i will try to understand

Either way.

Jeff Tweedy, the Fillmore, October 5, 2018

Ahhh, back home, to the show I most wanted to see in the venue that I treasured the most, especially in comparison to the seated shows in Vancouver and Seattle. But fact ended up much stranger than fiction by the end of the night.

The evening started out well enough, the San Francisco's enthusiasm readily apparent. Jeff started with a bunch of new songs, and the crowd was receptive, if slightly more restless than the usual rapt audience. It was a Friday night, after all. I took Jeff's choice of playing unreleased tracks as a sign that he trusted the San Francisco audience enough to give them a chance. I think we did, for the most part, including for the languorous "Remember the Mountain Bed," though the typical interjections flew between songs.



I had brought my friend Dean, who was seeing Jeff solo for the first time. He was an Uncle Tupelo fan, so we were both thrilled to hear "New Madrid" early on. Later, he got to hear "Acuff Rose" during the encore for an extra treat.

I guess I might as well jump into the incident now. About halfway through the show, Jeff got into an extended exchange standing front and center. Believe it or not, I was off to the side, so I didn't quite understand what was happening immediately. Apparently, the man said something in support of Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court. They went back and forth for a little while, and from what I can recall, the man at one point said Kavanaugh "ratified Roe." Jeff's reply: "You don't know what 'ratify' means." (My aside: And even if he did, he's wrong because there's no way in hell that Kavanaugh will support Roe v. Wade in its current form.)

I can't tell you how long they debated, but it felt like forever, and we could see both Fillmore security and Jeff's tour manager moving toward the man. From my vantage point, I could see the guy doing the classic bully pose of pointing and jabbing his finger in Jeff's direction, as if physical intimidation is his normal go-to strategy. Jeff didn't back down from his own stance, and eventually, the guy was kicked out of the show, though his wife and preteen child stayed. Jeff gave the boy his harmonica and holder as a peace offering, though I don't know if it helped.

After the show, I heard from more than one friend who said Jeff probably let the scene go on for too long and that maybe he could've handled it with his more customary sense of caustic humor. All I can say is I admired Jeff's support and his affirmation. For many of us, the Kavanaugh hearings brought up cutting emotions. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I cried at my desk for many days over the testimony of Dr. Ford and the revelations from women who had gone through their own ordeals. Perhaps Jeff knew those feelings too, and perhaps they were as important to him. It's not often you hear from such a strong ally from his own platform like that.

As you can imagine, the confrontation hung over the rest of the show, though the man was gone. Jeff recovered as best he could, and it was the perfect time to bring out "Let's Go Rain," singalong and all. Even better, he played my request for "Either Way" right after. Yes, I admit I voted a few times on Wilco's website, but after Jeff's reports at the Pacific Northwest shows that people mostly voted for one song each, I figured I could stuff the ballot box a little. For the record, I think I cast a grand total of three votes. Plan accordingly if you want to rig the results on your own!

Also, I'm jaded and I've attended way too many Jeff and Wilco shows, but tonight "Jesus etc." was the perfect choice to follow the heckler, as were all the other songs we could sing along to.

I've seen lots of memorable shows at the Fillmore. Add this one to the list, though maybe not for the reasons I'd like.

See also:
» make something that no one else has
» the old buildings downtown empty so long ago

you are blessed

Rocktober is a magical time in the Bay Area, but I'm not the one to report it, as my concert calendar has shrunken over the years. But give me a gig in a tiny venue with a talent like Tom Brosseau, and I'll be there, no problem.

Tom Brosseau, the Lost Church, October 4, 2018

I'm a little embarrassed because I'm going to report right away that I can't name a single song that Tom played at the show. This is what I get for not taking notes and not writing my reviews immediately! So if you don't mind that little confession, I'll proceed with my post as normal.

This gig has been a long time coming for me. I've been able to see Tom Brosseau many times at Largo, including when he opened for Jon Brion. He's also a frequent guest of the Watkins Family. In fact, if you get the chance to watch the Largo movie, you'll be treated to see at least one song from him. I feel that I've seen him many more times, even if I can't point to the posts that prove this.



