Wilco — 22 August 2023, Ramonville-Saint-Agne, France (Le Bikini)

[bböp]

Maybe it took a show in a different country (sorry, Spaniards), or an intimate, indoor concert after a run of festival-like outdoor performances, or a relatively low-stakes Tuesday night gig that didn't even come close to selling out, but whatever the reason, Wilco finally got around to playing Evicted as a band for the first time tonight. There was some question of whether they would perform anything off the forthcoming Cousin before the record officially drops next month, but given that Jeff has been playing the song at his solo shows for a while now and and that the Tweedy Show sort of reset the bar for sharing new material before its formal release, I suppose you could always argue these days that there's no time like the present.

 

That was probably the Big Takeaway from the band's one and only French show this year, which took place in a suburb (or is it a commune?) of Toulouse, in southwestern France. I wish I had gotten to see more of Toulouse proper because it seems like a lovely city, but since it wasn't super easy to get there from far northwestern Spain, I ended up enduring the dreaded RyanAir with a connection through London Stansted before finally arriving into the fourth-most populous French city in the late afternoon. With the 10 p.m. or later set times I had become accustomed to in Spain, that wouldn't have been too much of an issue normally, but apparently they do things on a more "normal" schedule off the Iberian peninsula and so Wilco was scheduled to go on at 8:45 (with support from Tré Burt at 7:45) and that made it a bit of a time crunch to get to my hotel, grab a quick bite and get to the venue in time to not be too far back in the queue.

 

One thing that wasn't much different from most of other shows on this run so far was that it was absolutely sweltering both outside and inside Le Bikini, which is a strange but cool (not literally) venue tucked way in the back of this neighborhood that is comprised mostly of aerospace industry corporate parks. Seriously, it's the last place in the world you'd expect there to be a hip indie rock club, but apparently this Wilco show was one in a series celebrating the club's 40th year. The only negative was that there was virtually no air circulation inside the 1,500-capacity space, at least that anyone in the audience could probably feel (though I think the band had a few small fans on stage).

 

Wilco concert veterans will be familiar with the large digital clock with red display that's almost always set up at stage right. For the first time tonight, I realized that the room temperature is also displayed on that clock and I watched it throughout the show and it never went below 92 degrees Fahrenheit. Maybe that's why there's a functioning swimming pool in the courtyard of the building that I'm sure bands probably take a dip in first chance they get after a show. I'm pretty sure John came out to hop in even before the venue had been completely cleared of audience members.

 

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is the show was pretty sweaty. You know it was pretty warm in there when Jeff came out in just a T-shirt and no jacket. For someone who I've seen wear a jacket of some sort in even the hottest outdoor conditions, this was pretty telling. (He also had a water bottle on stage, but didn't take even one sip during the show, though I guess that's more par for the course with him. Yet he asked later, in one of his audience check-ins, if it was "staying hyrdated.") Jeff got through about six songs before he finally made his first comment of the evening, joking that it was "nice to have a reunion with our fans in France. We play one show every four or five years and you all come out, so thank you."

 

Then Jeff noticed a little boy standing front and center, straining to peer over the rail. He probably spotted him being held in father's arms for a few songs earlier on, but the boy now stood on his own right in front of Jeff's mike and Jeff said hi to him. The boy, whose name was Georges, had a drawing he wanted to give to Jeff and with the help of some folks in the front row, finally managed to get it into Jeff's hands. Jeff thanked him, said "we're gonna hang this on the band fridge" and then took a closer look at it and read aloud the part that said George’s’ two favorite songs were Hummingbird and Kamera. "We're not gonna play either one; that's an early lesson in disappointment," Jeff deadpanned before launching into If I Ever Was A Child. "Now I'm gonna play a song about when I was your age."

