My Evenings, a Wilco Concert Review with Commentary on Babar
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I successfully made it through storytime and bed for my 3.5 YO daughter. We read some old nursery rhymes and the first Babar book. If you are unfamiliar, an elephant's mom gets killed, he goes to the big French looking city and gets outfitted with a green suit, marries his cousin and returns to the bush in a red sportscar to be crowned king. Pretty scandalous colonial stuff there.
The true challenge was to hold the book upright while the 10 MO littlest girl crawled all over us. Mom was missed but she deserved a night out and is currently with lady friends watching the Detroit Cobras. After the 3.5 YO was satiated with water, apple slices, stories, and the comforting truth that Mama will be back after dark, I then successfully duped the 10 MO old into a deep sleep. That was no small feat based on her recent sleep patterns. So now I am here listening to a few window fans hum, smelling the rich mud of humid Southern Ohio through the window and reflecting on a pretty satisfying Wilco show last weekend.
The band was happy to be back on US soil it seemed, after a month in Spain. Shoot, I will take a month in Spain, perhaps it had to do with a crowd that is familiar with the songs. Jeff Tweedy at one point invited everyone to follow the van down the road to Tennessee and Bonnaroo, so I guess he was worried that the mud covered revelers might not know all the words to the Wilco catalog like the fairly sedate but knowledgeable Cincinnatians in the room last Friday. The band played a great set list. I certainly can't recall all of it, but the kicked it off with Wilco (the song) off of Wilco (the album). My personal highlight was a new appreciation for all the Sky Blue Sky material, which I now like much more than when I first obtained that album. Wonderful and dynamic would be my description of songs like You are My Face, Impossible Germany, Side With the Seeds, Hate It Here, and Walken. That whole album was made for the guitarists to really rip and also to discover moments of beautiful interplay. It really comes out live. They played three or four off the new album, but I can't say that any particular one made an impression on me. There were plenty of prior albums represented, but mostly it was just nice to be there. I have seen better shows, but this one was satisfying.
My father, brother and I were actually in a house left box so we had a great view of both the band and the crowd. There was certainly an inevitable momentum to the show. It was as if both the band and the crowd were warming up and loosening up. By the end Tweedy really turned on his deprecating stage humor, and the band also took a few pages out of The Who's book of stage antics, with the drummer standing on the kit to kick off I am the Man that Loves You, and windmill chords, wailing moments of feedback, and "kicking air" all through the five song encore. As for the crowd, they cheered well, sang along to most of the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and Ghost Is Born songs, and requited themselves well. Overall I give it a 7/10.
Oh no, I hear the baby.
Comments (8)
Thanks for fitting the review in. (I hope she goes back to sleep well)
It's only been recently that me ear has taken a bend toward Tweedy and Co.(having passed as each album gets released), though it sure still seems fresh as I go back to rehear. I'd take Spain, too.
Cheers!
Babar > everything else
First mention of Babar I've seen in years, and it happens to ruin what remained of my childhood-related innocence! :-p
Really haven't been too hyped about the new Wilco album, but it may grow on me in time. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot would certainly go with me to a desert island.
Why is it that so many children's stories are dark - 3 Blind Mice, Hanzel and Gretal...I know there are more but death in a Babar story takes the cake.
re: Wilco Sky Blue Sky - never was really totally blown away by that album but maybe it's worth another "deep" listen after hearing about your live show conversion...?
I just think Sky Blue Sky translates well to a real live rock show. I was impressed. As for the new one, I am in no hurry. I don't really have the $ right now anyway. I am not a die hard Wilco person by any means, but I like them and the show was totally worth the price of admission. Great band.
this made my day
rawk!
always thought wilco was a much better live band. you could hear all their stuff and your hears might perk up once in a while but nothing ever reaches out and grabs you.
See them live, and you are converted.
Thanks for the review...
That is an endorsement PIMP!
Converted indeed, they are a great live band especially since the addition of Nels Cline several years back.