Wilco @ Val Air Ballroom, West Des Moines, IA 12/4/11

[Jimmy Coulas]

It was my first time seeing Wilco since their two night run at UIC in 2009. Jeff Tweedy was in great spirits and the band was tight as usual. I'm working on my recap, but here is the setlist.

 

Wilco

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Val Air Ballroom

West Des Moines, IA

 

Set: One Sunday Morning (Song For Jane Smiley’s Boyfriend)

Poor Places >

Art of Almost

I Might

Misunderstood#

Capitol City

Company in My Back

Born Alone

At Least That's What You Said

Black Moon

Impossible Germany

California Stars

I'll Fight

Handshake Drugs

Box Full of Letters

Dawned on Me

I'm Always in Love

Hummingbird

Encore:

Whole Love

War on War

A Shot in the Arm

Heavy Metal Drummer

I'm the Man Who Loves You

Red-Eyed and Blue

I Got You (At the End of the Century)

Outtasite (Outta Mind)

Cruel to Be Kind^

 

Notes: # - 24 "Nothings", ^- w/ Nick Lowe

[uncool2pillow]

WOW. Nearly 4 years since I saw these guys. Hard to believe it's been that long. What a great, great show! Honored and lucky to have seen the show. I'm each show I've seen has been better than the one before.

[JAK2112]

3rd straight show without IATTBYH and Jesus, maybe they've finally gone the way of previous staples like Spiders?

[uncool2pillow]

Would rather hear IATTBYH than IMTWLY, but no complaints about this show at all!

[Jimmy Coulas]

I like the idea of them giving IATTBYH and Jesus, Etc. a break. They are great songs, but they have so much in their catalog to choose from.

[MountainGerbil]

I'm going to both Minny shows this week. If one of them (preferably tomorrow when I have 3rd row seats) has a set like this, I'll be more than content.

 

I could do without IATTBYH. I think they've played it all 11 times I've seen them, and JEtc is usually a sit-down-and-rest/get a beer song for me.

[auctioneer69]

That is one incredibly rocking encore! Great start to the set too. Like others glad to see some staples spend a little time on the bench.

 

Is there any other current band with such a rich back catalogue and such a fine new album?

[REH]

This show, my god, was louder & faster & harder than any Wilco show I've been to.

 

Did anyone else think so?

 

Even "Dawned On Me" had some heavier guitar work going on that's not normally part of it.... I think Jeff sensed the type of crowed he had on his hands & wisely went with that vibe.... it was a ROCK rock show.

 

And wow, it was nice to have some staples on the sidelines & to instead get stuff like "At Least That's What You Said."

[choo-choo-charlie]

That is one incredibly rocking encore! Great start to the set too. Like others glad to see some staples spend a little time on the bench.

 

Is there any other current band with such a rich back catalogue and such a fine new album?

 

Very much like our encore in KC. So good.

 

This show, my god, was louder & faster & harder than any Wilco show I've been to.

 

Did anyone else think so?

 

Even "Dawned On Me" had some heavier guitar work going on that's not normally part of it.... I think Jeff sensed the type of crowed he had on his hands & wisely went with that vibe.... it was a ROCK rock show.

 

And wow, it was nice to have some staples on the sidelines & to instead get stuff like "At Least That's What You Said."

 

The previous night in KC I thought the same thing -- it really hit pretty hard most of the night. And Dawned on Me was super-muscly. Could feel the bass drum and floor toms come up through the floor. Jeff commented that he thought it was the best they've played it. And my brother, who points out the tune as one of his least favorite on TWL, had his mind changed...

[REH]

Part of my theory is that the lack of normal stage set-up -- the ghost-y things hanging down, the normal lighting, etc. -- gave it more of an old-time rock show feel, & the music followed that.

 

The Val Air is really kind of a dive in some respects, but just having the spotlights & good ol' fashioned smoke was a BLAST. It stripped all the professional-type trappings away.

