Wilco played their first New York City show since headlining a massive New Years Eve show with the Flaming Lips and Sleater-Kinney at Madison Square in 2004. The Hammerstein was packed to the rafters, which may explain some of the chattering between, and during, less known songs. Regardless of that minor annoyance, the band delivered another solid show.
It took them until the third song to truly find their grove, but by the time they got to "Handshake Drugs," complete with an extended jam ending that recalled Sister-era Sonic Youth, they were killing.
A wonderful version of "Hummingbird" into a fantastic "Via Chicago" was the highlight for me. While the transition between songs worked, it still caused Mister Jeff Tweedy to comment on how he felt like Casey Kasem going from a love song to a long-distance death dedication.
The first set ended with a dirty version of "Poor Places" going into a zany take on the prog "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" that would have made Radiohead proud.
The first encore got off to a momentum killing start with "Impossible Germany" and "Sky Blue Sky," two of the weaker tracks from Wilco's new album, but the show was saved by an outstanding "California Stars."
They did leave out a couple of songs I truly would have loved to hear ("The Late Greats", "What Light", "Sunken Treasure", "Pot Kettle Black"), but those were probably being saved for the tomorrow's Warsaw show in Brooklyn. Not the best show I've ever seen them do, but certainly up to par..........
WILCO | HAMMERSTEIN BALLROOM | 6-25-2007
You Are My Face / Side With the Seeds / A Shot In The Arm / I Am Trying To Break Your Heart / Kamera / Handshake Drugs / Shake it Off / Hummingbird / Via Chicago / Jesus Etc / Hate it Here / Walken / I'm the Man Who Loves You / Poor Places -> Spiders (Kidsmoke) // Imporrible Germany // Sky Blue Sky // California Stars // War on War /// Heavy Metal Drummer /// Always in Love /// I'm A Wheel
DOWNLOAD: Casey Kasem - "Dead Dog Dedication" NSFW
Comments (4)
they didn't play always in love.
Posted on June 26, 2007 8:44 AM
They did play always in love.
Posted on June 26, 2007 8:49 AM
i was drunk. show was sooo good though.
Posted on June 26, 2007 10:16 AM
Seemed like a great performance, but I was stuck next to some of those chattering tools and it ruined it for me. (I mean seriously, one dude chose the beginning of "Poor Places" to start pontificating about which parts of the Wilco oeuvre he was and was not into. I fucking screamed at him to shut it, I was so mad.) Not to mention the total lack of respect that was shown for Low. That, at least, was predictable. Time to lay off the big rock shows for a while!
Posted on June 26, 2007 11:03 AM