Wilco - 14 November 2016 Vienna, Austria (Museumsquartier)

[dasradiohead]

The boys must have got to Vienna early on Sunday (11/13). Was walking into the Burggarten around 1 pm and my girlfriend starts punching me in the arm, quietly calling me her brother's name. I turn just in time to see Jeff walking by. He must have realized he had been spotted as he was staring back or he recognized my Three Floyds hat. Either way, I'm glad it happened so quick neither of us had a chance to make it awkward for him. Austria has had a prolonged, exasperating election cycle as well with the conservative right poised to take control when they vote for president again in December. Here's hoping they play Christ for President as they did at most stops on their west coast run earlier in the year. Someone may have been requesting this every day for the last two months...

[dasradiohead]

Normal American Kids

If I Ever Was A Child
Cry All Day
You Are My Face

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
Art Of Almost
Pickled Ginger
Misunderstood 
Someone To Lose

Pot Kettle Black
Via Chicago
Reservations
Impossible Germany

Happiness
We Aren't The World (Safety Girl)
Box Full of Letters
Heavy Metal Drummer
I'm The Man Who Loves You
Hummingbird

Dawned On Me
The Late Greats
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Jesus, etc.

Locator

Random Name Generator
Spiders (Kidsmoke)
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California Stars (Feat. William Tyler)

[bböp]

I can confirm the accuracy of the above setlist. I believe this was only Wilco's third show ever in Austria, and only its second headlining gig. Don't have any time to really offer many details at the moment as an early flight beckons, but I personally had a lot of fun and it seemed like the band members were mostly back to their usual selves for maybe the first time since Election Day. Jeff had his "soapbox moment" again, as I'm sure dasradiohead or other attendees can describe. Otherwise, just a good solid show with surprisingly good sound up front — front fill monitors are always appreciated —and Nels in particularly seeming especially locked in after some early technical hiccups with his gear.

 

California Stars with William Tyler on electric guitar was especially poignant and cathartic, it seemed like. William and Nels jammed a little longer and harder during the end breakdown and there were some really sweet genuine hugs between William and Mike and William and Jeff as everyone left the stage together.

[dasradiohead]

Misunderstood had 10 "Nothing" if you include the two before Jeff starts repeating.

 

He was pretty quiet until after Impossible Germany. Then he thanked the crowd on behalf of Nels and instructed everyone to "settle down" as "we have an excruciatingly slow and sad song to play for you now". After Happiness, Jeff asked the crowd if they "had been drinking punch out of ceramic boots" and that he was "asking for a friend". Then he discussed how they were "pretty sad" to be playing here and went on to briefly discuss the election results but ended on a positive note by stating "we make change". He then continued "we are at the end of our sad song repertoire" and was again discussing the power of unity and music ending with "try and fuck with that", then strumming a chord which silenced everyone (a little to his surprise possibly), and finishing with "See?!?" After We Aren't The World (Safety Girl), Jeff clarified his previous comment about "being sad" to play here and that it was wonderful to be playing in Vienna on a Monday night in front of this crowd which drew scattered applause/cheers prompting Jeff to comment that "he thought the reaction would be bigger" but that it was "up to you" to decide how much to cheer.

 

ITMWLY started with Glenn standing on his drum kit, which I thought was only supposed to be done at Solid Sound from now on so perhaps someone can chime in on how often this has been happening.

 

Before California Stars, Jeff explained how the song was by Woody Guthrie and that "it was about a state that would put the loser of the election up by 1 million votes".

 

It was wonderful to see 7 songs off Schmilco played which I believe ties the greatest number played on this side of the pond. The crowd was perhaps a little subdued in the balcony where I was sitting but everyone was extremely polite without a word being spoken anywhere in the venue during songs. Thanks John and Misha for the pen to write down info. The venue was gorgeous with light colored curtains hung on the walls on both sides so when the lights facing the audience behind Glenn were being used, different sized shadows of all the band members danced on the walls. Which only added to the gorgeous stage design, the best I've seen. The tress are in three layers, one behind another, allowing them to use lights to bring different colors to different levels and throughout the show, invoke different seasons. The open surface behind Glenn showed every stage of the sun throughout the day including beautiful sunsets and ending with a starry night for California Stars, knocking it out of the park.

[xtintyx]

ITMWLY started with Glenn standing on his drum kit, which I thought was only supposed to be done at Solid Sound from now on so perhaps someone can chime in on how often this has been happening.

 

As far as I remember from their last show in Vienna, Glenn's pose at the beginning of ITMWLY is a tribut to Viennese composer Franz Schubert. This might explain the exception.

 

Besides that, I also can confirm that the sound was phenomenal throughout the whole floor. Stan is THE man!

[bböp]

As far as I remember from their last show in Vienna, Glenn's pose at the beginning of ITMWLY is a tribut to Viennese composer Franz Schubert. This might explain the exception.

 

I believe it actually started as a tribute to the Shellac drummer Todd Trainer, fwiw. I was about surprised he did it last night in Vienna but he also did it on the first night in Utrecht. And I believe he did it a few times in South America last month as well. So it seems that it's being revived a bit, maybe when the crowd seems right...

[dasradiohead]

There is an audience recording up on btetree and the same source can be found on dime.

 

http://bt.etree.org/details.php?id=589811