 

Such a different experience from the classy seated venues. Not that those aren't enjoyable, also, just DIFFERENT.

 

(I don't think I've ever liked "I'm Always In Love" as much as I did last night, it went from a bit cute & sentimental -- the way I think it sounds on the record -- to almost a defiant statement.)

[Jimmy Coulas]

Here is a recap from last nights show that I posted on my blog. I'm heading up to Minneapolis for both shows.

My blog: www.scentsandsubtlesounds.com

Twitter: @Subtle_Sounds

 

Last night, Wilco returned to the Val Air Ballroom for the first time since 2008. The five hour drive from Chicago was pretty boring, but knowing that I would be seeing Wilco the same night made the drive a little more bearable. After grabbing some beers and a burger at the Court Avenue Brewing Company, I made my way to the 72 year old "open air" ballroom.

 

After a very charming set by Nick Lowe, the band took the stage around 8:45 to a thunderous ovation. The show began with an incredible three song sequence of "One Sunday Morning (Song For Jane Smiley’s Boyfriend), Poor Places > Art of Almost." The jam out of "Poor Places" was blissful and chaotic, but flowed smoothly into "Art of Almost."

 

The band delivered standout versions of several classics including "Misunderstood," which featured 24 "nothings" and some earth shaking drumming from Glenn Kotche. Nels Cline delivered some elegant riffs on "Company in My Back," while Tweedy delivered a "Nels Cline" like solo during "At Least Thats What you Said."

 

The highlight of the night for me came in the form of a reworked "California Stars". I'm not sure if "reworked" is the word to use, but the band has definitely spruced it up a bit. I did see a few tapers in the audience, so hopefully this show will pop up online soon because this version definitely warrants another listen.

 

After the set closing "Hummingbird," Wilco returned to the stage for their usual extended and sometimes never ending encores. After running through some high octane numbers, Wilco circa 1996 showed up in the form of "Red-Eyed and Blue, I Got You (At the End of the Century), Outtasite (Outta Mind)." The energy was off the charts with many fans dancing and smiling including yours truly.

 

Before closing the show, "Wilclowe" took the stage for one last song. Jeff Tweedy introduced Nick Lowe as a "hero" of Wilco's before the singer/songwriter joined the band for a take on his own "Cruel to Be Kind."

 

Last night was my first Wilco show in over two years and it was well worth the wait. The band delivered a stellar performance and made this cold Sunday night in central Iowa one to remember.

[Queen Amaranthine]

This show, my god, was louder & faster & harder than any Wilco show I've been to.

 

Did anyone else think so?

 

Even "Dawned On Me" had some heavier guitar work going on that's not normally part of it.... I think Jeff sensed the type of crowed he had on his hands & wisely went with that vibe.... it was a ROCK rock show.

 

 

ROCK rock show says it perfectly, REH. Right about the crowd--wasn't "rambunctious" the word Jeff used to describe it? I was up toward front center, being perfectly quiet and attentive, though a few guys to the left of my friends and me, and a group behind us a few rows to the right, were certainly in that rambunctious category. Harmless fun, though. This is the 3rd time I've seen Wilco at the Val-Air, and every time the crowd has had that kind of bold energy, whereas the four other venues I've seen them in have been mellow in comparison. I don't know what it is about that place.

 

This was my first Wilco show in over 5 years.LOVED it! I agree with what was said above about good spirits. I'm sure I've not seen Jeff smile that much in all of the past shows I've seen combined.

 

Did everyone notice the macrame owl hanging from Mikael's keyboard? Its eyes blinked. Adorable! I was wondering if a fan or someone's mom or grandma made it.

 

Nick Lowe was great. Man, that guy is old. Yet he has a wonderful youthful energy about him, timeless and ageless. "Cruel to Be Kind" with the band was a perfect conclusion.

[REH]

Yes, afraid to say the two guilty parties were on either side of me, & I wasn't so innocent myself.

 

P.S.

