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Wilco — 1 October 2017, Austin, TX (Bass Concert Hall)


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**edit: It feels weird to be waking up and writing this while listening to the horrible news about the Las Vegas shooting. Anytime something like this happens, especially at a concert, it makes you feel especially vulnerable. Obviously condolences to all of the victims and those affected by the tragic events.**

 

Apart from Chicago and San Francisco, Austin is probably the city in which Wilco has performed most regularly over the years and in which it has had some of its most receptive audiences. The vast majority of those shows, maybe all, have taken place at gritty general admission venues like Stubb's, so last night's performance at the formal Bass Concert Hall was certainly a different experience for the band. Whether it was due to it being a Sunday night or the venue itself, which features amazingly long, uninterrupted rows of seating (maybe 40 seats across without any aisles, at the widest point) and two balconies, it definitely took some time for band and audience to get in sync — if it ever really did.

 

From the outset, the majority of the audience remained in its seats instead of standing from the start as has happened in many of the other reserved-seat theaters Wilco has primarily played on the Schmilco tour. In fact Jeff's first significant comments of the evening concerned exactly that, saying it had been "a long time" since the band had played in front of a seated crowd, not that it was telling people what to do. "I kinda like getting a standing ovation after every song," he joked. "It's pretty nice." When a few pockets of people near the stage stood in response, Jeff responded, "It's Sunday night; I don't think you have enough people on your side." Then he continued, "It's OK. I know you're tired. We're tired, too. ... We're gonna play all our slow, sad songs, anyway," adding that they were going to play so many that "you'll be late to work tomorrow...you might lose your job."

 

A song or two after those remarks, you could tell that the state of the now half-standing, half-seated audience was still on Jeff's mind. He said, "I think we're just going to have to accept that we're a people divided. It's kinda messing with my OCD a little bit; it would be better if it was all one or the other, but it's not about me. We're here to be of service."

 

The vibe of the crowd gradually improved as the show progressed, causing Jeff to say near the end of the main set that, "When we came out here, you looked like an oil painting. The mood has completely turned around, so thank you. Good job." And then, after another song: "I'm so happy about your transformation." The latter comment came just before Heavy Metal Drummer and also included a brief poking of fun at the folks in the front row to Jeff's right, who continued to stay firmly planted in their seats at that point. Jeff almost immediately started to feel bad about singling those people out, saying that he wasn't going to be able to remember the words to HMD — "a song I've sung a lot."

 

Just how much of a role the audience dynamic played in Jeff's performance over the course of the show I don't know, but he definitely was flubbing more lyrics than usual. On California Stars, for instance, on the second pass through (i.e. when they repeat "I'd like to rest/my heavy head tonight..."), I'm pretty sure Jeff and John were singing different things for a brief moment until Jeff recovered and got back into the song. Jeff also flubbed some lyrics in Hate It Here and, in general from my perspective, just seemed a little bit distracted.

 

About the only other significant visit to Banter Corner came when Jeff tried to reassure the audience that the show was starting to pick up after the sad, slower songs. "I think we've made it through the darkness," he said after California Stars. "There's light at the end of the tunnel. In the world, no. But (in terms of) the show, we should be getting to more of the fun material. As far as the other stuff, it's up to you. It's up to all of us." As he has at many shows this year, Jeff reiterated that message as he left the stage by telling people to take care of one another and not to be cynical or discouraged.

 

From a musical standpoint, the set was a fairly routine example of the show the band has been putting on recently. To note a few things that will be of interest to only a couple of readers here...

— Glenn did, of course, stand up on his drum stool before I'm The Man Who Loves You. It's hard to believe this ever really went away, but I would say that it would be more newsworthy at this point if he didn't stand up.

— Jeff definitely played an acoustic guitar on Pot Kettle Black. It was one of those oversized Gibsons. I took note of it after we were discussing him playing an electric on the song somewhere earlier on this run.

— I thought Bull Black Nova was a highlight. One of the few advantages of such a formal venue was that the acoustics were quite nice and you could really hear well all of the different parts to that hybrid arrangement of the song, the different little riffs and sounds that Nels and Pat make especially.

— The lack of the count-in on recent performances of Monday still continues to annoy me. Not sure why.

