Wilco — 13 June 2017, Indianapolis, IN (Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River State Park)

[bböp]

I'm not sure I'll be able to do all of it (any of it?) justice but when it comes to the bantering Jeff, what a difference a couple of nights apparently makes. While he hardly said anything in Louisville on Sunday evening, Jeff was definitely in a much chattier mood tonight in Indianapolis — and that always makes for an amusing and fun show.

 

The dreadfully named Farm Bureau Insurance Lawn at White River State Park is an uncovered outdoor venue in downtown Indy that is basically a big field that, for tonight's show anyway, was separated by barricades into sections of reserved seating (in extremely low beach chairs, no less) and a general admission lawn. I've seen at least one other show there where the front section was general admission as well, but at least most of the reserved-seat crowd stood up from the start and remained standing throughout. I wouldn't say it was an extremely enthusiastic audience, at least around me, but I think there were some pretty excited younger fans right up front and various pockets of folks elsewhere who were also super into it.

 

Whether Jeff's chatty evening can be attributed to the delightful weather — a mid-day storm cooled off what was supposed to be a scorcher of a day — or the lack of the insect infestation that occurred nearly nine years ago when Wilco last played this venue or another reason altogether, he started talking relatively early on in the show. Calling out his own lyric flub in Company In My Back, Jeff apologized "to anyone who noticed that I sang the third verse twice. To everyone else who didn't notice, buy a record. Maybe I won't be able to slip it by you next time."

 

Later, after another standout performance of Impossible Germany, Jeff pointed to Nels as he often does and the crowd responded with a nice ovation. Jeff then added, jokingly, "Nels kindly asked us to go around the stage and each say something nice about him. For me, it's a blessing to stand next to you every night and watch you shred. ... It's nice of you to shred for the American people. Maybe we'll get to everyone else later." Of course that didn't happen, but it was still an amusing moment, if only because of Nels' utterly humble nature (in stark contrast to a certain chief executive).

 

Almost certainly the funniest banter of the night came when Jeff spotted someone in the front wearing a U2 tour t-shirt and asked if they had just seen U2. When the person replied that they had just seen them in Chicago, Jeff sarcastically asked, "Who has the better light show?" And then, gesturing at Wilco's "fauxliage" stage design, he asked, "Did they have a forest?" When the U2 fan replied that they had a tree —obviously referring to the giant Joshua Tree set that is part of U2's current tour — Jeff added, "They had just one tree? That's pathetic! I always said about those guys that they don't know how to put on a show." Jeff continued, "Does anyone have a white flag? I feel like prancing around with a white flag. Sometimes (the Wilco band members) don't start the next song because they want me to keep going and hang myself."

 

Of course Jeff couldn't resist one more gentle poke at the Irish rock legends. Later, after Glenn had been coaxed to stand on his drum stool to emphatically kick off I'm The Man Who Loves You, Jeff asked, "Did (U2 drummer) Larry Mullen Jr. ever stand up on his drum kit? I don't think so."

 

Another bit of interaction Jeff had with a fan toward the front came late in the main set when he saw them holding up a nice sign requesting what I can only assume was Remember The Mountain Bed. "I appreciate the sign, but that ship has sailed. We don't have time for a nine-verse folk song. ... I don't want your arms to get tired, but it's not going to happen. You should listen to it on the way home. I think there's like a thousand versions (out there)."

 

Other brief stops on Banter Corner included Jeff joking about how he wished the crowd could've seen the full light show, but the band started the show a little too early (i.e. before it got fully dark). Without missing a beat, though, Jeff quipped, "It only gets more exciting from here." And then a couple of songs later, Jeff said in typical deadpan fashion, "Remember when I warned you there were more sad songs coming? Buckle up." He also modified a line he has used before, calling the Tuesday night crowd "at least a Thursday night audience."

 

Anyway, that was just about all of the banter that I jotted down. Apart from that, I would say that the musical highlights for me included Sunken Treasure (with Jeff adding the line "It's not the same without rock and roll,"); War On War (in which he said "Let's try it" instead of the usual "That's right," after the "You have to learn how to die/If you want to want to be alive" couplet); and I'm Always In Love (which Jeff played with what looked to me like a hollow-body electric guitar that created a nice fuzzy tone.

 

By the time opening act Kacy & Clayton (and their rhythm section) came out to join Wilco during the second encore on the show-closing California Stars — which I believe is the first time that has happened with K&C — the audience had been treated to another enjoyable performance by a band that definitely seemed to be enjoying itself plenty on this night.

