chrome canyons

Sitting out back of the rats nest looking out over a gunmetal grey Melbourne day(dang I am a poet and do not even know it), listening to a rather good Arcade Fire show and reflecting back on week #2 in magnificent Melbourne town. The highlight of the week, undoubtedly, was having the pleasure of catching, IMHO, the worlds greatest musical act Wilco at the spectacular Palais Theatre, St Kilda. If you are not overly familiar with this bands body of work, I envy the potential joys ahead of you should you choose to seek out some of their stuff. I would recommend starting with their 90’s classic, Summer Teeth and then maybe move onto Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. I shan’t bang on about the genius of the music, just listen to it and you’re life will be enhanced immeasurably is all.

So the gig. Turned up a bit early and caught a bit of Glenn Richards of Augie March performing a few of his songs acoustically which was pleasant enough but felt a little like eating cardboard sprinkled with sugar before a banquet. A banquet like the Gauls used to have at the end of every Asterix book, you know, all giant orange boars on the spit and much love and much frothy beer from giant pewter pitchers. Wilco powered through a diverse collection of songs from their brilliant catalogue with inspired joy and musicianship. From epic, prog show stoppers like ‘Spiders(Kidsmoke)’ and ‘Poor Places’(Nels Cline, I doth my cap to you and your magical powers,sir) to utter folk rock perfection(‘Remember the Mountain Bed’, ‘California Stars’(!)), the guys lit up the cavernous venue up for a memorable two and a half hours. Highlight for me:’A Shot in the Arm’. Jeff Tweedy provided his trademark sharp/dry crowd interactions in between songs, swinging in between expressions of love and sly underhanded digs at our collective intelligence. He finished the show on his own, stage centre with just an acoustic guitar and no mics. The 4000 seater venue was silent as he ripped through the Uncle Tupelo classic ‘Acuff Rose’. The moment he finished the place erupted, then it was all over. This was probably the highlight of the night for me, the greatest songwriter of our generation performing a great song acoustically after such a pulverising and, at times, intense set.

Having said all that I left the Palais feeling a little empty. Perhaps it was the venue: glorious looking and sounding yes, but I would have much rather have seen the band in more intimate surrounds. Or maybe I know Wilco’s songs too well and they were too tight. Certainly I found the new songs more exciting as I was being led through their many bends and turns and highs and lows rather than knowing exactly what the next note or line was in those songs I have listened to scores of times. Hmm, such is the burden of the devoted fan, I guess.

More about the zoo and other banal stuff next time for those not interested in my musings in rock nerdom.

Download: ‘What Light’, Wilco, mp3