Jump to content

Wilco — 8/1/15, Bridgeport, CT (Seaside Park) [Gathering of the Vibes]


Recommended Posts

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to witness the Vibes being Gathered in person. But a source told me that the setlist looked something like this (looks like the band had quite a bit more on the printed list — after California Stars, there was still Kingpin, Red-Eyed>I Got You, Dawned On Me, Outtasite and The Late Greats listed — but time ran out):

 

More...

Random Name Generator

The Joke Explained

You Satellite

Taste The Ceiling

Picked Ginger

Where Do I Begin

Cold Slope>

King Of You

Magnetized

Handshake Drugs

Camera

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart>

Art Of Almost

Via Chicago

Shouldn't Be Ashamed

Walken

I'm The Man Who Loves You

Jesus, etc.

Born Alone>

Laminated Cat (aka Not For The Season)

Impossible Germany

Passenger Side

California Stars (with Warren Haynes on electric (slide) guitar and Joe Russo on percussion)

Link to post
Share on other sites

After weeks of being on the fence I was finally swayed by the prospect of the new Star Wars material and pulled the trigger on a single-day Saturday ticket for Vibes. Got to Seaside Park around 3:30 and caught all of Gaslight Anthem, Billy & The Kids (pleasantly surpised by this act), and Warren Haynes (featuring Railroad Earth) leading up to Wilco.

For anybody who has never been, there is a large U-shaped standing area in front of the stage that basically stretches back to near the soundboard behind which people are camped out on blankets, under tents, in chairs, etc. After each main act ends it's pretty easy to work your way up close to the stage. I moved up into the standing crowd near the end of Warren Haynes' set and once he finished was easily able to secure a nice spot one row off the rail directly in front of Pat's microphone.

 

One of the things I pay a lot of attention to over the years is all the various guitars that enter and exit the stage during a Wilco show. Having watched the video from the Pitchfork festival I saw that the guitar they set up for Pat pre-show was the same one he used to play pretty much all the Star Wars songs at Pitchfork (rather than his usual Tele) so I was fairly certain that we were going to get Star Wars right off the bat. A few minutes later EKG started playing and the band was on stage jumping right in to 'More...'

 

It was definitely exciting to see the new material live. Standouts for me were 'Random Name Generator', 'You Satellite', and surprisingly 'Pickled Ginger' which rocked pleasantly and resonated live with me in a way that it previously hadn't. I think any Wilco fan will be thrilled to see the band run through these new songs. Even more exciting though will be to see how they work the new songs into the set once they stop playing the album straight through.

Best I could tell the crowd responed really postively to everything. The band seemed to be in good spirits, Glenn and Nels were in top form (shocking right?) and from my spot I could really here a lot of Mikael's little electronic flourishes which sounded really fresh and interesting to me last night.

I got a pretty decent video of California Stars that I've posted to YouTube, search "Wilco with Warren Haynes - California Stars - Gathering of the Vibes 8/1/15" if you're interested in checking it out.

California Stars with Warren Haynes was probably the best version I've seen of the song (and I've seen all the Solid Sound sing-a-long versions and was at Newport when they sang it with Woody's granddaughter Sara). Warren really added a lot of tasty leads after almost every line Jeff sung, and had a memorable and formidable little back-n-forth with Nels Cline that brought the song to a peak after almost seven minutes. Eventhough I felt the set could have used a few more rockers at the end this was probably a perfect ending for this setting.

Jeff said very little throughout the show, hardly any banter, although he did note at one point that it was "Nice to see so many vibes gathered in one place", which I thought was pretty funny.

Stayed to catch a little of Warren Haynes and the Seaside All-Stars, which was really an incredible band of musicians, who weaved through a set which to me was highligted by a cover of Radiohead's 'Karma Police' which segued into an extended jam playing off the Bond-esque riff section of 'Paranoid Android' - very cool!

I'm posting a vid of 'California Stars' to YouTube which should be up shortly - search "Wilco with Warren Haynes - California Stars - Gathering of the Vibes 8/1/15" if you're interested...

Link to post
Share on other sites

Agree with those comments about good spirits and well performed and also that crowd seemed receptive to the new material. We were on the rail center and some Wilco fans around but much less so in this festival related setting than at a regular Wilco show. I think the crowd enjoyed the show for sure and many probably did not know what was old v. new tunes.  Band is just performing at such a high level and like Pitchfork the new album was played so well live that you have to figure they played it straight through many times in the loft or wherever just to be that tight and flowing on the material. Great day/night of music.  Agree about Warren adding considerably to California Stars. Sneaking it on to youtube now and i think over 6 minutes because of the extended back and forth between Warren and Nels. I think first time with Warren since maybe Hoboken, or do i remember that incorrectly?  

