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Jeff Tweedy — 20 March 2019, Nashville, TN (James K. Polk Theater)


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Four songs in to a very orderly and polite set, Jeff remarked "this could not be more different than last night.  They were animals"... to which someone in the crowd responded "Give us time!".  That seemed to ignite the back and forth for the evening which I thought was a pretty good balance of chattiness and respect.  No plugging in was needed.  Heck, he probably could have done a song without PA in that room.  Maybe not.

The room was a cavernous modern-ish theater, with plush seats and high stage, and looked like something that would have recitals, lectures, and orchestras.  The sound was great - Stan was thrilled.  Jeff commented that it "looks like a spaceship".  It was another one of those dark rooms where Jeff couldn't see anyone.  The crowd was generally good, and the comments were all taken very well.  Jeff seemed in a great mood.  Chatty.  No hat.  Quite a bit of the same banter that has been reported in other shows (the steroid asterisk comment, the every-song-gets-one-vote comment, the original lyrics story to Guaranteed). But still some off-the-cuff banter and some classic eyeroll moments.  Oh, and there was a production of Anasthasia going on in the adjacent theater, which made for an interesting lobby crowd.  

There must have been a rather large NYC continent, as the "all come from NYC" line in New Madrid got a very large "woo", generating eyeroll #1.  And during ITMWLY, the crowd started a clap-along which fortunately was abandoned early on.  That got an eyeroll AND a headshake.  After Guaranteed (which got a huge "ooohhh" after the "you're no walk in the park" line), Jeff mentioned that he wished that maybe he had put more chuckle moments in the song rather than just that one.  

The new song White Wooden Cross was played, and explores the thought process of "What would I do / if the white wooden cross meant that I lost you".   I believe he said it was from Warmer.  Speaking of Warmer, Jeff noted that "the new record is called Warmer.  It's not a joke.  I wish it was a joke now", and commented on the "Open Kimono" early title.  

During the encore break, the house lights came up, and everyone stood as Jeff came back.  Seeing the standing, Jeff said "go ahead and sit back down" before he started playing.  The skronky guitar middle section of Misunderstood was especially detailed and chaotic, which got a big laugh from the crowd as it ended.  To which Jeff relied after the song "that's the way it was written".  

 

Hoping some other folks can chime in with other notable moments.  That's all I got for now.  

 

Jeff started at 8:30 and played till about 10:05.  And here's the setlist as played...

 

Via Chicago (w/harmonica)
Remember The Mountain Bed
Bombs Above
Some Birds
I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
New Madrid

Having Been Is No Way To Be

Lost Love

Guaranteed
Impossible Germany

Hummingbird
Family Ghost

You're Not Alone

You and I

White Wooden Cross

Jesus, etc

Evergreen

Passenger Side
Let's Go Rain
I Know What It's Like
I'm The Man Who Loves You
---------------------------------
Don't Forget
Misunderstood
Acuff-Rose

 

 

For completeness, here's the setlist from the Grimey's instore show -

Bomb Above

Some Birds

Guaranteed

From Far Away (requested by SarahC, and started in a key that was just not gonna work.... and restarted)

IATTBYH

I Know What It's Like

 

Best banter - "This is cutting into my nap time."

Notable gear - he played all the songs on a small, silver-top colored guitar that I think said "Barclay" on the headstock.  A very "puny" sounding instrument imho.  

 

See ya next time!

Vince

 

 
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Great write up! White Wooden Cross made me cry -- I can't wait to hear the recorded version on Warmer. I don't have much to add other than that he brought out the Kel Kroydon for the encore, I think after Don't Forget.

 

I wish that I could have made it to the Grimey's show as well, but I'm taking the rest of this week work for Big Ears festival the rest of this week and couldn't justify taking a long lunch.

