For the last week we've been back in our hometown, San Francisco.
One of the best parts about growing up here was the opportunity to go see shows at the Greek Theater, over the Bay Bridge, on the UC campus in Berkeley.
Last night we went returned to the old haunt, to see Wilco, and it was a beautiful thing.
"I think this is our favorite place in the world to play," Jeff Tweedy told the packed house, before launching into "California Stars."
But a horrible thing happened to Tweedy on Saturday. His son, Spencer, went shopping in Berkeley, and returned dressed head-to-toe in tie-dye. "Look what you've done to my son, you dirty hippies!" Tweedy cried, as Spencer took a bow in his tie-dye gear. As he ran off again, dad screamed, "Now go take a bath." (Spencer is, like, six inches taller than Jeff!)
Tweedy was full of funny quips last night: Before the new cut, "Deeper Down," he announced, "Glenn [the drummer] is doing a bong hit during this one." And, addressing a wasted fan in the crowd, Tweedy said, "He thinks he's at a Don Henley concert." It was probably his idea that the band strolled onstage to the The Price is Right theme.
(Remember in the old days how awkward and uncomfortable Tweedy was when he bantered with the crowd? We're not sure why, but now he's like a wry fuckin' comedian! And he hates hippies! Yes!)
Beyond the comedy, the music was remarkable. With a crescent moon hanging above the stage, Wilco cranked out gems like "Muzzle of Bees," "You Are My Face," "Jesus, Etc.," "Walken," "Radio Cure" and "Hate It Here." Tweedy's stuttering solo, and his teamwork with guitar-genius Nels Cline on "At Least That's What You Said" was sick as hell.
But the highlights were definitely the brilliant new cuts like "One Wing," "Bull Black Nova" and "Wilco (the Song)." Remember, Wilco (the Album) is out in two days!
Are you excited?
And click here to check out Spencer Tweedy's blog, with photos of his hippie transformation.
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- Portions of Album Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2009 All Media Guide, LLC.
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Candyfloss Stripper | August 10, 2009 1:12 AM
I miss the old Jeff..but glad he's happy now. In case you didn't know, reviewer, he says the same shit every time he's around the bay area...and the guy who was "wasted" may have had a heart attack and was pretty old...not just a wasted kid. And...the new album sucks. Still it was a good show (never seen a bad one from Wilco in the many I've seen since the mid/late 90s)... Nels rocks, but Jay had soul (and demons).
anon | July 14, 2009 1:04 PM
Jeff has been much more friendly ever since he kicked the pill habit
LovelyJoe | July 9, 2009 7:58 AM
Wth Aquanut?????Wilco's music is beautiful.
aquanaut | July 7, 2009 9:44 PM
I wanted to like Wilco, but then I actually listened to their music.
wack | July 6, 2009 1:08 PM
you guys are all crazy...get off your high horses and stop judging hippies or hipsters or whatever...
(as a side not...how is writer for rolling stone crushing hippies - wasn't there music/culture the backbone upon which this magazine made it big? and was it not said that this magazine was a/the mouthpiece for that counterculture....I know times change but forgetting your history seems foolish)
T Dubs | July 6, 2009 11:07 AM
Great, great band live...
I love the snide "alternative hipster" comments. It's so funny. These guys are a great American rock band in the vein of The Band, et al (whoops wait they are Canadian aren't they - well you get the idea).
They've already got their place in the Hall of Fame.
It's funny. Closed minded and dreary hippies say "oh whatever, they are too cool for school those alternative hipsters Wilco", and close minded and dreary hipsters say "oh Wilco is Dad-rock, too jammy, etc"...
They get it from both sides. Ahh, i love constant labeling and petty categorizing.
Jesus people - stop labeling and listen to the music. It's gorgeous.
Wilco Haters | July 6, 2009 10:06 AM
Can suck deez nuts!!!
Reading comments like bobbybadboy's and uhn's makes me realize what incredible douchebags there are in the world. You two are both heirs to the Massengill fortune.
dirtyhippie | July 6, 2009 8:47 AM
Wilco at The Greek was a-maz-ing!
