Wilco — 3 September 2023, Birmingham, England, UK (Moseley Park) [Moseley Folk And Arts Festival; Day 3 of 3]

[bböp]

From the time that the Proclaimers were forced to bow out of tonight's undercard slot on the main stage at this most pleasant of festivals and were replaced by none other than Billy Bragg, there was just one major question on everyone's mind leading up to Wilco's headlining performance: Would the collaborators on the much-beloved Mermaid Avenue project share the stage at any point and reprise one of the Woody Guthrie compositions they helped to complete and bring to the world? (Spoiler alert: They did.)

 

It was far from the first time that Wilco and Bragg have reunited on stage, of course. It seems to happen about once every six or seven years when they find themselves booked on the same festival lineup on the same day, most recently (I'm pretty sure) at the Newport Folk Festival on 29 July 2017 and then before that at one of the Rolling Stone Weekenders in Germany on 7 November 2009. Those were both on performances of California Stars. And before that, they frequently joined forces on several different Mermaid Avenue songs in the summer of 1998 on the traveling Guinness Fleadh festival when the first volume of the project was newly released. There have probably been a few other instances over the years as well.

 

Anyway, the thing with collaborations at festivals is that sometimes the ones that seem the most obvious don't end up happening for whatever reason. Maybe one artist or the other have to leave early, and there simply isn't time to squeeze anything in. Or inclement weather rears its ugly head and throws things into chaos. But once it became clear that none of those would be a preventing factor (and since we weren't going to all be bopping along to (I'm Gonna Be) 500 Miles — much to the chagrin, I must admit — of your humble correspondent) it seemed like the Moseley Folk And Arts Festival audience wouldn't settle for anything but a feel-good sendoff with its two most prominent performers on the third and final day of this year's festivities.

 

Still, the crowd might have been getting a bit antsy when Bragg still hadn't reappeared with Wilco's 90-minute time slot winding down. Jeff had apparently spotted one of the festival's organizers near the front to his right a few songs earlier and had a funny little back-and-forth with him when Jeff thanked him for having the band at the festival and made a joke about how it was "sort of like your own private concert," to which the organizer replied that it "was an expensive ticket." That caused Jeff to crack a smile, and he said something like, "Well, I guess we better keep playing, then." Late in the set, after Jeff announced that he and his bandmates had two songs left, the organizer yelled out, "When's Billy coming back on stage?" Jeff had to reassure him, before launching into Falling Apart (Right Now): "OK,OK...it's gonna happen. Let's see how long it takes us to play this song..."

 

Finally, the time came for anticipated reunion. A relaxed and trim-looking Bragg reappeared with acoustic guitar in hand and Wilco began to play California Stars and for a few minutes, all was good with the world. We won't mention Bragg's lyrical stumble when he took the second verse on his own, as is the custom for most who guest on the song, but I think he immediately realized he had transposed some lyrics and turned to Jeff during the subsequent instrumental passage to express as much. Still, once it was over, Jeff hugged Billy and Billy hugged John and, if nothing else, once again assuaged the sense that there might be unresolved and irredeemable tension between collaborators who will forever be linked, whether they like it or not.

 

It was unquestionably a crowd-pleasing way to close out a long weekend of music and revelry, which included at least one extended interlude of old-fashioned folk dancing — some of which involved a wicker man of some sort as well as copious amounts of hay being thrown about — that had to be seen to be believed. The quaint three-day festival took place in a picturesque park about two and a half miles south of Birmingham city centre, and sort of had a Pickathon spirit and ethos about it (if anyone has ever been to that delightful festival outside of Portland, Ore.)

 

I'm not 100 percent sure, but this might have been Wilco's first-ever performance in this part of the country (West Midlands) as well. Jeff alluded to that in one of his only visits to Banter Corner when he said, "What a great night, and a great thing to be part of. Thanks for inviting us. I don't think we've ever been here before. I could be wrong. It happens all the time." He added that it had happened to him recently and joked that "I was in my own house." Certainly it seemed like there were more than a few people who had come to Moseley Park specifically to see Wilco, judging by the smattering of band T-shirts I observed (shout out to Mark from the Manchester area, who it was nice to see again) and the people who staked out their positions near the front of the stage as early as the start of Bragg's own set.

 

Unfortunately, there were also more weirdos than you might have expected in the crowd on the Sunday of a relatively sedate English folk festival. For instance, a drunken couple barged their way right behind the front row in the middle and caused a bit of a ruckus for a few songs before they thankfully stumbled off again. And I will scarcely mention the guy next to me (who I don't even think was a Brit) but with whom I engaged in a passive-aggressive leaning contest for a good part of Wilco's set because he had to stand directly behind his partner, apparently, and didn't have a concept of personal space.

