Wilco - 15 November 2016 Zurich, Switzerland (Volkshaus)

[dasradiohead]

25th show on my 34th birthday, woohoo!

[bböp]

Once again, it's tough to find time to do a comprehensive recapping when there are early-morning transit connections to make and packing to be done (and redone). I know, I know...these are good problems to have. Nonetheless, I'll attempt to keep this relatively brief and perhaps other folks will be able to fill in with anything I've missed...

 

The Volkshaus is the kind of venue that Wilco doesn't play much anymore, especially in America, so it's always nice to see a show there. It's basically a roughly 1,000-1,200 capacity hall with a relatively low stage, an open floor and balcony seating in a horseshoe shape. This was, I'm pretty sure, the third time the band has played it in the last decade so there must be something to it. Jeff even acknowledged that "we always have a good show (in Zurich)," and that trend continued tonight, even with a strict 10:30 p.m. curfew causing the omission of several songs on the printed setlist.

 

What we did get, though, was the combination of quiet, subdued moments along with unabashed, rocking ones that have characterized this European tour. The early back-to-back 1-2 punch of Bull Black Nova and Reservations, for example, was acoustic Wilco at its best and then the show-closing combination of Random Name Generator and Spiders (Kidsmoke) rocked just about as hard as anything the band does.

 

Between, there was relatively little from Banter Corner until Jeff introduced We Aren't The World (Safety Girl) as a song for these times or something to that effect. When there was an awkward smattering of applause, he joked, "OK, good talk." Continuing on, though, he said. "I'm not afraid. I know what to do." Then gesturing toward the audience and back toward himself and his bandmates, Jeff said, "This is exactly what we're supposed to be doing."

 

Later Jeff talked about the "common ground" we all share and revisited some of what he has said in the past about having more in common with one another than differences. "Fuck those assholes who believe there's a line between us," he said (though I was amused that he clarified his comment not long after when he looked down at the barricade between the stage and the front row and said he had to admit there actually was a literal line between us. Haha! ) Of course most everyone understood what he had meant...

 

That's about all I can muster for now, but with three shows left this year, we'll see if the band has anymore surprises up its proverbial sleeve. Whether or not it does, I have to say that it's been nice to have the comfort of this music and the community it has engendered to help deal with these turbulent times.

 

Here was the complete setlist, as played (Dawned On Me as the penultimate song of the main set and California Stars/A Shot in the Arm as the second encore were listed on the printed setlist but not played):

 

On and On and On

Normal American Kids

If I Ever Was A Child

Cry All Day

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart>

Art Of Almost

Pickled Ginger

Via Chicago

Bull Black Nova (acoustic arrangement)

Reservations

Impossible Germany

Misunderstood (hootenanny arrangement)

Someone To Lose

We Aren't The World (Safety Girl)

Box Full Of Letters

Cold Slope>

King Of You

Hummingbird

Heavy Metal Drummer>

I'm The Man Who Loves You

The Late Greats

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

Jesus, etc.

Locator

Random Name Generator

Spiders (Kidsmoke) (electric arrangement)

[dasradiohead]

Glenn was wearing Switzerland flag wristbands.

 

Misunderstood had 12 "Nothing" if you include the two before Jeff starts repeating.

 

There is an audience recording up on Dime, hopefully it'll be added to the archive later for all to access.

 

http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=576801