Wilco will love you, baby
I spent three hours standing on a hard floor, bent sideways for optimum visibility, and sipping on the worst drink I’ve ever had. I can’t tell you the last time I’ve had a happier evening. What is it about Wilco that makes everything so awesome?
Wilco: you either love them or you are deaf hate them. And when they come somewhere close to town, the latter group of people are certain to tire of Wilco chatter because they can’t hear it that’s how backlash works. The former group, however, either knows from experience or has heard from a peer that their live show absolutely cannot be missed.
Richmond knew this, and the lucky ticketholders packed the National last night for a three hour (plus) evening with Jeff Tweedy and his pals (John Stirratt, Glenn Kotche, Nels Cline, Pat Sansone, and Mikael Jorgensen). More than ever, Wilco made a confident and considerate impression that this show was crafted specifically for us, with no corners cut and no subpar guitar played. Probably a trillion pieces of equipment filled the stage in what appeared to be organized chaos, and it was only when the band had played a few songs that there was in fact nothing at all chaotic about their organization.
If Wilco’s tour were a movie, it would be a favorite for the Best Supporting Dudes award. Guitars, cymbals, miscellany — all were supplied fresh between every song, so that the audience would never hear a note on an instrument not precisely correct for the way the song was composed. The precision of it all was mind-boggling, almost as fascinating to watch as the actual performance itself, which consisted of satisfyingly career-spanning tunes. Midway through the set, during Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’s “Poor Places,” a small army speedily constructed a stripped-down version of the band’s setup. As Nels Cline’s dramatic noise ending to the song held our attention, vintage-esque floor lamps flickered on and off and the band reassembled on the front half of the stage to bring us seamlessly into an acoustic set beginning with “Spiders (Kidsmoke)” (from A Ghost is Born) and moving through some older favorites like “Passenger Side” (AM). During a jovial “Outta Mind (Outta Sight)” (Being There), the transformation began again, the small army quietly reappeared, and by the end of the song, the band was fully plugged in, lit up, and ready to re-embrace rock stardom with “Misunderstood” (Being There).
On Wilco’s website, fans can request songs to be played at specific shows. The band then chooses from the requests, incorporates them into the show, and rearranges the choreography involved with all the guitar-switching accordingly. As a result, we got to hear climactic renditions of “Side with the Seeds” (Sky Blue Sky) and “Shot in the Arm” (Summerteeth), as well as the sweeter “Company In My Back” (A Ghost Is Born). This incredible effort wasn’t readily apparent to some showgoers, it seemed, as various douchebags still found it necessary to scream titles between songs. Tweedz, unamused, assured some impromptu requesters that though they would be performing said song, it was already part of their carefully planned setlist.
And that wasn’t the first of the crowd’s showgoing rudeness. Despite repeated pleas from the band to cut the chatter, the venue still echoed with a constant buzz of talk. The effect was somewhat like watching my favorite band at a mall food court. Or a bus station. My guess is that they were talking too loudly to hear Tweedy ask why anyone would pay that amount of money to see a show to not pay attention to it. If anything, it just got worse as the night went on. “How to Fight Loneliness,” one of my favorite songs from Summerteeth, is an introspective, sad little acoustic song. From my vantage point, though, the lyrics went something like this. “How to fight loneliness, just smile all the YEAH I AM TELLING YOU THAT IS WHAT MY BOSS SAID. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT DICK?”*
One time, in my younger days, some kids I didn’t know kept pelting ice at me over the booth dividers at Ipanema, and after asking them multiple times to stop, I lobbed an entire drink backwards over my head. Ladies and gentlemen, I have never felt so satisfied in my life. My fingers almost itched to throw my terrible greyhound last night, but on which rude as hell group of people? And would it only further disrupt the show? I had visions of myself being escorted out by security to a soundtrack of my own protestations (something like “I had to tell two guys to stop taking effing Blackberry pictures** myself! I’ve been doing your job for you all night!”). If you’re reading this and you can remember more than one conversation with your group of pals from last night, you should be ashamed of yourself. Not only could I hear you over the band we all (including you, which is crazy to me) spent a lot of money to see, but what’s worse that same band will probably never want to play here again.
On behalf of the rest of us, Wilco, please, please come back to Richmond! Maybe you just need to be a little firmer – Distribute pamphlets? Deputize me and let me loose with a water gun full of rail vodka? I will do whatever it takes, Jeff. Whatever it takes.
Perfect show, less than perfect audience. Eleventeen stars.
*True story.
