The last time I saw Wilco at Red Rocks, it was a time when they were supporting R.E.M. and their breakthrough to the masses, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Fans of theirs, have been through Uncle Tupelo or perhaps the metamorphosis of A.M. to their S/T album with a strange camel blessing the cover of the album. The new album had not grown on me, nor did I have any expectations for it to manifest itself to me in a form that would make it more palatable for me to digest. A funny thing happened to me at Morrison Friday night. All albums post YHF finally made sense to me. The S/T album is a culmination of everything the band had been working so hard at with their proggy jams and acoustic ballads to create the end result. It sounds very obvious, but I confirmed again, this past weekend listening to the album while doing lawn work. I was sad because there was this band that was one of the bands directly responsible for me being excited for music that I thought I had lost touch with and no hope of re-establishing contact. The band has expanded and their riffs are a bit more expanded. Friday night was a night where everything came full circle and the night started with appropriately. Wilco the show, started with Wilco (the Song). The band was lighthearted when they needed to be, driven when expected, and a brilliant mesh of old/new material turned a pre-soaked show on fire. Wilco is in their prime right now, and can only stand to get better.

Wilco-Wilco (the Song) [mp3]

Set List:
1. Wilco (the Song)
2. I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
3. Bull Black Nova
4. You Are My Face
5. One Wing
6. A Shot in the Arm
7. At Least That’s What You Said
8. Deeper Down
9. Impossible Germany
10. It’s Just That Simple
11. Can’t Stand It
12. Jesus, Etc.
13. Shouldn’t Be Ashamed
14. Hate It Here
15. Handshake Drugs
16. You Never Know
17. Walken
18. I’m The Man Who Loves You
19. Everlasting Everything
Encore 1:
20. Ashes of American Flags
21. California Stars (with Okkervil River)
22. Misunderstood
23. Spiders (Kidsmoke)
24. Hummingbird
Encore 2:
25. The Late Greats
26. Heavy Metal Drummer
27. Hoodoo Voodoo
28. I’m A Wheel