I am not dead. Ta.

[Albert Tatlock]

Just need to get a preemptive 'ta' in as I will be away for a couple of weeks and likely not drooling over Bbop's reports in that time. Rest assured that I will do so when I get back. I do have a bib in case you're wondering.

 

Albert (sort of)

[calvino]

Hopefully you get to see this before you go dark for the couple of weeks.

 

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/3/24/23655163/wilco-review-chicago-riviera-theatre-jeff-tweedy

 

from the SunTimes.

 

 

Wilco super fan Paul Suwan takes home a trophy presented by Jeff Tweedy during Thursday night’s concert at the Riviera.

Jeff Elbel

 

 

[lost highway]

Yeah, but whud they play last nite?

[calvino]

I had to skip the show. Below is from the SunTimes article.

 

Wilco Set List:

• Less Than You Think
• I Am My Mother
• Cruel Country 
• Handshake Drugs 
• Say You Miss Me 
• I Must Be High
• Hummingbird 
• Cars Can’t Escape
• Love is Everywhere (Beware)
• Pot Kettle Black
• Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull 
• She’s a Jar
• Forget the Flowers
• Theologians 
• Ashes of American Flags
• The Lonely 1 
• How to Fight Loneliness 
• A Lifetime to Find 
• California Stars

Encore:

• I’m Always in Love 
• Red-Eyed & Blue 
• I Got You (At the End of the Century) 
• Monday

[Brian F.]

I know this is only the first of three nights where we anticipate no repeated songs, but it is odd to me that there is only one song in this 23-song set that post-dates the establishment of the current lineup of the band and pre-dates Cruel Country. "Love Is Everywhere (Beware)" is the only song from the six-album span of Sky Blue Sky, Wilco (The Album), The Whole Love, Star Wars, Schmilco and Ode to Joy and 15-year period from 2007 through 2021. With the four Cruel Country songs, that makes five songs out of 23 from the last fifteen years. Nels and Pat are almost in a cover band with the frequency that they get to perform songs they originally played on. The band hasn't exactly been wearing out Cruel Country either, at least after the premiere at Solid Sound.

 

Do you think these albums are so underrepresented-- two additional nights to come notwithstanding, these albums have typically been underrepresented in sets the last few years-- because Jeff has soured on the songs or because he thinks the audience doesn't want to hear them? Or maybe both?

[lost highway]

I think when you've released 12 albums and plan on no repeats the stats are going to be too weird to judge other than " here's some songs we thought would be fun tonight". There was only 1 song from YHF which is a total anomaly.

[Brian F.]

I tried to clarify that it wasn't only about last night. These other albums have not shown up a lot on set lists recently. I'd expect to hear a lot more of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot at the next two shows, but not as much of these other six albums. We're talking about half of the studio-album catalog, and consecutively. I don't think it's an anomaly, but we'll see.

[DiamondClaw]

4 hours ago, Brian F. said:

I know this is only the first of three nights where we anticipate no repeated songs, but it is odd to me that there is only one song in this 23-song set that post-dates the establishment of the current lineup of the band and pre-dates Cruel Country. "Love Is Everywhere (Beware)" is the only song from the six-album span of Sky Blue Sky, Wilco (The Album), The Whole Love, Star Wars, Schmilco and Ode to Joy and 15-year period from 2007 through 2021. With the four Cruel Country songs, that makes five songs out of 23 from the last fifteen years. Nels and Pat are almost in a cover band with the frequency that they get to perform songs they originally played on. The band hasn't exactly been wearing out Cruel Country either, at least after the premiere at Solid Sound.

 

Do you think these albums are so underrepresented-- two additional nights to come notwithstanding, these albums have typically been underrepresented in sets the last few years-- because Jeff has soured on the songs or because he thinks the audience doesn't want to hear them? Or maybe both?

I was at the show last night. Just wait for @bböp’s recap write up. I’m sure it will be filled with some goodies (and one specific fan accomplishment in particular 😄). 

 

Anyway, in the meantime, suffice to say the show was extraordinary. Recency bias or no, I’d say it was the best hometown show I’ve personally  seen since the 2014 residency. A large part of that, I suspect, is being back at the Riv, which is basically their home field advantage. It just feels like they can really cut loose there. The lack of structure to the set list is a factor as well.

