Wilco — 18-Feb-2008 — Night Three

Night Three.
After a restful Sunday to recharge our batteries (or thaw out, however you want to look at it) we were fired up to brave some bone-chilling cold (minus 5 degrees F with the wind chill) to stand in line once again. The friends we have made along the way were a welcome sight as we anxiously chattered on about the previous two nights of Wilco goodness.

Lining up early has always paid huge dividends, and tonight was no exception. Once the doors opened, we were able to score spots against the front railing, just in front of Pat.

Some highlights I scribbled down from last night:

The interplay with Nels and Andrew Bird during "Hesitating Beauty."
Jeff testifying on "You are My Face" "I have no idea how this happens...."
Nels on "Shot in the Arm" jumping up and down, acting like a crazy man.
During "Kamera" Jeff was smiling wide at Nels playing the 12-string electric.

Between songs, Jeff quips "This next one is from our first record." To which the crowd replied with applause. Nels directs him to check the setlist... and Jeff covers by saying: "This is from our first record you bought." This brought some jeers, and then Jeff says something to the effect that he "...always has to shit in the punchbowl." I shot a glance over at John, who was smiling and shaking his head in agreement. It was pretty funny. The band then launches into "Jesus, etc."

After "Pick up the Change" Jeff kept wearing the harp brace (which looks like some kind of orthodontic device) just to keep the crowd pleased. I think he said something to the effect that he might start just wearing that around all the time, since it brought great applause.

Horns on "Walken" — Holy canoli! Those guys were good! Pat's rock star moves during "Walken" are just getting better and better. The lighting effects on Pat really allowed him to bask in the spotlight during this song.

Leading up to the last song prior to the break: "I'm the Man Who Loves You" Jeff strikes the first note... and quips that it would be the last song of the set. They were doing it the way the "Dead used to do..." and that we could use the break to pee, get a beer, whatever. Then he said that that note, and he played it again, actually makes them have to pee.

During "Via Chicago" the cacophony coming from Glen's drumkit was paired with a vicious light show that shot red and white lights all over the stage and into the audience, only to halt in time with Glen.

"Monday" rocked my freakin' socks off.

Blue-Eyed Soul
Remember the Mountain Bed w/ Andrew Bird
Bob Dylan's 49th Beard
Hesitating Beauty w/ Bird
That's Not the Issue w/ Bird, Pat on banjo
Wishful Thinking
You Are My Face
Side with the Seeds
A Shot in the Arm
We're Just Friends
Kamera
Handshake Drugs
How to Fight Loneliness w/ Bird
Jesus, Etc. w/ Bird
Should've Been in Love
Pick Up the Change
Theologians
Walken
I'm the Man Who Loves You

-break-

Via Chicago
Impossible Germany
She's a Jar w/ Bird
Say You Miss Me
Box Full of Letters
I'm Always in Love
Hate It Here w/ Bird, horns
The Late Greats
Red-Eyed & Blue
I Got You (At the End of the Century)
Monday
My Darling

-encore-

Can't Stand It with horns
Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway (Again)

Wilco — 16-Feb-2008 — Night Two

Night Two.

Lessons learned from night one-- if we wanted to continue to have a good vantage, we'd still have to line up early outside the Riviera. No worries, we were in great company with VC'ers and our newly-minted friends from Day One were also stomping the cold from their feet and the anticipation for what Wilco would do launched many a conversation.

Lining up a little over 2 hours ended up paying great dividends, as the club quickly filled up with a veritable sea of people shortly after the doors opened.

The show opened with Tweedy coming on-stage alone, and, armed with an acoustic guitar. At first it seemed he might open the night with a solo song, but the remainder of the band joined him and they began with a subdued Someone Else's Song. It was clear this wouldn't be a carbon copy of the previous night's set, even though there were several repeats from night one.

A surprise entrance by violin and whistling virtuoso Andrew Bird was in store for tonight as Bird joined Jeff for a whistle duet during "Red-Eyed & Blue". Bird lent his classic violin-playing skills for several songs throughout the night.

