Wilco @ Merriweather Post Pavillion, Columbia, MD 9.25.11

It's been about two years since I've seen Wilco live. That may not seem long, but it's my longest spell without seeing the band since December of 1994. Now three records on with the same lineup and a new record just two days out, it was somewhat odd to find my single seat amongst 15K+ others. The first time I saw Wilco at Johnny D's in Somerville, MA there were maybe 50 others on hand. From 1994-2001, Wilco's popularity grew slowly, amassing a moderate national following and able to sell out mid-sized 1-2K venues the likes of The Fillmore and Irving Plaza. And then came the songs, mystique and "taking it to the man" story behind Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. In short order, they were playing summer tent shows, touring with Neil Young and headlining MSG.

Now 17 years into a career that very few thought possible following the demise of Uncle Tupelo, despite having no hit songs or a sound that can be easily explained, they are seemingly one of the most popular rock bands in the country. I still don't know how they got here, but unlike many of their "I was there at the beginning" fans, I actually welcome the progression and popularity. I mean, despite the somewhat lackluster reviews of their past few records, no one can say that this band welcomed the masses and turned formulaic. Quite the opposite. Foxtrot was followed by A Ghost Is Born, likely their most sparse and least-accessible record to date. Then came the stripped down Sky Blue Sky and the power pop of Wilco (The Album). And this week comes The Whole Love, their best effort since Foxtrot. What this band is still able to capture almost 20 years on is pretty remarkable. Most bands have a recorded shelf-life of about ten years. Think of the greats: The Beatles, Stones, REM, Pavement, The Kinks....how many have put out good/great records for more than a decade? Not many.

Of the 50 or so Wilco shows I've seen over the course of almost two decades, I won't argue that last night's show was among the best. At least from my seat, about 100 yards from the stage, frontman Jeff Tweedy seemed quite subdued for the 7-8 or so songs. It wasn't until the explosive "Impossible Germany," that the band seemed to release itself. Then came "Born Alone," a fantastic take on "Handshake Drugs" and later, "Box Full of Letters," and I was once again reminded that I was seeing one of the most important bands of my time. And when Tweedy invited his "idol" Nick Lowe to the stage during the encore for Lowe's "36 Inches High," everything seemed to fall together. The criticisms, arguments and endless comparisons went quiet. Like the 1997 classic, there was nothing but being there.

You can stream the entire show on NPR.