Wilco — 2 Sept. 2016, Seattle, WA (Moore Theatre)

[knotgreen]

Normal American Kids @

If I Were a Child

Cry All Day

Wishful Thinking

Misunderstood (9ish nothings)

Company in My Back

Joke Explained

Someone to Lose

Pot Kettle Black

Either Way

War on War

Reservations

Impossible Germany

Pick Up The Change

Nope

Always in Love

Passenger Side

Locator

Whole Love

Jesus Etc.

We Aren't The World

Hummingbird

-------------------

Spiders

-------------------

We've Been Had

Christ for President

Shot in the Arm

 

@ Jeff & Nels only

 

I'm no Bbop, and I will make no attempt at painting a full picture, but I can offer some observations:

 

The band took the stage at 8:30, and was finished at just shy of 10:30. The only deviation from the printed set list was the omission of California Stars in the second encore.

 

The stage set is the nicest the band has had in a very long time. I'm certain that I won't describe this well enough, but the branches arc in a way that sort of makes the stage feel smaller and more intimate. Cavernous, in a way.

 

Jeff didn't say very much until the band was nearly a dozen songs in. As always, there had been some people yelling requests in between songs, which led Jeff to finally quip: "I don't know what about this looks like we are taking requests. We've been up all night painting fucking leaves. We've put together a very tight program." Not long after there was a Freebird request which Jeff responded to with "When I'm in office all people who yell Free Bird are gone."

 

I was saying to my girlfriend prior to the show that I could do without Impossible Germany. I feel like IG is the Wilco song I've heard the most live. I really ate my words, because it was one of the most exciting versions I've seen yet. Nels was on fire. The crowd thought so too, because they gave him a standing ovation at the end. Jeff joked "Well... goodnight!"

 

I've been kind of lukewarm on Locator. It's a good song, but damn does it shine live. All of the new songs worked really well live, particularly in this not acoustic but not totally electric arrangement.

[TCP]

That stage looked great and that setlist was awesome. Reservations is great live. I've seen Wilco play Impossible Germany 3 times now but I've never seen Nels solo like that, jeeze. 
EDIT: Oh and the new Schmilco songs that haven't been released online (officially) by Wilco sounded great! I hope we get a few more tomorrow night. 

[Muzzle of Dan]

Was Spiders the electric version?

[TCP]

Yep! In all it's crunchy glory.

[Albert Tatlock]

"When I'm in office all people who yell Free Bird are gone.".

:-)

Nice review - ta

[Muzzle of Dan]

Yep! In all it's crunchy glory.

 

Hope is alive!  I requested the crap out of the electric version of Spiders last year before the Greek show in LA.  I had my fingers and toes crossed that they'd resurrect it after all the requests and wouldn't you know, they wait until the show after LA to start playing it again.  Glad to see it's still on the table a year later, even with the "quieter" vibe of all this Schmilco setup.  Cannot wait for those 3 nights in LA.  These setlists aregreat.  This is gonna be a fun tour to follow.

[The Inside of Outside]

Wishful Thinking
Company in My Back
Pot Kettle Black
Either Way

 

That's the "unpredictableness" some have been looking for! I also love the comment about putting together a tight program. That cracks me up.

[chuckrh]

just woke up. still stunned. reservations into impossible germany was the shet. & i didn't think we would get spiders. all i can say is wow! my friend was amazed. she had never seen the band & said it might be the best show we've gone to. high praise as we've seen some awesome stuff. i'm going solo tonight. she wishes she were going but had a commitment with her daughter. the audience sang along with shot in the arm beautifully. worthy of chicago. i was close enough to tell that the band was impressed. can't wait to see what's in store tonight. i rarely do multi night stands but this one is definitely worthy!

[unposedquestion]

That stage looked great and that setlist was awesome. Reservations is great live. I've seen Wilco play Impossible Germany 3 times now but I've never seen Nels solo like that, jeeze. 

EDIT: Oh and the new Schmilco songs that haven't been released online (officially) by Wilco sounded great! I hope we get a few more tomorrow night.

 

In my review of the Boise I forgot to mention that Nels did an amazing job on IG and also received an extended standing ovation. I'm paraphrasing but in his trademark style, Jeff said they were lucky to have him. Indeed!

 

And yes on the set! The lighting can completely transform it from one song to the next.

 

Jealous you guys got to hear 'Pot Kettle Black' and 'Spiders' - sounds like they will be mixing it up every show

[Drunken treasure]

Great show

[Drunken treasure]

Pretty funny when he said they were up all night painting leaves. Crowd was mellow and restrained but the energy was good. For me the show went by really fast, and I was looking for a longer encore, but it was all good. Really loved Jesus etc and either way, new songs were nice. I am bummed a bit that I saw them last year at red rocks 2 days before Star Wars came out and I missed all the Star Wars shows... I guess I got Schmilco'd! Going back for more tonight!!!!

[TCP]

Yeah I was really impressed with the background of the set, it would change colours between songs, some songs even had clouds that would move at different speeds!

My first Seattle (and US concert!). The crowd did a really good job singing along for A Shot in the Arm, but from at least where I was sitting (lower balcony) it was the worst crowd I've been in. People in front of us were talking the whole time, someone behind us took photos with their flash on throughout the entire concert which is just rude, and someone threw up not too far from us. Kudos to the staff though, they were super quick about cleaning it up. 