In any case, I love his voice, but I've failed to see his shows in the Bay Area. As I recall, he often plays at house gigs or not quite in San Francisco -- or maybe I simply haven't been on top of proceedings. Bottom line: I finally got to go.

The Lost Church is a tiny space a couple of blocks from the BART station at 16th and Mission. A hostess welcomed me at the door and informed me (and other attendees) that I was blessed. Inside, it's warm and cozy, seating no more than 50 or 60 people in a semicircle around a slightly elevated stage. You couldn't have asked for a better environment.

Tom hit the stage with only an acoustic guitar and a few pages of notes. As you can imagine, he stuck with the troubador formula. A good chunk of his performance featured stories about Lou Curtiss, a folk music aficionado in San Diego who recently passed away. Tom told of the many songs that Lou had taught him, and he even played a few of them, including one from the Carter Family. My favorite aside was Tom's comment that all Carter Family tracks started the same.

Tom ended up reading from the notes he carried onstage. He didn't say what they were. They might've been lyrics to a new song, though they also sounded substantial enough to be a short story of some sort. I guess we'll have to tune in to see how they turn out.

And of course, along the way, he told a few stories about growing up in North Dakota, and he talked a little bit about what he felt were his duties as an artist (i.e., not necessarily being political, yet trying to reflect the times). I don't know the audience's familiarity with Tom, but when he mentioned Largo, a handful of people clapped, and when he asked for requests from his catalog, one person offered a suggestion. Overall, we were attentive and respectful, and I hope he appreciated our high regard for his performance.

A local artist named Meredith Axelrod opened the show. She sang a number of standards, joking that every song was from 1902 or about the 1930s. I don't know if it was a matter of training or her innate abilities, but her voice was a perfect throwback to that time, one you could imagine coming from a Victrola. She and Tom sang a song about a horse together (sorry again for the lack of titles). They were a lovely match and hinted at the possibility of touring together in the future.

Now that I've finally seen Tom play in the Bay Area, I can happily report that I'll be back whenever he is.

See also:
» i was dreamin' when i wrote this
» blue christmas

the old buildings downtown empty so long ago

Seattle ended up as the whirlwind portion of this quick trip, serving mainly as a gateway to Vancouver, but there was the matter of attending Jeff Tweedy's show at the Moore Theatre between arrival and departure.

Jeff Tweedy, the Moore Theatre, September 30, 2018

I'm ashamed to admit that I don't venture to the Pacific Northwest often, though it's such an easy trip from the Bay Area. It should surprise no one that my last two trips to Seattle coincided with my last two trips to Vancouver. Funny how that works out! But at least we managed to hit Salumi and a Dave Rawlings Machine gig in 2010.

If you're planning to hit both Seattle and Vancouver in a weekend, keep in mind you can anticipate a three-hour drive between the cities, not including however long it takes to get through the border crossing. For various reasons, it made sense for me to fly in and out of Seattle, but it might not work for everyone.

The compressed time frame meant that I didn't do much in Seattle other than see Jeff's show, but that was more than sufficient because it was a good one. I can't explain what changed, except that the Seattle gig was an improvement over Vancouver. Maybe it was the venue, which was much more comfortable than the Vogue. Maybe it was the American audience. Maybe it was Jeff. In any case, it felt different from the get-go.

Shortly before the show, someone informed us that Jeff had asked for requests for the night's show, via his Twitter account. Because I was driving, I had missed the message. I guess enough people had come through that Jeff brought a small pile of papers to the stage with the compiled songs. As he explained, the website had gone down, and they had to assemble the list by hand. As usual, Jeff quipped that the range of requests proved that he had yet to write a trademark hit, but we all know it means that we dig into the deep cuts all across his career.