 

I guess it was ultimately somewhat comforting to know that the usual crowd shenanigans that happen at home in America also take place over here as well. People are the same everywhere, for better and worse. If we would just all embrace love a little more, I'm sure things would be perfect, right? Take it from Jeff who, when a fan yelled out, "I love you, Jeff!" replied, "I'm not afraid to say I love you, too. I'm not like Doja Cat."

 

Here was the complete setlist, as played, at Moseley Park (I didn't get a look at the printed setlist, so can't say if there were any changes/omissions):

 

I Am My Mother

Cruel Country

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

If I Ever Was A Child

Handshake Drugs

Story To Tell

I'll Fight

Side With The Seeds

Hummingbird

Bird Without A Tail/Base Of My Skull

Misunderstood

Evicted

Impossible Germany

Jesus, etc.

The Late Greats

Heavy Metal Drummer

A Shot In The Arm

Falling Apart (Right Now)

California Stars (w/Billy Bragg on vocals and acoustic guitar)

[Albert Tatlock]

57 minutes ago, bböp said:

Wilco's first-ever performance in this part of the country (West Midlands)

 

It's not Wolverhampton, but it's not far. So the Midlands finest (eat your heart out Robert Plant):-

 

 

With thoughts for 'Big Tone', a Uni friend of mine from Wolverhampton who looked like the Hulk but was the gentlest of giants, and could do a great Lemmy Ace of Spades rendition.

 

Back on subject - Cali Stars is the go to collaboration song but is a bit predictable. Just the easiest to play I suppose. Somewhere in a parallel universe they did Unwelcome Guest which would have made a parallel me very happy indeed. Still my favourite song from MA I just for the JT harmonising towards the end. I often request him to do the whole song. I think it would work well for solo/TWEEDY outings. Maybe 'someone' could request it at one of the Vic charity shows one day. In another parallel world that might be me.

[Albert Tatlock]

Also, for a general vibe from the event:-

 

https://www.birminghamworld.uk/whats-on/birmingham-moseley-folk-arts-festival-photos-4278687

 

From which this takes the biscuit: Mikael with a secret guest spot (not to mention that is plainly Glenn in a dress and hat)?

 

 

 

[Albert Tatlock]

Wow, Noddy has really knocked me off my stride. Three posts in before I get to it.

 

Ta

 

P.S. I did see Slade on an early 80s 'revival' tour. They still had it, and still just about the loudest show I've ever been to.

[kidsmoke]

2 hours ago, bböp said:

From the time that the Proclaimers were forced to bow out of tonight's undercard slot on the main stage at this most pleasant of festivals and were replaced by none other than Billy Bragg, there was just one major question on everyone's mind leading up to Wilco's headlining performance: Would the collaborators on the much-beloved Mermaid Avenue project share the stage at any point and reprise one of the Woody Guthrie compositions they helped to complete and bring to the world? (Spoiler alert: They did.)

 

It was far from the first time that Wilco and Bragg have reunited on stage, of course. It seems to happen about once every six or seven years when they find themselves booked on the same festival lineup on the same day, most recently (I'm pretty sure) at the Newport Folk Festival on 29 July 2017 and then before that at one of the Rolling Stone Weekenders in Germany on 7 November 2009. Those were both on performances of California Stars. And before that, they frequently joined forces on several different Mermaid Avenue songs in the summer of 1998 on the traveling Guinness Fleadh festival when the first volume of the project was newly released. There have probably been a few other instances over the years as well.

 

Anyway, the thing with collaborations at festivals is that sometimes the ones that seem the most obvious don't end up happening for whatever reason. Maybe one artist or the other have to leave early, and there simply isn't time to squeeze anything in. Or inclement weather rears its ugly head and throws things into chaos. But once it became clear that none of those would be a preventing factor (and since we weren't going to all be bopping along to (I'm Gonna Be) 500 Miles — much to the chagrin, I must admit — of your humble correspondent) it seemed like the Moseley Folk And Arts Festival audience wouldn't settle for anything but a feel-good sendoff with its two most prominent performers on the third and final day of this year's festivities.

 

Still, the crowd might have been getting a bit antsy when Bragg still hadn't reappeared with Wilco's 90-minute time slot winding down. Jeff had apparently spotted one of the festival's organizers near the front to his right a few songs earlier and had a funny little back-and-forth with him when Jeff thanked him for having the band at the festival and made a joke about how it was "sort of like your own private concert," to which the organizer replied that it "was an expensive ticket." That caused Jeff to crack a smile, and he said something like, "Well, I guess we better keep playing, then." Late in the set, after Jeff announced that he and his bandmates had two songs left, the organizer yelled out, "When's Billy coming back on stage?" Jeff had to reassure him, before launching into Falling Apart (Right Now): "OK,OK...it's gonna happen. Let's see how long it takes us to play this song..."

