Photo:Kohen/WireImage Ashes of American Flags -- the new Wilco documentary -- will have its world premiere tomorrow night at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival in Montana. On February 25th, it will screen at the Noise Pop festival in San Francisco.
But the S.S. watched the film this morning... and there is some killer footage!
Ashes of American Flags follows Wilco on their club tour through the Midwest and Southeast in early 2008, capturing highlights from shows at Tipitina's in New Orleans, 9:30 Club in D.C., and gigs in Mobile and Tulsa.
"I'm afraid this show tonight is going to have an asterisk next to it because I'm on steroids," Jeff Tweedy tells a hopped up crowd at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, adding that his voice would be gone if he hadn't 'Roided up. With that, Wilco launch into the nastiest version of "A Shot In the Arm" ever rendered.
The performances are the focus, and as anyone who's seen Wilco recently, they've never been hotter. We won't spoil everything, but we will say the roughly fifteen performances span their whole career. (Our favorites: "Kingpin," "Handshake Drugs" and a stunning take on the title track from a soundcheck at Cain's, in Tulsa.)
There's no drama like their last doc, I Am Trying To Break Your Heart. All the dudes in the band wax about the highs and lows of life on the road. There's even some footage of Tweedy hanging with his dad. "Every time he reaches the pinnacle," says Pops Tweedy, clearly embarrassing his son, "he just goes a little higher." (True!)
Kicking back on the tour bus, Tweedy sums it up. "Our band has made its living on the road. From the beginning I think that every step of the way was thrilling to us."
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- Portions of Album Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC.
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Steroids joke... | May 19, 2009 12:58 AM
they put the footage from Cain's into the footage of the performance at the Ryman, and since Jeff is wearing the same white suit you can't tell that the joke came from another show. I was at the Cain's show, and it happened to be one of the funniest things I've ever seen live.
That and when Nels cable went out during Walkin' and the glow sticks/ecstasy joke.
Wilco is one funny band!
Chad Hampton | February 23, 2009 2:02 PM
Wilco is one of the most underrated and underappreciated bands of our time. They are amazing live and just flat out talented musicians who truly enjoy what they do. Love them and can't get enough.
This dvd will be crazy.
quiet domino | February 23, 2009 12:18 AM
Thanks, wilcofan. Maybe they could do a little more research next time.
wilcofan | February 22, 2009 6:42 PM
The steroids comment came from Cain's Ballroom.
The steroids joke | February 20, 2009 9:55 PM
wasn't at the Ryman. I saw that show. I think he's speaking to the crowd at Tip's in New Orleans.
Jim | February 20, 2009 1:36 PM
Out on DVD April 18th.
So psyched to see this... | February 20, 2009 10:46 AM
Is it playing in art theaters or something on a nationwide level? I love Wilco. One of those bands that i forget how good they are. I don't even have all their stuff, so they always sneak up on me. Saw them once, in Boston, for the last tour, and it was smokin'...