Wilco -- 25/5/09, Malaga, Spain

[bböp]

It was obviously, as Jeff commented after the first song of tonight's show, "a sad day in the Wilco camp." He went on to say that the band wanted to send its prayers out to Jay's friends and family and "take some time to remember our fallen comrade and fellow traveler." That was the only mention of Jay's tragic passing during the show, except when the band came out for its second encore and Jeff said, "This one's for Jay," before launching into a spirited version of "Monday."

 

I wouldn't say the band was subdued, exactly, but it certainly wasn't one of their looser, more goofy performances, as one might expect. I guess there probably was a hint of melancholy, but more than anything, they just seemed pretty focused on playing well. At one point, Jeff asked how the crowd was doing and then someone yelled back, "How are you doing?" And he replied, "I've been better."

 

The crowd was quieter and more reserved than in Tenerife. It was a pretty posh theater and people pretty much stayed glued to their seats until Jeff goaded people into standing for "I'm The Man Who Loves You." The good news was the second encore kept things rocking.

 

It was cool to hear "Bull Black Nova" again; seems like this will be a mainstay in setlists for shows to come. They're still working on it, as Jeff noted, but the ending is definitely frenetic and Nels played so hard that he broke a string toward the end. Apparently, "You Never Know" was on the printed setlist as well, but was not played.

 

Anyway, here's the setlist that was played:

 

Ashes of American Flags

Company In My Back

You Are My Face

Wilco (the song)

A Shot in the Arm

IATTBYH

Pot Kettle Black

Handshake Drugs

War on War

Bull Black Nova

Jesus, etc.

Impossible Germany

Via Chicago

Spiders (Kidsmoke)

-----------------------

Hummingbird

The Late Greats

Hate It Here

Walken

I'm The Man Who Loves You

------------------------

Monday

I'm A Wheel

Hoodoo Voodoo

[Preferred B]

Thanks for the report. Jeff said something about Bull Black Nova being a "fluffy little bunny" next time. I don't think there's much danger of that.

[calvino]

Thanks for the review, Bbop.

[bböp]

Jeff said something about Bull Black Nova being a "fluffy little bunny" next time. I don't think there's much danger of that.

 

Someone had yelled out "monster" after that song, I guess as in "that's a monster of a song." That's when Jeff said they were still working on it and, I believe, the bit about the fluffy bunny. Just to put that one in a little context.

[suites]

I have one word......

 

Handshake Drugs

War on War

Bull Black Nova

Jesus, etc.

Impossible Germany

Via Chicago

Spiders (Kidsmoke)

 

 

 

EPIC

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

First off, that's an amazing setlist.

 

Second, Jeff seems to have taken Jay's passing pretty hard. I'd imagine Glenn and John have to have been hit hard by this whole thing too. I'm sure Pat, Nels and Mikael are saddened, and have such respect for Jay's work, but Jeff Glenn and John actually worked with Jay through good and bad, so this ahs to be difficult for them to handle, even with recent times.

 

Stuff like this reminds me why I respect Jeff so much. Considering everything I've heard from him has never sounded anything but humble and from the heart, his paying tribute to Jay despite the lawsuit and all the fighting between them is very classy.

 

It's been said before, but prayers to Jay's family, and prayers to Jeff and the rest of the Wilco camp to deal with this however they must.

[W(TF)]

It must be really hard that they're across the ocean and can't really break the tour commitments to be back here paying their respects.

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

It must be really hard that they're across the ocean and can't really break the tour commitments to be back here paying their respects.

Yes. But I don't know what they could really do if they were here.

 

Maybe Jeff knew Jay's family, or something. I don't know.

[bourbonbreath]

i would imagine that after spending so much time together for 6+ years Jeff had possibly met someone from Jay's family. Those guys spent hours upon hours together and shared so much with one another... regardless of the split Jeff has got to be moved following Jay's death.

