thank you for nothing at all

On to night two of Wilco in Los Angeles, aka the Great Middling Low-Grade Rock 'n' Roll Swindle. I don't look forward to writing this account, but it has to be done.

Wilco, the Wiltern, January 25, 2012: I've seen great shows at the Wiltern, dating back to 2004 and more recently in 2009, and I've raved about the venue to anyone who'll listen. It reminds me of a nicer version of the Warfield in San Francisco, and only the Fox in Oakland rivals the beautiful restoration job inside the Wiltern. I especially appreciate the fact that they limit the number of bodies allowed inside the pit.



Alas, those memories are shot to hell, thanks to one of the greedier moves I've seen at a venue. I shouldn't be surprised that LiveNation would find a new way to screw music fans out of more money, but the so-called VIP Upgrade -- i.e., pay $20 for early access to the venue, ahead of everyone who waited in line ahead of you or, in our case, in front of us -- was pretty much legal extortion. I had no interest in paying, for a variety of reasons, but more than a dozen ponied up the fee. You broke my heart, Wiltern, and I'm afraid I may never see a show on the premises ever again.



I couldn't shake that bad taste in my mouth, but I have to admit it wasn't a horrible show. For starters, the sound was great, so it's probably a good thing we went to the Palladium first. That way, I couldn't compare the acoustics the other way around. The art-piece opening made a strong impression, and it was my first chance to hear the epic "One Sunday Morning." Wilco also rolled out a couple more Whole Love tracks that didn't make the cut at the Palladium, so the album representation was almost complete.

The rarer tracks can make or break a show, and at the Wiltern, they helped salvage a night that might've otherwise been doomed (through no fault of the band, I should add). Top of that list was "Laminated Cat," which can't be played enough, as far as I'm concerned. To the young guy at the front and to my left who tried to call out several songs to his parents standing a few spaces over to my right: Have you considered texting? You may also want to hit the MP3 stack. Despite your initial claim, the band didn't play "At Least That's What You Said," nor was the unmistakable opening riff of the Loose Fur tune turn out to be a B-side, as you first guessed. Otherwise, bless your heart!

Next time I think of the Wiltern, I'll try to concentrate on the good memories of years past, including a "Spiders" solo by a surprise guest, a goofy pic that still adorns my fridge, a lovely chat with my favorite club owner/fanboy, and great celeb sightings. It was nice knowing you, the Wiltern.

See also:
» it's become so obvious
» so flattered by fate

so flattered by fate

Welcome to the last year of humanity! I commend the ancient Mayans on their timing -- how they knew that I could squeeze in at least one more round of Wilco shows in California before the end times on earth, I can't guess, but I'm thankful the schedules worked out.

Wilco, the Hollywood Palladium, January 24, 2012: You may or may not have noticed my lethargy for much of the last part of 2011? This is the reason why: I had to make sure I could see a bunch of Wilco's California shows. For the record, these were my first Wilco gigs since the Solid Sound Festival last summer and the first true run of rock tourism in nearly two years. Trust me, it wasn't exactly by choice, so I was especially glad to get back on that horse.

But before I get to the Palladium show itself, I need to mention the fantastic roster of events on Monday, wherein we saw Wilco at Conan, and we even got a bonus song. From there, it was off to the Happiest Place on Earth (tm) to catch the Jeff Garlin/Jeff Tweedy conversation at Largo at the Coronet, not to mention being greeted by familiar faces on La Cienega and in the theater itself. Jeff (Tweedy) didn't play any songs, and perhaps the rambling 2-plus-hour chat wasn't for everyone. I thought it was a great night, but anyone who knows me could've guessed at my verdict. Hello! Largo! Jeff (Tweedy)! They kinda dominate this blog? Only one other name pops up more often among these writings, and if that guy had decided to show up that night, the Mayan prophecy would've really come true for me.

We joked that it'd be all downhill for the rest of the week, and we were right to some extent, but at least through Tuesday, life was still very good, as we caught the first of Wilco's trio of shows in Los Angeles. I'd heard lots of horrible comments about the Palladium, particularly the sound quality. I kind of wish someone had told me more about the Palladium's storied past featuring the likes of Artie Shaw -- the room itself was lovely. Perhaps my expectations were low, but from where we were standing, Wilco came through nicely, thanks to their expert sound man. (Read more about him on Wilcoworld!) Poor White Denim, as the opener, suffered from the acoustics; I couldn't discern a single lyrical line.