Perhaps as a sign of his comfort with the crowd and the market, Jeff started with a couple of new songs. No reason to lull us into a false sense of security with the hits, I suppose! But the truth is Jeff (Wilco, too) works from a core setlist, then adds and subtracts, based on the audience and vibe and so on. Thus, "Remember the Mountain Bed" (a good choice in this landscape), "New Madrid," "Passenger Side," and "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" all showed up, but Jeff sprinkled "Lost Love," "Sky Blue Sky," and "Hate It Here" into the performance as well.



Also following his blueprint, he talked trash about the Canadians too. It's a sign of love, I promise. Funny enough, our three nations had agreed to the new NAFTA agreement that day, and Jeff joked about his role in the negotiations.

I've been out of the rock tourism circuit long enough that I've kind of forgotten what it's like to see the same artist in more than one town in successive nights, but it doesn't take long to realize a different energy between shows. Seattle simply felt more relaxed, on both the performer's and the audience's side. From this fan's point of view, it was a welcome reminder of why I go to these gigs time and time again.

See also:
» waiting for a postcard
» i believe in locomotion
» make something that no one else has
» his old rain's just about soaked through

make something that no one else has

For various reasons, I've had to curtail my rock tourism. But when Jeff Tweedy's concert dates came out, I saw the perfect opportunity to get away for the weekend and to see friends. Northward ho to the Vogue Theatre in Vancouver, British Columbia!

Jeff Tweedy, Vogue Theatre, September 29, 2018

On my last trip to Vancouver, I somehow managed to miss the entirety of the Winter Olympics, all to see a couple of Wilco shows. I guess we caught a glimpse of the torch, and it was impossible to avoid the crowds, but I failed to witness a single athletic event. I'm a little embarrassed by that admission, but to be honest, I probably wouldn't do anything differently even now.

I'd also only vaguely recalled an earlier trip to Vancouver, but one draw remained the same: the opportunity to visit with Judy and her family. I'm happy to report that they are as lovely as ever, and I immediately remembered how much I enjoy my time with them. I wish we could do it more often, but that's the way it goes these days. Judy's a great tour guide around Vancouver, as well.

Clearly, it's been a while, and I had little expectations of the Vancouver audience, not to mention this was a Jeff show, not a Wilco performance. The Vogue itself was a classic older theater, though on the claustrophobic side. The seats were entirely too small and too cramped, and our feet stuck to the floor -- not great ambience. But it still qualified as intimate if you were on the ground level.

I've been far from deprived of Jeff's shows, but it's been a while since I've seen him play for a general audience. From my experience, this was a good albeit typical Jeff show. He went with a handful of new songs, including the mainstay in the making "Let's Go Rain," which some of us first heard at Largo last December. We got a couple more from the upcoming solo album, a handful from Together at Last (I guess he hasn't officially toured to promote it on the West Coast), and a number of old favorites from his vast catalog, including Uncle Tupelo and Woody Guthrie tracks.

One of the surprises in the set was "You and I," from the often overlooked Wilco (The Album), but when you think about it, you realize it qualifies as Canadian content. Me, I remember the time that we saw Feist sing it onstage with Wilco in -- where else? -- Los Angeles. I also like that he's doing "Impossible Germany" on his own. Jeff sometimes likes to remind the audience that we're missing Nels' contribution to that iconic track, but it's a gem in its stripped-down state too.

Overall, it was a fine reintroduction to rock tourism and Jeff's solo shows, but I was happy to know that I had several more shows on the docket.

See also:
» the park grows dark
» waiting for a postcard
» sorry charlie honey he's back from LA
» it's become so obvious

the mind is shot but the body's fine

Ahh, the fall touring season -- the music nerd's favorite time of the year. Heck, even I can be convinced to venture outside at night for a show featuring the older, wiser Gaz Coombes.

Gaz Coombes, Swedish American Hall, Sept. 23, 2018

A couple of years ago, I caught Gaz Coombes live at Slim's, and he turned me into a bigger fan of his solo work than of his Supergrass oeuvre. Since then, I've seen announcements for a smattering of Gaz's live appearances, particularly in Los Angeles, and for once, I felt a bit of FOMO. I managed to miss him in the Bay Area earlier this year, but not this time.

