Another Wilco Review

Apologies to non-Wilco fans for today's barrage. Anyway...

For some perspective on where I'm coming from, this was my 7th (maybe 8th?) time seeing these guys. The latest album and A.M. are my least favorite Wilco records. I would say I was pretty diehard for a good while between Summerteeth and Sky Blue Sky. And I'm still still a big fan.

As concerts go, this one was great. As Wilco concerts go, it was slightly above average. My #1 Wilco show would have been at Massey Hall in Toronto. Part of it was the setting, part of it was the setlist, and part of it was certainly seeing Nels Cline live for the first time. Jimmy's review below rings true with me. Cline's energy, musical proficiency, and bizarrely captivating body movements add so much to Wilco's live presence that he can really save a show, as I think he did at the Palumbo the last time they came though town. So imagine my disappointment when I found my seat last night and couldn't even see him at stage-right without standing and leaning way forward. (For those, like me, who may have thought there is not a bad seat in Carnegie Music Hall: there are about 40 of them, actually, in the back corners of the second balcony). I thought I would just suck it up and sink into the music.

My seat assignment surely took a bit away from my enjoyment of the first set. But, even accounting for that, I felt like the band took a little while to warm up. "Shot in the Arm" was where I really started feeling things, and I think by "California Stars" they were in full swing. When "Impossible Germany" rolled around and those sweet-ass guitar lines began to weave themselves together, it was time to move. Luckily, there were a surprising number of empty seats in the first balcony, and the staff didn’t seem to care at all when we snagged some prime seats not too far off-center.

I would have expected the acoustic set to be a highlight. As "Poor Places" built into an awesome symphony of noise, some roadies carried out a smaller drum kit, some keyboards and a selection of acoustic guitars. The noise subsided and the band assumed their new positions on the stage within the stage. "Spiders" was an interesting choice for the first song of this set. Probably a better idea in theory than in practice, unfortunately. While I don’t fault them for trying to switch things up on what usually turns into an epic electronic jam, it left me wanting more. Luckily they followed with a highlight of the show for me, "More Like the Moon." A very mellow, very underrated Wilco tune in my opinion. This was the first time I'd heard it live, and it did not disappoint. The rest of the acoustic set was fine, but nothing game-changing. It was definitely a nice touch and a cool opportunity to see Wilco tone things down a bit, but I was glad when, during "Airline to Heaven," the roadies began to break down the acoustic stage.

The third set just killed. "Via Chicago" was on par with the best versions I've heard, and from "Jesus" through "Monday" the whole band was on fire. One thing I always appreciate about Wilco is their ability to blend the old and new songs into a set and make them all fit harmoniously. I thought this was really on display in the third set, especially with a great "Candyfloss" in the middle. I can’t say I've ever found myself pulling Summerteeth out just to hear that tune, but it was right on time last night. And I love that it led into "Hate it Here" and "Walken," both of which completely rocked, and both of which were standouts of the night for me.

Overall, I wouldn't rank this as one of the best Wilco shows I've seen, although certainly better than the 2007 Palumbo show. Maybe somewhere in the middle for me. That said, it's Wilco. This is hands-down one of the best live bands playing today, and I have yet to walk out of a show disappointed.