 

Finally, the time came for anticipated reunion. A relaxed and trim-looking Bragg reappeared with acoustic guitar in hand and Wilco began to play California Stars and for a few minutes, all was good with the world. We won't mention Bragg's lyrical stumble when he took the second verse on his own, as is the custom for most who guest on the song, but I think he immediately realized he had transposed some lyrics and turned to Jeff during the subsequent instrumental passage to express as much. Still, once it was over, Jeff hugged Billy and Billy hugged John and, if nothing else, once again assuaged the sense that there might be unresolved and irredeemable tension between collaborators who will forever be linked, whether they like it or not.

 

It was unquestionably a crowd-pleasing way to close out a long weekend of music and revelry, which included at least one extended interlude of old-fashioned folk dancing — some of which involved a wicker man of some sort as well as copious amounts of hay being thrown about — that had to be seen to be believed. The quaint three-day festival took place in a picturesque park about two and a half miles south of Birmingham city centre, and sort of had a Pickathon spirit and ethos about it (if anyone has ever been to that delightful festival outside of Portland, Ore.)

 

I'm not 100 percent sure, but this might have been Wilco's first-ever performance in this part of the country (West Midlands) as well. Jeff alluded to that in one of his only visits to Banter Corner when he said, "What a great night, and a great thing to be part of. Thanks for inviting us. I don't think we've ever been here before. I could be wrong. It happens all the time." He added that it had happened to him recently and joked that "I was in my own house." Certainly it seemed like there were more than a few people who had come to Moseley Park specifically to see Wilco, judging by the smattering of band T-shirts I observed (shout out to Mark from the Manchester area, who it was nice to see again) and the people who staked out their positions near the front of the stage as early as the start of Bragg's own set.

 

Unfortunately, there were also more weirdos than you might have expected in the crowd on the Sunday of a relatively sedate English folk festival. For instance, a drunken couple barged their way right behind the front row in the middle and caused a bit of a ruckus for a few songs before they thankfully stumbled off again. And I will scarcely mention the guy next to me (who I don't even think was a Brit) but with whom I engaged in a passive-aggressive leaning contest for a good part of Wilco's set because he had to stand directly behind his partner, apparently, and didn't have a concept of personal space.

 

I guess it was ultimately somewhat comforting to know that the usual crowd shenanigans that happen at home in America also take place over here as well. People are the same everywhere, for better and worse. If we would just all embrace love a little more, I'm sure things would be perfect, right? Take it from Jeff who, when a fan yelled out, "I love you, Jeff!" replied, "I'm not afraid to say I love you, too. I'm not like Doja Cat."

 

Here was the complete setlist, as played, at Moseley Park (I didn't get a look at the printed setlist, so can't say if there were any changes/omissions):

 

I Am My Mother

Cruel Country

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

If I Ever Was A Child

Handshake Drugs

Story To Tell

I'll Fight

Side With The Seeds

Hummingbird

Bird Without A Tail/Base Of My Skull

Misunderstood

Evicted

Impossible Germany

Jesus, etc.

The Late Greats

Heavy Metal Drummer

A Shot In The Arm

Falling Apart (Right Now)

California Stars (w/Billy Bragg on vocals and acoustic guitar)

Sorry you had to endure lousy audience mates. They're universal. 😬🙄

[Chad77]

My first time seeing them was in a small room

at the Birmingham academy in 2004.  On their website the show is listed as Birmingham, Alabama, but I was definitely in the UK 

[Analogman]

6 hours ago, Albert Tatlock said:

Also, for a general vibe from the event:-

 

https://www.birminghamworld.uk/whats-on/birmingham-moseley-folk-arts-festival-photos-4278687

 

From which this takes the biscuit: Mikael with a secret guest spot (not to mention that is plainly Glenn in a dress and hat)?

 

 

 

 

Is that a Green Man costume?

[Albert Tatlock]

4 hours ago, Analogman said:

 

Is that a Green Man costume?

 

I'm no expert but I thought the Green Man usually has antlers on his head and a bit more greenery. But then there are so many local variations on things in the UK who knows. Looks more like the Beige Man to me, or Ye Olde Lord Buckethead (you might have to google Lord Buckethead).

 

[Chad77]

A quick video we took 

[Analogman]

6 minutes ago, Albert Tatlock said:

 

I'm no expert but I thought the Green Man usually has antlers on his head and a bit more greenery. But then there are so many local variations on things in the UK who knows. Looks more like the Beige Man to me, or Ye Olde Lord Buckethead (you might have to google Lord Buckethead).

 

 

Maybe Jack in The Green then -