Jeff Tweedy solo show

[PearlJamNoCode]

I was lucky enough to get a very good seat to Jeff Tweedy's solo show in Princeton NJ last month. A 100% acoustic performance, playing only his 1930s Martin 0-18 and his black Waterloo WL-14.

He's known for a good bit of banter and joking with the audience between songs. After one song he explained that the audience was incorrect to cheer his guitar playing because it wasn't that hard. He also said that playing the harmonica was very easy and that we could all do it. One woman in the front row said she couldn't so Jeff gave her his harmonica and said he bet that by the time he came back to Princeton she'd be a master.

After another song someone yelled out "What tuning is that?!" which I thought was pretty funny. (It was DADGAD)

At another point in the show someone asked about the guitar he was playing. It was a 1930s Martin 0-18. He said he liked it because it sounds like crap, and he doesn't want his voice to be upstaged by a good sounding guitar. He purchased the guitar when he and Billy Bragg were doing the mermaid Avenue albums, which took unused Woody Guthrie Lyrics and put them to music.

All of that, plus a funny story about recently being arrested by Canadian border patrol, and an excellent setlist made for quite a good show.

[Ryan Alexander]

I saw him just a few days before your show in Wolfville, Nova Scotia (the arrest was just days before when they first entered Canada). I have been a fan for a long time, but have only seen Wilco twice (never Jeff solo). I took my Dad, and we had a great time! Got to hear lots of old favorites along with some new tunes. I was really hoping for Acuff Rose or Airline to Heaven, but no such luck I love his dry sense of humour.

I noticed one of the stage hands wandering around with one of Jeff's original Kel Kroyden guitars, but it never did make it to the stage. He played the 0-18 and black WL-14 same as at your show. Are we sure that 30's Martin is an 0-18? I thought it might be a 00-18, but I'm not well versed in Martins.

[PearlJamNoCode]

Originally Posted by Ryan Alexander

Are we sure that 30's Martin is an 0-18? I thought it might be a 00-18, but I'm not well versed in Martins.

Ah yes, it was a 00-18.

[Pura Vida]

I was lucky to get up front for a Jeff Tweedy solo show a few years ago. He ended with a no-amplification performance of "Acuff Rose," which I happened to capture on video.

For anyone who hasn't seen him solo, I recommend watching the "Sunken Treasure Live - In The Pacific Northwest" DVD.