Review: Wilco

Photos by Chuck France/Special to The Star 

Even with 3,000 or so people piled into the place, generating body heat, the air over Crossroads KC bore a sharp chill Tuesday night. Jeff Tweedy, the main man in Wilco, the evening's headliner, called the mood "autumnal" and melancholic so he prescribed some "squash-colored songs."

He and his band would deliver some of those orange, yellow and burnt sienna moments, like during "One By One," "Jesus, Etc." and "California Stars." But mostly they just pulled more then two dozen songs out of their arsenal and demonstrated again why they are one of the best live shows out there.

 
If this was your first Wilco show, you might not have felt the rewards as profoundly -- kind of like jumping into an HBO show at the start of the fourth season. But if you've followed Wilco since Uncle Tupelo died and this were your seventh or ninth or 15th time seeing them, you probably walked away wanting to follow the bus to Austin, Texas, and see them again Thursday night.

The show began with a snippet of the theme song from "The Price is Right," which was appropriate. For $31.50, they gave the full house 28 songs and 145 minutes of music -- Springsteen numbers (except for the price). The setlist left out a few big ones -- no "Heavy Metal Drummer"; nothing off "A.M." -- but it included other standards ("California Stars," "I'm The Man Who Loves You," "Jesus, Etc.") and a surprise or two ("Hoodoo Voodoo").

 
At this point in its life, Wilco/Tweedy doesn't really need to worry much about what is or isn't played at a Wilco show. He has seven albums to draw from, plus the two "Mermaid Avenue" discs, and most of the fans who show up for the live shows are pretty intimate with all of them, including the latest, "Wilco (The Album)."

They played several tracks off that Tuesday night. Each was greeted warmly, sometimes enthusiastically. The best of those: the manic and enervated "Bull Black Nova," which stirred up the first of several heavy guitar/feedback storms of the night; and "You Never Know," the Beatle-ish track with the George Harrison-ish guitar solo.

Other highlights: "Jesus, Etc.," which included a big crowd sing-along (per Tweedy's request); Kingpin, which included a big  clap-along; "Outta Site (Outta Mind)," which sounded extra joyous; and the closer, "I'm A Wheel," which had a wonderful sloppy/Replacements vibe.

Wilco is an ensemble now, not just a band -- up there with the Band, the E Street Band and the Heartbreakers. They comprise a group of stellar musicians who play with and off each other seamlessly and seemingly ego-lessly. I suppose the take their cue from their leader, who appears content to stand back and watch, admire. They aren't a jam band; they're a rock band that knows how to jam (and how not to). Guitarist Nels Cline in particular, delivered several sublime leads.

Tweedy, who can be dry, droll and witty when he's in the mood, was a bit reserved most of the night. After "Hate It Here," he blew his nose into a handkechief, than tossed it to someone who asked for it. (The Shroud of Mucus?). He also needled his opener, Liam Finn, who was sporting a jacket he'd bought that afternoon that looked like it came from Chess King.

Otherwise, the band was pretty business-like -- too much, I guess, for some people. A friend texted me: "Headline: 'Wilco too sober. Again.'" I sure didn't think so. In fact, Wilco is what kept me warm and happy for nearly three hours, like a shot or two of whiskey.

 
Liam Finn: The opener (and son of Neil Finn) performed with Eliza Jane Barnes and did the tape/loop thing where he records a guitar or drum bit and then plays live over the recording. The 1,000 or so people up front during the set seemed to enjoy most of his 45-minute set, even though his music seemed diminished by the size of the venue. (He and Barnes joined Wilco for two encore numbers, "You Never Know" and "California Stars.")

| Timothy Finn, The Star

Wilco setlist: Wilco (The Song); I Am Trying To Break Your Heart; Bull Black Nova; You Are My Face; One Wing; A Shot In The Arm; Radio Cure; Impossible Germany; At Least That's What You Said; One By One; I'll Fight; Handshake Drugs; Sonny Feeling; Hate It Here; Can't Stand It; Jesus, Etc; Walken; I'm the Man Who Loves You. Encore: Misunderstood; I'm Always In Love; You Never Know; California Stars; Kingpin; The Late Great; Monday; Outtasite (Outta Mind); Hoodoo Voodoo; I'm A Wheel

Comments

[Rob]

Last night was a perfect autumn evening for a Wilco show. Great review.

