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Wilco — 1/29/16, Boston, MA (Orpheum Theatre) [Night 1 of 2]


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I'm curious what others in the balcony thought of the Star Wars reception. It was polite, but it didn't seem like many knew it. There was no movement to stand (if random name generator isn't a song to stand for, I don't know what is), and you satellite seemed to lose the attention of some.

I agree that it has a typical new or recently new group of songs reception. A band that's twenty years now has some core they have to do (generally that is). Kudos for them continuing to take chances and at the peril of loosing their connection to the Old Crowd .. They bring fresh and interesting. I actually think it was received by Boston just a bit more livelier than Portland.

I hand no doubt I will here SW again tonight and I will both enjoy it and show appreciation.

So Glad they are Back in Boston!!

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I'm curious what others in the balcony thought of the Star Wars reception. It was polite, but it didn't seem like many knew it. There was no movement to stand (if random name generator isn't a song to stand for, I don't know what is), and you satellite seemed to lose the attention of some.

In center balcony it seemed to be lukewarm, but I was closer to the front so did not have the best vantage point. Most of Star Wars was clouded by two guys who were standing in the dead center of the front row of the balcony and nobody behind them wanted to stand. This resulted in a lot of (let's say) angry remarks shouted at them for most of the album including during the first half of songs. The two guys were pretty disrespectful about it to the people behind them and eventually were removed by staff during "Company In My Back" to great cheers (I'm interested to see if you can hear it in the tape).

 

It's a double-edged sword because those people blocked payed for their tickets as well and should have a good time, but one of the people shouting during the songs had a similar vantage point as I and could see the stage. It is a concert which people came to see, but mostly (at least in my opinion) to hear. So I was pretty pissed by both parties, but at least I could understand the people behind them (even if I advocate for standing during concerts). Either way, our section of the balcony was easily more preoccupied with that drama unfolding than the concert and the mood instantly flipped when the guys were escorted out of the balcony. 

 

I'll be more interested in Star Wars tonight, provided something else doesn't provoke an angry, shout-filled listening experience.

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My friends who were in ROw J of the balcony said the sound was excellent.  And they were happy to be sitting, and had no one standing in front of them.

That is good news for me because I am in row J tonight! (I'll be too nerdy in my cherry ghost t-shirt). I was in Row E 213/214 last night and the sound itself was great. The two guys in question were in D about at say 209-210. Everywhere else didn't have much standing from when I looked back except maybe the upper orchestra and eventually most of the area to the right of the entry (even side) from about halfway up to the upper orchestra which I don't remember happening until after Star Wars.

 

I was really pleased by the AGIB tracks last night and I thought "Late Greats" killed it. Kinda bummed about the lack of "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" but I've my fingers crossed. What did people think of the IG solo? I really liked it, and I'm usually mixed because I prefer when Nels uses more melodic flourish and he can (sometimes) go pretty a-tonal on the improv portion. 

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I was a bit disappointed that this happened. Wilco hasn't played Pittsburgh in six years, and the time they finally come in my favorite Pittsburgh venue I'm out of town. It's a shame not to be able to see them in my hometown, but I am blessed to be able to go on vacation. If I was there, there might have been a decent chance of Let's Not Get Carried Away.

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I was in the middle of that balcony yelling, befuddled, just a row behind the standers, who were far from disrespectful. I couldn't believe how calm they were considering the vitriol hurled at them. They were smiling, trying to shake hands, inviting people to stand up.

 

The constant yelling was far worse than a couple people standing up at a rock show.

 

Mind-bogglingly, people to the side of them were yelling too. That's right, people who were only slightly blocked by them were yelling fuck you and asshole.

 

A couple ushers came and went, and talked with them. Then security, who brought them to much better seats in the orchestra. They were not ejected for being dicks, but rather upgraded due to the lameness of people who'd rather berate fellow concertgoers than roll with a situation.

 

A few songs later everyone was on their feet for heavy metal drummer.

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I was in the middle of that balcony yelling, befuddled, just a row behind the standers, who were far from disrespectful. I couldn't believe how calm they were considering the vitriol hurled at them. They were smiling, trying to shake hands, inviting people to stand up.

 

The constant yelling was far worse than a couple people standing up at a rock show.

 

Mind-bogglingly, people to the side of them were yelling too. That's right, people who were only slightly blocked by them were yelling fuck you and asshole.

 

A couple ushers came and went, and talked with them. Then security, who brought them to much better seats in the orchestra. They were not ejected for being dicks, but rather upgraded due to the lameness of people who'd rather berate fellow concertgoers than roll with a situation.

 

A few songs later everyone was on their feet for heavy metal drummer.

I would agree with you that the people shouting were tenfold more irritating and concert-ruining (there is one guy in particular I'm thinking of) than the two guys, but gauge the room, the majority didn't want to stand and the guys didn't give a shit. That's rude even if it's fun. Also, some people stood for "Heavy Metal Drummer", more stood for "I Am the Man Who loves You" and then those that had stood in the center balcony sat back down until the last couple songs before the encore. Standing commitment in that area was lackluster at best and the night suffered for it. Frankly it was kinda embarrassing to be at a rock show where so many people upstairs wanted to sit the whole show. 

Did anybody even stand in the mezzanine? 

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I would agree with you that the people shouting were tenfold more irritating and concert-ruining (there is one guy in particular I'm thinking of) than the two guys, but gauge the room, the majority didn't want to stand and the guys didn't give a shit. That's rude even if it's fun. Also, some people stood for "Heavy Metal Drummer", more stood for "I Am the Man Who loves You" and then those that had stood in the center balcony sat back down until the last couple songs before the encore. Standing commitment in that area was lackluster at best and the night suffered for it. Frankly it was kinda embarrassing to be at a rock show where so many people upstairs wanted to sit the whole show.

Did anybody even stand in the mezzanine?

 

I was Row C in the left center mezz for night 2, and nobody stood except for a couple who were up and dancing a few seats down from my wife. What a mess that turned into. People behind them were yelling and screaming at them the entire show, until security escorted the dancers out. The people behind them yelling and causing all the commotion should have been thrown out IMHO. My view, if you want to dance at a rock show, too bad on the folks behind. It's a freaking rock show, you should expect folks to be up on their feet. We weren't at Symphony Hall. Funny thing was at some point deep into the show I turned my head and the entire middle section of the balcony was up on their feet.

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for the first night i was in teh 2nd to last row of the front orchestra section so i couldn't see the balcony at all, but last night i turned to look a few times and it seemed like everyone was sitting down the whole night.


btw, i had 7th row seats that were great for the first few songs, and then a late comer pushed everyone in the row in front of me down a seat, and suddenly Yao Ming was planted between me and Tweedy.

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