That guy who looms large on this blog is known for operating without a setlist, and it works for him. Wilco is closer to the other end of the spectrum -- the setlist is no accident, though the band is known to veer from it, depending on the night's schedule, vibe, whatever. Also, considering the group's sizable discography, you know decisions have to be made on what does and doesn't get highlighted each evening. Thus, it's tempting to read between the lines and try to imagine what the band is trying to get across in the choice of songs. In at least the first couple of shows in Los Angeles, I seemed to detect a theme in the handful of opening tracks.

Granted, I hadn't seen The Whole Love titles performed live, and you could probably cough up a theory for any trio of tunes. Still, it seemed that the band decided to greet Los Angeles with a bunch of aggro guitar songs at the Hollywood Palladium, and it felt great. I dig the new songs, especially the main cluster featured every night, and I look forward to hearing which chestnuts get the nod.

But in terms of song selection, I'll remember this show for the emphasis on Being There, still my favorite Wilco album. I love that "Red-Eyed and Blue" and "I Got You" has moved to the middle of the set, though they're also welcome in the encore. The closing "The Lonely 1" brought to mind the show at the Santa Barbara Bowl about five years (!) ago, where they ended on the same note. I can see how the transition to the song after the uptempo first encore could be jarring, but I love the contrast between the segments, and I welcome the reminder of the band's scope and abilities.

Those of us who attended the night of two Jeffs surely picked up on the callbacks to the Largo appearance, most notably a reference to Sammy Hagar, whose presence carried further, as Jeff directed the crowd through a few rounds of competitive cheering. With most other bands, this could've easily turned into a longer, more cliched exercise, but Jeff stopped the call and response before we got carried away.

See also:
» you can tell that i'm not lying
» try to downplay being uptight
» i wasn't that night

a really good time

This was a close one. I mean, December 23? And I have to get back to Northern California in time for the family celebration, preferably on a reasonably priced flight? But it worked out, and in a way, it's fitting that Jon Brion's show is indeed the last gig of the year at Largo. It should be as such forever and ever (amen).

Jon Brion, Largo at the Coronet, December 23, 2011: It started with a game changer in 2005, but the 2006 edition -- an all-around epic night -- sealed the deal. What the hell, I can't dismiss 2007 either. OK, I'm gloating now, but if it's late December, you can find me at Largo for Jon Brion's final show of the year.

As is the wont with Jon Brion, not two of these yuletide shows have been the same. Some years, he's almost ignored the seasonal aspects, but that wasn't the case this time out. Looking professorial in glasses, a hat, a bowtie, and a red sweater, he wished us a "merry fucking Christmas" and parceled out a Thelonius Monk-style "Jingle Bells." He followed it up with a short, multidenominational holiday medley, which segued seamlessly into his first original tune of the evening: "Ruin My Day," marked by stamping feet and one line ad-libbed for the season ("even on Christmas").

A ha moments (not to be confused with A-ha moments) aren't exclusive to Largo, but Jon's shows in particular lend themselves to those eye openers, thanks to their structure -- or lack thereof. I kind of knew what was coming before Jon said a word, but I was only half right. Yup, he was about to play a Roxy Music song, but it wasn't the one I expected ("To Turn You On"). Either way, the audience won, and my night was made early on, a sentiment cemented soon thereafter by Jon's selection of "Here We Go." It's been far too long since I've heard it at Largo, and certainly not with the opening snippet of "Rhapsody in Blue" -- which I now finally recognize!

Jon commented on the downbeat tone of the evening -- as if anyone who's heard his music should be surprised -- and switched to acoustic guitar for "Love of My Life So Far." He introduced a 12-string for "She's at It Again," turning in a bluesier take than I've heard before. I stand by my assertion it could be done with Ian Curtis-style vocals, but the similarities between Jon's tune and any part of the Joy Division catalog probably has more to do with song titles than with chord progressions.

