Results tagged “wilco”

• Things got heated at today's Cook County Commission vote on the tax roll back and WBEZ has the sound bites to prove it.
• The CTA is investigating rider claims that a door on a Red Line train stayed open as the train moved from the Addison to Sheridan stops just after midnight Sunday morning.
• A deal has been reached between the University of Illinois and striking graduate assistants.

Looking for a Monday afternoon pick-me-up? If you're a Wilco fan, you're in luck. The band will be webcasting their Monday night show from Amsterdam tonight, which happens to fall in the post-lunch haze Chicago-time. If you want to spend your afternoon listening to a live show from Tweedy & Co., point your browser this way and get listening. The show is scheduled to start at 1:45 p.m. local time.

LoftLife magazine was lucky enough to get an invite to Wilco's inner sanctum sanctorum -- their collective Fortress of Solitude if you will -- and has the snaps to prove it. The last time we got a good look at the space it was in black and white so this is a nice update on the digs in which they create their musical magic. Check out the full gallery. (Thanks to Mark for the tip!)

         

It's been a hot minute since Wilco touched down in Chicago, despite a heavy touring 2009 touring schedule behind their self-titled seventh studio album. When they finally did descend upon the UIC Pavilion Sunday and Monday nights, their hometown was out en masse to support. If the guys are tired of globetrotting, they didn't show it - leader Jeff Tweedy was a witty, engaging host in leading his band through a career-spanning two-plus hours of music. The old schoolers got "It's Just That Simple," "Monday" and "Kingpin;" the middle schoolers bobbed to "Heavy Metal Drummer," "I'm The Man Who Loves You" and "Handshake Drugs;" the new schoolers sang along to "Impossible Germany," "Wilco (The Song)" and "You Never Know." Tweedy made sure everyone knew the "live Wilco" tricks like the handclaps in "Kingpin," which only solidified the lovey vibe between the six dudes on stage and the 9,000 people in the arena.

Yes, it's snobby, but we kinda hate when mainstream media covers music. Trying to sell our moms on our favorite bands (especially 16 years and five records into their careers) is just silly, but if this appearance on CBS' Sunday Morning helps Wilco sell a few thousand more records, we'll allow it. But the Black Eyed Peas segue at the beginning is just dumb, and you can't tell us it's not.

We remember being in London a few years ago, looking for concerts to hit, and we saw The Lemonheads were performing It's A Shame About Ray from start to finish. "Cool!," we thought, "What a great idea! We hope this catches on!" Well, a few years down the road the format has not only caught on, it's become an outright pandemic. When done correctly it can thrill, and when it's not, it can ruin our memory of a particular album for a while.

A little miffed like us that Wilco has so far shunned their hometown on their 2009 tour schedule, which includes promotion of that new LP of theirs? We know they did that amazing five-night stand last year but...that was last year! What about 2009? Well, now we know what is up with 2009. This morning, XRT announced the show which is happening Sunday, October 18. The only thing that caught us off guard a bit was the venue: the UIC Pavilion. Not that they need to play somewhere bigger, but they probably could. Anyway, tickets for the show go on sale this Saturday and will cost $39.50 for reserved and general admission seating. So go those clicking fingers ready.

While it reveals nothing new about the man behind the music, the New York Times has a good profile of Jeff Tweedy in today's edition.

It's a big week for Wilco. While Chicago's most popular alt-rock band wraps up the Western U.S. leg of their tour and gear up for the East Coast segment, their new self-titled LP sees its official release tomorrow. Of course, you don't have to sit on your hands waiting for the record store to open tomorrow morning to grab your copy. The Hideout, in conjunction with Laurie's Planet of Sound, is hosting a live band Wilco karaoke night. Featuring the Wilco cover ensemble The Late Greats, you'll have your chance to get up on stage and belt out "Casino Queen" or "I Got You" all you like. Then, at midnight, you'll have a chance to purchase copies of the new record. All it costs to get in is $5 but what price can be put on watching Wilco lovers emulate their favorite band on stage? [h/t Time-Out Chicago]

If you're not quite in the Lollapalooza spirit this year or you'd rather spend $80 on a good ticket for an intimate show than a sweaty festival or maybe, dammit, you just love Wilco and are disappointed they aren't playing this year's fest, then Jeff Tweedy is coming to your rescue. And it's for a good cause. On Saturday, August 8, Tweedy - with opening support from Second City alum and current Colbert Report writer Peter Grosz - is playing a benefit solo show at Emanuel Congregation. Seating is general admission and set in three tiers by price:

We're still reeling a bit from last night's news of Jay Bennett's passing. We've been blasting Summerteeth all day and we'll move on to The Palace at 4 a.m. this evening. In the meantime, here are some excellent videos to remember Jay - and his excellent musical gift - by. You can also download his new record, Whatever Happened, I Apologized, for free here.

Just in case our exhaustive review of the new Wilco album left you wanting even more from Jeff and the gang, you're in luck. The Wilco web factory has just released an iPhone app that lets you keep track of the guys as they globe trot through 2009 in support of next month's Wilco. The app will allow IPhone and iPod Touch users to access tour dates, ticket pre-sales, maps to venues, rideshares and the complete Wilco lexicon, including new tour doc Ashes of American Flags. Users will also be able to make setlist requests and get photo downloads straight from the road. Best of all? It's free. Pick it up at your local iTunes Store.

I got a group email yesterday from a music geek friend who needed to get something off his chest: He was afraid of the new Wilco album. Afraid of another collection of "New York-y art crap" from one of his favorite bands, devoid of all the angsty alt-country stomp 'n' roll that spoke to him 15 years ago.

We've heard the new Wilco and WHOAH are we happy with the end results! Update: Give it your own listen at the band's official site.

