Wilco remains my favorite band, hands down. I am very excited to see them again tomorrow.

Are you going?

I'm in.

I'm at the D-Plan in Detroit on Friday.
It's a tour of the North Coast.

ME ME ME

Me and the missus are making the trek. She loves Wilco. So do I.

we must synchronize our watches so that we can all meet up/sit together at the show.

all of you people just TAKE TAKE TAKE.

It's going slow (and they all do), but it's going even slower cuz I took some photos and want to include them in the review.

Patience

Rudyg from Independent Playground was at the Nick Cave show. He is friends with the drummer and also hung out with the band. He rumored on his show (IP)that the drummer's other band- The Vanity Set might play Columbus around Halloween. All he said to me regarding Nick Cave was "Eyebrows."

As far as Sonic Youth. I thought it was great. Really. But I'm a huge fan. And to me that was Art.

I'm a relative sonic-youth virgin too (amazing, I know, and kinda embarassing) but I was thoroughly impressed by their set at Tower City. Yes, it was painfully loud (I ran out to the information booth and bought earplugs for my missus - momma din't raise no lout.) But how often do you get to hear such a glorious, din-ful wailing mass of sound, performed with intent, artistry and skill? I mean, sure - you can lie on your back at the airport and listen to the jets take off, but that sound is just an artifact. A by-product. Sonic Youth's noise is all choice cuts.

And Wilco? Thoroughly enjoyable. I too thought the mix was their typical, impeccable quality. (Bear in mind, too - my ears were still ringing from SY.)

But one thing must be said. In fact, I -did- say it to Charlie Tokyo, about 2 songs in.

"Somebody please stop Jeff Tweedy before he solos again."

Jeff. Seriously. You've got the talent. Great songwriter. Unique voice. Slightly bed-rumpled, still-boyish looks. (And sporting what I consider to be the up-and-coming fashion feature of the next decade -- a manly potbelly. Okay, I'm just wishing on that last part.) Must you also engage in a futile attempt to live out your Neil Young fantasies on lead guitar? (As Stomp mentions, he is trying to compensate for the missing Jay Bennett, but, hey - next time try some foresight when you're picking a guy to drop. 'Obsolete' indeed.)

Jeff Tweedy on lead guitar is like me making love. His hands are flailin' around, don't know where to go next. At first he seems frustrated, then just embarrassed. And in the end everyone walks away unsatisfied. But thankfully the whole thing is over quickly...

I'd have to disagree on the talk about the great mix. The sound people at Tower City were fucking morons. The drums were totally live (the mics weren't on or something) for their first two songs and then one of the toms was off so you'd hear BA BA silence BA on a fill. And plus this was my third Wilco show and I have yet to hear the bass at a pleasant volume. Being a bassist myself, I listen for all the key lines and I have to really concentrate to pick them out from the rest of the LOUDER instruments.

And I didn't really dig the five new songs or whatever they played. Yeah, a few new songs are cool to introduce to the audience, but the live setting isn't the best to new ears. Get some balls and play some Summerteeth material.

I still say their October show at Bogart's was 100 times better last year.

I do not have the trained ears that ya'll have. I thought everything sounded A-okay with me.
They played "Poor Places." I didn't want anything else.