Wilco Concert in Northampton

Whenever my favorite band Wilco is nearby we travel to hear them. This time Jeff Tweedy flew solo at the Calvin Theater in Northampton, Mass. and even though we had "nose bleed" seats, we saw the stage really really well due to the fabulous pitch and small size of the auditorium. We, of course, got there early and sat and chatted with a nice young bloke going to U-Mass Amherst who was as big a Wilco fan as me! After the less than interesting opening band Pronto was done (sorry, Jorgensen) Tweedy treated us all to a fantastic concert playing acoustically many of his early and middle music with a sprinkling of new pieces that were really good.
But the highlight of the concert was when he played the song I requested: Forget the Flowers one of my favorite songs.
Here it is if you care to listen:
http://wilcoworld.net/records/being.php
Dave promises me he will learn to play it on his banjo. Tweedy brought his usual sardonic sense of humor and bantered with (and abused) the audience treating us to hilarious stories about about his dad and how badly New Zealanders dance. Dave and I both agreed that this was one of the most insane out of control audiences we have ever seen--from crazy people shouting random nonsense to a very badly singing woman one row back who was driving of all nuts with her really pathetic singing. Tweedy always plays his heart out in concerts and he did not disappoint giving three encores the last without mic. Tweedy rocks--it was a fantastic concert. Set list (for myself really):
Set list
1. Spiders (Kidsmoke)
2. I'm Always in Love
3. Remember the Mountain Bed
4. Bob Dylan's 49th Beard
5. Jesus, etc.
6. One By One
7. Everlasting
8. New song
9. Someday, Some Morning, Sometime
10. The Ruling Class
11. Wait Up for Me
12. Muzzle of Bees
13. In a Future Age
14. Forget the Flowers
15. California Stars
Encore
16. Shot in the Arm
17. Via Chicago
18. Fake Plastic Trees (radiohead)
Encore
19. Wilco (the song)
20. Heavy Metal Drummer
21. Casino Queen
22. I'm the Man Who Loves You
Encore
23. Dreamer in My Dreams
24. Acuff Rose

California

What a very nice time Dave and I had visiting Carol and Ken in wonderfully warm and sunny California. Here we are taking a break in an oasis while hiking the famous Pushwalla hike in the Coachella Valley near the San Andreas Fault. Ken found the perfect place to rest and snack out of the sun. Dave and Carol posing by a lovely green bush (what was this called, Carol?) that grew up the whole cliff. So pretty! Below pretty desert flowers.