Jump to content

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 57
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

 

2. The Troubador, Los Angeles: 11/12/96

 

4. Grant Park, Chicago: 7/4/01 (Jay Bennett's last show)

These two shows (along with Jeff's solo show from 3/26/98) were pivotal for me. The first pretty much created my fandom (fanaticism?) and the second cemented it. I still remember being blown away by the then-new I Am Trying to Break Your Heart and War on War, and of course the exposure to all the Being There songs - without even having heard the album yet - really did it for me when I heard that '96 show.

 

I would also add 3/11/02, if only for what are my personal definitive versions of Spiders (Kidsmoke) and Pot Kettle Black.

Link to post
Share on other sites

It was a webcast and I have a copy of it. It's an outstanding show. If anyone would like a copy, shoot me a PM. I'll upload it to DropBox within a day or so & send you a link.

A copy of the webcast?  I have the Vannark audience from the mezz (always a great recording spot in the Orpheum) but would love to hear the webcast. Will send PM.  I was in the middle of the orchestra, one of the best shows of my life.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I remember the webcast too because it was the first mention of Solid Sound. Actually I don't recall whether Jeff used that name, but he talked about a Wilco festival at Mass MoCA. (I'd never heard of the place and thought he was saying mass mocha.)

:cheers

 

yep, i remember that too. and like WRP, i felt like that was such an amazing show.

Link to post
Share on other sites

If I had to pick a No. 1 favorite live Wilco recording, the 9/4/03 show at the McDonald Theatre would probably be it. Really unique setlist and terrific sound. Opening with Kingpin. Tons of Jeff lead guitar on not-quite-finished AGIB songs. Cars Can't Escape. 3 songs from A.M., and Laminated Cat is a total monster.

 

 

 

 

Listening to this one while at work today and this one's a doozy ---- not sure if I ever heard before. (esp. as you mentioned - that Laminated Cat)

Link to post
Share on other sites

I would also add 3/11/02, if only for what are my personal definitive versions of Spiders (Kidsmoke) and Pot Kettle Black.

 

Is that a Florida show? Soundboard? If so, I think I have that one and its fantastic.

Link to post
Share on other sites

 

 

If I had to pick a No. 1 favorite live Wilco recording, the 9/4/03 show at the McDonald Theatre would probably be it. Really unique setlist and terrific sound. Opening with Kingpin. Tons of Jeff lead guitar on not-quite-finished AGIB songs. Cars Can't Escape. 3 songs from A.M., and Laminated Cat is a total monster.

 

Great show. I had not heard it before. Refresh my memory: This has Mike and Leroy, no?

Link to post
Share on other sites

 

 

 

 

 

Another good Summerteeth-era show is from Bogart's, 11-5-1999. Rare live version of "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" and a few other covers, plus a huge Kingpin. Jeff was in a strange headspace that night, based on the stage banter.

 

If I had to pick a No. 1 favorite live Wilco recording, the 9/4/03 show at the McDonald Theatre would probably be it. Really unique setlist and terrific sound. Opening with Kingpin. Tons of Jeff lead guitar on not-quite-finished AGIB songs. Cars Can't Escape. 3 songs from A.M., and Laminated Cat is a total monster.

 

 

Yes Yes 11/5/99 is a great show/bootleg "Any Major Dude" is a stand out.

 

9/4/03 is an all time favorite. People in Oregon do not sing about California Stars. I think Tweedy was testing them. That show rocks!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Great show. I had not heard it before. Refresh my memory: This has Mike and Leroy, no?

Listened to this show today. I'll be in the distinct minority around these parts, as much as I love everything Wilco and the entire ride that's been, my live show listening pleasure tilts decisively in favor of shows with the current lineup.

Link to post
Share on other sites

You know it!

My favorite Era.

Listened to this show today. I'll be in the distinct minority around these parts, as much as I love everything Wilco and the entire ride that's been, my live show listening pleasure tilts decisively in favor of shows with the current lineup.

you are right, you are probably in the minority.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Listened to this show today. I'll be in the distinct minority around these parts, as much as I love everything Wilco and the entire ride that's been, my live show listening pleasure tilts decisively in favor of shows with the current lineup.

First of all...Great thread!!

Secondly, I absolutely agree with everything you've said here & especially let me enthusiastically join you in tilting decisively in favor of shows with the current lineup as well.

Link to post
Share on other sites

For me, enjoying different eras of live Wilco depends on my mood. Some days I love the rootsy sounds of the A.M. tour, others it's the modern day, tight and powerful six-piece. I do think the overall sound quality of recordings has gone down since 2003-04, but there still are some gems out there. The thing with the 2002-03 shows that I really love is how unpredictable they could be. The setlists were varied, you didn't know how long "Misunderstood" or "Sunken Treasure" would be on any given night, whether Jeff would go electric or acoustic on a tune, etc. There seemed to be more spontaneity.

 

That being said, I came into my Wilco fandom late in the game and have only seen the current lineup - so I'm sure I may feel different I'd had the opportunity to see different incarnations in person.

Link to post
Share on other sites

For me, enjoying different eras of live Wilco depends on my mood. Some days I love the rootsy sounds of the A.M. tour, others it's the modern day, tight and powerful six-piece. I do think the overall sound quality of recordings has gone down since 2003-04, but there still are some gems out there. The thing with the 2002-03 shows that I really love is how unpredictable they could be. The setlists were varied, you didn't know how long "Misunderstood" or "Sunken Treasure" would be on any given night, whether Jeff would go electric or acoustic on a tune, etc. There seemed to be more spontaneity.

