Jeff Tweedy — 1 February 2018, Manchester, UK (Albert Hall)

[bböp]

One reason I still enjoy seeing Jeff perform solo as much as — or even more than...shhh — Wilco sometimes is that there's always a chance he will say, play or do something unexpected. And you never really can predict when that will happen because it usually does when you absolutely least expect it. Such was the case with the show the other night at the venerable Albert Hall in Manchester (where, coincidentally, Wilco had played less than 18 months earlier).

Despite its history, you probably wouldn't choose this room as a particularly stellar venue for a solo acoustic show, given its towering six-foot-high stage and drafty, cavernous environs. Add to that the fact that it was Jeff's third straight day performing in a different city without the relative comfort provided by touring in a bus, and one could understand it if he put on a professional show without necessarily going above and beyond. Four songs in, Jeff seemed to be having one of those nights when things are just a bit of a struggle. He flubbed lyrics in a couple different songs, had to have a word between songs with the on-stage monitor tech and just generally seemed distracted. He even told the audience he hadn't gotten his usual pre-show nap that afternoon because of a loud crisps eater on the train from Edinburgh.

At some point, however, things turned around. Part of that might have had to do with the crowd, which peppered Jeff with a steady stream of requests and other comments that led Jeff to call it the "rowdiest" of the tour and joke that it needed to "settle the fuck down." One humorous exchange took place when Jeff asked if it sounded all right and one gentleman replied, "Louder please," and Jeff sort of incredulously held up his unplugged guitar and said he didn't know how much more he could turn up with what he had at his disposal. Jeff told the man that he "might want to have his hearing checked." To which the man perfectly replied, "What?" Jeff then said, "I don't even need to put on a show because you guys are so funny."

Sometimes that kind of cheeky crowd can have a negative effect on a show, but in this case it seemed to strengthen the bond with the performer (if I'm not imagining things). Jeff apparently felt comfortable enough to shrug off a flurry of requests in favor of the new song that I'm calling Don't Forget, which he said was "about my dad dying." It's the first time I've heard him actually say that, and the lyrics make much more sense now — and are quite moving.

From that point on, the show took on a new energy with Jeff playing Impossible Germany because it "just popped into my head," then obliging a crowd request for Pecan Pie (calling it "the only happy song I have" and quipping that when he gets invited to play celebratory events, "that's my set") and getting the audience to sing along with the chorus to another new song that I'm calling Let's Go Rain.

The encore was another pleasant surprise because Jeff simply kept playing far longer than what anyone would or could reasonably expect. He granted another audience request for You And I, gave in to another and played California Stars after nearly forgetting ("that's the one song I'm supposed to play...fuck") and came close to granting another when he began playing the opening chords to Neil Young's Cinnamon Girl because he said he heard someone yell out for it. Unfortunately, when Jeff suggested that the requester sing the song, he/she went quiet and so Jeff moved on after that tantalizing beginning. Alas! Nevertheless, he concluded his set with a rousing version of A Shot in the Arm and sent the Mancunian audience home more than satisfied.

I suppose it's these sorts of shows that make it worthwhile to see Jeff play solo as much as possible. Even if you think you have more or less an idea of what's coming, there's always the potential to be surprised in different ways. As Jeff has said in interviews leading up to this short run of solo shows, as well as the other night in Edinburgh, it's important for him to reconnect with playing songs in front of actual people in a more stripped-down way and when it comes to that, there's plenty of room for variation — and ultimately, serendipity — to happen.

Here was the complete setlist, as played, at the Manchester Albert Hall:

Via Chicago (w/harmonica)
new song-Bombs Above
I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
Lost Love
New Madrid
Jesus Wept
Passenger Side
Hummingbird
new song-Don’t Forget
Impossible Germany
Pecan Pie
new song-Let’s Go Rain
Born Alone
Please Tell My Brother
Jesus, etc.
Laminated Cat (aka Not For The Season)
Locator
I’m The Man Who Loves You
----------------------------
We’ve Been Had
Theologians (started and restarted)
You And I
The Late Greats
Kamera
California Stars
Misunderstood
Cinnamon Girl [Neil Young] (fragment)
A Shot in the Arm

[TCP]

That setlist....

[Ghost Of Bob Cumming]

Been so long since I posted on here it's just taken me about half an hour to conjure my password from my memory, but had to come on to say what a show! Loved it.

 

Haven't seen Jeff in any form since 2010 (geography issue, was a 5 hour round trip for yesterday), but the wait was worthwhile.

 

Pecan Pie was brilliant. I'm a big fan of those early 'simple' WIlco songs. And then to be followed by Impossible Germany (which Jeff admitted just popped into his head) was a great surprise.

 

Some of the banter was similar to what's been reported for last couple of shows - the bit about everyone leaving after they'd heard their favourite, etc - but there's was loads more. Jeff admitted he'd missed his usual daily nap, due to a noisy crisp eater (with a really big bag of crisps, lasted the whole journey), on the train they took from Scotland to get to Manchester. My favourite was his first comment of the night, to the chap who bizarrely started clapping on every beat of IATTBYH - Jeff seemed to assume he was trying to assist him, as some sort of human metronome, so shot him an it's OK "I got it". Left me laughing anyway.

 

Don't know who else made it upstairs, but thank God that door Nazi finally relented and let us up there (he tried to fill the ground floor before removing his little velvet rope to access the mezzanine, I went and asked him about it and he said they'd sold 650 tickets and the lower level could hold 400. And that was his explanation for keeping it closed?!). Beautiful view.

[Firecracker Kid]

Hopefully bböp’s connectivity issues will resolve themselves soon (possibly on an upcoming train ride), so I won’t offer too much detail on the evening. That being said, having been fortunate enough to see Jeff and/or Wilco more than my fair share of times, I’m still amazed by the surprises that can unfold. On the surface, the show seemed like it was setting up to be similar to the previous two nights’ shows. Not that those shows were bad by any means (are they ever???), but I wouldn’t necessarily categorize them as memorable for the music alone. Last night, however, was one that will stick with me for a while. I guess a great set list and an eight song encore will do that!

[bböp]

Hopefully bböp’s connectivity issues will resolve themselves soon (possibly on an upcoming train ride), so I won’t offer too much detail on the evening. That being said, having been fortunate enough to see Jeff and/or Wilco more than my fair share of times, I’m still amazed by the surprises that can unfold. On the surface, the show seemed like it was setting up to be similar to the previous two nights’ shows. Not that those shows were bad by any means (are they ever???), but I wouldn’t necessarily categorize them as memorable for the music alone. Last night, however, was one that will stick with me for a while. I guess a great set list and an eight song encore will do that!

 

Finally got reconnected, as it were, so I've tried to deliver the promised "detailed report." Hopefully it's reasonably coherent...

[Sun Caught Fire]

Another great read, thanks much. I totally relate to the points about anything can happen when seeing Jeff solo and the review as close as one can get on this side of the pond to Being There. Webcasts would be nice!