Wilco - the Snoozy Years

[kidsmoke]

With YHF's birthday of 20 years ( yeeeeep, unimaginable!!) just past, my eyes have been straying often to this personalized treasure of mine. One of the first things I would save in a fire. I've actually made plans.

 

Tell me a YHF memory. Any memory, from a live show or just listening at home. I'll tell you one. I saw Wilco the first time, touring on this album. That night they closed the little House of Blues with 3 encores. Lots of people left after the second encore, figuring they were done. It was post-Jay....lineup was Jeff, John, Glenn, and LeRoy Bach. The show had been mesmerizing. And then they came out and Jeff slid inside an impassioned, hypnotic "Misunderstood" that still defines the song for me. It was perfect. March 13, 2002.

I crossed the parking lot that night still in awe of that show, that final soul-searing song, and as we headed to our car I told my husband, "this band will never play in our area again without me in attendance!"

 

Turns out I've chased them to a lot of further regions too...Chicago, the east coast, europe. Never regretted a single bit of my rock tourism. Never will!

 

Thank you for YHF, Jeff, and Wilco. It still captivates me.

 

[bcdoc]

First time hearing the “new” songs live. Drove back to Milwaukee after the show, playing the disc at near max level, and my buddy and I would look at each other and just shake our heads in amazement. Fabulous night. 

[Passenger Sid]

I remember when mp3's of final versions of YHF songs began popping up online. "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" was the first mp3 I heard. The Big Star "Kangaroo"-like drum intro had me mesmerized. I musta listened to it 15 times straight over the course of that day & night.

[Chez]

4 hours ago, bcdoc said:

First time hearing the “new” songs live. Drove back to Milwaukee after the show, playing the disc at near max level, and my buddy and I would look at each other and just shake our heads in amazement. Fabulous night. 

I was at that show too (and also store my ticket stubs in the CD jewel case).

[chisoxjtrain]

It's 19 years, isn't it?

 

 

4 hours ago, bcdoc said:

First time hearing the “new” songs live. Drove back to Milwaukee after the show, playing the disc at near max level, and my buddy and I would look at each other and just shake our heads in amazement. Fabulous night. 

 

I was also at this show! It was my 14th birthday present from my parents.

 

[kidsmoke]

8 hours ago, chisoxjtrain said:

It's 19 years, isn't it?

 

 

 

I was also at this show! It was my 14th birthday present from my parents.

 

 

Here we see yet another eample of pandemic-related brain atrophy. Yes, I can count. I just briefly forgot how. Yes, it's 19 years old, not 20. Save the big parties for next April. 

[Mr. Heartbreak]

It was Saturday, November 2nd, 2002. Went to my second-ever Wilco show. (The first had been three years earlier, my one and only Jay B. show). This one was at the Tampa Theatre, a surreally beautiful "movie palace" built in 1926, and an actual historic landmark (do a Google image search, seriously). Second row seats. Absolutely stellar show, and was thrilled to find a soundboard of it in circulation at a later date.

 

Had tickets for the next night at a club called The Palace (definitely NOT a theatre at all) in the college town of Gainesville. Packed house, general admission, shoulder to shoulder with sweaty college students at the ripe old age of 37. I was no doubt one of the elders in the room, but it was well worth it. Almost 20 years later, that remains my favorite Wilco show. Encore included the 2nd public performance of Handshake Drugs, pre-guitar freakout. Talked to Jeff after both shows.

 

These two nights were so great, I spontaneously bought a last-minute ticket for Tuesday the 5th in Orlando. Another club date, general admission. Great show. Drove home and got up for work the next day, dealing with the inevitable post-show emotional hangover. That three-night run represents the only time I've ever seen the same band three times in one week, and today I'm grateful I got to see them. The Jeff/John/Leroy/Mikael/Glenn lineup remains my favorite of all time.

 

Songs played at all three shows:

 

I Am Trying to Break Your Heart

Sunken Treasure

Kamera

War on War

A Shot in the Arm

How to Fight Loneliness > Laminated Cat

Jesus, etc.