 

Here was the complete setlist, as played (I didn't get a look at a printed setlist, so can't say for sure if there were any omissions/changes):

 

Ashes Of American Flags

Normal American Kids

If I Ever Was A Child

Cry All Day

Company In My Back

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart>

Art Of Almost

Pickled Ginger

Sunken Treasure (acoustic arrangement — Jeff on acoustic guitar, Pat on keyboard)

Someone To Lose

War On War

Via Chicago

Impossible Germany

We Aren't The World (Safety Girl)

Box Full Of Letters

Theologians

I'm Always In Love

Heavy Metal Drummer>

I'm The Man Who Loves You

Hummingbird

The Late Greats

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

Random Name Generator

Jesus, etc.

Locator

Spiders (Kidsmoke) (electric arrangement)

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

California Stars (with Kacy & Clayton and band on backing vocals, electric guitar and percussion)

[Albert Tatlock]

A fun, banter-filled night outdoors in Indy! More to come...

You big banter tease you.

[bböp]

You big banter tease you.

 

I didn't wait too long to get it all down, at least! Ta for reading! (And be safe! What is happening over there these days !?!?)

[Albert Tatlock]

I didn't wait too long to get it all down, at least! Ta for reading! (And be safe! What is happening over there these days !?!?)

Just too much news ... now the big fire this morning.

 

Chin up though.

 

 

 

P.S. Great report!

[fif1435]

Nice recap to a fantastic show!  I will say that the crowd was full of energy and excitement where we were standing (far left side, reasonably close to the front).  Most people, including my small group, stood the entire time.  The few times I glanced behind looked like the rest of the crowd were on their feet too.

We were there the last time they played this venue and I remember the bugs being brought up at that time.  Seems like Jeff said something back then about swallowing bugs (while singing) and "I'm full".  So I thought it was funny that he pointed out the lack of bugs last night.

Great show!  I can't add any more except that I really feel lucky to be able to see such a special band.  Wilco has brought so much fun and happiness to my life (and my family's, who used to just indulge me but now actively participate in my Wilco obsession), there's just no way I can thank them.  But...THANKS WILCO!!!

[ditty]

What a great night.  bböp hit all the details.  It’s been 9 months since we had last seen Wilco at Pritzker and many songs had fresh moments, including the aforementioned I’m Always in Love.  The one thing I can add, and this has likely been happening for a while, during Impossible Germany, this is one the first times that Pat did not jaunt go over to Jeff during Nels solo likely due to the very intimate stage space.  The lights are top notch and add nice moments and the sound was great as always!  I wish we could make it to Eau Claire and Solid Sound.  Enjoy the next 2 weeks everyone. 

[ditty]

Another bit of interaction Jeff had with a fan toward the front came late in the main set when he saw them holding up a nice sign requesting what I can only assume was Remember The Mountain Bed. "I appreciate the sign, but that ship has sailed. We don't have time for a nine-verse folk song. ... I don't want your arms to get tired, but it's not going to happen. You should listen to it on the way home. I think there's like a thousand versions (out there)."

 

I believe I now recall that Jeff also said regarding the RTMB sign "they have a set list, they made a program for us" 

[theashtraysays]

Another bit of interaction Jeff had with a fan toward the front came late in the main set when he saw them holding up a nice sign requesting what I can only assume was Remember The Mountain Bed. "I appreciate the sign, but that ship has sailed. We don't have time for a nine-verse folk song. ... I don't want your arms to get tired, but it's not going to happen. You should listen to it on the way home. I think there's like a thousand versions (out there)."
 

I believe I now recall that Jeff also said regarding the RTMB sign "they have a set list, they made a program for us" 

This does not bode well for us sign-toters. 

[Magnetized]

Later, after another standout performance of Impossible Germany, Jeff pointed to Nels as he often does and the crowd responded with a nice ovation. Jeff then added, jokingly, "Nels kindly asked us to go around the stage and each say something nice about him. For me, it's a blessing to stand next to you every night and watch you shred. ... It's nice of you to shred for the American people. Maybe we'll get to everyone else later."

I love how Jeff drops in a sly political reference like this and doesn't check in to make sure the audience gets it. I wonder how many in the crowd had watched the cringeworthy cabinet meeting.

[choo-choo-charlie]

I love how Jeff drops in a sly political reference like this and doesn't check in to make sure the audience gets it. I wonder how many in the crowd had watched the cringeworthy cabinet meeting.

I think you'd have to be completely disconnected from the world or possible living in a cave to not have heard about the cabinet meeting.