Wilco at Roy Wilkins
Jenn Barnett
As it made crystal clear at Roy Wilkins Auditorium on Friday night, Wilco is a rare band whose fans will swallow anything it does, no questions asked. Back in the day, leader Jeff Tweedy essentially invented neo-Americana; now he spends most of his time boxing its ears. The theme song from “The Price Is Right” played as Tweedy and company took the stage before promptly exploding into “Wilco (The Song).” Over the next two hours and then some, the band proved its worth as a rock institution in the vein of Tom Petty or Bruce Springsteen, channeling years’ worth of roots-rock tradition while representing nothing other than itself.
The set list drew from nearly the entire Wilco catalog, paying particular attention to Summerteeth and A Ghost Is Born. At times, Tweedy came off like an NPR-friendly version of David Lee Roth or Freddie Mercury, only to dial down the self-awareness by bringing opener Liam Finn and Jayhawks frontman Gary Louris onstage for a crushing rendition of “California Stars.” A brutal yet shimmering version of “At Least That’s What You Said” was another highlight. Even for those unwilling to acknowledge Wilco as the best live band on the planet—which it is—the caliber and length of the performance affirmed the hook of its self-titled song: Wilco loves you, baby.
Jeff Tweedy
Pat Sansone
Nels Cline and Mikael Jorgensen
Glenn Kotche
John Stirratt
Jeff Tweedy
