(Photo credit: C Taylor Crothers)

As promised, here’s the Wilco show from Bonnaroo. For those of you that waited this long to check out Wilco (The Album) I hope that over the next few weeks we will realize why this band is truly coming into form. Like I’ve said before, The Album didn’t exactly pique my interest at first, there is something truly meta-Wilco about the project and the way the band is working in its current form. My close friend Dave Nyman even pointed out what I would call a “considerate” review of the new album that actually does the band a bit of justice. If anyone would be quick to call Wilco “old and boring” it would be our pretentious brethren at Pitchfork. Needless to say, I was surprised that the site took into consideration what the album stood for before doing the usual track by track bashing. The fact of the matter is, that as music becomes more personal, bands desire communication and growth over several works. Wilco has consistently proven that confidence is a large part of happiness. Even if that means we won’t be seeing the harrowing lonliness of Yankee Hotel Foxrot for a little while, you gotta be happy that the journey has become a bit smoother.  This new album, their seventh, is entitled Wilco (The Album), and it’s a statement. It might be weird, but after coming this far, I get a huge grin when I think of Jeff Tweedy happy.

For me, Wilco is a band that helped me find pride in old American rock traditions and folk music while evoking the experimental and nervous innards of their experience with the time. The Wilco story is a true story, and Wilco (the band) is truly special if only for their determination to keep the story going. With every release I wonder if this is the last bit of the band that I love, and with every passing month I know that they’re not going anywhere for now. If you are a skeptical hipster, go to see them live. You may not even be into their type of music, but the sheer energy and the attitude among the seven musicians could not be more grateful.

As for this show, which I am so happy to have found (at the ALWAYS consistent Largehearted Boy), we get a firsthand look at how a band with full access to their catalog and the ability to make each song better every single time can take an ordinary show and get every last drop of pure, honest energy out of it. A stellar 23-song set in the late afternoon, Wilco put on a heartfelt show that, in spite of VW Commercials and having kids, was equal parts thankful and aggressive. Take special note of the songs from Wilco (The Album), like “Bull Black Nova” as well as older gems like “Pot Kettle Back” and “Hoodoo Voodoo.”

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1. Wilco (The Song)
2. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
3. Company In My Back
4. Handshake Drugs
5. Bull Black Nova
6. You Are My Face
7. One Wing
8. Pot Kettle Black
9. Side With The Seeds
10. Shot in the Arm
11. At Least That’s What You Said
12. Jesus, Etc.
13. Impossible Germany
14. California Stars
15. Misunderstood
16. Spiders (Kidsmoke)
17. Hummingbird
18. You Never Know
19. The Late Greats
20. Hate It Here
21. Walken
22. I’m The Man Who Loves You
23. Hoodoo Voodoo

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HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, MY FRIENDS… WE LOVE YOU VERY MUCH