Link to post
Share on other sites

Glad I went… Random Name Generator then The Joke Explained is a great combo… also Cold Slope > King of You is really incredible.  Good vibes all around and a nice summer night rock concert… I felt like there was a nice mix of fans and those curious to check out Wilco… either way we all left satisfied!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Cali Stars gets the Allman's dual guitar treatment at the end there. Nels and Warren really seem to enjoy playing together. Clocking in at 7 minutes, wow. Next time bring Warren out for Handshake Drugs or a better jamming tune. But I can't complain, much.

Link to post
Share on other sites

As far as crowd reception goes I started the Wilco set in the taping section, I was in the front row there and from the tapers around me no one was looking forward to the set, I only stayed for the first song making sure my levels were good, no one seemed into it, but tapers are more focused on the recording during the first song so I'll give them a pass.  I went back to my girlfriend and some other friends after that, kinda near the tapers, the crowd was completely not into it, some looked totally bored.  After Satellite my gf wanted to go up front, it was just her second Wilco experience (Solid Sound being the first) and her first Vibes (I go every year, it's put on by my friends afterall), I'm not an up front person, it gets crazy up there, but we went, the crowd up there was great, they were clearly into it and most were singing, clearly this is where the Wilco fans were.  So from three locations I'd have to say a very mixed reception to the new songs, I was up front for the classics and everyone loved it.  I walked around after the set and I bumped into some friends at various locations none of which were Wilco fans and the phrase I heard most was 'I get it now'.  The announcer after their set said something along the lines of 'i don't know if you're religious or believe in god, but that was special', I'll get the full quote from the recording later, but he was clearly into it asking the crowd several times if they thought Wilco should come back.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Bosco, sounds similar to what I experienced/observed at Lockn', which draws from a similar audience as Vibes.  Only at Lockn' (where Wilco performed not once but twice), Peter Shapiro didn't come on stage and ask if Wilco should come back.  They're not back this year, to my great disappointment. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Bosco, sounds similar to what I experienced/observed at Lockn', which draws from a similar audience as Vibes.  Only at Lockn' (where Wilco performed not once but twice), Peter Shapiro didn't come on stage and ask if Wilco should come back.  They're not back this year, to my great disappointment. 

 

I was at Lockin', from where I was, on the rail behind VIP, the people seemed into it, maybe not enthusiastic, but both days the crowd started to build up there before the sets as if they were waiting for Wilco.  Wilco are not a Jam band and in that circle that's a bad thing, it's unfortunate that the kids today think that way but they do.

 

I'm not sure Wilco not being at Lockin' this year means anything more then Wilco probably not wanting to do the same festivals every year, this year was not the first year they were asked to play the Vibes for instance and Shapiro did have them play three nights at the Capitol after Lockin'.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I was close up front at Lockn', so my take on many of the crowd's attitude towards Wilco comes from posts on the Lockn' forum and from seeing people leave the front area before their sets.

 

I assumed the Lockn' and Cap Theater shows were all part of the same deal with Shapiro. I caught one of the Cap shows. Encouraging news today, on the Cap Theater FB page they posted a Great photo of all of Tweedy's guitars from Vibes with the question who wants to see Wilco back at the Cap? So, hopeful for a return multi night run in Portchester.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Link to post
Share on other sites

I was close up front at Lockn', so my take on many of the crowd's attitude towards Wilco comes from posts on the Lockn' forum and from seeing people leave the front area before their sets. I assumed the Lockn' and Cap Theater shows were all part of the same deal with Shapiro. I caught one of the Cap shows. Encouraging news today, on the Cap Theater FB page they posted a Great photo of all of Tweedy's guitars from Vibes with the question who wants to see Wilco back at the Cap? So, hopeful for a return multi night run in Portchester. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Another multi night run at the Capitol Theater would simple be a capital idea!!! The last 3 night run there, for the 20th Anniversary shows last October, resulted in Roadcase Shows #37, 38 & 39. I was Blessed to be able to make all three.

