Okay, I'm honestly not trying to piss anyone off with this post, but I really need to know something: What's the big deal with Wilco?

I went to Uptown Mix last night and was thoroughly entertained by De Novo Dahl (although I was disappointed not to see the full band) and Preston School of Industry ("some people call us PSOI"). Wilco, on the other hand, did not impress me like I was expecting. People are raving about this band, but I just don't get it. I found nothing unique whatsoever about what they were doing and their stage presence left much to be desired. I felt the same way after seeing Guster a few months ago at Vandy's Rites of Spring. Once again, I found the preceeding band (in this case Phantom Planet) to be much more entertaining.

I'll admit I'm no musician by any stretch of the imagination, but I'd like to think that I can find the good in most bands. I thought Wilco was pretty bland last night. Sorry if this pisses you off. If it does, please let me know what I'm missing here.

What a perfect opportunity for me to give my review of the show...

De Novo Dahl: Interesting at moments, good songs, but NOT NEARLY as cool as the entire band.

PSOI: Um...they were pretty good, I guess.

Wilco: Okay, well, I thought that they were great, but not as good as when I saw them before (The Roxy, Atlanta, Fall '01). I have two major complaints. First, they could have devised a much better setlist. They have truckloads of great songs and you only heard a handful last night. They didn't mix it up very well, as far as playing stuff from all of their albums. There were *none* from 'A.M.', maybe 3 from 'Being There', maybe 3 from 'Summerteeth' (their best album). Meanwhile, they played the new record in its entirity, save one song (Poor Places). I know, I know, this is what bands do, but when I saw them before, it was a much better mix of their material. So what you saw, Carligula, was the new material, which is very moody and quiet (Tweedy even made jokes about the songs being boring). This leads me to my second complaint. To pull off the new material (which there was so much of), they HAVE GOT to get another musician on stage. If 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot' is a symphony, then live Wilco is a string quartet. They just can't produce all of the incredible parts in those songs with 4 guys. I never saw Wilco in the Jay Bennett era, but I can imagine that the newer material would work alot better live with someone like him in the mix.

Does it sound like I'm bitching? I don't mean to bitch. I had a hell of a time. I was in the front row, 3 feet from Jeff Tweedy, with so many of my good friends. I still appreciated hearing the new stuff, I must add. Have you heard the record, Carligula? Sometimes you get more into a show when you know the material going in. As for "getting" Wilco - just go buy 'Summerteeth' - you will be convinced of their genius before 'Can't Stand It' is over.

(Edited by jamiecarroll at 4:35 am on Jul. 26, 2002)

I left the show feeling much the same way as carligula. I've never been a huge Wilco fan- I've always loved some songs & not cared about a lot of their songs. And the show didn't change that opinion- some songs were great & some were boring. They're good enough performers, but there was nothing that grabbed my attention. And I was disappointed when things started seeming more jammy than space-y. But I'm willing to withhold final judgment until I follow jamie's advice and listen to earlier albums more...then again, he's admitted that PHISH is his favorite live band, so why should I trust his opinion?

I'm kinda with you Carligula. I listened to their new album about 5 or 6 times in preparation for the show and it just doesn't really do it for me. It isn't offensive in any way, and it isn't weird (why did this get them thrown off their label?), it is just kind of there. Also, Tweedy reminds me too much of Bare Jr. on YHF. There I said it.

As for Summer Teeth, I haven't given it it's fair chance yet, but in my minimal listening, I can definitely tell that I like it a lot better than YHF. I don't know why I've waited so long to try out Wilco when all my friends are so into them, but I just never got around to them. I fear Americana.

Here's a funny fact about Wilco: people have widely varying opinions about what they like and don't like. I know people who love the early alt-country stuff, and hate everything that the band has done since 'AM'. I also know people who think that it can get no better than the straight-up rock of 'Being There', and who dislike how "weird" they have become recently. I also know of at least one person who thinks that 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot' is the band's best album.

'Summer Teeth' is the closest thing that Wilco has to a contingent favorite. I urge you all to listen to it. I don't think it's possible not to like it. It is nothing less than a masterpiece, and is one of my favorite albums ever.