 

That being said, I came into my Wilco fandom late in the game and have only seen the current lineup - so I'm sure I may feel different I'd had the opportunity to see different incarnations in person.

 

 

This is the way I view the Grateful Dead legacy, also -- so many various eras that are completely different from each other  ---- it all depends on my mood on any given day what I want to listen to.

 

It's great that a band evolves over time and (hopefully) keeps you interested to listen to the current incarnation and have the options (via boots) to visit the past.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I may be biased, both because it was my first Wilco show and because I just started a thread to see if anyone could send me the flac files for it because I only have an mp3 now, but Tampa 2005/02/16 was a fantastic show!

 

It was in a nice performing arts center, with awesome acoustics, so the recording came out great.  On top of that, it was an awesome setlist, with a wonderful closing "I shall be released". 

 

This venue has a pretty big gap between the first row and stage, and after about 10 tunes, Tweedy said something about how far away everyone was, so at this point people started getting up.  My seats were about 15 rows from the front, so me and my friend I came with jumped up and went to the front.  I ended up leaning on the stage in between Jeff and Nels.  Holy crap, my face hurt from smiling at the guitar awesomeness 5 feet in front of me!  These early 2005 shows were really unique in that Nels was still learning the songs, so Jeff played more guitar than he has for many years, and Nels has more improvisational parts than he did soon thereafter.

 

They played a nice drawn out version of Kingpin, and in the middle of it, this teenage girl three people to my right was talking on her cell phone.  Jeff asked her who she was talking to, and she said her mother, so Jeff asked if he could talk to her!  He took the phone, and had a little conversation with the girls mom, including saying "I'm Jeff, the singer of the band"! 

Link to post
Share on other sites
The tapes I have listened to the most:
 
August 01, 1995
Flood Zone
Richmond, VA
http://www.sooutoftune.org/concerts/481
Nice AM set.

December 14, 1996
Melkweg
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
http://www.sooutoftune.org/concerts/221
Will You Still Love Me tomorrow

November 19, 1999
Trocadero Theatre
Philadelphia, PA
http://www.sooutoftune.org/concerts/553
Pretty close to my first ever show (November 11, 1999, Town Hall, NYC).There is also a very good audience tape of this show.

August 12, 2000
Tribune Tower Plaza "Rock the River"
Chicago, IL
http://www.sooutoftune.org/concerts/54
Great FM Broadcast

September 18, 2000
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY
http://www.sooutoftune.org/concerts/188
45 minutes of Woody Guthrie and then a full Wilco show. Couple of first-time listens of YHF material, plus the Who intro to Outtasite. Great night, one of my favorite shows ever.

February 26, 2001
Irving Plaza
New York, NY
http://www.sooutoftune.org/concerts/797
The quintessential Jeff solo show. The 2001 tour had a distinctive sound I haven't heard since. Been close at times, but not quite.

July 04, 2001
Grant Park
Chicago, IL
http://www.sooutoftune.org/concerts/568
Another great broadcast and the debut of YHF, basically.

After this point, the only shows I listen to are tapes of shows I attended. Some of the more memorable ones are Irving Plaza NYC 2004, MSG NYC NYE 2004, Radio City NYC 2005, Sloss Furnace AL 2009, Wappingers Falls NY 2009. I'm also really partial to this tape:

July 28, 2012
Ommegang Brewery
Cooperstown, NY
http://www.sooutoftune.org/concerts/1005

Of the official releases, I have played the Solid Sound Covers show over and over and over. So awesome.

I'll also put in a vote for the better audience tapes. Sometimes the sdbds are just really flat and lifeless.
Link to post
Share on other sites

Just got the best one I could have ever hoped for today, & will be digging it all the way down to Baltimore, D.C. & on the way back too I'm sure...
In fact I'm soaking in it now...thanks Madge...and 'Ole TwoShedsJackson!!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Just got the best one I could have ever hoped for today, & will be digging it all the way down to Baltimore, D.C. & on the way back too I'm sure...

In fact I'm soaking in it now...thanks Madge...and 'Ole TwoShedsJackson!!

I'm pickin' up what you're puttin' down, Linclink. It's what i listened to about 4 times on the road from Norfolk to DC yesterday. It gets better and deeper with each listen. Won't Jeff be happy to see all of us singing along to this brand new stuff? :-)

Link to post
Share on other sites

I'm pickin' up what you're puttin' down, Linclink. It's what i listened to about 4 times on the road from Norfolk to DC yesterday. It gets better and deeper with each listen. Won't Jeff be happy to see all of us singing along to this brand new stuff? :-)

I'm grateful for the generosity of the elders of the high council of our order...soon we will all join together with others of our kind & wait for the sign that will show us it's time to don our blankets & walk into the desert...apparently, by this time we'll all be wearing white (like the bass player had done before us...) & if were lucky, this, this will be our soundtrack...

...unless the sign comes after the album comes out & then "Sukirae" will be soundtrack...have fun waiting for the sign, hope white is a good color for you & carry on then ;)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

×
×
  • Create New...