Wilco Live in Philly - A Review

[Swish]

Well, off we were to the Tower Theater in Upper Darby, arriving just as the doors were opening, although it didn't really matter with reserved seats. Plus they had a decent variety of cold beer on tap, and it was cheap too at about $6.25 for a 12 oz. plastic cup. :) I also munched on a nice fat Philly soft pretzel while watching the crowd roll into the theater.

The opener, John Doe, started promptly at 8 PM, exactly as scheduled, and played a mostly forgettable set that lasted about 40 minutes. I always liked this guy, but with just guitar, bass and drums, along with a very cute female helping with the vocals, the songs just lacked something. His time with X won't be soon forgotten, but I just don't have much interest in this band. Besides, we came to see Wilco!

At exactly 9 PM, the feature act with 6 musicians appeared and played Sunken Treasure from Being There, then ...WTF is that? That's not a Wilco song. No, it was Woody Guthrie, and another, so starting with Sunken Treasure, they went right into Remember The Mountain Bed,. Airline To Heaven, and Hesitating Beauty. I had to chuckle when a girl behind me asked her boyfriend if the songs were from an older Wilco album. Well, the second one was on Mermaid Ave.Volume 2 as was the next one. I guess they were among the many younger attendees who aren't familiar with much besides the last few cds, but I could be wrong.

Everyone soon found out after the Airline to Heaven when Jeff Tweedy announced 'This will be the last Woody Guthrie song and then we'll start playing some Wilco music', which got the crowd roaring. And they didn't disappoint. First came Muzzle Of Bees, followed by You Are My Face, Side With The Seeds, and A Shot In The Arm, which got the crowd on its feet and roaring. I have to say the Tower is a nice venue, not too large and with excellent acoustics, and the sound system, with a huge Yamaha board, was set up perfectly. The volume was just right to my ears. Very clear and well-balanced, loud enough to create a lot of energy, but not so loud that you couldn't hear the person aside of you when needed.

The crowd sat down again when the band toned things down a bit with She's A Jar, with many singing along with most of the song, as they did often on the slower tracks during the night. Next up was Kamera, Handshake Drugs, At Least That's What You Said, Pot Kettle Black. Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway(again), then another sure-fire crowd favorite and a sing-along in Via Chicago. The crowd would stand for one song, then sit for another, and Jeff asked is we were all Catholic.If you ever attended a Catholic mass, you will get the joke.

I couldn't wait to see them perform the next one, Impossible Germany, if only to see that wicked lead by Nels Cline. Yes, he's 52 years old, tall and skinny, and a bit dorky in his black shirt and bright red straight-legged pants, but he can rip it up with the best of them. I never saw a guitarist utilize a tremolo bar the way he does in that song. Crazy stuff for sure. They toned it down a bit for Jesus, Etc. another sing-along for the audience, followed by Walken, and a rockin' I'm The Man Who Loves You, then Hummingbird and finally On And On And On before exiting the stage.

Then came the first, and surprisingly only, encore, but it was all killer and 4 songs long starting with Hate It Here, Red-Eyed And Blue, I Got You (At The End Of The Century) and last but not least, another Woody Guthrie song, but one that appears on Mermaid Avenue Vol 1, Hoodoo Voodoo, featuring a hot lead guitar duel between Nels and Pat Sansone that really cooked. Sansone is no slouch, but it's pretty evident that Nels is the man.

I saw this band about 4 years ago and it was a huge thrill for me, but for many reasons, this show was even better. I don't care much for Sky Blue Sky, but I appreciate it a lot more since seeing them perform some of the songs on stage. Tweedy's voice was in fine shape and it seems so effortless for him. The band was tight, the sound level and quality nearly ideal, and in a great venue. Getting home after 1 AM gets to be a drag for this nearly-fifty-year-old body, but it was worth it for Wilco. If they're coming to your area, miss them at your peril.

Swish

[bobsticks]

Congrats on seeing a good show...no doubt one worth the money... I'm envious.

Have you seen any of the concert DVDs or Tweedy's new thing? Obviously not a substitute for th ereal thing but worth a perusal?

I was about to write some smartass blather about you being home awfully early (even for an oldster) but you saved us both the trouble in the final paragraph. Glad you've finally recovered...:ciappa:

[ForeverAutumn]

It sounds like it was a great show Swishy. I'm glad that you had a good time! They don't appear to be coming around these parts anytime soon. :(

So, were you writing down the set list as they played them? Because, otherwise, your memory is pretty darn good for such an old fart.