Joan Shelley was pretty good and her guitarist was very good. 

[chuckrh]

Yeah I was really impressed with the background of the set, it would change colours between songs, some songs even had clouds that would move at different speeds!

My first Seattle (and US concert!). The crowd did a really good job singing along for A Shot in the Arm, but from at least where I was sitting (lower balcony) it was the worst crowd I've been in. People in front of us were talking the whole time, someone behind us took photos with their flash on throughout the entire concert which is just rude, and someone threw up not too far from us. Kudos to the staff though, they were super quick about cleaning it up. 

Joan Shelley was pretty good and her guitarist was very good. 

I'm sorry you had a bad experience with the crowd. I was down in the front on the main floor & it was fine down there. I've seen the band countless times & this show would rank among the best. Last summer was mighty here with a very Nels-centric show but he was just as fantastic last night. Jeff was very engaged & funny. We sat right in front of him, leaning towards Nels. When he leaned out over the crowd during shot he he was 5-10 feet from us. One humourous note: it appeared (especially at the start of the show) that Pat & Glenn had perhaps visited a local "green" store. It didn't affect their playing but they definitely had the look, haha. Maybe over-indulged a wee bit. Easy to do & legal!

[lost highway]

someone behind us took photos with their flash on throughout the entire concert which is just rude, and someone threw up not too far from us.

Not to mention photographically pointless and therefore idiotic.

[chuckrh]

Just noticed. They did War on War, too.

[knotgreen]

Just noticed. They did War on War, too.

Oops. Added to the original post.

[Shug]

Hope is alive!  I requested the crap out of the electric version of Spiders last year before the Greek show in LA.  I had my fingers and toes crossed that they'd resurrect it after all the requests and wouldn't you know, they wait until the show after LA to start playing it again.  Glad to see it's still on the table a year later, even with the "quieter" vibe of all this Schmilco setup.  Cannot wait for those 3 nights in LA.  These setlists aregreat.  This is gonna be a fun tour to follow.

My thoughts exactly! I've never seen Spiders at all and definitely want to hear the electric version.  I did not get to see a Star Wars show when they were playing it almost every night and earlier this week I was afraid they were gonna quit electric Spiders a couple weeks before the shows we are seeing in LA.

[chuckrh]

some that i could seriously go for tonight:

radio cure

ashes of american flags

how to fight loneliness

 

just saying...

[Atticus]

Wow, Misunderstood sure was re-worked.

[TCP]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience with the crowd. I was down in the front on the main floor & it was fine down there. I've seen the band countless times & this show would rank among the best. Last summer was mighty here with a very Nels-centric show but he was just as fantastic last night. Jeff was very engaged & funny. We sat right in front of him, leaning towards Nels. When he leaned out over the crowd during shot he he was 5-10 feet from us. One humourous note: it appeared (especially at the start of the show) that Pat & Glenn had perhaps visited a local "green" store. It didn't affect their playing but they definitely had the look, haha. Maybe over-indulged a wee bit. Easy to do & legal!

It wasn't that bad, for the most part it was great, I'm sitting lower tonight which should hopefully be better! 

You know, I have to say for having marijuana legal here, I haven't seen it or even smelt it once since arriving yesterday AM. 

 

Is it usual for the band's photographer to take a picture of the crowd at the end of the show?

[knotgreen]

By my count there are four new Schmilco tracks that haven't been played live yet (Common Sense, Happiness, Quarters, and Just Say Goodbye). Hoping some make their live debut tonight!

[chuckrh]

It wasn't that bad, for the most part it was great, I'm sitting lower tonight which should hopefully be better! 

You know, I have to say for having marijuana legal here, I haven't seen it or even smelt it once since arriving yesterday AM. 

 

Is it usual for the band's photographer to take a picture of the crowd at the end of the show?

I've seen the photographer do that before. I'm not sure about the differences between the pot laws in different states. I'm told that in Denver, it is everywhere. Legally in Washington you can't smoke in public. I'm pretty sure in Seattle that's not really getting enforced too much. Outside the city could be a different story. I'll be sitting row A main floor right section on aisle 2. I'll be wearing a bright green hat. Stop by & say hi if you have a mind to. I've got a cane & will be flying solo tonight.

[TCP]

Ah! So sorry, I didn't see that until now, if I had I would have come over and said hi!

[chuckrh]

Ah! So sorry, I didn't see that until now, if I had I would have come over and said hi!

Hope you have had a good trip & come back sometime! The Paramount is a very nice venue, also. Bigger than the Moore but another really cool old theater. Good venue for sure! Safe travels back to Canada.

[u2roolz]

Some quick thoughts based off of the recording that I downloaded. I haven't listened to the 2nd show yet.

 

1. Jesus, etc. sounds rejuvenated! It's about time. I love the organ on it. Jeff sang the whole song and it made me fall in love with the song all over again and not want to skip it in person or on a live disc.

2. Locator is a beast now. Sounds much better than the MN show that was broadcast a few weeks ago. Love that double bass and the extended outro.

3 I'm Always In Love & A Shot In The Arm both sound amazing in this current stripped down version.

4. I'm extremely happy that they've been showcasing Reservations and nailing it.

5. All of the new songs sound amazing and have room to grow. Nope really comes alive and so does Cry All Day.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing this tour.