Wilco — 13 April 2013, Tokyo, Japan (Shibuya-Ax)

[bböp]

I suppose that when you've been in the business of entertaining people as long as Wilco has (and Jeff, specifically, as the ultimate decider of which songs get played), you sort of figure out how to continually take things up a notch while also leaving the audience wanting more. That's sort of the feeling I got from tonight's Australia/New Zealand/Japan tour-closing show at the Shibuya-Ax in one of Tokyo's most bustling neighborhoods.

 

For fans who went to the previous night's Tokyo gig at Zepp Diver City (and the hard-core "sugoi" folks who also attended the Osaka date), this show offered yet more variety with the Japanese debut of One Sunday Morning and a few songs that don't always get played these days like Kamera, Company In My Back and Wishful Thinking. Along with those came some favorites that seemingly will always be played at Japanese gigs like Impossible Germany, Heavy Metal Drummer and I'm The Man Who Loves You.

 

For the "taking it up a notch" portion of the show, we got what I believe was the Japanese debut of Hoodoo Voodoo with the return of "the shirtless roadie" on cowbell. It's been too long, and Josh really put some extra oomph into his hip-grinding moves as he pranced around the stage. Not content to stay in the back, he came out front and danced near both John and Jeff, who didn't even shy away as he sometimes does. Meanwhile, the Japanese crowd ate up the guitar duel between Nels and Pat. The energy (and temperature) in the place went to another level. And then just when the applause got as sustained as it had all night and we thought there might be a chance for a second encore — insert lament for Kicking Television here — the lights went up and we were all sent on our collective way. Well played, Wilco.

 

Actually, I'm a little surprised it took this long for Hoodoo to show up. It seems to me like the perfect song for an audience of mostly non-native English speakers since the lyrics are pretty much nonsensical anyway. This is something I wondered about over the course of the three shows — namely, how much was the crowd really understanding the lyrics or if that even mattered much. I know a lot of times music transcends lyrics and I certainly enjoy music in which songs are sung in a language I don't speak but with a band like Wilco and a songwriter like Jeff, I think at least part of the reason the songs are so memorable is the way a certain phrase resonates with you or the way that some words are put together. I was curious about whether people were picking up on that or if they mostly were just appreciative of or enthralled by the musicianship of the band. To me, it seemed like they responded most to things like the guitar freakout in Art Of Almost or the crashing drums in Via Chicago or the solo in Impossible Germany, which obviously transcend lyrics.

 

At any rate, this final show in Japan (for now) was a well-played one. No real hiccups to speak of, but just another seemingly good time had by the band. Jeff didn't say anything until over halfway through the show when he reiterated what a great time he and his bandmates had had.

 

The only real colorful banter to speak of came a short time later, after Whole Love, when Jeff mentioned that the previous song had been from the band's most recent release and that the next song would be from their least recent. For some reason, that led to some yelling out of requests and such from a few folks in the crowd, including some loud (apparently American) voices. Jeff sort of cringed a bit and said with a smile, "All the people from our country, be quiet. Enjoy the culture you're in. ... Put a sock in it, especially if the sock has toes," (which are a thing here, I guess).

 

In the encore, I guess Jeff spotted some people in the front row holding up a sign that suggested "a live album in Japan. "I'm for it," Jeff said, and then noted that the band was recording the show so perhaps this show would indeed be a live album of sorts.

 

One last funny moment came in the leadup to I'm The Man... when Glenn was shaking his metal flappy noisemaker things (sorry, I don't know what they're called). Jeff came over and grabbed one of out Glenn's hands and tossed it into the audience. Haha! Glenn put on a (mock?) look of annoyance before getting up on his stool and finally getting the song going. It's unclear whether the flappy thing was ever retrieved or if someone walked away with a cool memento.

 

All told, I clocked the band at 2 hours, 23 minutes — certainly the longest show in Japan of the three — and definitely left the crowd wanting more which, I guess is ultimately the name of the game. By the time the sample of Vincent Price's laugh from Thriller finally closed out the night (in place of the usual gong hit), it was pretty clear that the band had enjoyed its most successful Japanese tour yet.

 

Here was the complete setlist, as played (I believe that the only change from the printed list was the addition of Outtasite in the encore):

 

One Sunday Morning

Poor Places>

Art Of Almost

I Might

At Least That's What You Said

Via Chicago

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

Kamera

Handshake Drugs

Company In My Back

Impossible Germany

Born Alone>

Wishful Thinking

War On War

Whole Love

Box Full Of Letters

Heavy Metal Drummer

Dawned On Me

A Shot in the Arm

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

Jesus, etc.

Walken

I'm The Man Who Loves You

Red-Eyed and Blue>

I Got You (At The End of the Century)>

Outtasite (Outta Mind)>

Hoodoo Voodoo (w/ bass/guitar/keyboard tech Josh on cowbell)

[Magnetized]

Thanks for such a detailed report, Paul. It's always so much fun to watch Josh and his slinky moves!

 

Sounds like an incredibly satisfying tour, for both fans and the band. I would imagine that they'll be pumped and feeling great as they head back home and, presumably, to the Loft to continue working on the new record. This all leaves me feeling really optimistic about what they'll come up with next. 

[EatMorePez]

 

One last funny moment came in the leadup to I'm The Man... when Glenn was shaking his metal flappy noisemaker things (sorry, I don't know what they're called).

 

 

 

Flex-A-Tone!

[Hi-Rose]

It was a nice report Paul as same as before. I wish I could write English more. However it was fun to talk with Paul before the live show.

I was in the 3rd row and Paul is next to me.   It was so fun to talk with him! Its really nice to see VC members.

Hoodoo voodoo was so fun! I cried Jesus, etc because it was so beautiful.

All my Japanese fans say "Wilco is the best"!!!! 

[kidsmoke]

Great review, Paul! You have a gift for making the reader feel as if they were there. Thanks for all the cool little details!