2008 Woodie Awards
Father Knows Best, why Wilco rocks so much
Reflections on a rockin' concert
Whitney Medved
Issue date: 2/28/06 Section: Detour
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At the mention of the band Wilco, I usually receive either an age appropriate blank stare or a thumbs up from someone at least twice my age. I've often heard Wilco described as "Dad" music, which it totally is, and most dads I know love it. The thing is, I do too.
I am not going to front like I'm a die-hard fan who knows all the lyrics by heart, owns every album and boot-leg recording ever made, and follows the band around the country in a van - I don't even know all the band members' names. Someone simply burned me a Wilco CD a few years back, and I was stoked to listen to it from time to time. I picked out my favorite songs, got them stuck in my head at all the wrong times, and there was nothing particularly life-changing about the whole experience.
On a recent adventure to Eugene, Oregon though, the opportunity presented itself to see Jeff Tweedy - the lead vocalist and guitarist of Wilco- perform his solo acoustic set. I don't know about you, but I am always up for some good live music, and I especially enjoy the intimacy of smaller venues like the McDonald Theatre, where the show was performed.
Instead of having a random opening act, Wilco's own drummer also did his own thing. To any typical musician, sitting down at this guy's set-up must feel something like sitting behind the control board of a hopelessly intricate and involved spaceship. Not only were there the usual drums, but there was a thumb piano, bells, "crickets," and these random guitar string-like cords he manipulated with his hands to create insane percussion, amongst other instruments. He was recording and looping some of the music, which eventually led to him playing a quintet all by his lonesome - what a badass.
Watching this guy perform his song "Where the Wild Things Are," and make music out of the most mundane objects, it became clear that he is the kind of guy who sits in a room and jams-out by alternately flipping the light switch and scraping his foot on the carpet. Stomp has nothing on this guy.
I am not going to front like I'm a die-hard fan who knows all the lyrics by heart, owns every album and boot-leg recording ever made, and follows the band around the country in a van - I don't even know all the band members' names. Someone simply burned me a Wilco CD a few years back, and I was stoked to listen to it from time to time. I picked out my favorite songs, got them stuck in my head at all the wrong times, and there was nothing particularly life-changing about the whole experience.
On a recent adventure to Eugene, Oregon though, the opportunity presented itself to see Jeff Tweedy - the lead vocalist and guitarist of Wilco- perform his solo acoustic set. I don't know about you, but I am always up for some good live music, and I especially enjoy the intimacy of smaller venues like the McDonald Theatre, where the show was performed.
Instead of having a random opening act, Wilco's own drummer also did his own thing. To any typical musician, sitting down at this guy's set-up must feel something like sitting behind the control board of a hopelessly intricate and involved spaceship. Not only were there the usual drums, but there was a thumb piano, bells, "crickets," and these random guitar string-like cords he manipulated with his hands to create insane percussion, amongst other instruments. He was recording and looping some of the music, which eventually led to him playing a quintet all by his lonesome - what a badass.
Watching this guy perform his song "Where the Wild Things Are," and make music out of the most mundane objects, it became clear that he is the kind of guy who sits in a room and jams-out by alternately flipping the light switch and scraping his foot on the carpet. Stomp has nothing on this guy.