Concert Review/Photos: Two nights in Chicago with Wilco
Please note: This article is published as an archive copy from Philadelphia City Paper. My City Paper is not affiliated with Philadelphia City Paper. Philadelphia City Paper was an alternative weekly newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The last edition was published on October 8, 2015.
Twenty years. Eight albums of unique material. Six current members. And earlier this month, Wilco celebrated its two decades of existence with six quickly sold-out shows at the Riviera Theatre in their hometown of Chicago. I travelled to see the final two of these on Dec. 11 and 12. What unfolded on both nights was nothing short of sublime. Sixty songs were played and only two were repeated (they were played in different ways). But enough with being what Wilco’s leader Jeff Tweedy would call a “bean counter;” it was not about the numbers but about the sheer joy and craftsmanship in every song.
Thursday night began with Tweedy donning a harmonica holder and playing one of the finest in their entire catalog — “Sunken Treasure.” Its slow burn poetry resonated yet if taken literally for the now, its memorable line of “I am so out of tune with you” was far from the truth. The band was as tight as ever. Tweedy was all smiles, which is not always the case for the serious, introspective captain of Wilco. Bassist John Stirratt — whom Tweedy called his “brother” and is the only band member who has been there all 20 years — poured his voice into the mix when needed for harmonies and provided one of the great highlights with the lead-singing of “It’s Just That Simple” acoustically on Friday night. Tweedy embraced Stirratt in a moment of pure loveliness.
Guitar virtuoso Nels Cline had his own highlight reel. On Friday he played his double neck guitar twice — on the Woody Guthrie “Secret of the Sea” and “Dawned on Me.” Then there was his juggling of two instruments on “Deeper Down” and, of course, his mind-blowing solo on “Impossible Germany.” Speaking of solos, when drummer Glenn Kotche, who was justifiably drenched with sweat almost the entirety of both nights, played an insanely extended solo on Friday during in the deep Wilco cut “Let’s Not Get Carried Away,” the entire band watched in grand awe. It is a rarely played song that deserves more attention in the future.
Guitar, keyboard and maraca maestro Pat Sansone was all over the place for both nights. His most stunning moments came during the final songs of each night, the four song batches of acoustic arrangements. Seated, he plucked the banjo and enhanced the flavor of songs like “A Shot in the Arm” and “ELT.” Pianist and keyboardist Mikael Jorgensen is Wilco’s final puzzle piece. Some standout Jorgensen moments were his playing the piano as Tweedy sang the rarely played Guthrie tune “Another Man’s Done Gone” and his indispensible melodica playing during the acoustic sets.
Some more Thursday highlights:
- Hearing great rare songs live like “In a Future Age,” “A Magazine Called Sunset,” “Blasting Fonda,” and “Everlasting Everything.”
- Hearing the demo version of “Kamera” called “Camera.” How cool for a band to work up a demo version to play live.
- ”Handshake Drugs” rocked more than I can ever recall live in its original arrangement and “Theologians” is always welcome in a setlist.
- A jaw dropping “Hoodoo Voodoo” complete with the band’s guitar tech Josh Goldberg playing cowbell shirtless.
Some more Friday highlights:
- After blowing a kiss to his wife through a smartphone because her cancer prevented her from attending the shows, Tweedy and company opening the night with the one-two treat of “Red-Eyed and Blue” and “I Got You (At the End of the Century).”
- Finally hearing “Kicking Television” live. What a punkish treat!
- One never tires of “Via Chicago” and its back-to-back pairing with another epic — “Bull Black Nova” — was a masterstroke.
- Rarely played nuggets “Blood of the Lamb,” “Message from Mid-Bar,” “Dark Neon,” “The Good Part” and “Just a Kid.”
- The 32 “nothings” uttered during “Misunderstood” (though I may have lost count).
- Tweedy thanking all of the past members of the band, most importantly the late Jay Bennett.
Sure one hoped it would not end, but Friday concluded with a gracious and heartfelt standing ovation and bow from the band. Here’s to 20 more years.
THU., DEC. 11, SETLIST:
- Sunken Treasure
- In a Future Age
- Remember the Mountain Bed (Woody Guthrie)
- Handshake Drugs
- Panthers
- Why Would You Wanna Live
- Pick Up the Change
- A Magazine Called Sunset
- ELT
- Blasting Fonda
- Should’ve Been in Love
- Camera
- Born Alone
- Poor Places
- Reservations
- Either Way
- Hummingbird
- Theologians
- Hotel Arizona
- Everlasting Everything
- California Stars (Woody Guthrie)
- I’m Always in Love
- Casino Queen
- Outtasite (Outta Mind)
ENCORE 1
- Hoodoo Voodoo (Woody Guthrie)
- Dreamer in My Dreams
ENCORE 2 (acoustic):
- Someone Else’s Song
- Airline to Heaven (Woody Guthrie)
- Whole Love
- A Shot in the Arm
FRI., DEC. 12, SETLIST:
- Red-Eyed and Blue
- I Got You (At the End of the Century)
- Secret of the Sea (Woody Guthrie)
- Too Far Apart
- Via Chicago
- Bull Black Nova
- Blood of the Lamb (Woody Guthrie)
- Deeper Down
- I am Trying to Break Your Heart
- Art of Almost
- I Might
- Message From Mid-Bar
- Dark Neon
- Another Man’s Done Gone (Woody Guthrie)
- How to Fight Loneliness
- Misunderstood
- Far, Far Away
- What Light
- Pot Kettle Black
- Dawned on Me
- Impossible Germany
- The Good Part
- Spiders (Kidsmoke)
ENCORE 1:
- Let’s Not Get Carried Away
- Just a Kid
- Kicking Television
ENCORE 2 (acoustic):
- ELT
- It’s Just That Simple
- I’m Always in Love
- Hoodoo Voodoo (Woody Guthrie)