Heavy Metal Drummer

I'm the Man Who Loves You

Poor Places > Reservations

Hesitating Beauty

Misunderstood > Far, Far Away

California Stars

Monday

Outtasite (Outta Mind)

[kidsmoke]

7 hours ago, Mr. Heartbreak said:

It was Saturday, November 2nd, 2002. Went to my second-ever Wilco show. (The first had been three years earlier, my one and only Jay B. show). This one was at the Tampa Theatre, a surreally beautiful "movie palace" built in 1926, and an actual historic landmark (do a Google image search, seriously). Second row seats. Absolutely stellar show, and was thrilled to find a soundboard of it in circulation at a later date.

 

Had tickets for the next night at a club called The Palace (definitely NOT a theatre at all) in the college town of Gainesville. Packed house, general admission, shoulder to shoulder with sweaty college students at the ripe old age of 37. I was no doubt one of the elders in the room, but it was well worth it. Almost 20 years later, that remains my favorite Wilco show. Encore included the 2nd public performance of Handshake Drugs, pre-guitar freakout. Talked to Jeff after both shows.

 

These two nights were so great, I spontaneously bought a last-minute ticket for Tuesday the 5th in Orlando. Another club date, general admission. Great show. Drove home and got up for work the next day, dealing with the inevitable post-show emotional hangover. That three-night run represents the only time I've ever seen the same band three times in one week, and today I'm grateful I got to see them. The Jeff/John/Leroy/Mikael/Glenn lineup remains my favorite of all time.

 

Songs played at all three shows:

 

I Am Trying to Break Your Heart

Sunken Treasure

Kamera

War on War

A Shot in the Arm

How to Fight Loneliness > Laminated Cat

Jesus, etc.

Heavy Metal Drummer

I'm the Man Who Loves You

Poor Places > Reservations

Hesitating Beauty

Misunderstood > Far, Far Away

California Stars

Monday

Outtasite (Outta Mind)

 

What fabulous memories, from that time. What an astonishing band. 

 

I need to tell the Snoozy story; I promised a friend. It's a good one. Those times have a certain energy, still attached to them. Give me a day and I'll flesh that out. Good times in Wilcoland.💗

[jff]

I'm pretty sure YHF was when I saw them for the first time, too.  It was Jeff, John, Glenn, and Leroy, with Michael as an auxiliary member offstage.   We traveled to Des  Moines to see them at the Val Air Ballroom.  The opening band was Carla Bozulich's Red Headed Stranger, with Nels on guitar. 

 

That trip was the beginning of a goal my wife and I made to visit all 50 states.  We had each been to probably half of the states prior to that, not all the same ones, and not together.  But we figured we could knock out the rest of the states together.  We've been working really hard on that since then (except for the last year thanks to Covid) and in one month we will complete our goal and visit our 50th state, on my wife's 50h birthday:  Hawaii  

[calvino]

Enjoy, jff. A great goal and achievement, indeed. 

 

Regarding this period of Wilco, my favorite show I saw was the one I caught in Kansas City.  The wife and I had trip planned to CO, when we noticed we could catch a show in KC on the return trip to Chicago - we just took I-70 home rather than our typical 80. 

 

It is always great when things like that happen to comcur with other plans.

[Analogman]

Does anyone still have the box that was around the jewel case? Mine is beige I think.

[calvino]

11 hours ago, Analogman said:

Does anyone still have the box that was around the jewel case? Mine is beige I think.

 

Do you mean the slip case that slides over the jewel case - if so, yes - mine is beige, too. (at least I think I have a slip case over it - need to check, though)

[nalafej]

15 hours ago, jff said:

I'm pretty sure YHF was when I saw them for the first time, too.  It was Jeff, John, Glenn, and Leroy, with Michael as an auxiliary member offstage.   We traveled to Des  Moines to see them at the Val Air Ballroom.  The opening band was Carla Bozulich's Red Headed Stranger, with Nels on guitar. 

 

That latest release front of house series is a show in Eugene about two weeks prior, September, 2003. Late enough in the YHF tour (if it really was that) that you got 3 AGiB tunes. Love that mix and some of those arrangements are a real pleasure to listen to.

[Chez]

15 hours ago, jff said:

 

 

That trip was the beginning of a goal my wife and I made to visit all 50 states.  We had each been to probably half of the states prior to that, not all the same ones, and not together.  But we figured we could knock out the rest of the states together.  We've been working really hard on that since then (except for the last year thanks to Covid) and in one month we will complete our goal and visit our 50th state, on my wife's 50h birthday:  Hawaii  

I shared the same goal.  After being stuck on 48 states for 12 years, I finally made it to the Dakotas by my 60th birthday. Spent my 60th celebrating with my wife in Fargo, ND (in February!!).  Good luck and enjoy Hawaii - a much better destination to hit 50 states than North Dakota.     

