Wilco Live in OKC

Wilco was easily one of the best shows I've ever seen. Definitely in my top ten concerts (I'll list those sometime just for giggles).

The band was in fine form, rocking hard on the rock numbers and laying down layers of noise and distortion for the artier tunes. They managed to play songs from every album except their debut, A.M., and the second Mermaid Avenue record, but that was okay. I think I remember all the songs they played, which were (in order of album, not of performance):

"Misunderstood," "Monday," Outtasite (Outtamind)," and "Kingpin" from Being There; "A Shot in the Arm" and "I'm Always in Love" from SummerTeeth; "Hesitating Beauty" and "One by One" from Mermaid Avenue; "I am Trying to Break Your Heart," "Radio Cure," Jesus, Etc.," Heavy Metal Drummer" (the final encore, prefaced as their "only hit song...in Portugal"), "I'm the man who Loves You," and "Poor Places" from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot; and "At Least That's What You Said," "Hell is Chrome" (the show opener), "Spiders (Kidsmoke)," "Muzzle of Bees," "Hummingbird," "Handshake Drugs," "I'm a Wheel," "Theologians" (dedicated to the new Pope. That's a bit of a slap in the face, I'd think, since the song starts, "Theologians/They don't know nothin'/'Bout my soul"), "Less Than You Think," and "The Late Greats" from A Ghost is Born. That's 24 songs. These guys came out for not one, but three encores. And it's not like they played just one song per encore, either--the first encore set was four songs, the second was three, and the third and final encore was a single song. But these guys played for over two hours, never letting up, never relenting, and giving the audience their money's worth, that's for damn sure.

We left the show exhausted, sweaty, and satisfied. There were songs I wished they'd played (such as "Pot Kettle Black" or "How to Fight Loneliness"), but the thing is, you didn't notice those songs missing while the band was playing. That's a very good thing.

I'm glad I had the opportunity to see these guys. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I wish Rana'd been able to join me for it, but I know Lindsay had a hell of a good time, so it all worked out okay.

~chuck

Song of the Moment: Wilco, "Hell is Chrome"