That picture looks like a picture perfect ad for Souldier Guitar Straps!! I don't think I spy a single strap that's not a Souldier Strap. There my absolute faves & I own over half a dozen, but under a dozen, myself- though I've never bought any of the ones I've seen Wilco use, or any that are in this backstage photo either.

https://www.facebook.com/108844062482118/photos/a.110475315652326.8938.108844062482118/1010289212337594/?type=1&theater

Link to post
Share on other sites

As far as crowd reception goes I started the Wilco set in the taping section, I was in the front row there and from the tapers around me no one was looking forward to the set, I only stayed for the first song making sure my levels were good, no one seemed into it, but tapers are more focused on the recording during the first song so I'll give them a pass.  I went back to my girlfriend and some other friends after that, kinda near the tapers, the crowd was completely not into it, some looked totally bored.  After Satellite my gf wanted to go up front, it was just her second Wilco experience (Solid Sound being the first) and her first Vibes (I go every year, it's put on by my friends afterall), I'm not an up front person, it gets crazy up there, but we went, the crowd up there was great, they were clearly into it and most were singing, clearly this is where the Wilco fans were.  So from three locations I'd have to say a very mixed reception to the new songs, I was up front for the classics and everyone loved it.  I walked around after the set and I bumped into some friends at various locations none of which were Wilco fans and the phrase I heard most was 'I get it now'.  The announcer after their set said something along the lines of 'i don't know if you're religious or believe in god, but that was special', I'll get the full quote from the recording later, but he was clearly into it asking the crowd several times if they thought Wilco should come back.

I got a text that said, "Wilco is a drag." Another good friend thought it was horrible. A few other friends said that there were some "cool moments." So yeah, whatever...more for me. I left my friends in VIP. And I spent the Wilco part of the show alone. I was about 20 rows away in the center. I had tons of room to dance so that was great and nobody "bad vibed" me about dancing so that was fantastic. I'm used to being alone at Wilco so no biggie. Some people near me knew Wilco but most didn't know any Star Wars. People near me seemed 1/2 tuned in. Some people ran from the front from EKG through More. The best part for me was seeing how happy (John, Pat and Glenn) were to be playing with Warren. That was beautiful. Guess I'll have to go every Julie Wilco show now. I can't break the pattern. I couldn't come back to you guys, it was too dark; uneven surfaces and it's disorienting. Love you both.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I got a text that said, "Wilco is a drag." Another good friend thought it was horrible. A few other friends said that there were some "cool moments." So yeah, whatever...more for me. I left my friends in VIP. And I spent the Wilco part of the show alone. I was about 20 rows away in the center. I had tons of room to dance so that was great and nobody "bad vibed" me about dancing so that was fantastic. I'm used to being alone at Wilco so no biggie. Some people near me knew Wilco but most didn't know any Star Wars. People near me seemed 1/2 tuned in. Some people ran from the front from EKG through More. The best part for me was seeing how happy (John, Pat and Glenn) were to be playing with Warren. That was beautiful. Guess I'll have to go every Julie Wilco show now. I can't break the pattern. I couldn't come back to you guys, it was too dark; uneven surfaces and it's disorienting. Love you both.

 

Sounds like we ended up right near each other anyway cause that's where we were, did you hear the idiot screaming 'Bobby and the Midnights!' between each song?

 

They all looked so happy with Warren, I was looking all over the stage to see who was playing violin! 

 

I'm still hoping for a Maine trip soon...

Link to post
Share on other sites

Sounds like we ended up right near each other anyway cause that's where we were, did you hear the idiot screaming 'Bobby and the Midnights!' between each song?

 

They all looked so happy with Warren, I was looking all over the stage to see who was playing violin! 

 

I'm still hoping for a Maine trip soon...

Haha no, I didn't hear that idiot. I agree the whole band looked happy but John was jumping out of his skin. Yes, come to Maine open invite for that whole brood. Baseball, beaches, breweries, Boston buddy (that's me), bald dogs (that's Thelma), Bates & Bowdoin (for Joey & Emma) & some cool music coming up too. FB or text me if you want to figure something out for the summer. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

More...

Random Name Generator

The Joke Explained

You Satellite

Taste The Ceiling

Picked Ginger

Where Do I Begin

Cold Slope>

King Of You

Magnetized

Do you think the full album performance of Star Wars will continue in LA tomorrow? Would love to witness this with my own eyes/ears!

Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't see why it wouldn't... :guitar

 

Nice apprenticeship entry by Dvigs24, but I'm looking forward to the return of the R. R. Martin of showtime reviewers, though possibly with less tits* and mutilation.

 

* Unless Josh makes an appearance

Link to post
Share on other sites

Nice apprenticeship entry by Dvigs24, but I'm looking forward to the return of the R. R. Martin of showtime reviewers, though possibly with less tits* and mutilation.

 

* Unless Josh makes an appearance

If you're referring to me, Herr Tatlock, I shall endeavour to live up to your (entirely too complimentary) characterization!

 

No tits and mutilation forthcoming. Bubble and squeak, perhaps...

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...