**Here’s the thing, jerks. I can understand hope taking over your common sense ONE TIME as you attempt to possibly get a decent shot with your phone. But if the band has SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED that there be no photography or recording of any kind, you need to put your Blackberry in your pocket and focus on the majesty in front of you. Taking photos during shows is distracting for the rest of us, and for short people that can barely see over your sweaty back, it’s akin to texting in a movie theater, as you lift it up high into my field of vision not once, but thirty times, to snap the same blurry photo again and again, like you think a Pulitzer prize is just waiting for the person who can submit the best of the identical blown-out photos you’re all taking.
(Photo courtesy of wilco.net)
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Susan Howson
Susan Howson is managing editor for this very website. She writes THE BEST bios.
Notice: Comments that are not conducive to an interesting and thoughtful conversation may be removed at the editor’s discretion.
This makes me incredibly sad to read. I mean, the first three paragraphs made me happy, and jealous and all that. I said it once and I’ll say it again: I “get” the live-tweeting thing (sometimes). But I also feel like if you’re on your phone at a Wilco show, that should be me there instead of you.
Guess I’ll be driving a pretty far distance next time I want to see them live.
Well, live-tweeting is OK with me, I rarely notice it because no one is shouting the text into my ear or holding it in front of my eyes. But when a band who works ridiculously hard is asking you to do something that is entirely within your power to do and costs you no money or effort, why would you not comply?
Agreed, we had to move twice because of the chatter. I’ve seen Wilco many times & never have I seen Tweedy that flustered about the crowd. It was a Monday night….excuse? Nonetheless, the performance was great.
Yes, yes, this is true.
I know the Wilco contingent (myself included) can get a little tiresome with the constant MOST IMPORTANT BAND IN AMERICA TWEEDY IS GOD SUMMERTEETH CHANGED MY LIFE exhortations I actually planned my entire week around the fan club presale – we’re an obsessive bunch. But I don’t care if it’s a 98 Degrees reunion tour or your boyfriend’s shit garage band; you choices at a concert are shut up and listen, sing along with the band, or go the eff home. The National has plenty of places to sit and have a chat, but the downstairs floor in front of the stage – NOT THE PLACE.
We had two women in front of us who spent the entire concert going back and forth to the bar and the bathroom, chatting it up, and saying over and over, “They’re not playing anything I knooooow.” (which, really, REALLY?) The folks in back of us were acting like it was sorority rush, and the jackholes to the right were SITTING ON THE FLOOR lighting joints and then standing and waving phone cameras aloft. This was perhaps ten feet from the stage.
I know at least 12 people who should have replaced these assholes, who would’ve stood there and appreciated the show, but instead, Richmond is now the city that talked through an entire Wilco concert. I’m thinking about moving.
For once, I’m glad I showed up late for a concert. We were halfway up in the balcony, and fortunately could not hear any of the chatter. WTF was everyone chatting about anyway? Unacceptable.
I think most of the crowd thought they were at a VMFA after hours mixer and that they were listening to the Burnt Taters. That’s the only thing that explains how irritating the audience was.
Its a Tweedy pet peeve. Watch his solo dvd “Sunken Treasure”. He does the same thing then. Also RVAers are horrible concert goers.
Susan,
I agree with you 100%. I have been to almost a dozen Wilco shows from Hampton Roads to Baltimore, and last night’s crowd was the rudest so far. One big problem is the architecture of the National — while it is a great venue, if you are at the back of the main floor the chatter can be overwhelming because the balcony overhang amplifies it. Add to that the yelling of the drunks as they make their way to the bathroom or bar, and you can wind up having a very unpleasant experience.
I also was annoyed by everyone taking photos. I’m 6-1 and usually can see over most folks, but not a 6-foot guy who keeps raising his point-and-shoot when he’s not groping his girlfriend.
I paid good money to see the show — and I expected to be able to hear the band. I didn’t pay to hear folks chatter or, for that matter, to hear the crowd sing one of the songs.
I don’t disagree with you about the chatter, but the recording at the beginning of the show said it was fine to shout out requests. He also seemed pretty impressed with the crowd rendition of Jesus, Etc. So maybe the band left town with a more-positive view of Richmond than you assume?
(Also, I was trying to find an email address to send this to, but couldn’t find one: It’s Pat Sansone, not Pan Sansone.)
I think that unfortunately, most concert-goers in this town do not know the difference between a bar and a “venue”. This is not Innsbrook After Hours, or the Cary St. Cafe or any of the bars in the Bottom where you have gone out to drink and there just happens to be a band playing. The band is the REASON that you’re at the National. And the fact that you paid thirty-odd dollars and managed to snap up tickets in the scant FIVE MINUTES that they were on sale before selling out should indicate that you’re a big fan of the band. It’s a shame that many of our fine citizens don’t show it. . .
Bryan – I thought of that too. Also, the balcony overhang makes the side bar area seem really secluded, only it’s not. You are still seeing the main event. I hear it was bad on the floor too — sounds like we would have had better luck on the balcony, if only the long legs of my spouse fit into those seats!
