Update From The Land Down-Under Michigan

Hi ho, children of the internet.

I’m cooling my heels in Phil’s most fantastic apartment, drinking Dr. Pepper (prune flavored) froma 32oz plastic mug and watching his cat run laps back and forth like the dang little thing was on fire.

But what I want to say is that the concert was amazing. And it was.
However, the show featuring “America’s most exciting live rock band” (eg. Wilco) was marred by sadness and perhaps a little unease. It was reported to day in the Purdue Exponent that Jeff Tweedy’s mother passed away a few days before tonight’s concert – the beginning of their tour. After the worst opening band I have ever seen (6 guitar players doing some kind of spaced-out, cheap, irritating impression of The Sonic Youth, as heard through a coffee can, across a freeway) a black clad Tweedy took the stage.
Determined to carry the show, Tweedy plowed through several standards (and a few new tunes) with nary a word to the audience. When he finally spoke his distress was clear, his usual banter with the audience being marked with a kind of bitter sarcasm. Yet the show kicked into an even high gear right after, with the band launching into some of their most intricate songs.

The show featured several new songs, one of which was a debut (or a ‘de-butt’) for the band. These songs marked a notable departure from the almost avant-garde approach that the band has taken in recent years. A more rootsy, rocky element has entered their music proving that this band is far from stagnation. Indeed, each album seems to evolve and grow into a totally novel direction.

Despite the efforts of the opening band, and the obvious grief on stage, the show was amazing. Though Tweedy’s effervescent stage presence was muted, a real energy was exuded into the audience. Rarely can a band make me not regret standing for over two hours. This time, I could have stood and cheered all night.


I also got to see Mike totally rocking out. Phillip’s special lady friend, who had only heard two Wilco songs in her life, declared that the show was “filled with romanticism, but that may be because I was being held by [my huggly bear]” I can confirm the holding. We all felt a great appreciation, that in the face of such a tremendous personal loss the show was not only a spectacular success, but that it went on at all.