[michael]

A good friend calls Wilco the greatest American rock band working today. Last night was my first time seeing/hearing them, and I saw/heard nothing that would make me dispute that claim. That was one damn fine show.

[Mike A]

Great show. Monday and Always In Love have been pretty rare on this tour. The setlist I got after the show shows Far Far Away was going to come after Misunderstood. Glad they played Always instead.

[indie snob]

heard and kind of saw the show from the Pi gallery next door to grinders. ($5 donation + BYOB = cheap night out!) we were only about 6 feet behind the last row of actual show attendees, who paid $30 or whatever. suckers!

show sounded pretty clean even from that distance. wilco is definitely a tight band. wilco is really not my thing, but i respect them and i'm glad that a creative, talented band is so popular. if they turned up the jim o'rourke-quotient about 75% i think i would like them more. i guess they would just be gastr del sol at that point.

[Scot]

Great show, as always. The two big suprises for me were Radio Cure and One by One. Initially I was a little saddened thinking the energy of the show wasn't going to match that of the last few times they were in the area. But that melancholic spirit actually served the first part of their set well. And probably made the rock'n'roll bliss of the encores even better.
Definitely enjoyed Liam Finn and Eliza Jane Barnes. I'll have to look into their stuff.
Oh, and regarding the handkerchief. I was up front and it looked like to me like Jeff just pretended to throw it. He made the motion but at the last second let it drop onto the edge of the stage. Much too the relief of those of us with a close view.

[tim finn]

... i bet somebody would have taken that thing home.

[Mike A]

Correct, did not throw it. Would have been disgusting.

[Winston]

For my own selfish reasons I hope Tweedy never writes a (radio) hit song! This band is indeed one of the best live bands on the planet and I really don't care to see them at the Sprint Center!

Watched/focused on Nels a lot last night. His playing isn't always my cup of tea. But watching the interplay between Nels and the former bass player/frustrated lead guitar player Tweedy helped me understand his approach to the music. Jeff (and Pat Sansone) really likes to kick out more "traditional" lead licks and that allows Nels to go off into space. And into his Gumby dance!

Glenn Kotchke's expressive drumming was pure joy to watch! A lot of Jeff's songs have a muscular bridge/section that strives to make a rock and roll statement. Glenn easily makes the transition from tasty to rockin' and back without breaking a sweat.

Pat Sansone is the secret weapon of Wilco! He hides behind those keyboards and then comes out front to slay the dragon!

VENUE: I didn't notice the wood chips until my lady and I tripped our way to the exit gate. Well, yes I did...but I'd rather stand on some type of earthen surface than on asphalt or concrete. Hmmm, any inventors out there that can come up with a green alternative to wood chips?

[Mike Frevert]

Thanks for the review and set list. I was not able to make it up from Springfield and reading the review made me want to cry and puke at the same time...

Anyway, here's hoping they head back through Missouri sometime in the spring.

[byebluemonday]

Show was excellent. The crowd to the right of the stage was horrible. I imagine a lot of the slower songs did not play to the diminished attention spans.

And, yes, Crossroads/Grinders, it is time to upgrade from the wood chips, which are quaint in theory, but horrible after just 5 minutes of standing in the same spot.

[pellboy]

"If this was your first Wilco show, you might not have felt the rewards as profoundly -- kind of like jumping into an HBO show at the start of the fourth season."