 

in reference to the show... i am surprised not see more w(ta) songs. no 'one wing' or 'sunny feeling'. we know they know these songs.

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

i would imagine that after spending so much time together for 6+ years Jeff had possibly met someone from Jay's family. Those guys spent hours upon hours together and shared so much with one another... regardless of the split Jeff has got to be moved following Jay's death.

 

in reference to the show... i am surprised not see more w(ta) songs. no 'one wing' or 'sunny feeling'. we know they know these songs.

Oh, definitely. Like I said, Jeff always comes across as humble and sincere when he speaks, so reading what he said at the concert is touching.

 

I was almost expecting them to play My Darling, but it seems to be a rare song, and maybe it's too much "Jay's song" for Jeff to feel comfortable playing it now.

 

And the lack of WTA songs is a bit strange. Maybe as the tour continues, and the release date comes and goes.

[Sandoz]

While in New Orleans last month, I ran into Glenn at Cafe Du Monde (yum). He said "... I hope you didn't come all the way here hoping to hear songs from the new record!" because the band had decided not to play anything from the new album until it was released in June.

 

Now that it's leaked and streaming, I guess they have changed their mind. Looks like a slow trickle of new ones, but maybe they will still refrain from the majority until it's officially released?

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

While in New Orleans last month, I ran into Glenn at Cafe Du Monde (yum). He said "... I hope you didn't come all the way here hoping to hear songs from the new record!" because the band had decided not to play anything from the new album until it was released in June.

 

Now that it's leaked and streaming, I guess they have changed their mind. Looks like a slow trickle of new ones, but maybe they will still refrain from the majority until it's officially released?

That's what I've been figuring. Considering its a brief album, I expect they'll play a good majority of it each night once its officially out.

 

When I saw Radiohead on their tour for In Rainbows, they played the whole thing, plus two of the bonus tracks. My fingers are crossed for this to be the case when I see Wilco in July.

[jarenas]

Does Bull Black Nova gain intensity in its live version? (I mean like others songs as Via Chicago do)

[zebra]

Nice set list. Thanks for the review.

[H.Stone]

Looks like another nice setlist--thanks for the quick reporting.

[bleedorange]

While in New Orleans last month, I ran into Glenn at Cafe Du Monde (yum). He said "... I hope you didn't come all the way here hoping to hear songs from the new record!" because the band had decided not to play anything from the new album until it was released in June.

 

Now that it's leaked and streaming, I guess they have changed their mind. Looks like a slow trickle of new ones, but maybe they will still refrain from the majority until it's officially released?

 

I had figured that the new songs would get slowly introduced when they were in Spain and that the start of the tour here would be to formally introduce most of the new material, so to speak.

 

Of course, this could all be wishful thinking, since I'm going to the OKC show in the middle of June and I really want to hear a lot of new stuff.

 

Thanks for all the reports of these Spain shows.

[MattZ]

[quote name='bb

[lost highway]

I wouldn't be all that surprised if they didn't have all of those tunes completely under their fingers. They might be wood shedding them at sound check, slowly but surely they will probably have them all ready for U.S. tours. I imagine "Deeper Down" will be a hoss to pull off live. I also imagine when and if it does it will be magnificent.

 

I don't know that we will be getting a lot of full band versions of "Solitaire" but you never know.

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

I wouldn't be all that surprised if they didn't have all of those tunes completely under their fingers. They might be wood shedding them at sound check, slowly but surely they will probably have them all ready for U.S. tours. I imagine "Deeper Down" will be a hoss to pull off live. I also imagine when and if it does it will be magnificent.

 

I don't know that we will be getting a lot of full band versions of "Solitaire" but you never know.

Am I the only one that sometimes wishes Wilco shows had a stripped down song or two, of maybe just Jeff acoustic and a piano, or something like that?

 

I guess Jeff does his solo shows, so there really isn't a need, but there are a few Wilco songs I'd like to see live that are already very sparse instrumentally, and would sound amazing "solo."