bböp Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 When Jeff Tweedy remarks upon first checking in with an audience, "We have a history," and winds up turning an ongoing bit near the end of the show on guitarists' "riff face" into an extended fart joke, you know it's going to be a slightly weird night on Banter Corner...The former was, of course, a reference to the last — and apparently, only other — time Jeff had played this venue, on Feb. 3, 2006, when he gave an infamous "talkers" speech/rant during a solo performance. (This moment was captured for posterity on the Sunken Treasure: Live in the Pacific Northwest DVD, and can also be seen on YouTube — though Jeff said that reading the comments section of that video revealed the "darkest side of humanity.") Fortunately, tonight's audience seemed to behave much better than the crowd at that long-ago gig and gave the Tweedy band a relatively warm welcome from the start.Having attended that 2006 performance as well as tonight's, I will say that the Crystal is still a weird room for live music. Whether it's the stage pushed into one corner of the room, or the divided nature of the floor into sections in which you are allowed or not allowed to consume alcohol in addition to a VIP section, or a balcony that is set way back in the opposite corner from the stage, I've always felt the room is a little strange acoustically. Add to that the thumping bass from the dance party one floor below and it's definitely not a totally ideal setting for the quieter portions of the show. And from an energy standpoint, it can be difficult to gauge whether an audience is really enjoying and engaging with a performer or not (or maybe that's just Portland crowds).To me, tonight's show didn't really seem to pick up full steam until toward the end of Jeff's solo set when he tried to" lighten things up a bit" by playing I'm A Wheel and, shortly thereafter, shifted from what he intended to play to grant an audience request for Gun. That in turn became a fun singalong for those in the crowd who knew the song and, from there, Jeff seemed to open up a bit and the show developed some flow (fart jokes nothwithstanding).I don't have a ton of recall right now on any specific bits of banter other than Jeff half jokingly offering to re-enact the speech he gave in 2006 as well as an amusing story about a previous visit to nearby Multnomah Falls on an off day (something the band apparently did again this time). The gist of the story was that Jeff had been hiking for several hours without running into anyone when he finally regained enough signal on his cell phone to check messages. Just then, he encountered someone wearing those shoes shaped like feet — which Jeff derided — whose first comment was "Can't get away from it, can you?" Jeff said, dryly, "I threw him off the mountain." But anyway, hopefully someone else will help me fill in whatever I've missed as I try to be coherent in the wee hours. For now, here was the complete setlist as played (Slow Love was on the printed setlist, but not played):HazelFake Fur Coat>Diamond Light, Pt. 1FloweringWorld AwayWait For Love%Summer NoonNew MoonNobody Dies Anymore*High As Hello*Love Like A Wire* [Diane Izzo]Low Key*I Am Trying To Break Your Heart^Remember The Mountain Bed^Hummingbird^One Wing^Via Chicago^I'm A Wheel^Jesus, etc.^Gun^Heavy Metal Drummer#Please Don't Let Me Be So UnderstoodOnly The Lord Knows*----------------------------------------God [John Lennon]The Losing End (When You're On)* [Neil Young]Give Back The Key To My Heart% [Doug Sahm]California Stars%* — with Sima Cunningham on backing vocals^ — Jeff Tweedy solo acoustic# — Jeff and Spencer Tweedy only% — with Sima Cunningham on backing vocals and Scott McCaughey on keyboard and backing vocals Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bböp Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 And here was the complete setlist, as played, for the Minus 5's opening set (the normal quartet of McCaughey, Buck, Pitmon and Giblin being joined tonight for the entirety of its set by Portland's own Casey Neill on electric guitar and backing vocals and for the end of its set by Tweedy multi-instrumentalist Liam Cunningham on keyboard): Remain In LifeboatIt's Magenta, Man!Hold Down The FortThe UnforeseenIt's Beautiful HereIn The GroundThe Zero ClownsAdios Half SoldierBlue Rickenbacker (with Liam Cunningham on keyboard)Aw Shit Man (with Liam Cunninghan on keyboard)My Generation (with Liam Cunningham on keyboard) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chrisha Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Thanks bbop!!! It is very much appreciated!! Hometown show for Peter & Scott! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nigel-Tufnel Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 I posted MP3s of my audience recording here: http://seenandheard.it/2015/03/tweedy-at-crystal-ballroom-2015-03-14/ I'll go through and try to minimize the occasional mic stand bumps and post the FLACs to etree within the week. Overall it came out pretty good for a recording from Crystal Ballroom. That place is weird. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Albert Tatlock Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Any variations during God?Don't believe in Wilco?Just believe in me, ??? and me?etc. Given JT has done it a few times, is there a 'standard' JT version of variations? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bböp Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 Any variations during God?Don't believe in Wilco?Just believe in me, ??? and me?etc. Given JT has done it a few times, is there a 'standard' JT version of variations?Last night it was "Spencer and me." I've heard it with "Wilco and me," and I'm sure some other slight variations as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Magnetized Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Last night it was "Spencer and me." I've heard it with "Wilco and me," and I'm sure some other slight variations as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Albert Tatlock Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 There is a video on YouTube of it now, but not with God in the title. Also this, more for the photos than the words. http://www.oregonlive.com/music/index.ssf/2015/03/live_review_tweedy_sukierae_crystal_ballroom.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DiamondClaw Posted March 17, 2015 Share Posted March 17, 2015 Just popping in to note that, on 3/14/15, Jeff failed to capitalize on the opportunity to play "Pecan Pie" at this show. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sandoz Posted March 19, 2015 Share Posted March 19, 2015 Just popping in to note that, on 3/14/15, Jeff failed to capitalize on the opportunity to play "Pecan Pie" at this show. Holy crap! Jeff totally dropped the ball on this one. Brilliant. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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