20 Watts

Wilco confirmed their reputation as America's best live band

At what was probably one of the best shows I’ve ever been to, Wilco and Yo La Tengo both tore up Brooklyn’s Keyspan Park throughout a fun and lengthy set that went from 7 p.m to almost 11 p.m. Wilco played 18 songs (19 if you count the crowd’s rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”), then played another eight combined in the first and second encore, for a grand total of 27.

Among the encore guests were Feist, Grizzly Bear’s Ed Droste and Yo La Tengo in its entirety. As ridiculous as it may seem, I was actually holding out for a Wilco rendition of “Two Weeks” for a couple minutes, but it never came to be. Besides that, the band kept up a really great atmosphere all night, adding some energy even to the slower songs in their collection to keep the crowd involved and riveted. They also gave out free programs when the fans walked in. The books were filled with all kinds of band-centric stuff, such as personal favorite lists, an article in which Jeff Tweedy is interviewed by his sons and a “scorecard” modeled after a baseball box score, which allowed the fans to check off which songs they played at each show on their summer tour. I’ve been told Wilco’s the best live band in America. I’m tempted to believe it now.

Even though I didn’t get to take pictures, tons of other people did — like Kurt Christensen, Caryn Rose and DW Hartwig (who gets the credit for the photo at top). Also included below are two videos from the show: “California Stars,” featuring Droste and Feist, and “I’m the Man Who Loves You” were both shot by Youtube user Guywhiteycorngood.

– John Cassillo, Reviews Editor