Either way, Tweedy heard it, and I would much rather have had his dialogue with us be about how awesome we were and how happy he was to be there instead of 90% trying to get us to behave. The weird thing is that so many of the people shouting stories to each other about their day at work or whatever, seemed to be superfans! They would go right from a story into singing the words to any song that was playing. I can’t grok it.
I kept thinking, man, I wish I hadn’t complained about how loud Spoon was, because maybe that’s the key. If you play loud enough, no one will bother conversing!
I woulda loved to have gone just to be shushed by Susan.
Tony – thanks for letting me know, definitely rushed this one getting out the door!
You’re welcome, and sorry to have called you out publicly. Maybe you can add an email address to the author info, like the RTD does?
I am sort of astonished by this. I honestly don’t think that I have ever witnessed such a thing at a larger event, especially one showcasing such a huge act and with expensive tickets. If anything it’s usually just the opposite, you can hear a pin drop. Does this happen often at the National? So weird!
My fault on the Pat/Pan thing. Editor fail.
It’s bad. I’ve been at shows where the singer stops mid-song to ask people if there’s a problem, and that’s in small rooms. I’ve been at shows where listeners turn around and bark “Shut the FUCK UP!” I love the Birchmere in Alexandria for a no-tolerance policy, and usually Ram’s Head in Annapolis does it as well, but I’ve seen them fail to eject overly loud (and drunk) patrons. I’ve even known performers who go out of their way to avoid those people after the show (yes, they can see you).
wilco played for a marathon 3 hours without an intermission! i may have gotten shin splints.
Jeff mentioned that the talking while Wilco is performing is a phenomenon at many of their concerts. Maybe it’s because people have gotten really good at doing multiple things at once. like texting and driving.
i savored every song, but it took tremendous focus to not turn around and throw my legend brown at faces.
All three shows I’ve seen at The National this month have been the same thing: me moving around trying to find a place where I can hear the band. I don’t mind moving for people to occasionally get a refill; I don’t mind photo-takers; I don’t mind tweeters (obviously); I don’t mind dancing; but you said it, Cam: live music is why we are there!
I thought for sure that Spoon and TMBG were anomalies, that surely at WILCO people would simply be overwhelmed into awed, head-nodding silence during each song, then scream like crazy when it’s over (or at appropriate intervals and key changes). As the night wore on I became more and more incredulous at this lack of concentration. Even smoking pot couldn’t get some of these guys into the music (side note: why bother sneaking it in if you aren’t going to listen to the music. isn’t that the point?).
On top of everything else, these guys are fantastic performers; they always own the room and work their asses off. What do people need for them to sit still, the Blonde Ambition tour?? I saw that when I was in the 8th grade. Even THAT crowd was better behaved.
Wilco, come back! We’ll get it right next time!
We went upstairs after a while and the crowd up there was much less chatty. Focused on the music and you know, not talking about their handbags.
The chatter must have all been going on right in front of the stage, because from where I was, midway back and toward the right, there was no chatter at all. I’ve seen plenty of shows in Richmond where the crowd sucked but in this case I think all the going on about how terrible the crowd was is being greatly exaggerated by the fact that Tweedy complained about it multiple times. Talkers aside, the crowd was great and it’s difficult to imagine the band backstage complaining about what a shitty show it was. Enough of the Richmond sucks self-pity party already.
well, my wife was one of the chatters – as was her friend- despite my pleas of “honey if you love me, you will shut the f*** up” – as this was my first wilco show in 11 years.
we were back left and she was by no means only one yakking it up or the loudest.
though i love her dearly, next time, I’m going solo.
Man, I’m glad now that I didn’t find any reasonable tickets for the National! Durham was the best ever for watching and listening, just hard to dance…
I’m a fan of Wilco’s music but I’ve never seen them live. In the past year I saw Drive By Truckers, Clutch, Gaslight Anthem, and Social Distortion at the National and the person standing next to me could have screamed in my ear and I wouldn’t have heard them! I’m having a hard time visualizing Wilco’s volume not drowning out the crowd noise at the National.
Whoa, hold up. My dad’s name was Chief Red Cloud for Indian Princesses. …………Dad? Were you at the show? You….like Drive By Truckers???
Chief Redcloud was the Indian in Lonesome Dove!
Also, I just listened to some of the live Wilco on their website and I can see how several hundred people talking at the same time could be heard over their performance. Sounds like it would be extremely annoying…
Wow. I’ve seen Drive by Truckers and B52s at the National. Going to see Elvis Costello in April. My experiences at the National have been great. These posts make me happy that Wilco sold out requiring that I opt to see them at DPAC in Durham. Beautiful venue, great accoustics and the crowd around me were true Wilco fans who were there to enjoy the show. I’m not a tattle-tail but it sounds like these issues should have been brought to the attention of security and the photographers and chatterers should have been evicted.