[cruzich]

Nice review of a good show. One thing though...the opener ("Sunken Treasure") is not a Guthrie song, it's on 'Being There.'

It was a good show, not the best Wilco show I've seen but still a great evening. It was weird seeing them in a theatre; I've only ever seen them in clubs and with everyone in their seats it seemed like the energy was a little off. Still, SNels Cline was amazing and Jeff was in fine voice.

They only played one encore, which is unusual; I wonder if the Tower has an 11:00 curfew? Typically they do at least 2 encores and occasionally 3...

[Mr MidFi]

Nice job, Swish. Obviously a more coherent review than mine.

It's nearly a week later, and I'm still giddy from the show. Great stuff, indeed.

[Swish]

Nice review of a good show. One thing though...the opener ("Sunken Treasure") is not a Guthrie song, it's on 'Being There.'

It was a good show, not the best Wilco show I've seen but still a great evening. It was weird seeing them in a theatre; I've only ever seen them in clubs and with everyone in their seats it seemed like the energy was a little off. Still, SNels Cline was amazing and Jeff was in fine voice.

They only played one encore, which is unusual; I wonder if the Tower has an 11:00 curfew? Typically they do at least 2 encores and occasionally 3...

...wrote my review. I have being there....and all the others, so I should have realized.

Good pick up.

Swish

[Swish]

It sounds like it was a great show Swishy. I'm glad that you had a good time! They don't appear to be coming around these parts anytime soon. :(

So, were you writing down the set list as they played them? Because, otherwise, your memory is pretty darn good for such an old fart.

... and remembered that the Wilco site lists the song list from every show they play. I prolly could have named nearly all of them, but no way in the exact order.

Swish

[Swish]

Unpredictable Wilco dazzles at the Tower

By ED CONDRAN
Bucks County Courier Times

During his 2001 solo tour stop at the Theater of Living Arts, Jeff Tweedy asked where all the Grateful Dead fans went after Dead icon Jerry Garcia died.

Well, perhaps some wise Dead acolytes hit the road and have been following Tweedy's uncommonly consistent rock band Wilco.

Much like the Dead, Wilco changes up its set every night and takes laudable sonic chances.

Wilco's “Sky Blue Sky” tour, which commenced last spring, finally hit local territory. The band's sold-out show at the Tower Theatre Saturday night was dramatically different than the concerts that hit New York and Central Jersey last June.

The group shaved off a few tunes from its exceptional “Sky Blue Sky” album. After a moody, effective “Sunken Treasure” to open the Tower show, the unpredictable Wilco performed three tunes from its Woody Guthrie sessions before launching into its well-regarded canon.

“Shot in the Arm,” “She's a Jar” and “Red-Eyed and Blue” are early Wilco tracks that elicited theater-wide sing-alongs. However, the group was at its finest while rendering the new material.

A few scribes who were left cold and bored by “Sky Blue Sky” would have been jolted by live renderings of the new material. “You Are My Face” and “Side With the Seeds” cracked with considerable energy. “On and On and On,” one of the prettiest songs Tweedy has ever penned, was the most dramatic tune of the evening. The McCartney-esque “Hate It Here” simply rocked.

Tweedy benefits from having the best cast of musicians in Wilco's 13-year history. Guitarist Nels Cline, who joined Wilco in 2004, is a monster. He was unleashed during “Sky Blue Sky” and has been a force at the band's concerts. Drummer Glenn Kotche, who also joined Wilco over recent years, is a powerful and subtle percussionist.

Throughout the concert, Tweedy was playful. He compared the show with a Roman Catholic Mass since fans alternated between sitting and standing. Tweedy sounded almost sorry toward the end of the set before noting that the group will come back soon.

There was no need for Tweedy to say anything in an apologetic tone. Wilco reminded area fans that it is one of America's great live bands.

February 26, 2008 8:15 AM


I couldn't agree more and said several times that the Sky Blue Sky material performed live is much more convincing. And I know many of you picked me apart for my appreciation of Summerteeth, but they played four song from that record, and all are great songs; She's a Jar, A Shot in the Arm, Via Chicago, and Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway(again).

Swish