Just a little "Dad Rock"

As I mentioned previously (check 2 posts down), I won tickets to see one of my favorite bands live: Wilco. As this was my first time seeing said band, I was excited, but unsure of what I was going to experience. It was amazing.

If you've never seen Wilco live, you have no idea what you're missing.

I went into Merriweather with high hopes. I came out speechless.

As soon as the sound check started, I knew it was going to be a special night. As we walked down the pavilion stairs to our seats, the band was performing a little jam. (at that time Jeff Tweedy was nowhere to been seen, but what did we care....alright, we cared, but still...) After 5, 10 minutes he appeared from backstage. After playing a song or two, he put the muti-instrumentalist Pat on the spotlight, informing us that it was Pat's 26th birthday; to which one of the audience members replied saying that it was her birthday. Tweedy asked her if there was a song she wanted to be played, and after he denied her first choice (he told her that they'd play it later in the show for sure, and that they didn't want us being bored by hearing repeat songs), she settled on the new album-opener, Either Way (to which Tweedy said "How'd you know we needed to practice this song? You must have been there when we played it the other day?") After taking a few more requests (Muzzle of Bees, Hell is Chrome, and a few songs I don't remember), the band announced that they were going to go take a nap in preparation for the actual show later that night.

After we were escorted out of the amphitheatre, we had a few hours to kill before gates opened, and in that time we: walked through the entire mall; walked back to Merriweather to find out that despite what our tickets claimed, the gates opened at 6 not 5; got rained on, a lot; walked back to Merriweather around 6:30 to realize we still had an hour until Low came on.

Previous to this concert I had no idea who Low were. While I would like to say that they blew me away with their set, I would be lying (and judging by the reaction of the people in the audience, I wasn't alone in feeling this). Don't get me wrong, they were good; just not great. I do have to say that they had their moments, especially when Nels Cline joined them for a song (or two?) on a slide-guitar thingie.

And finally, 5 hours and 40 minutes after I originally arrived at Merriweather for the sound check, Wilco took stage (for real), to a sizable crowd.

They started their set with energy, and an aura of pure joy [to be there], and they ended the night the exact same way, not once showing any sign of waning energy. Nels Cline was amazing (no surprises there). While he acted subdued during the sound check, he was a mad man during their set, never letting the audience down.

Drummer Glenn Kotche was simply incredible, especially during his solo(s) in Via Chicago (after which, he took a well deserved "breather").

Pat the previously mention birthday boy, and keyboardist/rhythm guitarist/various other intrumentist , caused an uproar of applause when he started doing windmills during I'm a Wheel.

While the others in the band (Tweedy, pianist Mikael Jorgensen, and bassist (and other ex-Uncle Tupelo member) John Stirratt) never let up, pat Gleen and Nels showed that they "came to play."

Unfortunately they didn't play my favorite song of theirs (Radio Cure), but that just gives me an excuse to keep going see them live until they play it, right?

Might I add just one more thank you to the folks over at Wtmd for assisting me embarking (where do I get these words?) on this wonderful opportunity.

Setlist:

A Shot in the Arm
Side with the Seeds
You Are My Face
I am Trying to Break Your Heart
Kamera
Handshake Drugs
Via Chicago
Shake It Off
War on War
Sky Blue Sky
Impossible Germany
Jesus, etc.
Hate It Here
Walken
I'm The Man Who Loves You
Hummingbird

[Encore 1:]
California Stars
Poor Places [which faded directly into:)]
Spiders (Kidsmoke)
[Happy Birthday (for Pat)]

[Encore 2:]
Heavy Metal Drummer
The Late Greats
I'm Always In Love
Outtamind (Outtasite)
I'm A Wheel

[Encore 3:]
What Light

All in all, I don't think I would have preferred to be anywhere else in the world that, as it will be a night that will be remembered for all the right reasons, and none of the [few] wrong ones.

Upon the tapers' requests if these people are willing to tape these shows and make them available to us, I'm willing to follow their requests) I won't post "lossy" format (mp3, wma, etc.) version of this show on the blog, but here's the link to the entire set of Wilco's in .flac (this is a bittorrent link, I'm gonna try and find alternate links (in .flac) for those less tech savvy fans...): http://bt.etree.org/details.php?id=507604

(most media players (such as iTunes) and mp3 players (such as the iPod) are compatible with .flac files, so I recommend googling "flac converter" and converting the files for yourself)

And finally, one last thanks should go out to the band, for permitting people to tape their shows.

Also, see my previous Wilco posts (1 & 2) for some mp3's and links to buy the albums...

ps. Have any macrame lying around your house? (don't lie, I bet you do), Wilco would love it if you to send it to them.