Wilco’s last show was more stripped down than it should have been; this Wilco show should have been less moody. “Black Moon” followed by “Bull Black Nova” followed by eleven minutes of “One Sunday Morning” was a bit much. Including a crash during “Via Chicago" and making the sunny song “Sunloathe” also seemed rather dark.
Things weren’t entirely bleak, however: you still had “Shot,” you still had “Heavy Metal Drummer,” and you still had the man who loved you, Jeff Tweedy himself. As always, Tweedy’s wit and playful rapport with the crowd made everything better. “We always love playing at Merriweather Post Pavilion – where they leave you nice things – like this stage floor pepperoni. [Upon further inspection] Oh, apparently it’s a bandaid. Still, how nice.” He also waited five songs before slyly saying “hello,” got everyone to sing along to the six minute “Handshake Drugs,” and thanked “all the communists at NPR for helping us be better capitalists.” By the end of the show, it became clear why Tweedy had chosen Nick Lowe as the opener; the “Jesus of Cool” had a new disciple.
Grade: B+
Endnote: Any Wilco fan who has not heard “Art of Almost,” the first track on their new album, This Whole Love, should listen to it now. The guitar solo four minutes in rivals “Impossible Germany”’s! It might not be as exciting as it was live, with the whole toilet papered stage aglow, but you still should enjoy it.
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