Wilco- Riverside Theater, 6/18/17

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

There was a special vibe at the Riverside Theater for Wilco's Father's Day show as the band opened their set with "Via Chicago," featuring a literally thundering drum interlude in the middle of the track, compliments of Glenn Kotche. This was the best version of "Via Chicago" I had ever seen Wilco perform out of the 20 shows I've seen of theirs, and it set the stage for an evening of truly remarkable music.

Throughout the nearly two and a half hour set (including two encores), Wilco delivered a career retrospective performance, showcasing their talents as a well-oiled, seasoned, collaborative band who refuses to rest on its laurels and continues to push its music in new and unique ways.  When seeing Wilco live you can hear every note played by each band member and every word from singer Jeff Tweedy while the rest of the band is shredding on guitars and pounding away on keyboards and drums.  Wilco knows how to crank the show up to eleven for its rocking numbers and then back down again to allow for more mellow, introspective material in a seamless way that helps its music flow and keep the crowd engaged and mesmerized.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Touring is support of their reflective 2016 release Schlimco, the band performed new material with a fervor that can't be captured on the record alone.  Tender tracks like "If I Ever Was A Child," and "Cry All Day" were greeted with Nels Cline's virtuoso experimental guitar riffs and jams, and translated amazingly live.

Moreover, classic cuts from earlier albums were reworked to allow for more improvisation and experimentation by different members of the band.  "Art of Almost," off of 2011's The Whole Love, was a set highlight that saw Cline work his guitar magic like a mad scientist amidst his plethora of electronic pedals, and sonic enhancers.  Likewise, the epic "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" off of 2004's A Ghost Is Born was reworked to have guitar featured as the driving force of the melody and a capacity crowd sing-a-long lead by Tweedy to mimic the riff.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Wilco's mindful precision to the intricate nuances of their tunes makes them a one-of-a-kind act.  A mid-set placement of "Misunderstood," the first track off of Wilco's 21 year old break out record, Being There, featured multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone showing off his skills on banjo, while Nels Cline dabbled in lap steel guitar, to provide a more rootsy vibe to the tune.  "Impossible Germany," a fan-favorite jam off of 2006's Sky Blue Sky featured Cline delivering a face-melting solo, and a three guitar attack from him, Tweedy and Sansone, which prompted Tweedy to declare to the crowd, "he just keeps getting better each year," referring to Cline's playing.

Opening band Kacy & Clayton, a psychedelic folk outfit from Canada, came on and joined Wilco for their first encore, "California Stars" a beautiful rendition of the band's 1998 stand-out track from their Mermaid Avenue collaboration album with Billy Bragg.  "California Stars" has become a long-time fan favorite at Wilco shows, and the harmonizing between Tweedy and Kacy Anderson coupled with Clayon Linthicum taking lead guitar duties made this version extra special.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

By the time Wilco ran into their second encore which featured straight up rocking renditions of "Monday," and "Outta Sight, Outta Mind" (both off of Being There) they had the entire crowd (comprised mainly of 40 year olds) on their feet singing along and basking in Wilco's masterful way of ending their performance on a strong, rocking note.

Wilco continues to refine their craft and push themselves as musicians.  They do get better with age and remain the best band on the planet (in this writer's humble opinion).

Setlist:
Via Chicago
Normal American Kids
If I Ever Was A Child
Cry All Day
Muzzle of Bees
I'm Trying to Break Your Heart
Art of Almost
Pickled Ginger
Misunderstood
Someone to Lose
Poor Places
Reservations
Impossible Germany
How to Fight Loneliness
Forget the Flowers
Box Full of Letters
Heavy Metal Drummer
I'm the Man Who Loves You
Hummingbird
The Late Greats

Encore 1:
California Stars (with Kacy and Clayton)
Locator
Random Name Generator
Spiders (Kidsmoke)
I'm A Wheeel

Encore 2:
Monday
Outta Sight , Outta Mind