Ragtime Willie

Just a few notes to add to the thorough review by bop (whom I wished I had finally met yesterday, but oh well). Getting Wilco to Sound Summit was no easy feat both contractually and practically. Michael Nash, the Executive Director of Roots and Branches Conservancy and the Producer of Sound Summit, put his considerable talents to work to make it all happen. And he was lucky that Wilco had this date free after their LA gigs. From a practical point of view that entire scene (the entire stage, the food trucks, bathrooms, and everything else) has to be carted up the mountain in small trucks and

Saw both San Jose and the Warfield. San Jose was surprisingly good--extremely tight and rocking from start to finish. In some ways I thought the playing was better at San Jose, but the overall emotional feel of the show at the Warfield was incomparable. An electric Sunken Treasure to open and Lonely 1 to close? As Tweedy said, morbid (not quite the word I would use...) and so moving. One by One and Either Way? So sweet. A majestic Ashes (Nels is so great on that song). Not to mention the usuals: Art of Almost, Nova, Germany. They have definitely opened up the songbook. It's so fun to

This is the best band going. They were totally on last night. Set list was in some ways very expectable. I can do without Jesus and Handshake and Shot...but it doesn't matter, because they have such an amazing grove that whatever they do is really good and often great. Plus, Jeff was having a great time and really got into the crowd. Lots of young people, everyone paying attention and signing along. I could swear they played "I must be high." Obviously, it was just me.

Can someone summarize the Wilco-Grateful Dead conversation?

Right now, Nels makes the band. He was amazing at Sasquatch. Jeff seems to be biding his time. I'd also like to see John sing more than It's Just That Simple every tenth show.

At the show. They went on late on the final night of a four day festival. Many people had gone. It had rained two hours earlier. So the energy level was low. The show itself was fine. Very standard these days. Tweedy said they hadn't practiced. All he meant, I thought, was that they were only prepared to play the usual stuff, which they did. They are a great band, but the usual stuff, for all its greatness, is getting somewhat stale (if you've seen them a bunch of times, which I have). When are we going to hear the new songs?

Anybody know the Rome setlist?

Anyone know the cultural center? I hear there are no seats, just an empty floor. What's that like? Is there food? Any places to sit?