After rained out show in 2021, Wilco redeems at The Midland
Wilco. // photo by Andrew Dodderidge
Wilco
The Midland
Wednesday, October 25
If you’ve never seen Wilco live before, it’s just a real treat. I’ve always been a fan of their consistent output and ability to stay fresh for over a dozen studio albums, but you don’t really ‘get’ the band until you see their live show. You could go on and on about the full group effort that perfects their sound, but I want to talk about two people specifically: guitarist Nels Cline and frontman Jeff Tweedy.
Extended takes of “Impossible Germany” and “A Shot in the Arm,” among others, saw Cline take over the incredibly crowded stage in complete rock star fashion, and it was quite clear from the audience reaction that it was a special sight to witness collectively.
“You’re pretty good, man!” screamed someone behind me during an almost one-minute-long applause in the middle of the set.
The Americana feel while listening at home or in the car gets a drastic remeasurement in this setting; I really didn’t think certain tracks were going to end. It was that rare realization you get when you are getting a chance to see greatness in person, combined with the shock that you don’t always just have to see rock legends at home on YouTube.
Wilco. // photo by Andrew Dodderidge
Tweedy did not give the audience much throughout the two-hour-long set, but the moments he chose were charming and memorable.
“Last time we were here, we played in our dressing room,” he said, referring to their rained-out 2021 show at Grinders KC. “We bring the rain, I guess.”
Rain became a detractor early on in the day, with on-and-off moments of full-on downpour. So much so that I had to leave work early and debated whether the trek downtown would be attainable that night. Everything cleared up close to 5 p.m., and thankfully, the city had the wonderful roof and interior architecture of The Midland to surround them Wednesday night.
No long speeches, not much promotion of the new album Cousin, and no moments of obvious showmanship. All of it made for the inspiration we all needed and got to take with us, and the flow was never interrupted.
“You’re not too cool for it!” Tweedy yelled during the final song, “Spiders (Kidsmoke),” while telling the audience to clap. “Clapping is good for you. It makes you feel like you are always between your arms, always present.”
Wilco. // photo by Andrew Dodderidge
Nine of the 22 cuts came from recent albums Cousin and Cruel Country, including personal favorite “Falling Apart (Right Now),” which the lads began their encore with. Four from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot were a nice treat, and the early moment of “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” felt very in the moment and almost improvisational. The track holds up to this day as the band’s defining achievement. Coming sixth in the setlist, the first five selections were from Cousin and Cruel Country, aside from “Handshake Drugs.”
Nothing from Schmilco or Stars Wars was good to see. In fact, the band skipped every record in between Sky Blue Sky and Cruel Country (including the incredibly underrated Ode to Joy). A Ghost is Born received the next most hits with three (the aforementioned two tracks, plus “Hummingbird”).
“That was good for the soul,” exclaimed a fan behind me while walking out of the theater.
A short, yet simple, summation of what it feels like to see Wilco. The yearning from the fans after the rained-out show years back was certainly met with a collective, positive sentiment.
All photos by Andrew Dodderidge
Wilco. // photo by Andrew Dodderidge
Wilco setlist
Infinite Surprise
Handshake Drugs
Pittsburgh
I Am My Mother
Cruel Country
I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
Kamera
Meant to Be
Side With the Seeds
Hummingbird
Cousin
Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull
Via Chicago
Impossible Germany
Evicted
Box Full of Letters
Jesus, Etc.
Heavy Metal Drummer
A Shot in the Arm
—
Falling Apart (Right Now)
California Stars
Spiders (Kidsmoke)