I'm sorry everyone, you have me to blame for this. I was tweeting the lyrics to the "Llama Song" and Jeff Tweedy obviously took me a little too seriously. On the other hand, it is a pretty awesome album cover. Below, peep the cover image for the forthcoming self-titled Wilco album, due June 30.

Below is the full text of the public filing of Jay Bennett vs. Jeff Tweedy sent in by reader ChgoDiver.

We've long defended Jay Bennett's importance to Wilco. We thought he was the foil frontman Jeff Tweedy needed. However, we find it distressing to see the Trib report that Bennett is launching a lawsuit against Tweedy, "claiming Tweedy owes him money from the band's 2002 documentary [I Am Trying To Break Your Heart] and royalties on songs written during Bennett's seven years with the group."

Man, it's a Wilco kind of week, and we just can't seem to get away from Jeff Tweedy. We spent last weekend comparing the live performances between Ashes Of American Flags and I Am Trying To Break Your Heart and came to the conclusion that Wilco's current line-up is incredibly awesome when it comes to live performances. Then we learned that Wilco's new self-titled disc hits the shelves on my birthday (June 30 for those of you that still haven't bought me a present).

                

The kingpins of American independent rock shook off the winter cobwebs last night at Milwaukee's stately Pabst Theater, rolling through nearly 2.5 hours of gems from their expansive catalog. It may have taken a couple of songs for Wilco to get their stage legs back, but the night never felt stale. To quote Matthew McConaughey's Wooderson in Dazed and Confused, the band keeps getting older but the songs stay the same age.

The inaugural Chicago International Movies and Music Fest comes to a grand close tonight by screening the new Wilco documentary Ashes of American Flags. The event will also include a Q & A with the film's directors, Brendan Canty (Fugazi) and Christoph Green. While the 7:30 p.m. showing is already sold out, you're in luck because at post time, tickets are still available for the 10 p.m. screening. It all goes down at the Music Box (3733 N. Southport Ave.) and tickets are only $10 so snatch 'em up while you can.

Remember what a bummer it was when Wilco had to scrap plans for a DVD of their May 2005 four-night stand at the Vic? Sure, we got the Kicking Television live disc out of it, but we were expecting the first official visual record of a Wilco performance, and anything less was disappointing.

Man, it's one thing to get snubbed by OK Go, but now Wilco is planning a spring tour that hops right over their base of operations?

Last week we mentioned the upcoming spring release of the new Wilco film Ashes of an American Flag, chronicling parts of their 2008 tour. The trailer for the film is out and we're sharing it below. Ashes of an American Flag is out on Record Store Day (April 18).

Chicago rockers Wilco are all set to unleash a new DVD upon us. Titled Ashes of An American Flag, the film will consist of footage shot during their February 2008 tour. We figured it would heavily incorporate footage from their five night residency at The Riv, but according to Billboard, the footage was shot at the Tulsa, New Orleans, Mobile, Nashville, and Washington, D.C. shows. The DVD was set for a late April/early May release, but the band will give indie -retailers a head start by releasing copies to independently-owned stores for Record Store Day on April 18. Tweedy told Billboard:

My introduction to a lot of great music and to the 'music business' came from hanging around and eventually working at independent record stores in Belleville, Ill., and St. Louis many years back. It's the life I know. Nothing beats browsing in your favorite store, listening to music, finding something new or old that you've been searching for, being ignored by the store clerks, all that. And without these stores, there's just no way Wilco would still be around. They've been with us from the very beginning, through thick and thin. Even if I wasn't in a band, I'd still support Record Store Day. It's a great thing and I'm glad we could do something special with them for our DVD.

When the lineup for MegaFest Coachella was released last week, we barely batted an eyelash. It failed to impress us much headliner-wise (giving Amy Winehouse that high a billing? really?) though some of the undercard was nice, but nothing we haven't seen at Lollapalooza or Pitchfork Fest.

Spencer Tweedy -- you might heard of his dad's band before -- is a blogger and tech-writer! And a software developer! And gets drum lessons from Glenn Kotche! And has played Madison Square Garden! And he's insightful! And smart! And a better writer than about 98% of online content providers! AND HE'S ONLY 13! Part of us is so jealous of him we want to hate him, but he's just so charming we can't help but fall a little bit in love with him. Check out his blog.

Glenn Kotche, drummer for Loose Fur and some other little local band named Wilco, plays percussion tonight with local avant-classical sextet eighth blackbird at The Harris Theater. Kotche's solo drumming is truly mind-blowing -- go on, watch one of his performances -- and we're told he will be debuting a brand new piece amongst some other familiar material.

Stephen Colbert moves from Rush's prog-rock to Wiclo's prog-Americana (admit it, that's an apt description at this point) as he welcomes the Chicago superstars to his program Thursday night. No word yet on whether the band will be outfitted in Nudie Suits or not, but we're hoping Colbert will be sporting those stylish threads. [Pitchfork]

The Sun-Times ran an article today asking why Wilco isn't opening up the Chicago date of Neil Young's tour. Do they hate us? Are they annoyed we keep bringing that whole Bennett thing back up? Is Tweedy just a cranky-pants?

We've long maintained Wilco's Jeff Tweedy made a huuuuuge mistake when he unceremoniously booted Jay Bennett from the band, especially since it meant that after a brief flurry of solo activity, we haven't heard a lick of Bennett's delicious orch-pop. Well, that situation is about to change as Bennett prepares to release three albums in the next couple months: a solo disc, a collaboration with Ed Burch, and a Titanic Love Affair reunion. We bet any one song off each of those discs will have more hooks than in all of A Ghost Is Born. [S-T]