Jeff Tweedy — 29 December 2024, Los Angeles, CA (Largo at the Coronet) [Night 1 of 4]

[Brian F.]

All Across the World

Even I Can See

Sky Blue Sky

I Am My Mother

Impossible Germany

Message from Mid-Bar

Gwendolyn

KC Rain

Sad Kind of Way

Meant to Be

An Empty Corner

New Madrid

You and I

Reservations

Now and Then

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You Are Not Alone

Lou Reed Was My Babysitter

A Robin or a Wren (with Spencer and Sammy Tweedy on harmony vocals)

 

After an opening comedic set by Mae Martin, Jeff arrived on stage at 8:34 p.m. and commented about how "we just did this in April" and asked if it was too much. He then introduced a theme that he would return to throughout the night: his indignation at the ordering procedure at L.A.'s Cafe Gratitude, a "vegan junk food" restaurant that gives its dishes names like "I Am Loving," forcing patrons to offer positive affirmations if they want to order food. After a pretty rendition of "All Across the World" behind a microphone stand that was set up a few feet deeper into the stage than at prior Largo engagements, Jeff suggested several dishes that might be more fitting for him, including I Am Obsequious, I Am Controlling, I Am Sanctimonious and I Am Angry, which he imagined might consist of a bowl full of hornets. An exquisite performance of "Even I Can See" was greeted with the traditional request for "I'll Fight" by the same audience member who has requested it at approximately twenty consecutive Largo shows. (In April, Jeff finally caved to this gentleman's harassment by playing the song but forgot the lyrics despite having nailed it in rehearsal.) Jeff explained to the gentleman that this is "not how these shows work," adding that "you don't want me to play the stupid song you want to hear," but then thanked him "for knowing one of my songs." Upon hearing a smattering of handclaps, Jeff advised the audience that he does not like applause, expressing indignation at the implication that he was performing for them like some kind of trained monkey.

 

Before "I Am My Mother," Jeff related the story of the Tulsa heckler who shouted "Drill, baby, drill!" at the conclusion of a performance of that song at Cain's, and said he had been wracking his brain trying to figure out which of the song's "disjointed" lyrics had prompted that outburst. He also wondered what gave that heckler the idea that Jeff is a liberal. After the song, Jeff noted the two guitars on stands behind him and commented again about how people get upset if they see instruments on stage that don't get played, referring to one of the guitars as "Chekhov's 12-string." Later, segueing into "KC Rain," Jeff said that he has been trying for at least ten years without success to get "Waltzcore" to happen. Concluding the song, he pointed out that it features one of Susie's least favorite things, a false ending. The back-to-back "Sad Kind of Way" and "Meant to Be" were utterly gorgeous. Jeff said that "Meant to Be" is a song so sweet that it offset the dyspeptic "Message from Mid-Bar" from earlier in the set. After observing once again that his brand is "Is he O.K.?," Jeff proceeded to relate the story of his time working at a liquor store in his late teens that was the center of much illegal activity. He described the business as "one of the shadier operations I've been involved in, and I've been in the music business for years." Jeff had previously shared this story at Largo in April, and acknowledged straight off that he was going to tell it again, to Susie's chagrine. The purpose of the story, as in April, was to provide an explanation for the opening lines of "An Empty Corner" about eight tiny lines of cocaine left on a copy machine," although this time Jeff added that this is only job he's had that he still dreams about, which gave the context for the next line of the song. At this rate, we'll have a full exegesis of "An Empty Corner" by Jeff's 2035 appearance at Largo. Jeff differentiated his style of telling an audience what a song is about from the more literal and somewhat insulting approach many other artists take: "This song's about Satan riding a horse in the fog. It's called 'Satan Fog Horse.'" After performing this relative rarity from an empty corner of Wilco's long catalog, Jeff asked it he had played enough songs that the audience knew. Eying his set list-- and he did appear to be working from an ordered set list taped to his monitor, deviating from the looser approach he has taken at most other Largo shows-- he commented that these are probably not the shows you want to attend if you're not intimately familiar with his catalog. (Jeff had a master song list on the table next to him in addition to the set list taped at his feet.)

 

After introducing "one of the many songs I've written for my wife that she doesn't like," Jeff was pleased to hear applause from the crowd when it recognized "You and I" and noted with satisfaction in Susie's direction that "other people like it." Following "Reservations," the I'll Fight Guy (whose birthday is Night 2) chimed in again, prompting Eric to appear side stage. Jeff thought he was telling him that it was time to end the set, but he was actually there to provide security in case IFG's request became literal and things came to blows. The main set ended with a new song with the repeated refrain "You're in Love Again," which Jeff encouraged the audience to sing as he slowly left the stage.

 

Returning for the encore, something Jeff said he had forgotten he wasn't doing anymore but he liked the feeling of walking off stage with the audience's mellifluous singing in his ears, he noted that he was told he had only played fifteen songs. He promised to play more for I'll Fight Guy's birthday. The encore consisted of a lovely "You Are Not Alone," an audience-participation version-- barks only-- of "Lou Reed Was My Babysitter" (introduced as a song about all the things Jeff hated about going to shows that he now misses), and a family version of "A Robin or a Wren" with Spencer and Sammy on backing vocals. The show ended at 10:01 p.m.

[bböp]

15 hours ago, Brian F. said:

New Song ("You're in Love Again")

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You Are Not Alone

Lou Reed Was My Babysitter

A Robin or a Wren (with Spencer and Sammy Tweedy on harmony vocals)

 

Thanks for the recap in my stead. Sounds like an interesting one. It feels weird to not be out there, though I must say I don't miss not experiencing the awkwardness created by "I'll Fight" guy. Fwiw, that new song with the repeated "You're in love again" is called Now And Then, at least according to the good folks at Wilcoworld. Jeff played it a few times on the solo tour he did in October. Interesting about having the actual setlist that he was executing and that he did an actual encore, although it's nice that Sammy and Spencer sang with their dad on AROAW. Wonder if they'll join on at least one tune every night. Seems like they would if they are going to all the shows.

[Brian F.]

That's funny about the new song title. I was writing random distinctive phrases to try to pin down what it was later. I had written "glowing X-ray" and "Train in Vain," and also "now and then" because it appeared twice in the lyrics. Then the song closed with about fifteen straight instances of "You're in Love Again" so I thought, "I'll definitely go with that." I had forgotten that there was a "Now and Then" played at some of the solo gigs.

[Albert Tatlock]

Ta