Other highlights:
Pat Sansone's rock star moves on "Walken."
Jeff's guitar shredding on "I'm the Man Who Loves You." On this song, this is *all* Jeff, as Nels takes a breather from the frenetic fret board action.
A rocking "Casino Queen" from the band's debut... which led to a perennial crowd pleaser: "Kingpin." Jeff mentioned that since we were a hometown crowd, we already knew what to do, but he still needed to remind us to scream at the top of our lungs during the call-back portion of the song. (an aside: My throat still hurts.)

My personal highlight of the evening belongs to "Dreamer in My Dreams." They've obviously rehearsed this 1997 track well, and I have a great feeling this one will be entering in the regular rotation at post-Residency shows in the coming days. Just when you think it's over...

At the shows closer, Jeff said he'd see us on Monday, and after nearly 2 1/2 hours of playing, the band exited the stage. The only problem was: we were not going anywhere. I spied Sue Tweedy in her private box doing the rock show cat call, and we simply yelled to the top of our lungs until the band came out once again. A *true* encore!

The band gave us a pair of songs to close out the night, the last an awesome rendition of "Hoodoo Voodoo" which featured Pat and Nels trading off some of their best kick-ass guitar licks a la Dueling Banjos-style which conjured up a Guitar Hero "battle" in my mind. They had given us everything and more. With the past two nights behind us now... it's difficult to guess what they'll have in store for us on Monday.

Setlist:

Someone Else's Song
Hell is Chrome
Handshake Drugs
Muzzle of Bees
Via Chicago
I'm Trying to Break Your Heart
Hotel Arizona
Shot in the Arm
Impossible Germany
Its Just That Simple - John on vox
When You Wake Up Feeling Old
Too Far Apart
Jesus Etc. w/Andrew Bird
Forget The Flowers w/ AB
Dash 7 w/ AB
Christ For President w/AB
Walken w/ horn section
Im The Man Who Loves You

-break-
The Late Greats
Heavy Metal Drummer
Red Eyed & Blue
I Got You w/ AB
A Magazine Called Sunset
Monday w/ horn section
Casino Queen
Kingpin

-encore-
ELT
Hoodoo Voodoo

Wilco — 15-Feb-2008 — Night One

So... I'm in Chicago, waking up after the first night of Wilco's five-night stand at the Riviera Theatre. During this stint, they are endeavoring to play every song they've released on the official recordings, plus a smattering of b-sides, Mermaid Avenue tracks, and surprises.

I'm still reeling.

More thoughts to come later, but I really just wanted to dust off the cobwebs of this blog (contrary to what folks might think, I'm still breathing) and gather my thoughts on what will very likely be the one and only time that Wilco attempts such an undertaking.
Set list for Night #1:

ELT
Shot in the Arm
Side with the Seeds
You are my Face
I am Trying to Break Your Heart
Pot Kettle Black
At Least that's What You Said
What's the World Got in Store
When the Roses Bloom Again
Airline to Heaven
Ashes of American Flags
Either Way
Jesus Etc
Too Far Apart
Can't Stand It
Sunken Treasure
Spiders (Kidsmoke)

-break-
Misunderstood
Far, Far Away
Why Would you Wanna Live
Impossible Germany
Sky Blue Sky
Please be Patient with Me
Cars Can't Escape
Hummingbird

-encore-
Hate it Here
Walken
I'm the Man who Loves You
Heavy Metal Drummer
Candyfloss
Outtamind (outtasite)

Listening to Otis Redding at Home During Christmas

Driving home for Christmas was a welcome slow-paced drive this year. Just me in the VW, with the Christmas songs of Sufjan from the iPod filling my car. After I made my way through that playlist, I gravitated to listening to the soothing strains of Otis Redding. I don't know, there was a warm comfort in listening to those soulful songs that resonated with me on this year's drive home.