Peace & love.
bobbybadboy | July 5, 2009 11:25 PM
"Dirty Hippies." What a wit. Tweedy's jokes are as stale and worn out as his music.
onewing | July 5, 2009 8:40 PM
Best band in the world. That's all.
Lee Taylor | July 5, 2009 5:50 PM
THIS was the review for RS? Sign of the times- how far downhill RS is going. Spencer (Tweedy's son) said on his blog that he is not 6 inches taller than his father. Whoops. Also, typo in the third paragraph (we went returned?). No proofreader on call for the online version? Journalism is slowly moving online and you are/were the biggest rock mag ever and you let this stuff slip? You also use "sick as hell" as a descriptor? Oh, how sweet. I'm a journalism major at UMass, haven't learned a thing about writing in three years of study, and still know how much this review sucks.
Uhm | July 5, 2009 3:55 PM
Wilco sux. They are probably the most boring band I have ever seen. Tweedy is a noob on guitar too.
whatisee | July 5, 2009 2:05 PM
Is there a more boring band out there these days. What a snoozefest
happyJames | July 5, 2009 12:55 PM
Wilco gets better with age. Some might like an album from years ago and that's cool. Their last one, Sky Blue Sky, was great. Their new one sounds great so far too.
Rock on!!
b | July 4, 2009 6:49 PM
Of course Tweedy et al hate hippies...It's in The Hipster Guidebook, rule #64, right after the rule that states PBR is the only beer you may drink and before the requirements for properly wearing a concert t-shirt ("The higher the irony-value, the better. Extra points for coolly recommending unknown b-side of featured 'lame' band"...).
Hippies are just following an aesthetic defined by their tastes in music, dress, and politics anyways. Hipsters don't do this. They're way above conforming to any such cultural dogma...
TobyTyler | July 4, 2009 1:03 PM
Hippies dislike wilco, the songs are too short.
darrin | July 4, 2009 3:04 AM
i just had the opportunity to see WILCO for the first time at Bonnaroo 2009. siiick as hell. Tweedy was hilarious, Cline was brillant. I will definitely travel anywhere to see WILCO.
me | July 3, 2009 8:17 PM
i love seeing wilco at the greek.. i mean ANYWHERE
Ew gross | July 3, 2009 5:59 PM
Damn dirty hippies
/cartman
Anonymous | July 3, 2009 5:00 PM
WILCO COVER!!!!
Bo Drazzles | July 3, 2009 2:43 PM
What's a hippie?
Pete | July 3, 2009 11:58 AM
Wilco sucks, ya know it's true!
El Dorado | July 2, 2009 4:04 PM
I heard tweedy pulled some dude's pud for a couple of aspirin tablets once when he was hard up and they didn't have a label. You've come a long way baby!
Colin | July 2, 2009 3:22 PM
Wilco cover after Jackson cover. Maybe a painted portrait of Michael?
BooHoo Liberal Dick | July 2, 2009 3:22 PM
So what? Everyone with any degree of self-respect hates hippies! Peace and Love is so passe! Wasted generation of losers turned into a wasted generation of vacillators and bad politics..
And FYI - they must like SLT much more than Bezerkley because they kicked ass for over 2 and 1/2 hours on Sunday night.
And for the record, Tweedy must have really liked us "achievers" that were playing in Tahoe, spending the money you broke-dick commies are trying to steal; because he said "We were all so cute and beautiful he wanted to give us all a big hug."
Because unlike dirty hippies, we bathe...
weegie | July 2, 2009 2:57 PM
Like every other alternative hipster I know I should one day listen to Wilco but I just really can't get up the energy to do it.
Frank from MusicNerdClub.com | June 29, 2009 11:11 PM
I hope your hometown visit includes a cover story on Wilco. They've earned it!
the man | June 29, 2009 3:25 AM
i love jeff tweedy...end of story