Wilco has been pretty busy the past few months. Friday, they headlined the 2012 Newport Folk Festival which you can now stream from NPR’s archives. A few weeks ago they played the famous Red Rocks Amphitheater, then closed out a stellar run of shows in New York City along with an appearance on Jimmy Fallon. Let’s wrap-up some of the more noteworthy Wilco items after the jump
First is news for live show junkies and/or those who collect Nels Cline jams on. Earlier this week the band announced a test-run of sorts in downloadable shows for purchase. Gigs from Red Rocks (6/23/12) and Geneva, IL (7/8/12) are the first two available, with persumably more on the way. The shows are available in MP3 & FLAC at the Wilco Roadcase Store.
Speaking of the Red Rocks Ampitheatre. One of the reported highlights was The Punch Brothers (Chris Thile) helping out on a version of ‘California Stars’. Here’s a Youtube video — around the 3 minute mark Wilco steps back and lets The Punch Brothers carry the Woody Guthrie’ tune.
If you’ve got just one foot on the Wilco train, I highly suggest checking out their Roadcase site which offers a free streaming live show on rotation. The current performance is from January 30th at the Palladium in Hollywood, CA. Really good show that kicks off with Art of Almost, one of the best additions to Wilco’s catalog since Impossible Germany. For some Jeff Tweedy banter skip ahead to ‘I Must Be High’ or as the band apparently calls it ‘Hey You, What’s for Lunch?’.
‘Art of Almost’ was one of two tunes Wilco performed on NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Another was a web-exclusive of ‘Laminated Cat’. ‘Laminated Cat’ is a song performed only a handful of times on tour and originated from one of Jeff Tweedy’s many side projects, Loose Fur. Check out Laminated Cat on Fallon’s official site.
I advise getting yourself and a few friends to at least one Wilco show in 2012. THIS incarnation of the band (which has gone through several lineup changes over it’s long history) is the perfect blend of rock/pop/kraut/country/psych. One of the few live bands at the top of their game and set on continuing something special with new albums every few years. I personally can’t wait to see them again at the Hollywood Bowl in just two months!
Here are the remaining U.S. tour dates on the calendar :
27 Jul 2012 / Newport, RI / Fort Adams State Park
28 Jul 2012 / Cooperstown, NY / Brewery Ommegang
29 Jul 2012 / Essex Junction, VT / Midway Lawn at Champlain Valley Expo
31 Jul 2012 / North Adams, MA / MASS MoCA
01 Aug 2012 / Hartford, CT / The Bushnell
03 Aug 2012 / Rochester, NY / Highland Bowl
04 Aug 2012 / Columbus, OH / LC Pavilion request
15 Sep 2012 / Chicago, IL / Hideout Block Party
16 Sep 2012 / Columbia, MO / Live on Ninth Street
18 Sep 2012 / Santa Fe, NM / Santa Fe Opera House
19 Sep 2012 / Tucson, AZ / Tucson Convention Center Music Hall
21 Sep 2012 / Berkeley, CA / Greek Theatre
22 Sep 2012 / Berkeley, CA / Greek Theatre
23 Sep 2012 / Reno, NV / Grand Sierra Theatre
25 Sep 2012 / Jacksonville, OR / Britt Pavilion
26 Sep 2012 / Redding, CA / Cascade Theatre
28 Sep 2012 / Palm Desert, CA / McCallum Theatre for the Performing Arts
29 Sep 2012 / San Luis Obispo, CA / Avila Beach Resort
30 Sep 2012 / Los Angeles, CA / Hollywood Bowl
And if you are still reading. Lucky you. The entire Wilco performance from this year’s Hangout Festival is on Youtube. An hour and twenty minutes of Wilco on the shore! Sign me up.
