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ACL: Wilco
Most voices start to deteriorate with age, but Jeff Tweedy’s has actually gotten much stronger, fuller, more assured and more versatile since Wilco’s early days. His band, which has gone through a number of lineup changes, has also gotten more accomplished, culminating in the tuneful and beautifully arranged “Sky Blue Sky.”
For me, the new album still somehow lacks the immediacy of Wilco’s debut, “A.M.” However, the band closed down the AMD stage with a brilliant set. It not only rocked hard, but was remarkable for the contrast between the mastery shown in endearing melodies, impeccable arrangements and beautiful lead and harmony vocals, and the sheer havoc that erupted around the margins.
The chief instigator of sonic madness was guitarist Nels Cline, who was mostly known only to fans of the avant-garde before joining first the Geraldine Fibbers and then Wilco. Tweedy’s soulful vocal on “Side with Seeds,” from “Sky Blue Sky,” got a blistering answer from Cline. Cline’s frenzied little squiggle on “Handshake Drugs” was the harbinger of a three-guitar blowout with Tweedy and Pat Sansone.
Cline is equally capable of sheer gorgeousness, as on the Neil Young-like solo that spun out on one of Tweedy’s prettiest new songs, “Impossible Germany.”
Tweedy looked alarmingly like Hank Williams Jr. when he first walked out on stage, sporting a scraggly beard, cowboy hat and shades. But the shades and hat came off, and he was low-key and engaging between songs, asking for a show of hands from everyone having a birthday after wishing happy birthday to one fan in the front, and joking about the piece of clothing serving as someone’s place-marker on a pole out in the field.
“Is that underwear?” Tweedy asked. “Is that green underwear? Did it start out as white?”
Tweedy introduced “Hate It Here” by clarifying “It’s not about Austin! We don’t hate Austin at all!” The R&B-flavored song has a lovely melody like Boz Scaggs might have written back in the ‘70s, but Cline periodically seized it and took it more in the direction of John Lennon in a dangerous mood. Sansone played music-hall keyboards that pulled against the country-funk boogie of “Walken,” while Cline tugged at it with edgy lap steel and Tweedy played a raw, percussive blues vamp worthy of R.L. Burnside.
The set had multiple peaks, but Wilco still managed to make the end a real climax with a searing “Casino Queen” (from “A.M.”) that recalled vintage Faces and a dazzling “Outtasite (Outta Mind)” (from “Being There”). Although those older songs marked the pinnacle, I left eager to hear more of the new songs played live.
(Photo by Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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Permalink | Comments (7) | Categories: ACL Festival
Comments
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By rambler
September 17, 2007 3:51 PM | Link to this
I didn’t go to the festival or anything but wow i didn’t know Tweedy was still alive man. Rock!
By whit
September 17, 2007 4:21 PM | Link to this
If only those who weren’t right in front of the stage could hear. We were sitting in the same spot as we were for Robert Earl Keen and Devotchka and could hear nothing but bass from AMD. Guy Forsyth was howling into the mike at BMI and I could hear everything he was saying.
AMD had problems with sound last year as well. They really need to look into this problem.
By whit
September 17, 2007 4:22 PM | Link to this
If only those who weren’t right in front of the stage could hear. We were sitting in the same spot as we were for Robert Earl Keen and Devotchka and could hear nothing but bass from AMD (had no problems with the other bands). Guy Forsyth was howling into the mike at BMI and we could hear everything he was saying.
AMD had problems with sound the day before with Arcade Fire, and last year as well. They really need to look into this problem.
By SAA
September 17, 2007 4:32 PM | Link to this
I was looking forward to Wilco all weekend, but couldn’t get up close enough to hear. Very disappointed in the sound from AMD stage. The sound from 3 different venues was competing with the soulful Wilco. Hope they come back soon so I can really experience them.
By TJ
September 18, 2007 1:32 PM | Link to this
I feel bad for those who couldn’t hear Wilco. I was toward the front and the sound was fantastic, particularly Impossible Germany. An oustanding song with a frenzied finish. Nels Cline was innovative and entertaining. Wilco was the best of show for me.
Went immediately to see the Decemberists and couldn’t get close enough to hear well so I understand the other comments regarding the sound for Wilco.
By scotty from california
September 18, 2007 5:55 PM | Link to this
Best set of the festival. i was front row, so no sound issues here, but man, those guys sound SO effing good live. There were a ton of highlights this year, but tweedy and the boys outshone them all.
By Allan
September 19, 2007 11:16 PM | Link to this
I was right next to Scotty on the rail (he got there even earlier than me!). Wilco is indeed awesome live. The highlight for me was Casino Queen, which is a favorite driving song (played loud!) and which I had never seen them play live.
Having seen numerous shows at the AMD stage over the years, it’s always the same there. It’s the only stage on the hill, so being at the highest elevation, it catches all the winds and the sound gets blown all over. You can really notice it back behind the soundboard. That’s also why that stage is a little bit cooler than the others!