Wilco (again)

Now that I've just gotten home from seeing Wilco for the fifteenth time, it seems preposterous that I even considered not going.

As I debated whether or not to buy a ticket this week, I kept thinking of Lester Bangs, the famed rock critic, refusing to see the Stones in '65 because he thought they'd sold out. On the day of the show though, he found himself listening to "Get Off of My Cloud" and blubbering in sorrow. His girlfriend then dragged him to the ticket office, bought the tickets, and they saw one of the most amazing shows of his life. (Check out his essay "I Only Get My Rocks Off When I'm Dreaming.")

I wouldn't say I was blubbering over "The Whole Love," but I had some reservations about paying a lot of money to see a band I've seen several times before. (Wilco ticket prices have gone up dramatically in the past few years; Live Nation doesn't help.) The new album is good, but I don't love it. I was beginning to think that maybe I would save my money for another show.

This morning though, it hit me: I had to go. I've flown across the country--literally--to see Wilco. Now they're playing 10 blocks from my house and I'm not going to see them? Ridiculous!

And the last time I saw them in concert they were at the top of their game. Even the newer stuff sounded great. Tickets weren't cheap, but I was pretty much guaranteed to an amazing show by my favorite band. I sucked it up and bought my ticket.

Wilco did not disappoint.

Some of my highlights:

• Opening with "Poor Places" followed by "Art of Almost." It was the same trick they used to pull with "Poor Places" and "Spiders." It worked just as well.
• Nels Cline's solo at the end of "Side with the Seeds." I was one row back in front of Nels so I got to observe his mastery throughout the show. This one was my favorite though. On the last note, he slide his guitar back on his hip and stepped back forcefully as if to say "There. Top that." I was pretty much floored. 
• Jeff Tweedy asking "Is pot legal in Colorado? Kinda? Sorta? It sure smells like it's legal."
• "Box Full of Letters" live. It's been a while since I've heard that one. The three-guitar treatment rocks.
• Jeff Tweedy noticing the chandeliers in The Fillmore. "It takes a chandelier to rock. Cause that's where I'm at in life."
• Watching the three-guitar interaction at the end of "Impossible Germany."
• The intro to "I'm the Man who Loves You" is always on of my favorite moments at a Wilco show.
• Pat Sansone's guitar windmills. And his rockin' Kris Kristofferson beard.
• "I can feel the altitude in my haunches." -- Jeff Tweedy
• The encore with "Red Eyed & Blue," "I Got You," and "Outtasite (Outta Mind)."
• "I'm a Wheel." Rock!

I was surprised that they only played one encore. When Wilco headlines, I've seen them play two encores every time. To be fair though, they played one 8 song encore instead of the usual 5-song encore and a 3-song second encore. Works for me.

As far as the crowd goes, the five-foot-tall woman standing next to me was awesome. She refused to let anyone step into the space in front of her to block her view. And fair enough; she got to the front at 7PM when the doors opened which means got in line around 5:30PM when I did. Latecomers should not be rewarded! She talked down some big guys too. 

When I had to go to the bathroom, I could have asked any of the big guys standing on the other side of me to save my spot. I asked her instead.

Tonight's set list:


Poor Places
Art of Almost
I Might
Misunderstood
Side with the Seeds
I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
One Wing
She's A Jar
Impossible Germany
Via Chicago
Kamera
Born Alone
Capital City
War on War
Box Full of Letters
Pot Kettle Black
Dawned On Me
Shot in the Arm
..
Whole Love
Heavy Metal Drummer
Walken
I'm The Man Who Loves You
Red Eyed and Blue
I Got You (At The End of the Century)
Outtasite (Outta Mind)
I'm a Wheel