Jeff Tweedy & Jay Bennett - McCabe's Guitar Shop, Santa Monica, California, April 14, 1995
Just about 30 years ago, a little band called Wilco released their debut album, A.M., rising semi-phoenix-like from the ashes of Uncle Tupelo. A couple weeks later, the band's leader Jeff Tweedy played a one-off gig at McCabe's Guitar Shop in Santa Monica — seems like it was kind of an "industry showcase" as they used to call 'em; Jeff makes a crack about everyone in the audience being critics.
Why wasn't I at this show?! Sixteen-year-old-me was just a few miles down the coast, I loved McCabe's and I definitely had A.M. I'm not sure ... but the truth is that I was more in the Jay Farrar camp than the Jeff Tweedy camp at that point. You had to choose sides back then during the Alt.Country Wars, people!
Well, not really. But anyway, Jeff had another Jay with him for most of this stripped-down gig. The multi-talented Jay Bennett didn't play on A.M. but he sounds right at home already here, and would become Tweedy's creative foil for the next five or six years. The duo plays great, mixing in new tunes and Uncle Tupelo chestnuts, but they admit to being a bit nervous ... and filled up on suspicious guacamole; Bennett even has to leave the stage at one point to deal with some stomach issues. Regardless of guac, this very nice tape is a total pleasure. I wasn't there then, but I'm there now.