My friend is a Wilcoholic and she's actually coming back from Atlanta right now after seeing Wilco last night. I've heard the first track off of Summerteeth and I really really like it and I've heard most of the rest of the album while driving around with my friend. I'll probably download some more of the album and see how much I like it now. I'm always up for something new.

As for YHF, I've heard a bit of it and I know I like one of the songs (it's stuck in my head now) but I have no idea which it is...

Fair enough, I'm convinced that this band deserves another shot (at least their previous albums do).

I agree that it always helps to know a band's material before seeing them live. On the other hand, I thought PSOI kicked ass despite my only knowledge of the band being one song from the Matador website (and, of course, the one Pavement song they played).

what was the pavement song they played? one of my favorite pavements songs is a spiral stairs song (kennel district from wowee zowee).

i didn't end up going to the show; instead i played hearts and free cell on the computer. that's how motivated i was that day. plus i don't care for YHF at all. i've only ever been a casual wilco fan; i saw wilco open up for REM at chastain park a few years ago during REM's UP tour & it was really good, as most of the material played was from summerteeth

I, too, was not all that impressed with Wilco that night. I would have to say de novo dahl was probably more entertaining (even with only two people up there) than either Wilco or PSOI. I wish they could have all played, but I think I heard they were playing at Dancin' in the District on the 16th with Blues Traveler? That will rock! I got to talk to the other guitar player and drummer, and they were super-nice guys. One thing I did enjoy about Wilco was their intro with the complete Pure Imagination song from Willy Wonka, good move.

They played "Your Time To Change" from the Major Leagues EP (which rules by the way). It's kinda spacey and loopy. He introduced it by saying, "This next song is a Pavement song that *I* wrote." He seemed kinda pissy about it. He also mentioned that Pavement had never performed it live. Obviously they could have played a better Pavement song, but I suppose obscure is good, too.

If any of you liked PSOI (or even if you didn't), check out Stephen Malkmus' (the more prolific ex-member of pavement) solo project. It sounds very much like Pavement.

(Edited by carligula at 1:35 pm on Jul. 26, 2002)

I had the pleasure of seeing Wilco on Thurday night in Atlanta and though I did not go to see them at Uptown Mix because of work I will say that I am still a Wilcoholic. I thinkthat the vibe of Uptown Mix leaves something to be desired. Some of the people there are usually there because of the alcohol element and to socialize. In Atlanta, people where there because the honestly appreciated the band. This made the show great. My favorite songs were played and PSOI was a very pleasant surprise. This is my opinion. Those who don't enjoy Wilco are entitiled to their's as well.

For what its worth:

I saw Wilco for the first time in late May at a show just for Northwestern students at the Riviera in Chicago. The setlist was all of YHF (minus Poor Places), about 6 or 7 Summerteeth tunes, 3 Being There songs, one AM song, 2 Mermaid Avenue songs, and two barnd new songs (they played one, then apologized for "trying out new material on us", to which the whole audience screamed "PLAY ANOTHER NEW SONG!"). I had never heard Wilco and only went because it was a cheap ticket and I had friends that really like them.

I bought all of their albums, including the Mermaid Avenue albums and the Chelsea Walls soundtrack over the next two weeks. The show, to me, was that good. And I can't get into bands live that I'm not familiar with, it has always been hard for me. I loved there show.

As for needing more people, they do, but that they don't is kinda fun. The synths player/programmer guy at times would have a guitar on his knee and be going back and forth between programming the sequencer, playing keyboard, and playing guitar, and watching him you could tell that at times he was just picking one at random because they all needed to be done.

And Radio Cure is the most amazingly improved live song that they have. I love the studio version, but live that song just floored me.

Will
Put me down as one for whom YHF is the favorite

As for extra musicians--- I was standing back by the soundboard for a few songs at Uptown Mix. The guy doing sound actually had a small keyboard situated under a laptop that was doing the mixing. He played the keyboard at certain points in at least one song that I saw. I thought that was kinda odd, but also pretty cool.