I feel, that Wilco is spilling off into the realm of “popular.” While, even 5 years ago you’d be hard pressed to find a talker at one of their concerts (save for maybe if they were playing a small bar and the regulars didn’t give a shit), there’s a reason Wilco seems to prefer larger venues. You can get more sound and not have to worry about all of the talkers.
While ‘true’ Wilco fans might get a little giddy when Jeff Tweedy refers to them personally, telling them to ‘be quiet’ (I for one get a little weak in the knees whenever he addresses the crowd), it doesn’t seem to phase the younger crowd who came for the bitches and the brew…
I hate to make this weird comparison, but I saw Queens of the Stone Age in Memphis a couple of years ago and it was a similar crowd that I’ve seen at Wilco shows post 2005ish. It was half-full of respectful concert-goers who were there to see a great show, and half full of frat boys who only stopped talking during the radio hits.
I find it easier to ignore these people at larger shows, but even that has its trade-offs.
Well, at any rate, it’s a testament to their talent that I still wanted them to go on and on, despite the talkers. Next time, I will seek out Chris and stand awkwardly and clingily next to him as he didn’t seem to have any trouble where he stands. CHRIS! If you find a short lady in sparkly shoes clinging to your shirt, don’t be frightened!!
I roamed all over during the concert and the back left seemed the be the worst. There was a girl in particular with this voice that just cut through. And her back was to the band the whole time and she kept saying “AND I MEAN, LIKE, HONESTLY…”
While I think Richmond crowds are a bit tougher in general than some other towns, I think talkers have been a battle for performers for ages. I have been at a ton of shows and have lots of live bootlegs where the performer mentions it. Tweedy in particular is famous for it, as mentioned. I also think a small part of it is part of his approach to working a crowd. I will yell at you, forgive you later, and all is love and dandy. And I think some people shout/talk just SO he points them out. He talked to ME!
I had a chance to talk to Nels afterward (not to just mention in passing, it was quite cool actually!), and he didn’t have any comment about it – he didn’t even notice anything or worse than other shows.
And wilco actually isn’t too loud of a live band, which in lots of ways is refreshing. This is primarily driven by the drummer – the way his kit is mic’ed is pretty low volume wise. not to get too geeked out, but the absense of a booming bass drum and super loud snare drum leaves lots of room for conversations to be heard.
Susan, sure. I’ll totally hook you up. I love sparkly shoes!
Chris – Maybe that’s what all the people around me are talking about!! I have realized my fatal error and it is not unrelated to hubris.
I say everyone on this list of commentators (myself included) should, in the future, shush any one who is talking. I had to listen to some guy talk about a haircut during the entire Deerhunter set. The same guy then said how great the band was after the set. WTF you didn’t hear any of it! Since I usually get to see bands from up front for the first three songs I can honestly tell you there is a no tolerance policy up there. People are often very friendly in the front row and police themselves well. The balcony is usually second best and the rest of the floor area is a distant third. I’m not sure why people think it’s acceptable to talk but maybe it’s our job as music fans to make that habit unwelcome.
Yeah, the guys who I politely asked to stop taking photos were cool about it, when I explained that it was super distracting. I wanted to say, “Excuse me, I’m having trouble hearing the music,” because I doubt anyone truly wants to ruin anyone else’s good timez, but my problem was that I couldn’t pinpoint who to ask. All of them? One of them? A few of them? I heard tons of “SSSssshh”es and at least three “SHUT UP!”s, so I know people were attempting to quiet it down.
Maybe we can make and distribute cards to hand out that have printed on it a pleasant yet urgent request to shut your piehole. That way we aren’t adding to the din?
I actually like the card idea! If enough people gave these out for long enough… Just maybe RVA would be known for quite shows
I was standing 5 rows off stage…even though I got grief from the gentlemen next to me about writing the set list on my phone. I honestly could not hear anyone talking. Understanding peoples frustration I still think it was the best show yet at the National
I was there and the crowd was fine. BTW the tickets weren’t expensive by today’s standards, and who goes to a rock show expecting reverent silence? Maybe try a classical show with blue-haired old ladies if you’re looking for a library room to worship.
Congratulations, Ive never seen so many wuss comments in one place about rock n roll.
Wilco is great. My favorite band by far. I went both nights in Montclair to make sure I didn’t miss a thing. But the comment about blue-haired old ladies is simply unnecessary, if not merely misinformed. I try to see Itzhak Perlman whenever he is town too. He is quite charismatic, though a little different than Jeff.