The third guitar of the night was a smaller model, though still bigger than a ukelele, for "Knock Yourself Out." I think Jon stayed with this apparatus for "Why Do You Do This to Yourself," though he presented an almost a cappella rendition, with barely any accompaniment at all.

Jon returned to the holiday theme with what he said was one of his two Christmas songs. I don't know the title of this tune, but I'm pretty sure I've heard it before, and it may even exist on a bootleg somewhere. Stop me if you think you've heard this one before, but let me state it featured an effortless melody, a compelling hook, and an air of melancholy. In other words, it fit right in with all the favorite year-end classics.

At some point, Jon had asked for requests from the audience, which is usually when you find out what kind of crowd is in attendance. More often than not, you'll hear some silly suggestions -- guilty as charged -- but that's par for the course. Tonight's fans were not of that ilk, however, requesting Jon's works from the outset. Thanks to the attendant masses, we got both "Roll With You" and "Happy With You," if I recall correctly.

Jon brought up a couple of guests, but downplayed the fans' cheers and anticipation by saying it was as much a present for himself as it was for us. Out came Fiona Apple and Sebastian Steinberg for a mix of Christmas songs and Fiona's works. When Don Heffington stepped up, they hit on a couple of beloved standards. In one of the more entertaining slipups, Fiona forgot a line from "Frosty the Snowman" and endowed the beloved character with a briefcase instead of a broomstick. I probably would've missed it entirely if she hadn't brought it up after their performance.

Completing the coterie, Sean Watkins and Benmont Tench ambled along to their preferred spots. In fact, they carried off about half the first song without Jon onstage: one of two consecutive murder ballads. But the third song was the showstopper, hints of which I'd heard from more than one person earlier in the night. It was a mashup of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and the Police hit "Roxanne." I'll give you a second to think about it -- makes perfect sense, right? Now imagine Don Heffington handling the bridge, the rest of the assemblage harmonizing the protagonist's name, and Fiona flailing and yelling out the chorus. If you don't trust your imagination, check out this YouTube clip, but imagine the Largo regulars in place of the Rankin-Bass figures. (Now there's an idea!)



Jon closed out the set at first by himself on vibes, then with Fiona, for a couple of mainstays. We wouldn't see either of them for the rest of the night as the show moved to the Little Room, where the packed bar was treated to free shots of Jameson, in memory of longtime custodian Guillermo, recently passed away. In the meantime, the aforementioned crew were joined by Gabe Wicher for a loose round of tunes. Sean Watkins was the de facto leader, but Gabe, Benmont, and even Don took lead vocals, while Sebastian rolled out a series of zingers -- clearly, he'd been dipping into the whiskey.

In a way, we had our cake (Jameson?) and ate (slammed?) it too. We enjoyed a healthy dose of Christmas songs, but given the mix of tunes, genres, and personnel, it was still a banner night at Largo. See you in the new year.

Setlist
--Jingle Bells
--The Christmas Song/I Have a Little Dreidel/more
--Ruin My Day
--A Really Good Time
--Here We Go
--Love of My Life So Far
--She's at It Again
--Knock Yourself Out
--Why Do You Do This to Yourself
--original Christmas song?
--Roll With You

with Fiona Apple and Sebastian Steinberg
--Frosty the Snowman
--To Your Love

with Fiona Apple, Don Heffington, and Sebastian Steinberg
--Carrion
--Tonight You Belong to Me
--After You've Gone

with Fiona Apple, Don Heffington, Sebastian Steinberg, Benmont Tench, and Sean Watkins
--Knoxville Girl
--In the Pines
--Rudolph (You Don't Have to Put on the Red Light)

encore
--Cry Me a River

with Fiona Apple
--Midnight

Little Room (Don Heffington, Sebastian Steinberg, Benmont Tench, Sean Watkins, and Gabe Wicher)
--More Pretty Girls Than One
--Wild Side
--?
--Big Mon (?)
--You Get Me High
--Not That I Care
--?
--99 Years (And One Dark Day)

See also:
» let your heart be light
» i'm offering this simple phrase
» it's been said many times, many ways
» it's the end of the things you know