There's a song by Okkervil River called "Listening to Otis Redding at Home During Christmas" that prompted me to dial in Otis. I can certainly identify with the sentiment of that song, where the singer finds himself back home, in his old hometown, at Christmas time. Some of the same feelings he was singing about were washing over me. As I neared my parent's house, I found myself going slower and slower, wanting to finish the song. I even drove around the block once, creeping along (a fact that might have caused an overzealous neighbor to think something was amiss) only to allow the song a chance to play all the way through.

It's funny, the houses in my neighborhood all seem so small now. The hills I recklessly piloted my bicycle down seem so insignificant now that I'm older. All the old neighborhood kids are gone--scattered like proverbial seeds cast upon the wind. The only real visible change to the landscape are the trees. Those that have remained have been allowed to tower, while other neighbors have chosen to clear-cut huge swaths of land, creating a very different skyline than that of my youth.

So yeah... home at Christmas. There's nothing like it. At least Otis doesn't change, eh?
Incidentally, Otis died 40 years ago this month, 10-Dec-1967 when the plane he was traveling in crashed into the icy waters of Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin.

Merry Christmas to all my faithful readers. Let me hear from you in the comments... it gets lonesome sometimes in the blogosphere.

+ Okkervil River — Listening to Otis Redding at Home During Christmas

+ Otis Redding — These Arms of Mine
+ Otis Redding — Try a Little Tenderness
+ Otis Redding — My Lover's Prayer
+ Otis Redding — That's How Strong My Love Is
+ Otis Redding — Security

"Silent Night / Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis"

It's that time of year again... time to dust off this classic from Tom's 1979 performance on the long-running Austin City Limits.

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

God knows, I love Bob Dylan. He's a veritable National Treasure, and there will never be another. Here's a little early Christmas treat for you: Dylan reciting the classic poem 'Twas the Night Before Christmas.

+ 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
excerpted from episode 34 of Dylan's
Theme Time Radio Hour

Bethlehem, 2007

Banksy

"Mouse House"

Priceless video of the Fiery Furnaces performing "Mouse House" at a Pancake Mountain dance party can be seen here.

I think I may have heard a small voice in the back: "What the heck is Pancake Mountain?"
See below:

Fill in the Blank Playlist

Alice — Tom Waits
Alison — Pixies (Live)
Go Amanda — Steve Earle
Amy 88 — The V-Roys
Angelita — The Backsliders
Bob Dylan's 49th Beard — Wilco
Carrie Brown — Steve Earle and The Del McCoury Band
Casey Jones — Grateful Dead
Cecilia Ann — Pixies
Claire — Morphine
Clementine — The Decemberists
D. Boon — Uncle Tupelo
Danny Says — Ramones
Daria — Cake
Elaine — 6 String Drag (includes my favorite local musician: Kenny Roby)
Eleanor Put Your Boots On — Franz Ferdinand
Eleanor Rigby — The Beatles
Emma — Richard Buckner
Evangeline — The Band (w. Emmylou Harris)
Henrietta — The Fratellis
Ingrid Bergman — Billy Bragg
Goodnight Irene — Tom Waits
Hey, Jack Kerouac — 10,000 Maniacs
Jack & Tina — Morphine
Jackie, Dressed in Cobras — The New Pornographers
Jane — Golden Smog
Sweet Jane — Cowboy Junkies
Janine — Soul Coughing (best song in the world feat. an answering machine)
Jesse James — Bruce Springsteen w/ the Sessions Band
Joey — Bob Dylan
John Walker's Blues — Steve Earle
John Wayne Gacy, Jr. — Sufjan Stevens
John Wesley Harding — Bob Dylan
Jolene — The White Stripes
Karen — The National
Karoline — Neko Case
What's the Frequency, Kenneth? — R.E.M.
Lisa — Morphine
Leslie Anne Levine — The Decemberists
Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken — Camera Obscura
Lola — The Kinks
Loretta — Neko Case
Lucinda — Tom Waits
Madaline — Catfish Haven
Madame George — Van Morrison
Mary — The V-Roys
Melissa — Hayseed
Michelle — The Beatles
Ophelia — The Band
Ruby's Arms — Tom Waits
Samson — Regina Spektor
Sheila — Morphine
Sheila, Take A Bow — The Smiths
A Boy Named Sue — Johnny Cash
Suzie Blue — Ben Harper
Sylvia Plath — Ryan Adams
Tom Ames' Prayer — Steve Earle
William, It Was Really Nothing — The Smiths
Willie — Cat Power
Oh Yoko — John Lennon
Yuri-G — PJ Harvey