[Analogman]

3 hours ago, calvino said:

 

Do you mean the slip case that slides over the jewel case - if so, yes - mine is beige, too. (at least I think I have a slip case over it - need to check, though)

 

That's it. I think there were different colors. 

[calvino]

4 hours ago, nalafej said:

 

That latest release front of house series is a show in Eugene about two weeks prior, September, 2003. Late enough in the YHF tour (if it really was that) that you got 3 AGiB tunes. Love that mix and some of those arrangements are a real pleasure to listen to.

 

Listening to the Eugene show via nugs --- such a great version of "Not For the Seasons".

[jff]

5 hours ago, nalafej said:

 

That latest release front of house series is a show in Eugene about two weeks prior, September, 2003. Late enough in the YHF tour (if it really was that) that you got 3 AGiB tunes. Love that mix and some of those arrangements are a real pleasure to listen to.

 

I remember there being some songs in the set that I didn't recognize, which I assumed at the time were from the upcoming album.  I can't remember what the songs were.  It was definitely a good while after YHF had come out.  I even remember talking to a friend well after YHF had been out, but before AGIB, and telling him that I had never seen Wilco, but was really hoping to, and being envious when he said he saw them in Atlanta in support of YHF.  So it felt like a long time had passed between YHF and when I saw them in Des Moines.  The show I saw didn't really feel like they were promoting any particular record.   

 

EDIT:  Here's the setlist.  I do remember them starting with ALTWYS and knowing for sure it was a not yet released song.  

https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/wilco/2003/val-air-ballroom-west-des-moines-ia-2bd65462.html

[calvino]

7 hours ago, Analogman said:

 

That's it. I think there were different colors. 

 

Just checked - beige for me, too. I don't remember different colors, though.

[kidsmoke]

Yes, September 2003 was the very tail end of the YHF tour. They finished the tour in Chicago that same month.

 

I have 2 copies of YHF with the cardboard cd cover. One is the beige that matches the cover & the other is a bluish-gray.

[Analogman]

I would guess we will see some sort of boxset coming out this year.

[Beltmann]

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot remains my favorite Wilco record and perhaps my favorite record of all-time. I'm counting on a forthcoming box set!

My first Wilco live show was during the YHF tour (July 3, 2003, at Summerfest in Milwaukee). My wife, who was largely uninitiated into Wilco at the time, leaned over during the distortion of "Poor Places" and asked, "Is it supposed to sound like that?" Fast forward through 12 years (and many more shows). In 2015, it is my wife who suggests we make anniversary plans that involve flying to Colorado, because Wilco at Red Rocks is essential.

My CD has the cardboard cover, and it is close to an off-white color.

[Analogman]

I was thinking that was the other one. The three colors must have been white, beige, and blue-gray. 

[Albert Tatlock]

On 4/28/2021 at 11:36 AM, kidsmoke said:

 

I need to tell the Snoozy story; I promised a friend. It's a good one. Those times have a certain energy, still attached to them. Give me a day and I'll flesh that out. 

 

Still intrigued.

[kidsmoke]

I am embarrassed, I truly did intend to tell this story but it's a bit long & involved and I've been ultra-busy! I'm hosting a big surprise baby shower/ barbeque tomorrow for my daughter-in-law. (She just thinks she's coming to a family bbq.) It's been complicated, partly due to my darling but disorganized middle kid, whose idea it was in the first place to hold a surprise shower. At my house. 

 

I have written a fierce post-it note to myself in a scolding tone that is now stuck to my worktable where it reminds me daily, "WRITE SNOOZY STORY!" I assure you, once there is a post-it note, a thing gets done. So now it's serious. Be advised: Soon, when you least expect it, I WILL post the story.

Thank you for your patience.

[Albert Tatlock]

3 hours ago, kidsmoke said:

I assure you, once there is a post-it note, a thing gets done. So now it's serious. Be advised: Soon, when you least expect it, I WILL post the story.

 

Following your example.