In my opinion, the nuances of Gaz's solo performance at Slim's kinda fell to the wayside, due to the club atmosphere. Though I enjoyed the show, the details escape me. Perhaps if he brings a full band with him, Slim's could work, but for his current act, the Swedish American is a much better spot, even if he hinted that we were too sedate at times.

At the Swedish American, he was the sole focus on the compact stage, flanked by a piano and a handful of guitars. We heard the piano tuner was responsible in part for the delay in doors opening, but it was a small price to pay for the pristine sound.

Gaz explained that he had recently completed a tour of Australia and New Zealand. Also, he had appeared on The Late Late Show with James Corden earlier that week. I'm so out of it these days that I wasn't aware of his TV slot! But I enjoy knowing that Anglophiles have at least one national media outlet for their favorite acts.

I hadn't heard the new album at the time of the show, so unfortunately I can't say much about the new songs (good job, blogger!). But I recall one song where he turned on the loopers to create those lush layers of sound and instrumentation that we all take for granted these days. I, for one, welcome our new looping overlords.

In the couple of years since that show at Slim's, Matador has hit heavy rotation on my iPhone. Gaz wisely elected to play "The Girl Who Fell to Earth" and "Detroit" from the record. He introduced each with stories: the former about raising his young daughter, the latter about a meltdown in the Motor City when he was still in Supergrass. Both are worth the download if you like Gaz's later-era work.

That evening, he closed with two songs from Supergrass: "Moving" and "Caught by the Fuzz." The crowd perked up for both (though to be fair, audience members had lobbed the customary "I love you"s and whatnot throughout the show). On "Moving," we tried to clap along with the chorus, and we simply hooted and hollered with "Caught by the Fuzz." I think if he had asked us to leave our seats and come closer to the stage we would've happily (and politely) jumped around for the old favorites. Instead, we bopped in our chairs.

After the show, Gaz signed and took photos with fans, and the fellow in front of me in line made the most of the opportunity with about a half-dozen records for him to autograph. I heard a lot of "I saw Supergrass back in the day" stories too. Gaz was gracious and attentive through it all. I love his post-Britpop success story.

See also:
» they want your heart and soul

there's nothing safe about this life

It took a little while, but it finally happened! Off to Largo to see Neil and Liam Finn together!

Neil and Liam Finn, Largo at the Coronet, August 18, 2018

I had every intention of catching one of Neil Finn's shows at Largo when he was preparing to tour with Fleetwood Mac. At the time, I was working from home and had all the freedom in the world. But after a couple of dates, they dried up. In the meantime, I got a "real" job, so my opportunities would've been limited anyway. Good thing, then, that Neil's next date -- coincidentally with Liam -- fell on a Saturday.

Neil Finn is one of my longtime favorites, and though I'm not as dedicated as I used to be, he's always a treat at Largo. A more qualified Largo regular will have to confirm whether this is the first official Neil and Liam co-headlining show. We've likely seen them together before, but not with this billing.

They started with Liam's "Bottled Up," then sort of traded turns, interspersing tracks from their new album along the way. They explained that in assembling the setlist, they favored the Crowded House songs that Liam heard while growing up, so we got a good chunk of Woodface and Together Alone, particularly tracks that have been somewhat lost to time. One friend cited "Anytime" as a beloved tune that we haven't heard in ages, and Neil trotted out the old chestnut of Liam's contributions to "Pineapple Head." Liam ended up taking Tim Finn's role on numerous tracks, including "Edible Flowers," though he went for a much more mischievous treatment. (Let's face it: That song is a downer, except for Neil's trademark soaring bridge.)

Unfortunately, two months after the show, I can't remember all the details of who played what and who said what. They jumped around on instruments a bit, with Neil doing a good chunk of piano. Liam did some goofy stuff on guitar, at one point coaxing a cosmic sweeping sound from his pedals and effects.