How Michael J. Got His Groove Back

Fiery Furnaces — "Navy Nurse" Video

See also: Ex-Guru

Fiery Furnaces on KCRW

Just a shade over a month ago, The Fiery Furnaces recorded a set with Nic Harcourt of the excellent "Morning Becomes Eclectic" on KCRW, in Santa Monica, CA. I missed the actual broadcast, but thanks to the wonders of bit torrent, I was able to hear this broadcast in its entirety.

01. Intro
02. Duplexes of the Dead
03. Automatic Husband
04. Ex-Guru
05. My Egyptian Grammar
06. Japanese Slippers
07. Widow City
08. Interview
09. Navy Nurse
10. The Philadelphia Grand Jury
11. Clear Signal From Cairo
12. Outro

It's clear that Matt and Eleanor have a great time making music together. If you download just one of these tracks, choose wisely: Navy Nurse will rock your freakin' socks off. I know— I'm sitting here at my desk, typing in my bare feet.

Special thanks to Priscilla, who turned me on to The Fiery Furnaces. It's been a wild nonsensical trip, but I love it.

If you're lucky enough to have an account on DIME, here's the link.
[Widow City @ Amazon]

R.E.M. — Christmas in Athens

I was a member of the R.E.M. fan club for many, many years. Somewhere along the way I let my membership slide and I keep forgetting to renew my status before the Holiday Fan Club packages are sent out. This year, once again, I lived up to my potential and forgot to re-up in time for the annual Christmas package.

But that doesn't mean I don't have a slew of Christmas-themed R.E.M. goodies from yesteryear's packages. Pipe these babies into your ears and drown out that holiday muzak that the malls push on you. You know better than to listen to that pap.

Without further ado:

+ R.E.M. — Ghost Reindeer In The Sky (1990)
+ R.E.M. — Parade Of Wooden Soldiers (1988)
+ R.E.M. — Toyland (1992)
+ R.E.M. — Christmas In Tunisia (1994)
+ R.E.M. — Good King Wenceslas (1989)
+ R.E.M. — Christmas Griping (1991)
+ R.E.M. — Christmas Time Is Here (1993)
+ R.E.M. — Silver Bells (1993)
+ R.E.M. — Jesus Christ (2002, Big Star Cover)
+ R.E.M. — Christmas Time Is Here Again * (2000, originally a Beatles Fan-Club Only single)
+ R.E.M. — Deck The Halls (from a 1988 Warner Promotional CD)

* If anyone has a complete version of this song, please let me know.
This one seems to be truncated.

"Little Friday" Mix — It's Instrumental

01. Sinthtro — The Dears
02. Junior Kickstart — The Go! Team
03. Blake Carrington — Shark Quest
04. The Birth and Death of the Day — Explosions in the Sky
05. The Observer — The Flaming Lips
06. Race Out — Battles
07. Dub Latina — Calexico
08. Oscillate Wildly — The Smiths
09. I Heard You Looking — Yo La Tengo

"Man in a Parking Lot"

by Catherine Jagoe, from Casting Off

When you have a son
you start seeing men
backwards, intuiting their childhood
selves beneath the years of accretions—
the bags and jowls, paunches,
thickened, crumpled skin,
the whole weight of the individual
personality, its freight of filters,
opinions, prejudices, habits,
likes, congealed—as if you knew them
before they even knew themselves.

