setlist, as played:

 

Sunken Treasure (Jeff on acoustic, with harmonica)

Company In My Back

Bull Black Nova

IATTBYH>

One Wing

You Are My Face>

A Shot in the Arm

Radio Cure

Impossible Germany

Via Chicago

Spiders (Kidsmoke) (acoustic arrangement; Nels on electric)

Either Way (dedicated to -- and requested by -- former lighting director Ryan )

I'll Fight

Handshake Drugs

Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway(again)

Jesus, etc.

Hate It Here

Walken

I'm The Man Who Loves You

Hummingbird

---------------------

You Never Know

California Stars

Heavy Metal Drummer

The Late Greats

[Three dollars and 63 cents]

Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway(again)

 

[H.Stone]

Ack, bummer about the obstructed view. But nice request on Ryan's part! I love Either Way, full band or solo.

[pillowy star]

I hope that after this tour they'll rush back to GA venues. Can't believe how lucky we were in Offenbach!

 

Grosse Freiheit in 2007

[Palomanegro]

"the crowd was pretty reserved for much of the show"

Yeah, you´re right, but you can be sure the people in Hamburg were boiling inside. This behaviour is called here in Hamburg 'understatement'. We are I had a seat beneath the soundboard and the sound in this old classical hall was very good. I´m 54 and saw here many acts of the rock scene, (Rory Gallagher and Jethro Tull in 1973,Gentle Giant, Kinks and many other). In earlier times Hamburg had only this hall and a congress centrum which is very sterile. For me it is a great pleasure to listening loud rock music in this hall, where most of the time fine dressed people listening to clasic music. I´m not against this music, but those people think: o.m.g. these rock musicians are not worth to play there. All in all for me it was a great evening!

[mdpoet]

A Sunken Treasure opener! ALWAYS makes my night. So glad to hear this on this tour.