Went to Jeff Tweedy last night. For context: Uncle Tupelo and Wilco were important bands for me and friends 1996-2001. After Jay Bennett was unceremoniously fired (and they made a movie about it) I was pretty ticked off for many years. While super talented I can’t stand Nels Cline (I mean his guitar playing style). But I enjoyed Wilco (the Album) and saw then again around then and then quite a few times after. I realized how much I still enjoyed hearing stuff from Being there, Summerteeth, Mermaid sessions, and YHF live (even if it would have been better if they had not scrapped the Jay Bennett production in favor of O’rourke). I haven’t paid that much attention to Tweedy’s solo stuff, Band with his kid, or even Wilco’s last few albums (I bought Ode and Wilco Schmilco). Anyhow I think I seen Wilco live 9 or 10 times from 1996 at 9:30 to their Anthem show.
But I had never seen Tweedy solo. It didn’t sound terribly appealing… however, when I saw he was playing Atlantis I thought to myself “Hey this sounds like a great opportunity to do something different and get up close.”
Based on my Hot Chip and Pixies experience I knew getting to show early paid off so with doors opened at 6:30 I got there at 7. I got commemorative ticket stub 151 (for Pixies it was 160 and Hot Chip, 379). A newer and much younger friend who is a huge Wilco fan got my extra as all my older friends whom I saw those legendary shows in the 90s with were out of town, they are dealing with a huge personal crisis, had parental responsibilities like going to kids ballgames. Anyways I can only handle so much rejection so ticket went to someone who really wanted it. Some of my friends you literally feel bad offering them tickets cause you make them feel bad about not being able to have a life. This guy had been at the Tweedy 930 show night before.
Anyways he got there at 6:50 (nice change from when I meet people who are always late. I am always on time to a fault). He was super excited. Went in and walked to about fourth row centerish. Like Pixies, incredibly respectful people as far as space and it was roomy up front! Drank beers until opener went on. Really cool new folk act Le Ren sounding a bit like Joni, Kate Bush and Margo Timmins. Really funny banter. Intermission then Tweedy comes out. Based on Yada review from night before I expected him to look like warmed over death. Surprise he looks fantastic! WTF Yada? Yeah he is a big guy…solid build but no he doesn’t look like Robert Smith! Anyways he starts talking…his humor with that self deprecating wit and sweet shucks demeanor is funny as hell…yes, I suspect it’s a bit of an act (the guy has to be ruthless and smart as hell). He made a lot of jokes about the night before but it was all kind of exaggerated made up stuff (although probably kidding on the square). Anyways he starts playing all these songs a few of which I have never heard or don’t recognize interspersed with known ones to me. Started with a Mermaid song I love. And it was just masterful. I noted ONE clam or bum note the entire show.The crowd was enraptured. At one point early Jeff pulls out this huge list of all the IMP shows he played and tells about how they opened for this act and that act including three times opening at the old 930 including the Dead Milkmen (Walkie!) and Teenage Fanclub (he was rightly proud) and other cool acts I am spacing and says “and then my band broke up!” So he was talking about Tupelo! Anyhow my young friend, after during the next between song patter Tweedy refers to the huge list again yells out “Did Wilco play the old 930!” Cringe! You could tell Tweedy was a bit in jest wounded anyone would ask that “Of course! Haven’t you been paying attention!!” It was all pretty funny but you had to be there
It had been decades since I saw so few phones being used to take pics. It just isn’t done here clearly until this one bozo wearing a Wilco hat gets out his phone and right in front of Jeff can’t help himself and holds phone up and films California Stars. Loser. I thought I noticed a reproving look on Jeff’s face. He didn’t play Via Chicago (most requested at end), Heavy metal drummer, or Summerteeth (instead throwing out another song from that album). And then show was over and he left. I noticed the filming loser waving a Wilco live 1996 album around half heartedly to try and get it signed but he lacked the guts to yell @Hey Jeff sorry I filmed California Stars but can you sign this…” My friend just ate up the show and even bought me an Atlantis poster while I went to restroom. I ran into Bagley which was great as it had been a while.
Show was probably about 15 minutes too short. I was home in Virginia by 11!!
Didn’t notice large BMIs …in fact lots of slim people…probably the beautiful people made this their Tweedy show and left the 930 to the peons
Props to a nice bartender who knew what he was doing.
I couldn’t get wifi automatically but people around me seemed to be using it..not sure if they had to click on a network
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yY18-OVBh5Y
