Wilco (The Concert Review)
South Bend didn’t know what hit ‘em
Wilco supported by Yo La Tengo
July 30, 2010
6pm central time
Wilco is a Chicago staple and a staple among sensible indie music aficionados or for anyone who likes quality, heartfelt music. For their 2010 tour, Wilco decided to neglect their home town to entertain the masses in South Bend, IN. This could have been considered a hometown show except for the elongated drive as most of the fans were from the Chicago-land area.
Coveleski Ballpark was the home to the show and also home to a minor league baseball team. Both Yo La Tengo and Wilco asked the audience about the team, as many people looked around puzzled as to try and find an answer to rectify if this team was any good. The only lineup the fans were concerned about was that of Wilco’s.
The crowd was an eclectic bunch of all-agers. Whole families with new-borns all the way to emaciated hippies gathered on the field. Whatever the age, the fans were rearing to hear their favorite Wilco tune.
Yo La Tengo opened up the evening with a trio jam between drums and keyboard with the bass player helping cover ground on the cymbals and an extra snare. Their opening song was not overwhelming but pleasant. They touched on a few great jams during familiar songs rousing the crowd to move their feet.
Wilco came on next to the tune of the Price is Right theme song and a couple thousand people screaming and cheering. Opening on a somber note with “Sunken Treasure,” they slowly chipped at their catalogue of acoustic based songs before breaking open the big guns by the likes of, “Either Way”, “Bull Black Nova”, and “A Shot in the Arm.”
Jeff Tweedy chatted between songs giving little bits of his humor to keep the audience entertained while other members got equipment ready for each oncoming song. He made mention of having a pigeon crap in his mouth and decided to keep playing. This was a sardonic remark in reference to Kings of Leon’s bass player who quit a show after a pigeon landed a bomb to the gullet. A wry joke, but it’s a sign of his humor.
Tweedy talked about drummer Glenn Kotche’s toe being broken either by kicking a guy’s ass with his toe or tripping at his daughters gymnastics meet and still playing regardless. He left the decision to the audience to whatever they wanted to believe. To remedy the embarrassing of Kotche’s broken toe, he mentioned something embarrassing about himself too. “I did Zoomba. Yeah, maybe I’ll tell you what it is later. Also, I pooped my pants.” That shameless admission followed by seamlessly heading into the next song. How many musicians can manage to maintain respect after admitting they pooped their pants?
Every song was done with stride and rightfully so, because they played a 3½ hour show. Each song moved the crowd with excitement as storms move oceans. The energy was effervescent and pulled a smile from every fan. There were no fans left behind and the chatter after the show was nothing but praise for Wilco’s great compilation of a set list.
Setlist
- Sunken Treasure
- Ashes of American Flags
- Either Way
- I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
- Bull Black Nova
- You Are My Face
- One Wing
- Company In My Back
- A Shot In the Arm
- Side With the Seeds
- She's a Jar
- Say You Miss Me
- Impossible Germany
- Forget the Flowers
- I'll Fight
- Box Full of Letters
- Handshake Drugs
- Jesus, Etc.
- Can't Stand It
- You Never Know
- Heavy Metal Drummer
- Walken
- I'm the Man Who Loves You
Encore:
- Broken Arrow (Neil Young cover)
- Airline to Heaven
- The Late Greats
- Red-Eyed and Blue
- I Got You (At the End of the Century)
Encore 2:
- Thank You Friends (Big Star cover) (with Yo La Tengo)
Posted by Daniel Wehrli on Aug 03, 2010 @ 10:10 am
