Wilco freakin' Wilco!

[Swish]

Contrary to what Fall Girl posted last week, I saw Wilco with Nick Lowe as the opening act on Sunday night, and Wilco blew the place apart. It was good seeing Nick, but one guy with an acoustic playing at a packed amphitheater with about 14,000 people wasn't going to top the 3 guitar attack of Wilco, arguably one of the best bands working today.

I love the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD, although it's a 2 hour drive for us. There's free parking in the grass-covered parking lot, some of it still muddy after all the recent rain. Many tailgate before the shows, and we did too, packing some sandwiches and beer to enjoy before entering the venue.

Nick was in fine voice, his throat infection apparently cured, and he played a dozen songs in less than an hour;

People Change
Heart
What's Shakin' on the Hill
Ragin' Eyes
All Men Are Liars
Lately I've Let Things Slide
I Live on a Battlefield
I Read a Lot
Cruel to Be Kind
Alison
When I Write the Book (Rockpile!)
Peace, Love and Understanding

As I mentioned, it was good to see him, but 99.9% of the attendees were there for Wilco, and they were out about 20 minutes after Nick was done.

The stage had all sorts of fur pelts or something that looked like fur pelts, hanging down all over the place (check the picture below). We were stage left with a nice big video screen straight ahead of us, highlighting solos and the like.

This is the third time I've seen Wilco, and it was easily the best show of the three. They played nearly everything I wanted to hear, rocking like crazy most of the time. While Jeff isn't the most affable guy in the world (yes, I read J's reply to Fall Girl) he did make some funny comments, especially before they played 'Box Full of Letters' from A.M., a record he said 'about 6 people bought'.

They also brought out Nick Lowe for a song during the encore, and Tweedy called Lowe 'his idol', drawing cheers from the crowd.

Speaking of the encore, it was killer, especially the finale of Monday/Outtasite (Outta Mind). What a great finish.

I picked up the deluxe version of their new CD, and t-shirts for my wife and I. Go ahead and laugh, but I likes me some t-shirts.

Here's the setlist:

Art of Almost
I Might
Black Moon
I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
One Wing
Bull Black Nova
One Sunday Morning (Song for Jane Smiley's Boyfriend)
Impossible Germany
Born Alone
Handshake Drugs
Jesus, Etc.
Dawned on Me
Box Full of Letters
Standing O
War on War
A Shot in the Arm

Encore

Via Chicago
Whole Love
36 Inches High (with Nick Lowe)
Heavy Metal Drummer
I'm the Man Who Loves You
Monday
Outtasite (Outta Mind)