Jeff Tweedy — 2/15/14, Chicago, IL (Vic Theatre) [Benefit For Youth Scholarships-Night Two]

[H.Stone]

Just curious when the show became a lot of random requests for covers vs tweedy/wilco/tupelo/loose fur etc songs plus songs he's covered before

 

 

I don't know that there were "a lot" of random requests for covers, but I suspect any time Jeff honors even one unusual request (such as "Single Ladies" way back when....heh heh), attendees take greater risks in their requests at future shows. Plus, since everyone provides a "back-up" request, he always has a choice. There's a cover I request of Jeff any chance I get, and while he has never played it, I continue to request it. I'm not doing it to be a dick or suggest I've run out of Jeff Tweedy songs I'd like to hear. I keep requesting it because it's a song I love that I believe will only be made better if Jeff Tweedy performs it. It's cool to think about him sharing in another part of my "music world" with me.

[Preferred B]

Jeff has covered Pink Moon at a Living Rooms Show or two in the past, so it wasn't totally random. (Thanks for making that request, by the way, Paul. Even if you had to endure some ribbing.) Personally, I love it when people request songs I would probably never otherwise get to hear Jeff perform. I went with the Bill Fay cover and ELT this time around, because those were the songs I wanted to hear. But hey, might as well give something unusual a try if you really want to hear it! As long as you provide a sensible alternate choice, that is.

[H.Stone]

 But hey, might as well give something unusual a try if you really want to hear it! 

 

And if you happen to be the only fan Jeff likes, your chances of hearing it will be even better! 

[bböp]

You could tell Jeff was woodshedding all Saturday afternoon to polish his playing for that evening.  He even metioned how a certain song sounded great that day in his basement so you know he was putting in some time.  Friday night he seemed to be struggling a little (more to the eye than to the ear) with his playing -  lot's of playful but frustrated/pained facial expressions....Saturday the playing was fierce and nearly flawless.  Would love to have a copy of that show.

 

Fwiw, I think he was talking about the Vic's basement (which is where the dressing rooms are) with regard to that comment before Pink Moon. But I did want to express my gratitude that he took even a little time to work on my request; even though it's pretty short, he mentioned beforehand that it's "not the easiest song to play" and that he had practiced it for "like five hours," which I think (hope) was a bit of an exaggeration. He seemed to not totally like the way it sounded through the monitors on stage, which I think precipitated that comment about it sounding "awesome" in the basement. It sounded pretty darned good to these ears out in the audience, though, so thanks to Jeff for playing it...even if it did take requesting it a second time.

 

Jeff has covered Pink Moon at a Living Rooms Show or two in the past, so it wasn't totally random. (Thanks for making that request, by the way, Paul. Even if you had to endure some ribbing.)

 

And yeah, I was more than happy to make the request (even if I had to sort of be a wise-ass about it the second day). Ultimately I just think, for the most part, if Jeff is in the right mood and feels like he can do a reasonable job with a certain request, he will at least attempt to grant it. I was cheating a little bit with the request as well because I have been lucky enough to see him do Pink Moon before, so I knew it was at least in the realm of possibility. For whatever reason, and not to be a weirdo about "moon" songs, I just felt like maybe it was a good opportunity to share it with a few more folks. So I'm glad it happened. In retrospect, maybe I should've gone with something more Valentine-y the first night — I'm surprised no one went for Give Back The Key To My Heart, for instance — but c'est la vie (perhaps the freezing temps clouded my thinking). :cold

 

I've sort of refrained from doing the kind of recap that I usually do because a. I haven't had a lot of time until now and b. because I feel like enough people on this forum were probably there and can certainly chime in with their observations, etc., but I did want to say that like most people, I thought the second night in particular was a pretty stellar performance. I especially loved, among other things, his comments about One True Vine and how it was a mistake to send her home with a demo CD of him singing it because she came back to record it the next day singing it like him, which in Jeff's words, "was not what we're going for." Then, imitating Mavis, Jeff said, "That's on you, Tweedy." I don't know...maybe you had to be there, but it was a funny moment to me. (I also liked all of the comments about — and gentle ribbing of — various requesters, which always makes these shows feel like larger versions of living room shows.)

 

Anyway, on Night Two, It just seemed like Jeff was especially focused, and given everything that's going on with him and his family right now, I imagine it must be tough to get into the mode of entertaining people. So like everyone else, I just want to say thanks and send out positive thoughts to the entire Tweedy clan as they go through this difficult time. Thanks, as always, for everything you guys do for so many people.

[-seven]

 

I've sort of refrained from doing the kind of recap that I usually do because a. I haven't had a lot of time until now and b. because I feel like enough people on this forum were probably there and can certainly chime in with their observations, etc., 

 

I was really kinda looking forward to your recap of these shows. You always give such great details that I don't feel so bad that I wasn't there. 

[bböp]

I was really kinda looking forward to your recap of these shows. You always give such great details that I don't feel so bad that I wasn't there. 

 

Well, thanks for the compliment (and sorry to let you down). It does take some time to sit down and write something reasonably coherent and worthwhile, and it's been kind of a busy few days. And the thing about these shows is a lot of the banter and such is hard to recap precisely because it's largely of the "you had to be there" variety. And that's not to make anyone feel badly for not being there, but just that a healthy portion of what Jeff says involves interactions with folks in the crowd or reactions to weird things that happen during the show(s), like the guy who yelled out early on in Night One about it "being like a library in here. I wanna make some sounds," which of course opened the door to a retort from Jeff.

 

So anyway, I find it tough to recount stuff sometimes at these shows, though there was certainly a lot of banter — especially the first night — that was funny. Perhaps some of the other people I know are on here and were at the show(s) will still chime in with some thoughts.

 

I did happen to see this recap of Night Two posted today on a local Chicago site. Not saying it provides a lot of details, but it is something...

[H.Stone]

Perhaps some of the other people I know are on here and were at the show(s) will still chime in with some thoughts.

One moment that I found quite funny was when he tried calling out Spencer and Sam to sing the Community Song in Spanish. Spencer shouted something about "only" being at that school since kindergarten, and Jeff said, "Eight years wasn't long enough to learn how to sing that in Spanish? What a waste of money." Classic bit at a benefit for the school! Of course Jeff immediately said, "No, no. I'm kidding. This is a great way to spend your money." Dude's funny.

[Jat2]

I'm still on an incrediable high from Jeff's shows at the Vic. In my opinion both nights were teriffic, but Saturday was just about the best solo Tweedy show I have been to. Song after song, I just kept thinking how great the song requests were, and how many of them were on my own list of songs to request.

This was my first time attending the Scholarship Benefit and I can't wait for next year. Totally worth standing in line each day in the cold for all those hours, to get in my requests!

 

My thanks to Jeff for the great music!

[bböp]

Apparently both Vic shows are now available for purchase in the Roadcase, fwiw.

[bsleeman]

Downloaded this one today - any guesses as to why "You And I" didn't make it to the final recording?

[bböp]

Oh, didn't realize that had been cut but probably for the same royalty reason other WtA songs have been cut from Roadcase releases...

[bsleeman]

Ahh, I see.  Well it's a great recording and I'm glad he left in all the between song banter.  I'm glad he decided to release these - hopefully it becomes a tradition like the shows themselves.