The owl's name is Peter. He travels everywhere with them, much like the owl & bear that accompany My Morning Jacket. The funniest comment I ever read on Via Chicago was during one of the sitting vs. standing arguments when someone said that they decide which to do based on Peter's blink-rate. I about fell off my chair laughing.

 

Since you were there:

Did you notice/hear all the noise from the back of the room during Nick's set, especially "Let Things Slide" & the other quieter numbers? It sounded like an ocean roaring at first but was actually just people being inconsiderate, I assume? We felt badly for him, I don't think that crowd appreciated him nearly as much as they did in KC the night prior.

 

However, yes, the Val-Air is RAW. Perhaps because there's no pretense about it, the energy that way, too. Still not sure what Jeff meant when he referred to having "gone through the wormhole," after (I think it was) one of the encore numbers.

[uncool2pillow]

Yeah, my plan was to sit up at the tables during Nick Lowe, but decided right away that there would be no way to hear the show from there. Kind of a disappointing reception for him. But I think he knows what the deal is when you're an opener.

[Guest Hollinger.]

I'm wondering if I was one of the rambunctious group. I was front and basically center. There was a filthy stoned hippie insisting that I was his friend Dan at one point early in the show. And then some drunk asshole shoving his way through during the encore that I had to hit with a few elbows to put him in his place.

 

<p>

However, yes, the Val-Air is RAW.  Perhaps because there's no pretense about it, the energy that way, too.  Still not sure what Jeff meant when he referred to having "gone through the wormhole," after (I think it was) one of the encore numbers.

 

Glenn went into ITMWLY playing waaaay too fast and never really did get in sync with the band on it. That's what Jeff was talking about.

[REH]

Ah, okay. I wondered. I didn't know if he meant the crowd, or the band.

 

I do believe the stoned hippie(s) were directly to my right. The smoke WAS getting rather thick toward the end, I think "Shot In The Arm" was what prompted it........ as if that song is not intense enough already!

 

I felt -- right or wrong -- as if Jeff sort of granted us rambunctiousness-permission early on when he said, yeah, we can work with that.

[taint misbehavin]

Did the poster not suck like KC's did?

[uncool2pillow]

[taint misbehavin]

I am absolutely not trying to troll/hate these prints, but the 12/3 and 12/4 prints are both stinkers, IMO.

 

10/11/07... THAT print rules! Hometown show

[opsopcopolis]

Thats an awesome setlist.

[taint misbehavin]

Thats an awesome setlist.

 

Hell yeah. I like the encore.

 

I went to KC and my brother went to this show. I saw them last time they were at the Val Air at least.

[ELS]

Glad to see they're giving "the hits" a break.

 

"Jesus, etc." with the audience singing on the W(TA) tour was so, so, so boring...

[Queen Amaranthine]

The owl's name is Peter. He travels everywhere with them, much like the owl & bear that accompany My Morning Jacket. The funniest comment I ever read on Via Chicago was during one of the sitting vs. standing arguments when someone said that they decide which to do based on Peter's blink-rate. I about fell off my chair laughing.

 

That's what happens during a 5-year absence from Wilco shows--I've missed out on the owl! I need to not wait so long to go to another.

 

Since you were there:

Did you notice/hear all the noise from the back of the room during Nick's set, especially "Let Things Slide" & the other quieter numbers? It sounded like an ocean roaring at first but was actually just people being inconsiderate, I assume? We felt badly for him, I don't think that crowd appreciated him nearly as much as they did in KC the night prior.

 

I noticed that too and thought the same thing. Given that he has a long history in rock music, and his performance was great, I was kind of surprised there wasn't more attention. As uncool2pillow noted, such is the nature of the opening act, though.

 

I need to get the crop circle show poster...perfect for Iowa and very out there!

[-seven]

I the Wilco crop circle poster and if I needed ANOTHER Wilco poster, I'd get this one.

[choo-choo-charlie]

I like the Iowa poster. Kinda wish ours turned out like that one.