East Tennessean

Issue date: 2/5/07 Section: The Scene

January 30, 2007 - "Obviously you are misguided because you don't ever think I will write anything as heartfelt or whatever as Jeff Tweedy who could burn holes in his shoes just by starring at them," Ryan Adams said on a music critic's voicemail. While at times in his career this statement would perfectly describe Jeff Tweedy's demeanor during his live performances with Uncle Tupelo and Wilco, Knoxville saw a softer side of Tweedy during his second to last performance on his solo jaunt.
Without the swirling typhoon of noise provided by his Wilco band mates, Tweedy was left alone to fill the Bijou with spirited tunes, witty banter and cheerful exuberance. Tweedy's 23-song set was lined with ghosts of his past (Uncle Tupelo) and hits from his present success. Newer songs from Wilco's sonically dynamic records "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" and "A Ghost is Born" seemed to take on a more personal feel that took the focus away from the textures and layers of sound Wilco provides and onto Tweedy's lyrical prowess, while "Jesus Etc." just sounded like The Doobie Brothers' "Just Listen to the Music." Older pre-Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Wilco songs did not sound dramatically different from their recorded versions and hearing Tweedy perform "New Madrid" and "Acuff-Rose" stirred memories of how country was meant to be played.
Normally described as "surly" because of his stage presence, Tweedy surprisingly connected with the crowd as he paused between songs by making jokes and telling stories. "Do I hear people opening beers?" Tweedy said jokingly. One crowd member shouted back "Would you like one?" "The rehab was on the news, I know you saw it … but thanks for trying to knock me off (the wagon)," Tweedy retorted. This was just a bit of the Jeff Tweedy Knoxville got - not the serious "surly" songsmith or the intoxicated tyrant but someone that was simply happy to be playing for his fans.
Tweedy even did what most troubadours refuse to do and took requests from the crowd. While he weeded through most requests to find something suitable for acoustic conversion other times he had to force it - not a picture-perfect translation of the original, but he did the best he could do to oblige a fan's request.
At the end of his lengthy show, Tweedy performed two encores, the final at the edge of the stage unaccompaniedby amplification - just his voice and the sweet sound of Uncle Tupelo's "Acuff-Rose."

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