Wilco - Capital Music Hall, Ottawa, 4/8/2004

  by Andrew Carver

published: 12 / 8 / 2004

intro

One of the great bands of the current time, former alternative country kingpins and now pioneers of the avant garde Wilco recently played a show in Ottawa, Andrtew Carver watches them play "an excellent show that maintained its momentum throughout"

At 8:45 the Capital Music Hall was packed with 1,000 music fans (mostly of college age)’ here to see Wilco, the former alternative country kingpins who have recently dabbled in the avant garde. By 9:15 there was no moving back and forward, and barely enough space to sidle back and forth. Wilco’s opening act was a bit of a mystery; unnamed on the ticket and in local concert listings. But as he launched into his first song (after a self-deprecating promise of “45 minutes of pure torture before Wilco” he was obviously well-suited to the task, with a gravelly voice,  a penchant for noisemaking tricks and some very skilled accompaniment from a second guitarist, bassist, drummer and keyboardist. The leisurely pace of his songs made him sound a bit like Paul Kelly, and the gothic Southern flavour was akin to Jim White’s Faulknerian song style. Then he started in on 'A Perfect Day to Chase Tornados' and I realized that, by George, it was indeed White (though sounding a bit less like Beck outside the studio). He played a healthy helping of songs from throughout his three albums. The crowd was obviously pleased with his performance. He was off by 10, as good as his word, except for the torture bit. After a brief delay to remove their gear, Wilco appeared to a rapturous welcome, frontman Jeff Tweedy waving his hat in a jaunty greeting before beginning an extensive set, drawing mostly from their most recent albums, 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot' and 'A Ghost Is Born' – their versions of 'Handshake Drugs', 'Hell is Chrome' and, in particular 'At Least That’s What You Said' were particularly electric. The band is really buoyed by the enthusiastic rhythm section of John Stirratt on bass (who also contributed some high end to the backing vocals) and drummer Glenn Kotche, who assaulted his kit with teeth clenched for much of the show. New guitarist Nels Cline is perhaps a little too fond of random noise (and after the first four or five “frenzied” song finales, the thrill wore off), but his delicate touch on the lap steel shows  there’s much more to his playing than just squall and scree. Autumn Defense alum Pat Sansone and keyboardist/laptop chap Mikael Jorgensen added similarly vital playing, albeit in a more understated fashion. Tweedy seemed to be in a jocular mood throughout, asking with mock worry if he had “hat head” after flipping his porkpie backstage. “We’re really enjoying ourselves … I think we’re about 9.3 … you guys seem about 9.1 … and a quarter. Is that possible?” Tweedy asked. “I’m not good at math – that’s why I’m a dumb rock star.” The band then leapt into 'A Ghost Is Born'. A two-song encore (including 'I Am A Wheel') was obviously insufficient, and the crowd shouted the band back for two more songs: 'Passenger Side' and 'The Lonely 1' (a fanboy lament which sounds a bit odd performed in front of 1,000 people). An excellent show that maintained its momentum throughout.

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