30th smf, tweed(y) at night

Does that microphone stand look centered?
No?
Good.
Neither was the artist.
Performing absolutely solo at the Lucas Theatre, the 51-year-old Jeff Tweedy seemed a bit off-center, too.
True, the last time he was here, in 2010, he was with Wilco, surrounded by bandmates.
Leading off with a murder ballad he penned in 1999 - "Via Chicago" - seemed to assure him that the audience knew who he was.
He loosened right up after that!
he joked around frequently up on that stage, even poking fun at himself. For instance, he said he had never seen another artist get the helpful encouragement that he does, with folks shouting out "Good job, Jeff" or "You're doing fine, Jeff", as if he looked like he needed that extra boost.
Of course, folks then called out those phrases to him.
Hahahaha hahaha!
I can't say I was familiar with his work, whether it was as a soloist, or with early group Uncle Tupelo, or with current band Wilco.
Americana just isn't heard on the radio stations preset in my car.
However, I very much like the references to the solar system and beyond.
At one point, he sang that "We're all blowing in the interstellar wind", so Don't Forget he was "your little galaxy", while in another he was "turning your orbit around" while every star "is a setting sun" - very cool nods to physics!
Plus, he was "a family ghost you never leave behind" - how sweetly sad!
"Passenger Side" was about a different kind of spirit - a physical liquid, so to speak. Amazingly, many in the audience were singing along with this drunkard's lament. He has "a court date coming in June", so he'll be "driving soon" - funny and sad. (Then again, perhaps I know far too many alcoholics.)
Believe it or not, he played four love songs. That's right - four! That's more than any other artist has given us!
"I'm The Man Who Loves You" and "Guaranteed" were for his wife, Susie. That second one had a darker cast to it, though not as much as "When You Wake Up To Me", about a man in a loveless relationship.
"You and I", on the other hand, gets used for wedding music. Nice!
My favorite song, though, was "Hummingbird", with its request from a ghost that "the great Milky Way would not allow to die alone" to "remember to remember me". Not only did it have spirits and physics, but it featured whistling!!!
That's music I can make!
(smile!)
Thank you, sir, for the concert!
Thank you, also, for the three-song encore!
I very much enjoyed this introduction to your music!
(smile!)