 

Of course as anyone who has seen Jeff appear to deny a request before, he often gets back to it in short order. So it was that a couple of songs later, it was time for Hummingbird's place on the setlist. The only problem was that by then, Georges apparently needed a little break for some air and so he wasn't in his front-and-center spot when Jeff looked for him during the song. Afterward, Jeff inquired about the boy's whereabouts and was told that he had apparently been temporarily given a bird's-eye seat by a security guard at stage right. Even Georges’ (American, as we learned) mother wasn't entirely sure where he was, asking aloud with mild concern where her son was. Jeff heard her, and responded, "He's all right. He's probably got a beer."

 

After that little interlude, it was time for the full-band debut of Evicted. Of course it was a treat to finally hear live with the full-band arrangement. On first listen, I would say that it didn't sound all that different from the album version that's been released, but the guitars and guitar interplay were more vivid. It'll be interesting to hear the nuances of the song evolve as time goes on, but it's certainly still a work in progress live. In a brief chat after the show, John mentioned feeling like he had messed up a part in Evicted, but if he did, I couldn't tell what it was.

 

For his part, Jeff seemed to be feeling much better than at the final show in Spain two nights earlier. He might have winced a couple of times due to his hip, but otherwise seemed back to normal. And that included a couple more noteworthy visits to Banter Corner in the second half of the set. One came when he spotted someone to his left wearing a T-shirt of the French prog band Magma and complimented them on it, then turned back to his right and complimented someone else sporting a T-shirt of the American avant-garde band Horse Lords, saying that they are "the best band" and looking back at the Magma shirt and adding that "they were the best band." Then someone else yelled out, "I have a Wilco shirt." To which Jeff drily responded, "How typical." The other funny bit came before the start of the encore when Jeff thanked support act Tré Burt and also said "merci beaucoup" to the crowd. He explained that he wished he knew how to say more, but he had gotten kicked out of his French class when he was in school because "my teacher said I was oversexed. I still don't know what that means, but he was wrong."

 

I have to say, other than the cauldron-like conditions, it was nice to see a proper indoor club show again. These are just the kinds of venues WIlco doesn't often play in the United States anymore, but because it was a summer Tuesday in southwestern France when a lot of people were probably still on holiday — a friend estimated that the venue was only maybe two-thirds full — it just felt like a familiar gig in the best possible way. Good crowd (shout out to Steve and Alice from Iowa, and to Georges and his French and American parents) and relaxed band made for a nice, if not entirely regular, meeting of the French Wilco legion.

 

Here was the complete setlist, as played, at Le Bikini (I only caught a brief glimpse of the printed list, which had the final song listed as "Spiders or rock block," but I can't say if there were any other changes or omissions):

 

I Am My Mother

Cruel Country

Handshake Drugs

Story To Tell

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

Muzzle Of Bees

If I Ever Was A Child

Bird Without A Tail/Base Of My Skull

Random Name Generator

Hummingbird

Evicted

Impossible Germany

Sunken Treasure

Jesus, etc.

The Late Greats

Dawned On Me

Heavy Metal Drummer

A Shot In The Arm

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

Falling Apart (Right Now)

California Stars

A Lifetime To Find

Spiders (Kidsmoke)

[Albert Tatlock]

I report of that stature deserves more than a 'ta' but I am nothing if not consistent.

 

Also, just because it is great

 

[bböp]

1 hour ago, Albert Tatlock said:

I report of that stature deserves more than a 'ta' but I am nothing if not consistent.

 

Also, just because it is great

 

Well, I thank you for your consistent tas because a ta a day keeps the doctor away.

 

And as for that clip, boy that’s a Tatlock jam now isn’t it? Those crunchy guiTArs and all! I only wish I had had time to visit a casino whilst having run low on funds and also listening to Beck…because then I could have been a loser who had nothing to lose in Toulouse.   
 

But since we’re on the punk tip, I offer you another great one

 

 

[Albert Tatlock]

3 hours ago, bböp said:

that’s a Tatlock jam now isn’t it?

Indeed.