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Thanks for picking up in my stead, VInce. Want to take over full time? :thumbup

 

Sounds like it was a good 'un. Glad you guys got to hear White Wooden Cross. I was looking at the Warmer song titles and couldn't figure out what it would be among the ones we don't know, but it could be (probably is) completely out of left field. Anyway, guess we'll find out soon enough. And thanks for reporting from the Grimey's set as well. I meant to note that chintzy-sounding Barclay guitar he used the other day in Orlando as well, but forgot.

 

How were the Nashvillians (Nashvegians?) in terms of singing along?

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The sing-along was better at Grimey’s I think than the actual show. Grimey’s is such a great record store. I’ve learned a bunch about bands I wouldn’t otherwise have known just by visiting every time we’re in town. The folks that work there are so nice too, and I think they were just as thrilled Jeff came in as the rest of us. I was super excited he played my request. Also excited to finally know what the heck the open chords are in that song. I flipping LOVE that little silver guitar. It’s got so much personality.

 

I think partially the theatre had something to do with it. At least where I was it didn’t seem like many people were singing along. We did well on “Let’s Go Rain” though.

 

I was really glad to hear several songs I hadn’t heard yet on this tour. “Lost Love” was sweet.

 

Jeff sang a tag at the end of “Impossible Germany” and maybe I’ve forgotten, but has it always been there? 3-4 repeats of “this is what love is for”, but sang more like the guitar line? Am I crazy, because I don’t think I’ve ever heard him do it that way....

Either way, it was beautiful. That song hit me hardest last night for some reason, and I cried.

 

The banter about the spaceship was hilarious.

 

I also really enjoyed the little impromptu song Jeff made up 2-3 lines about being itchy from the latex allergy.

 

It kinda surprised me folks laughed at the wonky guitar bit in “Misunderstood”— I don’t know if I’ve ever heard anybody do that before.

 

Also, can we talk about how much James Elkington rips it up? I knew absolutely zero about him other than he played in the Tweedy band, and my gosh it was so cool to watch him play. Wish he could have played a little longer. I felt like he really got going on that song about losing your dog on acid in the English countryside.

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Also, can we talk about how much James Elkington rips it up? I knew absolutely zero about him other than he played in the Tweedy band, and my gosh it was so cool to watch him play. Wish he could have played a little longer. I felt like he really got going on that song about losing your dog on acid in the English countryside.

 

Yep, he's a wizard. That tune may have given me some flashbacks, especially when he started doing some pedal magic to add a little ambiance...he's worked with a bunch of people in the Wilco-related scene, playing on some of the Steve Gunn and Joan Shelley records (among many others). 

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Yep, he's a wizard. That tune may have given me some flashbacks, especially when he started doing some pedal magic to add a little ambiance...he's worked with a bunch of people in the Wilco-related scene, playing on some of the Steve Gunn and Joan Shelley records (among many others).

Also, he played with Eleventh Dream Day, which (I believe) opened for one of the 2014 Winterlude shows.
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Great recap Vince! Was your sign visible??

Actually I have a new sign, but I didn't get a chance to hoist it.  It was realllly dark (even moreso than Vancouver), and I was 4 rows back so there was no chance he could see it.  And there was this weird wide aisle between the 3rd and 4th row of the pit which made the 4th row even further back.  But TONS of leg room!  And nice sight lines because of that and the high stage.  As for the sign.... I'll probly tote it up to the Vic shows, because I love the abuse. 

 

Oh, and the request top vote-getter was razzed a little.  63 was the winning vote count, and Jeff said that he suspected that the winner had "some computer skills", and that 63 was unnecessary since 2 would put him ahead of the rest.  He threatened not to play the request, but I think it was "You're Not Alone" which he did play. 

 

Celebrity sightings - Pat was at the Grimey's in-store show, along with James Haggerty (AD bassist).  Didn't see either at the evening show.

But apparently Aaron Lee Tasjen was at the evening show per his IG.  I didn't see him there unfortunately.  For those of you who haven't heard his music, I highly recommend his "Karma for Cheap". 

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