So when a man stumbles toward you,
mumbling, across the Cubb's Foods parking lot,
unkempt and coatless in the snow,
and your discriminating mind says
"madman," "danger," though he never
once looks up, locked in an altered world,
fixed, unfixable, you lock your car door and then
sit there wondering how it happened,
when things started going wrong.
Knowing he was once a toddler—
for pity's sake—you find it
strange, unreal, this mane of wild
grey hair, grey beard. Somehow
you know it doesn't belong on him,
all that hair, and you don't know
how he got to be so lost, so sick, so old.

---

I often frequent the excellent website: Writers' Almanac hosted by Garrison Keillor. This poem brought to my mind the man I know that is at this moment, thumbing his way across the US.
I wonder if there are folks out there who have a similar reaction to his presence?

Over the weekend, I saw a weary traveler by the road who was raving at an invisible entity, and it was sad and disturbing at the same time. He wasn't hitching — as he was walking against traffic — but I had the feeling he was on the same proverbial road that Shawn is traveling on right now — a road where people pass judgment in the blink of an eye.

"No Country for Old Men"

A connected friend of mine had extra sneak-preview passes to see the Coen Bro's latest: No Country for Old Men last night, and I cleared my calendar (which, in effect, means I recorded "The Office") and joined them for the early look at this film.

I knew early on that this was not going to be a chuckle-fest, a la "Raising Arizona" or "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" It would be a serious, and violent epic.

And it is.

I don't think I've ever seen a more realistic portrayel of a sociopath than Javier Bardem's character Anton Chigurh. His haunting visage is something I will not forget soon, that's for sure. The film's central theme dances around the idea that the modern world has gone terribly awry, articulated best by the soon-to-retire Texas sheriff Ed Tom Bell, played by Tommy Lee Jones.

The film has some very Coen-branded moments of dark humour. I'm not sure they're capable of making a film without some form of comic-relief.

Leave the kids at home.

Thumbing towards destiny

An on-line acquaintance of mine (a fellow Straydog, as it were) is thumbing his way across these great United States. His journey actually began in our great white neighbor to the North, and at present, he's somewhere in Ann Arbor, MI.

He's not homeless, but he's taken on a bohemian existence, and traveling on the über-cheap. In his blog, he's mentioned a metaphorical casting off of the comfy existence and that he has embarked on this adventure because he's "finished with the trappings of the material world for some time."

His name is Shawn, and I gotta say, I have nothing but admiration for him. He's out there, living a dream. On the threshold of adventure and perhaps misadventure. Some might say that he's running away from someone or something, but I'm more of the opinion that he's running toward something entirely new. Be that as it may, Shawn is out there, some where. His ongoing odyssey is being chronicled every day or so... whenever he has access to the local public library.

If you see him thumbing, be kind, and pick him up. And Shawn, you're more than welcome to three hots and a flop if you make it to my neck of North Carolina.

+ Tom Waits — Straydog
+ Tom Waits — Walk Away
+ Tom Waits — Bottom of the World
+ Tom Waits — Jack & Neal (California, Here I Come)

[Shawn's blog: Windswept Thumb]
[buy Tom Waits: Orphans]

Best Use of Facial Hair at Halloween

Yes, that's Jeff Tweedy with his wife Sue.
They look so happy!

[first seen at Jew Eat Yet]

"Table Top Joe"

If you could spend an evening with one character from a Tom Waits song, which character would you choose and why?

As for myself, I would choose to spend an evening with none other than Table Top Joe. We'd go to one of those fancy pants martini-piano-bar-type places, where I would get him pretty nigh drunk on G & T's. It wouldn't take much... then I'd grease the hired piano player to take an extended break, and then "TJ" (my own pet nickname for him) and I would play the piano together. I would stick to the bass end, and of course, cover the pedals.

If you could spend an evening with a fictional character from a song, who would you choose, and why?

---

+ Tom Waits — Table Top Joe.mp3

"Black as Midnight on a Moon-less Night"

Twin Peaks "Gold" edition drops on the morrow... just in time for Halloween. Here's a video of coffee-related scenes that Amazon has assembled from both seasons. My adopted actor, Michael J. Anderson makes an appearance in the montage. I really don't think I would like his coffee, however.