I would argue that it is the only great punk album. Needs a bit more musicality and melody to sustain a whole album listen for me rather than 35 minutes of furious but repetitive ranting. London Calling and my beloved All Mod Cons just a bit later and/or New Wave. Same for Outlandos D'Amour/Regatta De Blanc which are the only others that come to mind and I associate with some great memories of the time but do not reach beloved status. Tonic For The Troops also underrated and Joe Jackson Look - Sharp, but same applies. I can remember whole album plays of Tom Robinson Band - Power in the Darkness, and of course The Specials on the Sixth Form stereo but the former doesn't have the overall quality and the latter definitely not punk although with a definite punk sensibility. Also New Boots and Panties which had an edge at the time but I can't say I listen to now. I am not going to mention Sham 69's 'concept album' That's Life which I also remember getting some spins.

Otherwise some great singles (e.g. Buzzcocks/Clash/SLF etc.) but not an album - with Never Mind The Bollocks being filler apart from it's Fantastic Four for me. Once Sid Vicious joined and punk was all about fashion then it was over as far as I was concerned. I was just too young to see anyone in the real punk days but I remember kids at school talking about gigs cancelled because of too much gobbing and I had a friend who has some leopard skin bum flaps. None of that nonsense for me. My sartorial style was summarised by The Undertones and more or less remains that way to this day. I did see them in about 1980/81 along with the Boomtown Rats/Elvis Costello/Squeeze/John Otway. That's about as punk as I got. Couldn't understand a word that Feargal said.

So endeth todays trip down memory lane.

[tinnitus photography]

7 hours ago, Albert Tatlock said:

Indeed.

I would argue that it is the only great punk album. Needs a bit more musicality and melody to sustain a whole album listen for me rather than 35 minutes of furious but repetitive ranting. London Calling and my beloved All Mod Cons just a bit later and/or New Wave. Same for Outlandos D'Amour/Regatta De Blanc which are the only others that come to mind and I associate with some great memories of the time but do not reach beloved status. Tonic For The Troops also underrated and Joe Jackson Look - Sharp, but same applies. I can remember whole album plays of Tom Robinson Band - Power in the Darkness, and of course The Specials on the Sixth Form stereo but the former doesn't have the overall quality and the latter definitely not punk although with a definite punk sensibility. Also New Boots and Panties which had an edge at the time but I can't say I listen to now. I am not going to mention Sham 69's 'concept album' That's Life which I also remember getting some spins.

Otherwise some great singles (e.g. Buzzcocks/Clash/SLF etc.) but not an album - with Never Mind The Bollocks being filler apart from it's Fantastic Four for me. Once Sid Vicious joined and punk was all about fashion then it was over as far as I was concerned. I was just too young to see anyone in the real punk days but I remember kids at school talking about gigs cancelled because of too much gobbing and I had a friend who has some leopard skin bum flaps. None of that nonsense for me. My sartorial style was summarised by The Undertones and more or less remains that way to this day. I did see them in about 1980/81 along with the Boomtown Rats/Elvis Costello/Squeeze/John Otway. That's about as punk as I got. Couldn't understand a word that Feargal said.

So endeth todays trip down memory lane.

punk albums i consider great. maybe some of these are considered hardcore? 

The Damned - Damned Damned Damned
The Sex Pistols - Bollocks (yeah that entire band/scene comes with a lot of baggage but the record still holds up)

Ramones - S/T
The Ruts - The Crack
The Adverts - Crossing The Red Sea
Black Flag - My War 
Dead Kennedy - Fresh Fruit
The Clash - S/T (American version, sorry! "Complete Control" is a face ripper!)
The Adolescents - S/T
Circle Jerks - Group Sex
The Avengers - S/T
Stiff Little Fingers - Inflammable Material

 

[bböp]

46 minutes ago, tinnitus photography said:

punk albums i consider great. maybe some of these are considered hardcore? 

