Playing New Haven, CT’s Shubert Theater, Wilco made their fourth stop on their current tour in support of their sixth studio album, “Sky Blue Sky”. This concert had them fresh from their residency at hometown Chicago’s Riviera Theater, where the band played their entire catalog over a 5 night run. This is the band’s second trip around the US in continued support of their most recent studio effort “Sky Blue Sky”, one of 2007’s darlings of musical media and mainstream press alike. And deservedly so, as this effort features not only a band at it’s fullest command of every talent they process, both musically and lyrically but is also the first studio album to feature the pyrotechnic playing of Nels Cline on guitar, a proven essential noisemaking piece to the overall Wilco puzzle of sound.
New Haven’s Shubert Theater is a compact, 1600 seat venue that typically hosts crowds for Annie or local ballet company performances more so than rock acts. The intimate setting was certainly one of the contributing factors to this show selling out within hours of going on-sale. The staff seemed sufficiently prepared for the eclectic crowd of aging uber hipsters and folks that still love rock & roll. The theater itself is only about 25-30 rows deep on the floor, with two mezzanine/balconies that overhang the back 1/3 of the orchestra section. On the sides of the theater walls were the type of smaller, private booths that are ideal for a presidential assasination.
A rare “Remember the Mountain Bed” opened the show, a quiet selection that is enjoying some new life having been revived in Chicago the week before. It’s of interest to point out that ½ way through this song, Glenn was covered in sweat – he has quickly shot up my list of favorite current drummers out there today and proved himself the essential backbone to this band throughout the entire evening. The “California Stars” that followed continued the established mellow pace, keeping many of the audience in their seats but finding an odd niche early-on in the set given it’s traditional role as show closer or encore.
Five of the next six songs were probably the best solid showcase featuring the amazing guitar craft of Nels Cline. Dressed in black from head-to-toe, with pants more appropriate for flood evacuation than guitar goddery, he delivered endless quirky tones, face-melting riffage and colorful feedback the likes of which are totally captivating to listen to, much less witness first hand from 20 ft away. His aural impact is astonishing, punctuating Tweedy’s intense lyrical deliveries with flurries of notes and a barrage of moody twangs saturated in harmonic distortion. During “Shot in the Arm”, Cline kept his eyes closed as he conjured textural waves of sonic chaos, clanking his knees together in some mad whirling dervish dance and swinging his guitar towards his amp for the song’s conclusion for added feedback. His closing solo in “You Are My Face” became his own lyrical voice that picked up right from where Jeff left off, producing a feeling difficult to nail down with only words.
Before I’m accused of being a biased Cline sympathizer, it stands to say that the entire band played exceptionally well. John’s bass-work has always provided the band with its solid foundation, and when coupled with Glenn on the kit, that rhythm section is hard to beat. It certainly helps that they are also the two longest tenured members of the band as well. Mikael and Pat are a rare duel keyboard tandem, acting as musical punctuation in the ongoing debate between the guitars, the bass and the drums. Since the band’s inception in 1995, a lot of the focus given to this band has centered on its de facto leader, his turbulent history and eventual rise to glory, etc. However, with all due respect to Jeff Tweedy, the band is in such command of their abilities right now, attending a Wilco show is worth it just to hear them play.
Jeff sang with solid conviction, making quick work of the 25-song set list mixed evenly with current favorites and older nuggets. Other than one or two comments during the show, his demeanor was rather workmanlike, putting the focus on the music and his lyrics, sensing the need to win us over unnecessary. While many of the favorable “Sky Blue Sky” reviews were quick to mention Tweedy’s ever-evolving lyrical sensibilities, it’s also important to bring his improved guitar playing to attention. Granted, songwriting has always been his strength and with the constant assault waged by Cline and his guitar at every show, it’s easy to take for granted. I was amazed at how many “Nels parts” turned out to be played by Jeff on songs like “I’m the Man That Loves You” and “Impossible Germany”. His tones are equally warm and effective on the acoustic, adding a soft sincerity to songs like the Guthrie penned “Airline to Heaven”. Overall, there is a certain aire of confidence to Tweedy’s on-stage persona that shows more attention to his craft and more concern with its reception than ever before. With an assortment of shaky life experiences behind him, the stability he has gained has meshed with an older, more refined creative voice that reflects those experiences and harnesses that energy positively into his art.
The show concluded with a 6-song encore burst and unintentionally began with the evening’s comedic highlight. Once the band reemerged for the encore and began the Volkswagen anthem “Hate It Here”, they realized they were short a keyboardist. As the song continued, puzzled looks were exchanged on-stage as if to say “I thought YOU had him”. Eventually, Pat stepped onto the stage to a great ovation and with enough time to finish the song with his mates. The last four songs of the encore ran into one another in quick succession, denying the crowd any opportunity to catch its breath or process anything. A powerful impact not felt by anyone until the last note rang silent and the house lights came up to usher us out into the cold February night.
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