I’m comin’ home, via Chicago: Wilco’s 5 Night Stand
Wilco just might be the most vibrant live band playing right now. Earlier this week they completed a five-show residency at hometown Chicago’s Riviera Theater during which they played every song in their released catalog. My friend cwb sent me this review of the night he attended, and it encapsulated their aesthetic so perfectly that I have to reprint it here:
“[Tweedy] was warm and pithy, sincere and ironic, all at the same time, charming and engaging throughout. I’ve never heard better vocals from him, and he just seemed in a great place the whole night. His own twinkling and shimmering pop universe of sound, with the more than occasional crashing waves of drums and power chords, or troubling lyric, reminding us we weren’t just innocent kids good vibe-ing in Brian Wilson’s sandbox, beautiful and stoned.
. . . Tweedy’s lyrics and vocals generally strike me as that little voice in my own head, or the invisible tweedy on my shoulder, whispering the secrets, mysteries, doubts, questions, and truths of the universe and local wal-mart.
That’s about the best I can say it.”
Yes. Exactly.
WILCO AT THE RIVIERA
featuring Andrew Bird on violin
February 20, 2008 — Night 5
[check the great concert photography here]
SET ONE
Sunken Treasure
One By One
Shouldn’t Be Ashamed
You Are My Face
Side With The Seeds
Pot Kettle Black
War On War
Pieholden Suite (w/ Andrew Bird & horns)
Muzzle of Bees (w/ Andrew Bird)
It’s Just That Simple
Nothingsevergonnastandinmyway (Again)
I Thought I Held You
What Light (w/ horns)
When You Wake Up Feeling Old
Summerteeth
Jesus, Etc. (w/ Andrew Bird)
Walken (w/ horns)
Hummingbird
SET TWO
Via Chicago
Blood Of The Lamb (w/ Andrew Bird & horns)
Can’t Stand It (w/ Andrew Bird & horns)
Boxful of Letters
Heavy Metal Drummer
Hate It Here (w/ Andrew Bird & horns)
The Thanks I Get (w/ Andrew Bird & horns)
Just A Kid
Red Eyed & Blue (w/ Andrew Bird)
I Got You (w/ Andrew Bird)
Casino Queen
I’m A Wheel
Less Than You Think (w/ Andrew Bird)
ENCORE
I’m The Man Who Loves You (w/ horns)
Dreamer in my Dreams
[top photo credit Chris Sweda/Sun-Times]
Name: Heather Browne
Thanks a lot. If you have the other nights, i’m OK.
riigolax — February 22, 2008 @ 10:52 pm
oh MAN i was hoping someone was taping these shows
this is unreal
Dave Rawkblog — February 23, 2008 @ 12:48 am
The rest of the shows are on etree in FLAC if you’re feeling savvy…
Matt — February 23, 2008 @ 12:52 am
saturday morning in barcelona. just woke up and you already made my day… thanks a lot. was looking forward to these 5 nights being released some way or another. cheers!
mjk — February 23, 2008 @ 4:44 am
Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!
Heather, you are the best!
There’s a lot of great vid from the winter residency on YouTube, too many to link. Worth more than a peek.
Ruralgurl — February 23, 2008 @ 6:45 am
the Des Moines faux weekly alternative paper (they are owned by the local paper) mentioned you.
It’s actually in print but here’s the online link:
http://www.dmjuice.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080220/JUICE03/802200338/1115/JUICEARCHIVENEW
I love your blog too.
jp — February 23, 2008 @ 8:09 am
Thanks Heather – you rock!
Anonymous — February 23, 2008 @ 2:53 pm
Is Tweedy the voice of Gen X as we approach 40? Might be the most underated musician in the history of time…and thank God for that.
Anonymous — February 23, 2008 @ 3:05 pm
i am going to see them at the tower in phila in like 90 minutes. i heard the two encores via their website and it sounded awesome! i will not listen to this until i come home 2nite. thanks thany kou and i mean thanks to you!
Anonymous — February 23, 2008 @ 4:31 pm
Woo, just listened. I’m can’t even claim to be that big of a Wilco fan. I enjoy some but not all. That said, this is impressive stuff. Does it make me less cool to say that I truly love “Jesus, etc.”? I must say that this idea is arguably one of the coolest ideas ever brought to fruition by a band. Nils was on fire. Thanks, Heather!
All my best,
Steve
Steve — February 23, 2008 @ 8:33 pm
Thanks for posting – you deserve a Nobel Prize. Check out my site Rock Turtleneck for like-minded music.
TCB Walsh — February 23, 2008 @ 8:49 pm
Thanks for posting this. I just saw Wilco last night in Philadelphia, and they’ve still got so much energy left over from the residency shows, even if they’ve gone back to a shorter set. I also got the chance to meet them, and they’re all so genuine and friendly. I’m so glad they’ll be on SNL next week, because they deserve the exposure. They’ve been America’s best-kept musical secret for too long!
Maggie — February 24, 2008 @ 12:57 pm
Born in ’60, I have been smitten with Tweedy and Wilco since the beginning! I hate to upset anyone with comparisons but in my opinion he is this era’s Paul McCartney!
Thanks for the songs and great blog!
steve — February 25, 2008 @ 8:16 am
Link to Hidden Track who has all five nights available in MP3 format and Flac format:
http://www.glidemagazine.com/hiddentrack/representative-of-the-midwest-diggin-on-wilco/
Ted — February 25, 2008 @ 1:31 pm
Where did you get Wednesday night’s recording?? Thank you so much for sharing!
I’ve been blogging about each show (I was lucky enough to be at all 5), and I’m almost done.
I would love to find the other 4 nights recorded…any ideas?
Thanks again! A perfect souvenir from the amazing residency!
alyse — February 25, 2008 @ 2:46 pm
Hi, I’m glad to have found you, again. My computer died, last week. I have had to hunt for all of my favorites. i didn’t back them up. DUH!!! Iam disabled, due to my arthritus, and look forward to your site. thanks, for such a good job, and such good music . Jim
Anonymous — February 26, 2008 @ 4:31 am
Go to “Wilco, Etc” to find all nights to download.
Anonymous — February 26, 2008 @ 11:28 am
header, i lived in chicago from 2001 to 2006, when i moved back to brazil. i was lucky enough to be at the concert that became “kicking television”, recorded at the vic theater. that was unbelievable. when i got to know about the 5 nights at the riviera it was the first time i missed the city so bad. i listened to the concert you posted today with watery eyes. thank you very much for this! you have no idea what this meant for me! i posted a link to your post on my blog plasticcookies.blogspot.com.
pedro — February 29, 2008 @ 3:14 pm
question,
did you have any of Jeffs solo stuff? I got like one cover of “yesterday” some place, but id like more if you have it?
thanks!
JJ — March 2, 2008 @ 4:51 pm
You can download the other nights using this link: http://www.gardenal.org/trabalhosujo/2008/02/i_am_trying_to_break_your_hear.html
Site is in portuguese, but you can download it by clicking the links ‘Noite 1′, ‘Noite 2′ and so on.
Nell — March 3, 2008 @ 4:01 pm
http://www.gardenal.org/trabalhosujo/2008/02/i_am_trying_to_break_your_hear.html
Anonymous — March 3, 2008 @ 4:03 pm
can someone reupload please?
Anonymous — September 28, 2008 @ 1:52 pm