Funny you should say that because even though I really enjoyed the show, I couldn't help coming away from it just a tad bit underwhelmed. Maybe it's because my expectations were so high due to my love of their records but despite the tight and overall excellent ensemble playing, I couldn't help feel something was lacking. Maybe it was because the crowd just didn't seem to generate the sort of vibe I'm used to but something just seemed missing to me. I realize I'm in the minority and again, don't mean this as any kind of slam on a band I really like and respect but I'm going to stop WAY short of placing them in the same category as Bruce/E Street as far as live performance goes. And maybe I'm just more of a fan of the jam-type bands as far as live concerts go but I'd also prefer seeing the likes of the Mule, Crowes or Allmans over Wilco.

At this point, I'm just really torn on whether to see them again (probably will since the price is usually affordable)in order to make a more accurate judgement or just simply chalk them up as a band that I enjoy more on record than seeing live. I must note that driving home and listening to some of the same songs I had just heard performed live, did offer a new perspective for me and made those songs almost MORE enjoyable for me than they were previously. btw, surprised no mention of Impossible Germany which is when the show really opened up for me.

[Scot]

I definitely think you should give them another try, pellboy. While I thought last nights show was great, the one thing I found a little lacking was the crowd. It wasn't a bad crowd, just not up to the usual level of enthusiasm or engagement that I'm use to at a Wilco show. Which is really high. Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was a natural reaction to Jeff's initial mood, or maybe just because it was a Tuesday night.
As far Impossible Germany, it was awesome. But it's been a staple of their live set for several years so us folks who see them regularly aren't suprised to hear it. But it's always incredible and it always makes you wonder if Nels Cline is a little more than human.

[pellboy]

Scot, I'm glad you also mentioned the crowd because the more I think about last night, the more I think the crowd's somewhat subdued state had a profound effect on how I perceived the show because I really had no issue with the band's performance. They played a nice range of their catalog and the playing was outstanding so again, hard to pinpoint my problem except to say the whole experience didn't grab me in quite the way I had hoped. As you said, by no means was the crowd 'bad' per se, just maybe a tad bit less enthusiatic than I expected. Probably did have something to do with the chill. And I concur, Nels is a freak of nature.

[anon]

Impossible Germany was the highlight--one of the few times in the last 10 years when I've thought, I'm glad I came to this show.

Wilco last night was as good as I've ever seen them (and I'm in the 9-15 range).

[tim finn]

setlist was midtepmo through the middle, which kept the vibe low for a while. But I didn't notice a large percentage of people not paying attention, except way in back. The buzz picked up substantially about two or three songs before the marathon encore. great ending, i thought

[Jeff B.]

Great show. Agree that the crowd was the only shortcoming (and the wood chips). I moved around a few times mostly to avoid the distraction of people talking over the music and not getting into it.

For me, Wilco's the best, most consistently productive American rock band right now. And more than ever, they feel like a real band with important contributions from everyone.

[lovefest]

love fest .... lovey lovey .... dovey dovey ..... lovefest

[snotty]

"some folks" are so blindly in love with this band, that if the lead singer came out and sneezed into a hankey, they would glorywrite about it, this while skipping a lot of other really great shows/artists.

[Donkey Shane]

have fun at Stryper, snotty

[fu]

have fun sucking your boyfriend's cock, donkeyboy.

I spoke only the truth you goof.

[pellboy]

As for Liam Finn/Eliza Jane Barnes...I'm still trying to determine whether their set was horrid or brilliant. Quirky to a fault, I think. As stated in the review, probably better served in a small club or theatre setting. I was pretty close during their set and as a result, now have a huge crush on Ms.Barnes.

[Donkey Shane]

... what great shows/artists were skipped on tuesday night?

[out]

I am not gonna argue with you gayboy, but, I am referring to other nights, other skipped shows .... out, now get back to your BJ.

[Eric Melin]

Great review, Tim. I agree wholeheartedly. I didn't even realize the show was that long because I never once looked at my watch or felt ready to leave. Transfixed. I just wish it would have been louder, but maybe that's my own ruined ears failing me...

