Jeff Tweedy just wrapped up his fall tour in support of his new solo triple album Twilight Override. By all accounts, it’s been a wonderful experience, with Tweedy’s sons among his bandmates and his wife Sue often present as part of the touring company. But at least one show took a strange turn.
At the Buskirk-Chumley Theatre in Bloomington, IN last Thursday, two factions within the audience engaged in a loud war of words. As Uncut explains it, one side argued that the “dead” crowd needed to increase its energy level by getting up to dance, while the other complained that seated patrons couldn’t see due to others standing up — a classic concert conundrum. “Is there something tense happening?” Tweedy reportedly asked from the stage. “I appreciate you asking me, as if I’m the one in charge. I just work here, sir.” He later responded to more shouting from the audience with the quip, “We’re not gonna indulge any more of this balderdash.”
Saturday, the theatre apologized for the disruptive behavior in the audience via an Instagram post:
We’re aware that a few disruptive guests affected the experience at last night’s Jeff Tweedy concert for all of the rest of us.
That’s not the environment we strive to provide.
We will learn from this event and continue to take steps to prevent future situations such as this one.
We apologize. And we appreciate everyone who helped keep the space respectful for the artist and fellow audience members.
Thank you! ?
Tweedy and his youthful band have been covering songs by local acts for their encores, so in Bloomington they did Magnolia Electric Co. and Jackson 5 tunes. We haven’t found video of those yet, but here’s Tweedy watching his bandmates (Spencer Tweedy, Sima Cunningham, Macie Stewart, and Liam Kazar) do the Chordettes’ “Mr. Sandman” the following night at Shannon Hall in Madison:
Shout out to Jeff Tweedy.