The Damned - Damned Damned Damned
The Sex Pistols - Bollocks (yeah that entire band/scene comes with a lot of baggage but the record still holds up)

Ramones - S/T
The Ruts - The Crack
The Adverts - Crossing The Red Sea
Black Flag - My War 
Dead Kennedy - Fresh Fruit
The Clash - S/T (American version, sorry! "Complete Control" is a face ripper!)
The Adolescents - S/T
Circle Jerks - Group Sex
The Avengers - S/T
Stiff Little Fingers - Inflammable Material

 

See what you started, Tatlock? 

 

Also, it just dawned on me that Wilco totally missed the opportunity to play Someone To Lose. 

[Albert Tatlock]

13 hours ago, tinnitus photography said:

punk albums i consider great. maybe some of these are considered hardcore? 

The Damned - Damned Damned Damned
The Sex Pistols - Bollocks (yeah that entire band/scene comes with a lot of baggage but the record still holds up)

Ramones - S/T
The Ruts - The Crack
The Adverts - Crossing The Red Sea
Black Flag - My War 
Dead Kennedy - Fresh Fruit
The Clash - S/T (American version, sorry! "Complete Control" is a face ripper!)
The Adolescents - S/T
Circle Jerks - Group Sex
The Avengers - S/T
Stiff Little Fingers - Inflammable Material

 

Really don't know anything about US punk apart from the Ramones and from hearing Dead Kennedy's back in the day on the John Peel show from time to time. 

Of the UK acts plus Ramones, for me still singles only from them and the Adverts (Looking Through Gary Gilmore's Eyes was one of the first punk songs I remember on TOTP)/Ruts/Damned.

Big SLF fan and The Clash's first comes close, but still stick with my ears not allowing any enjoyable full album listens there. Not going to argue with your ears - just saying what mine tell me if you are interested. Probably not LOL.

[Albert Tatlock]

10 hours ago, bböp said:

Also, it just dawned on me that Wilco totally missed the opportunity to play Someone To Lose. 

Ha! Good one.

[tinnitus photography]

it is pretty wild that the DK's record first came out in the UK, not over here. that record had an out-sized impact on me in high school. pissed that i somehow lost my copy of _Plastic Surgery Disasters_. 

[Albert Tatlock]

I think a lot was down to not being able to identify with suburban brats in sunny California (or wherever in the USA) and why they were moaning when in the UK there was Thatcher, future unemployment, and rain. That is of course a naive and very biased view (and your comment above indicates a different reality) but it is essentially what adolescent me was thinking. Very quickly it felt like a lot of the 'punk' bands were just poseurs (file under Billy Idol). That's why I liked so few like The Undertones so much. They were literally just like me (plus musical ability). Same was true for The Jam that carried me through until U2 and R.E.M. But that's another story though.

[TCP]

So I publicly question why Wilco isn't playing a particular song and then they just randomly start playing it?? Obviously I will claim full responsibility for this. In which case...

Why isn't Wilco playing Too Far Apart??

You're welcome Europe 😁

[tinnitus photography]

On 8/25/2023 at 9:00 AM, Albert Tatlock said:

I think a lot was down to not being able to identify with suburban brats in sunny California (or wherever in the USA) and why they were moaning when in the UK there was Thatcher, future unemployment, and rain. That is of course a naive and very biased view (and your comment above indicates a different reality) but it is essentially what adolescent me was thinking. Very quickly it felt like a lot of the 'punk' bands were just poseurs (file under Billy Idol). That's why I liked so few like The Undertones so much. They were literally just like me (plus musical ability). Same was true for The Jam that carried me through until U2 and R.E.M. But that's another story though.

i would have loved to see any of those bands in that era... closest was finally seeing DKs my first year in college ('85), and REM played our college spring concert... Fables of the Preconstruction tour. 

My only real hardcore claim to fame was seeing Deep Wound, which featured J and Lou who would later form Dinosaur Jr. I also saw Murph's first band, All White Jury a couple times. their singer Simon had a giant pink mohawk. 

[kidsmoke]

Paul, DAMN do you write a compelling review! I was there,  reading this. Thank you for all the small details that make it real in our minds.

At least I'm not slathered in sweat. What a great show.