 

As the show was winding down, I definitely did note the “missing decade” of no material from SBS through Schmilco. No reason to rush to any judgements until the weekend is over though. In addition to the more obvious rotation songs  like “Bull Black Nova,” “Dawned on Me,” “Random Name Generator” and “If I Ever Was a Child,” I’m sure they’ll sprinkle a few other cuts in. It was weird not to see anything from SBS, but I think that was just an anomaly. Let’s see what tomorrow and Sunday bring. 

 

[Brian F.]

Not to belabor this, but I really want to emphasize that this is not just about the first night of this residency. On the Cruel Country tour, only three of the 36 most-played songs came from these six albums. "Impossible Germany" was played 39 times, "If I Ever Was a Child" was played 33 times and "Love Is Everywhere (Beware)" was played 27 times. The next-most-played song on the tour from these six albums was "Everyone Hides," which was played at six of 59 shows. The only other song with more than three appearances on the tour was "You and I," which was performed five times.

 

There were two songs from Star Wars played over 59 shows: "Random Name Generator" twice.

 

There were four songs from The Whole Love over 59 shows: "Dawned on Me" twice, "Born Alone" once and "Whole Love" once.

 

"You and I" was the only song played from Wilco (The Album) on the tour.

 

Only "If I Ever Was a Child" and "Cry All Day"-- which was played once-- appeared from Schmilco.

 

Aside from "Impossible Germany," five other Sky Blue Sky songs appeared, one twice and four others once each.

 

These albums have been missing in action for a while now. It's not a small sample. The other night was only continuing the trend.

[bböp]

On 3/24/2023 at 9:52 AM, Albert Tatlock said:

Just need to get a preemptive 'ta' in as I will be away for a couple of weeks and likely not drooling over Bbop's reports in that time. Rest assured that I will do so when I get back. I do have a bib in case you're wondering.

 

Albert (sort of)

 

Dear Uncle,

 

Hope you're having a great holiday! Glad to know you haven't expired. Things more or less the same here. Oh, I won a prize for doing nothing and people seem to be eager to take pictures of it!

 

Anyway, ta for your pre-emptive ta.

 

Best regards,

Bip (B)Bop Boop.

[nalafej]

On 3/25/2023 at 1:29 AM, Brian F. said:

Not to belabor this, but I really want to emphasize that this is not just about the first night of this residency. On the Cruel Country tour, only three of the 36 most-played songs came from these six albums. "Impossible Germany" was played 39 times, "If I Ever Was a Child" was played 33 times and "Love Is Everywhere (Beware)" was played 27 times. The next-most-played song on the tour from these six albums was "Everyone Hides," which was played at six of 59 shows. The only other song with more than three appearances on the tour was "You and I," which was performed five times.

 

There were two songs from Star Wars played over 59 shows: "Random Name Generator" twice.

 

There were four songs from The Whole Love over 59 shows: "Dawned on Me" twice, "Born Alone" once and "Whole Love" once.

 

"You and I" was the only song played from Wilco (The Album) on the tour.

 

Only "If I Ever Was a Child" and "Cry All Day"-- which was played once-- appeared from Schmilco.

 

Aside from "Impossible Germany," five other Sky Blue Sky songs appeared, one twice and four others once each.

 

These albums have been missing in action for a while now. It's not a small sample. The other night was only continuing the trend.

 

So....where did we end up with this? I was there and recall they played some songs from SBS through Schmilco nights 2 & 3. The song selection for night one seemed the best received by the audience to me.

[Albert Tatlock]

On 3/24/2023 at 7:29 PM, calvino said:

Hopefully you get to see this before you go dark for the couple of weeks.

 

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2023/3/24/23655163/wilco-review-chicago-riviera-theatre-jeff-tweedy

 

from the SunTimes.

 

 

Wilco super fan Paul Suwan takes home a trophy presented by Jeff Tweedy during Thursday night’s concert at the Riviera.

Jeff Elbel

 

 

 

 

Hogging the red carpet again I see. Your New York triptych was excellent stuff. Ta. (I might be bending the meaning a bit but it was 3 works of art and I like that word. Otherwise substitute your old stalwart 'trifecta'). Saving Iceland 2/3/4 for tomorrow. 

P.S. Any sign of Noggin the Nog (or Nogbad the Bad)?

Noggin the Nog

 

EDIT: I couldn't stop myself (and I had a big cuppa) - I've read them all, but waiting for the circling round additions.