Wilco (The Gig)

Does the world really need another fawning review of a Wilco gig? Probably not, but here we go anyway.

Some higlights:

• The Radioheadesque (sorry) opener "Art of Almost" - where skittering beats and electronics collide with guitars.
• "Impossible Germany" - *puts on muso voice* for the mind blowing guitar truel
• Nels Clines collection of guitars - bonus points for the use of a double necked guitar on one song.
• "Via Chicago" - and for Jeff Tweedy's ability to sing/play in time while the rest of the band unleash hell in the background.
• The lampshades - nice homely addition to the spotlights
• Jeff Tweedy berating a fan (what a surprise) for complaining about the hiss made by the smoke machine.
• "One Sunday Morning" - a twelve minute song that goes nowhere and you never want it to leave.
• "Handshake Drugs" and the other 14 songs.

So, one of the greatest live acts I've ever seen - they have such a vast back catalogue of live favourites that I left the gig thinking "this was one of the best gigs ever" but at the same time wondering why they didn't play songs such as Spiders (Kidsmoke), Wilco (The Song) or Hate It Here. Maybe they just need to play for longer next time.

And to be contrary, here's a song they didn't play...

Post Script. I bought a t-shirt outside the venue (sorry guys). Photo of it added to this blog.

Amon Duul vs Four Tet

The other day I was in the car listening to Archangels Thunderbird by Amon Duul II - three and a half minutes of spacey Sabbath-esque krautrock, with Renate Knaup doing her best banshee wailing over the top. Ideal music for inner city driving during rush hour. I kept thinking "this is the greatest drum break ever - I must get home and sample it, I can't believe no one else has picked up on this".

Then it dawned on me that someone already has - Four Tet, on his istillcan'tfindwordstodescribehowgooditis Glasshead. Two songs I've got to know inside out over the last couple of decades and it was only last week that I spotted the link. I really should pay attention more.

Anyway, it's an excuse to put up a link for both tunes.

Amon Duul - the drums kick in after about 7 seconds...



Four Tet - the sample is about 3:13 into the song...