Wilco and Retribution Gospel Choir @ Stubb's

When I found out Wilco was coming to Stubb's, the famed outdoor venue in downtown Austin, I was egg-static (sorry)! We decided that it would be best to only go the first night of their two-night, Sunday/Monday residency since we have lives outside of BOT that involve early morning jobs. We made it to Austin, just in time to jump in the ever-growing line of people waiting to get as close as they could to Jeff Tweedy and the rest of the boys in Wilco. The weather was perfect as everybody settled into their spots for the evening. The waiting game began as we were still about an hour away from Retribution Gospel Choir's opening set.

Continue reading "Wilco and Retribution Gospel Choir @ Stubb's" after the jump

The Waiting Game. Usually a time to catch a few easy-to-grab beers before the crowds arrive. Also a time to make friendly with your neighbors before you start screaming the lyrics in their ears and knock half of their beer on their shoes when you get a little too crazy with your dancing. This show was no different, only this time we had a little help in the bonding process as all of us had "that guy" to laugh and joke about. Actually, everybody that did not have to stand next to "that guy" was laughing at him, but he was really just starting to piss me off. Only after we managed to put a little distance between us and him did it become funny. Clad in white pants and a form-fitting white shirt, "that guy" proceeded to slam several Dos Equis, scream to the heavens that he wanted his money back for the bands not playing when he wanted them to, and making an ass of himself with his dance moves. The poor chap (from Houston with his daughter) that decided to talk to him took the brunt of it by getting attacked with constant hugging, several loud conversations and even a kiss on the ear. Thanks to some people on the landing above us, we all get to relive his drunken debauchery!

As you could hear in the background of that video, "that guy" was not the only show going on at the time. Retribution Gospel Choir tore through a very loud set which weighed heavily on the strong riffs from guitarist Alan Sparhawk. The members of RGC are no strangers to Wilco, as the Choir's new direction has been praised by Nels Cline. Also Sparhawk and bassist Steve Garrington have supported Wilco in the past with their other (better known) band Low. I have never heard anything by Low, but from what I have read Retribution Gospel Choir totes much more of a hard rock sound. Their short opening set was good, but only served as an appetizer to the much anticipated headlining act that was still yet to take the stage.

Retribution Gospel Choir

Alan Sparhawk

Wilco put on a great, but mellow show for us back in March, which was quickly overshadowed by the stunning My Morning Jacket show just a couple days later. I was wanting more energy out of the Houston Wilco show, but due to Jeff Tweedy's lost voice, we heard many of their quieter songs. Because of this I needed some more Wilco, and I needed it soon. My prayers were soon answered when they booked the two-night stand at Stubb's.

The crowd seemed to be wanting Wilco as much as I did, as the cheers started erupting as soon as the house music turned off. Drummer Glenn Kotche led the band onstage with the line being tail-ended by frontman Jeff Tweedy, adorned in a lime green sport coat that would become a conversation point several times throughout the show. After the crowd settled, Tweedy started strumming the opening chords to "Sunken Treasure" off of my personal favorite Wilco album, Being There. Upon first vocal, the crowd fell completely silent. This is one of the main differences between Houston and Austin crowds. Most Austin crowds respectfully listen and enjoy shows they pay for, while many Houston show goers love to talk to each other, loudly. Making sure to vary their setlist, Wilco offered up Sky Blue Sky's "You Are My Face" followed by "Remember the Mountain Bed" from Mermaid Avenue Vol II, the second album of Woodie Guthrie songs they released with Billy Bragg in 2000. "Company In My Back", one of my favorite sing-a-longs from 2004's A Ghost Is Born, was a surprise to hear as it hasn't been on any setlist I have witnessed live. After wishing a Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms in the audience, Tweedy and the boys jumped into a nice, poppy version of "Handshake Drugs" which showcased the slide guitar work of Nels Cline.

Nels Cline & Jeff Tweedy

The next surprise came out of "Pick Up The Change", a rarely played gem from Wilco's first album, A.M.. Still leaning heavily on A Ghost Is Born they played through "Hummingbird", where Tweedy offered the microphone to the crowd to take over vocals on the harmony. While using this break to button up his coat, the crowd started to scream. Tweedy immediately stopped and addressed the fact that it was the first time a crowd had ever cheered him for buttoning up his jacket. After a few more moments in the song he proceeded to unbutton his jacket again, which, as you could expect, elicited many more screams. After a a quick "On and On and On", Wilco busted into Cereal's favorite, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot's "Pot Kettle Black". Her smiles matched the rest of the crowd, who all seemed to be quite busy bobbing their heads and spitting out the lyrics. "PKB" proved to be the jumping off point for a mid-set run of fan-favorites featuring "A Shot In The Arm", "Jesus, Etc." and "Impossible Germany" with the not-so-well-known "Summerteeth" thrown in the mix. After a run of songs from A.M., which showed off John Stirratt's guitar and vocal prowess (not to mention Tweedy's skills on bass) on his only released Wilco song "It's Just That Simple", they jumped into my favorite new song of theirs, "Walken". "I'm The Man Who Loves You" closed the set with authority, making the crowd only want more.

Pot Kettle Black

It's Just That Simple

Visibly happy to be in front of this Austin crowd, Wilco did not take too long to make it back. We all knew that they were not nearly done, but nobody knew that we had a 9-song double encore planned. "Misunderstood" which seemed to be one of the most well received songs of the night started off the first encore with another sing-a-long. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot's "Poor Places" was followed "Reservations" which brought the crowd to a whispering near-silence. The first encore was finished off by what Cereal and I were hoping for: a 12-minute version of "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" that pretty much melted our brains.

John Stiratt & Glenn Kotche

The second encore was also quite amazing, although I could have left the show a happy man with what they had already given me. Really. It was that good. "Hate It Here", the song that seems to be getting the most playtime since Sky Blue Sky's release, started off the second encore. Tweedy forewarned the crowd that they still had "Some of their biggest hits left, a cavalcade" before Glenn Kotche led them into "Heavy Metal Drummer", the sweetest percussion-related love story ever. "Casino Queen", A.M.'s country-tinged rocker led into the very Beatles-esque "Hoodoo Voodoo" off of the first Mermaid Avenue. The highlight of the night for me came during "HV" when Nels Cline and multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone started to "battle" each other with guitars while Tweedy, Stiratt, Kotche and keyboardist Mikael Jorgenson looked on with wide grins of approval. After a scorching version of "Outta Mind (Outta Site)", which seemed to be added to the setlist at the last minute, the crowd just stood there in awe.

Hoodoo Voodoo

Being my fifth time catching Wilco live, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect going in, but this show brought that expectation to a whole new level. Stubb's only added to the magic, and made it feel like I was seeing them in someone's backyard. I have to make it a point to see more shows at this amazing Austin establishment. I hope that Wilco comes back around these parts before too long, but for right now I am satisfied. Their show in Houston only provided a taste of what I was to get in Austin. Although it was a good taste, it took a trip to Stubb's BBQ to fill me up.

A special thanks goes out to Tom Melee for providing us with these great photos.

Eggs' Rating: 9.6 yolks, for the crowd kicking as much ass as both of the bands which Jeff Tweedy pointed out during "Spiders": "Austin, you are superior in every way."

Eat Your Damn Breakfast!

-Eggs