 

Anyway, I guess that's about all I've really got when it comes to the show in Austin. I wouldn't say it will go down as one of the greatest Wilco shows ever here, but it was a generous performance — by my clock, the band played 2 hours, 27 minutes — and seemed to please a majority of the audience, both standing and seated alike. It will be interesting to see if the next time the band rolls through town, it will return to a more "traditional" venue...

 

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

 

You Are My Face

If I Ever Was A Child

Cry All Day

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart>

Art Of Almost

Pickled Ginger

Side With The Seeds

Pot Kettle Black

Passenger Side

Someone To Lose

Via Chicago

Bull Black Nova (acoustic/electric hybrid arrangement)

Reservations

Impossible Germany

California Stars

Forget The Flowers

Box Full Of Letters

Heavy Metal Drummer>

I'm The Man Who Loves You

Hummingbird

The Late Greats

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

Random Name Generator

Jesus, etc.

Hate It Here

Locator

Monday>

Outtasite (Outta Mind)

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

Misunderstood (hootenanny arrangement — Nels on lap steel, Pat on banjitar, John on 12-string acoustic)

Spiders (Kidsmoke) (electric arrangement)

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I wish they wouldn't book these venues that only have seats. It messes up the energy of the crowd when half the people are sitting and half are standing. Last night the couple next to me left not long after most of the people started standing. I think we're going to see the same problem in Dallas tomorrow night. Playing places with GA floors and seated balconies would work a lot better.

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Thanks, bböp, for your write-up, I always look forward to reading your comments and commentary. With this particular show, however, I have to disagree, or at least my perspective was different. I thought this was one of the stronger performances I have seen the band do in several years. They seemed genuinely vibing off of one another and they, to me, sounded phenomenally great. This was hands down the best sound for a hall I've heard in a long time: it was boomy but still clear and nicely loud. As for the seated/standing thing, I thought it was less of an issue than shows I have seen in the past. Yes, it was a recurring talking point, but from where I was (a few rows from the front on the "seated side")--everyone was really into the show, even if seated. It was a really cool vibe (again at least where I was) the entire time. And yes, most were standing by mid-show. But I also walked in and thought: well, the standing/seated arrangement will be a thing tonight, lol.

 

I will note that I left wondering, "I bet if I had just seen a setlist I would not have been all that blown away by the idea of this show," but being there it really was a great, great gig.

 

I didn't see a printed setlist, but was "Passenger Side" as impromptu a choice as it appeared (coming right after his "slow sad songs" comment)? It certainly seemed that way. 

 

edited to add: "Locator" is absolutely stunning now

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 To note a few things that will be of interest to only a couple of readers here...

 

— I thought Bull Black Nova was a highlight. One of the few advantages of such a formal venue was that the acoustics were quite nice and you could really hear well all of the different parts to that hybrid arrangement of the song, the different little riffs and sounds that Nels and Pat make especially.

 

Definitely of interest to me, so thanks as always for the recap... and good to know the Nova is holding up well this tour.  See you in Atlanta!

 

Bull Black Nova was creepy good, and it's never been one of my favorites.   

Yeah, this latest hybrid version is chilling.  The version at Solid Sound this summer (outside at Joe's field) was especially breathtaking.

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On the topic of the sitting/standing divide, I usually check the Twitter machine on the nights Wilco is playing to see some photos, videos and share in the joy of those attending. When I did that last night I noticed some sitters complaining about some standers, in real time while the show was going on.  These folks were way more interested in commenting on the standing v. sitting issue than anything about the show. Really people? Full disclosure, I'm firmly in the camp of "it's a rock show, everyone should stand and move," especially on the floor. (but don't get agitated at me, you sitting people, I won't stand unless others are as well)

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a

**edit: It feels weird to be waking up and writing this while listening to the horrible news about the Las Vegas shooting. Anytime something like this happens, especially at a concert, it makes you feel especially vulnerable. Obviously condolences to all of the victims and those affected by the tragic events.**

 

Yes   :heartbroken  

 

 

"It's hard to believe this ever really went away" --> RIGHT? I feel very proud to have begged him to do this in Brazil and started the comeback :B 

 

"but I would say that it would be more newsworthy at this point if he didn't stand up." -> As Jeff would say: "Thanks for coming from Kansas City. Now be quiet."  :ike 

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