[Donkey Shane]

doors at 7; Flight Patterns at 8; Stryper at 9. there's your coverage. (and stay off the dane cook for a while, will you)

[Bryan]

The show was definitely one long, grand crescendo for me. I thought the crowd picked up during the encore as well.

Impossible Germany should be on the next Guitar Hero.

[Belleville, IL fan]

I was at the show last night. I think it was OK. I do think they run the risk of being too formulaic; almost predictable. I mean this show was like the 5/08 show in Lawrence that was like the 10/07 show in KC that was like the 2005 show in Des Moines, etc. They need to change arrangements (e.g. Dylan) and play some covers of other RnR songs. Don't get me wrong, I first saw Tupelo in 1990 when they were playing bars in Southern IL. But I was under impressed by the show. Maybe it was due to it being Tuesday nite. Dunno.

[Mike A]

Yeah, more covers- great idea. Maybe Karaoke!

[MetalHEAD]

Sorry I didn't go and missed the show....couldn't find my chair.

[PJ]

I thought it was an amazing show! Grinder's is a fantastic venue!

It was the 4th time I've seen them and they just keep getting better and better. The KC crowd just doesn't seem as in to them as the crowd is in St. Louis, for instance (and I've had similar experiences with another band in KC v. STL). Regardless, they always play their best and have never been a let down.

As a huge Wilco fan, it was a plus I got to meet 4/6 of the band after the show, too.

Can't wait to see them again!

[VinceM]

Great show again from Wilco. "Radio Cure" and everything from "Mermaid Avenue" were highlights for me. I do think they need to swich setlists up more though. They're starting to get a bit predictable.

Also - not really sure about Nels. I know I'm in the minority here. Obviously he's technically gifted but his leads are sometimes a mess. He just plays too many notes and often it detracts from the song. I enjoyed Jeff and Pat's leads much more. Jeff really shined on "At Least That's What You Said."

[Goose Gacek]

2nd Wilco show here and personally, I was floored and awestruck. Was in my own little world.

I can't go to shows with people who try to talk to me...why r u there!?

insane setlist and loved the "melancholic" atmosphere...upbeat is not always better

[cheflarz]

This was the most anticipated show of the year for me at Grinders. I've been following Wilco since back in the day and it's really nice seeing them reap the rewards of all the work and dues. I always read your reviews Tim and couldn't agree with this one more. PS I've always thought Nels Cline looked a bit like our humble reviewer.

[Yosh Dogg]

Its been almost a week, and I'm still soaring from that show. Admittedly I have been a faithful Wilco fan for many years, and I probably DO enjoy them to a fault. But as a musician myself (and I use that term loosely), I genuinely appreciate the variety of sounds they masterfully whip together, as if some exotic recipe.

They balance their melancholic sound with some of the best jams in modern rock. I was disappointed that we didn't get to hear Via Chicago, because it demonstrates so much of what they are capable of. However, in similar form, Bull Black Nova was one of the highlights of the evening for me.

Chaotic, frantic, and borderline suspenseful, yet beautifully tight and perfect. I felt like I was in a trance... as if watching Jeff Tweety panic in a pool of blood, as he wailed, "It's in my hair, there's blood in the sink.
I can't calm down, I can't think.
I keep calling, there's blood in the trunk. I can't calm down, I freak out, black out!"

God, that song just draws me in! I had more adrenaline flowing through my veins watching it live than I have cranking it on my stereo! They totally pulled that one off! I'm always amazed at how well they capture every piece of the studio version while standing on a stage - or at least every piece they care to capture.

Other songs were changed up significantly, but still held the inherent "Wilco quality" that every other song they have contains. Their version of Outtasite (Outta Mind) was fantastic. Although not exactly the same catchy pop-like-hook that the original was built on, the live version was very upbeat and just flat-out rockin.

I can't say enough about the band or the performance at Crossroads. It was nothing short of amazing to me, and I'm glad I got to experience it once again. I hope they keep pumping that well for future favorites. They truly are one of the greatest active bands in America today.

[MetalHEAD]

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