The real star of the show was the chemistry and bonhomie between the two Finns, and they had no problem professing their love and admiration for each other. At one point, Liam jumped on his dad's back -- with no harm to Neil! They were both incredibly earnest, but thankfully cut the sweetness with a lot of humor. We've reached the point in rock's history that parent-child duos have come along and shown that you can inherit (and nurture) talent, but it's always gratifying to see it with your favorite musicians.

Their styles contrast sharply, but somehow it works. In fact, maybe that's how the best partnerships function. Neil is sort of known as a pop genius, ever charming and understated, whereas Liam is an experimenter and a madman. Onstage, they slightly blur the line, with Neil encouraging the chaos, urging Liam to push the envelope (and the pedals). You marvel at the trust they share, not only with each other but with the Largo audience. Most performers of their stature and caliber wouldn't take the chance.

The new record is out now, so I won't bother trying to describe the songs (though I probably wouldn't have attempted to do so anyway). Instead, I'll note that the show was all Neil and Liam. Though we could hear Sebastian Steinberg's voice somewhere backstage, they didn't call on his services.

Look, this is hardly a news bulletin, but it's always worth saying: Go see Neil (and Liam) Finn at Largo, whenever you can.

See also:
» above you and beyond me too

trying to figure out our lives

Outside Lands is not my favorite thing, but the accompanying night shows certainly are, and with Denise's help, I was able to get into the one gig I wanted to see: Broken Social Scene.

Broken Social Scene, the Independent, Aug. 10, 2018

Can you ever seen enough of a band? Sometimes! But certain performers/artists will always bring me in, and Broken Social Scene is one such example. This collective comes and goes, and for that reason, I'm inclined to catch them as much as I can. But it comes down to the music: They've created some of my favorite tunes and put on a fantastic show to boot. I'll show up as often as I can.

These night shows are supposed to be a complement to the festival sets, but it's up to the musicians to decide how to address the difference. I'm biased of course, but Wilco's all-acoustic set at the same venue a few years back was one of my favorites. It was also a special occasion, as the band went with its customary electric show at the festival itself the next day.

Broken Social Scene didn't opt for such a stark difference, but the changes were more notable in the setlist. Tonight was the night for deep cuts and rarer tracks ... after a rough start in which the band couldn't seem to get on the same page or find its energy. After a handful of songs that sounded fine to me, Kevin declared that they were going to play every song like it was the finale. That seemed to do the trick!

No question my favorite track was "Shampoo Suicide," which rarely gets an airing. I can't understand a word of this song, but it's dreamy and alluring, and I can get lost in the layers of sound. Andrew Whiteman got another turn in the spotlight with his showcase "Fire Eye'd Boy." Furthermore, his better half Ariel Engle performed a slinky, seductive track from La Force.

More rarities were a couple of tracks from Forgiveness Rock Record, "Texico Bitches" and "Sweetest Kill." The former has the kind of chorus you want to yell as loud as you can, and it didn't hurt that Kevin chose to sing this song while mingling with the audience. The latter, meanwhile, is Broken Social Scene at its sultriest. The beauty of the combo is that Broken Social Scene can do both.

We got a number of mainstays too, including "Stars and Sons" and the always affecting "Anthems for a 17-Year-Old Girl." Maybe it was the size of the venue, the late hour, the early frustrations, or the general state of the world, but "Anthems" was even more moving than usual. I hope they never lose it (and I doubt they will).

I should also note that this was a true night show, with the tunes starting sometime after 10 pm, I guess to allow the day's fest-goers to attend. It was exhausting after a week of work and commuting, but it was all worth it. As I understand it, Broken Social Scene has extended this tour all across the country, and I don't blame them one bit. I'd love to see them again, but if it doesn't happen, at least I took advantages of the sporadic opportunities.

See also:
» i'd be lying if i said it wasn't easy