Jeff Tweedy — 2 December 2016, Chicago, IL (Chateau du Polpettino) [Letters To Santa Living Room Show]

[bböp]

After some last-minute scrambling to push this show up by a day so that Jeff could get decked out in a tuxedo and escort the wonderful Mavis Staples to the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C., I'm happy to report that this year's final Living Room Show benefitting Letters to Santa (via Onward Neighborhood House) otherwise went off without a hitch.

 

The Tweedys once again demonstrated their amazing generosity in so many ways, and a beautiful night was had by all who were able to attend. It's hard to express how much it means to share this experience with a group of people you love, many of who've been friends for a long time, and to know that it helps to change the lives of people who really need it. To paraphrase Jeff's comment during the show, it really helps to restore a lot of the beneficiaries' faith in humanity — something which we could all use more of, especially during these times.

 

Anyway, huge thanks go out to old-school VCer imdwalrus and his wife Elizabeth (and their adorable Lhasa Apso, Polpettino) for hosting us all this year and to the esteemed Johnny Lackey for his work on what turned out to be a totally gorgeous show block-print poster based on a photo of Jeff performing at this year's Pickathon Music Festival outside of Portland, OR. (Hopefully someone more technically adept than I will post a photo of it here eventually).

 

From a musical standpoint, I will say that a number of covers were requested but it seemed like Jeff just wasn't in a mood to try any of them on this particular night. Which is completely fine. Because of the acoustics of the room, he did play some of the quieter songs either while kneeling or sitting on a little ottoman, almost in the round ("Iron Sausage doesn't play in the round!"), which made the whole thing feel much more intimate at times. To me, it was in keeping with the true spirit of a living room show in nearly every sense.

 

I'm grateful to have been able to attend and to Jeff and Susan and this group of people for being so generous with their time and money and talent and energy in the name of this great cause. Hopefully a few other attendees will chime in here at some point, but for now, here was the complete setlist as played:

 

New Madrid

Radio King

No Sense In Lovin'

A Magazine Called Sunset

Lost Love

Poor Places

Either Way

Please Tell My Brother

Via Chicago (with harmonica)

Cry All Day

Country Disappeared

Honey Combed

You Are My Face

The Ruling Class

The Unwelcome Guest

I Can't Keep From Talking

A Shot in the Arm

More Like The Moon

Just A Kid

If I Ever Was A Child (with Brooke Brown on acoustic guitar)

Someone To Lose

Only The Lord Knows

Acuff-Rose

I'm A Wheel

Reservations

California Stars (with Brooke Brown on ukulele and Jeff Wolniakowski and Rob Szyman on acoustic guitar)

Laminated Cat (aka Not For The Season)

Candyfloss

Dreamer In My Dreams

[nalafej]

Way to go whoever chose Lost Love. That's a great solo acoustic choice.

[Magnetized]

Kudos to whoever requested More Like the Moon. That was my top request at both Vic charity shows earlier this year and I was denied both nights. I've never heard that one live.

 

Also, I Can't Keep From Talking. There's a nice ironic touch to having Jeff play that in such an intimate setting with longtime fans.

 

Sounds like a great night!

[blureu]

Unwelcome Guest? That's a rare one.

[Preferred B]

Unwelcome Guest? That's a rare one.

 

a.k.a. "The Unwelcome Request," as Jeff jokingly (*ahem*) referred to it.  I'm thankful he decided to play it; it sounded great. 

 

It was a wonderful night; one I'm so happy to have spent with friends old and new. Already having wistful thoughts of desserts not eaten.

[Albert Tatlock]

Unwelcome Guest? That's a rare one.

Ditto. Years ago I always used to request it but then gave up as it seemed like it would never happen. I like Billy B, but JTs harmonies on the MA version are the highlight of the album for me. Always wanted to hear JT sing the whole song - though maybe that means he doesn't do the harmony part as I would need to hear it He would need John to fill in there.

[Preferred B]

And I don't know how much technical proficiency factors into this particular post, but here's Johnny's lovely print as currently being flattened on my coffee table between a book and Kleenex box.

 

[radiatortunes]

Wow, that's a great poster!

[H.Stone]

It was a wonderful night! I think you're right, Paul, that the roaming and ottoman-sitting contributed to an especially intimate feel. Thanks to the Tweedys and the hosts for their incredible generosity. And a special thanks to whoever brought those LEMON BARS. I've been dreaming of them since.

 

There were so many great requests, and You Are My Face was an especially nice surprise. Country Disappeared, Reservations... *sigh* I wish I could bottle all the things a night like that makes me feel. So thankful!