Breaking down the Wilco AmericanaramA set lists

[sonnyfeeling]

On the last couple Wilco tours, I was mildly disappointed (but only mildly) that the set lists began to fall into a predictable routine, as though they had been lovingly hand-crafted from an artisanal cookie cutter.

 

Boy oh boy is that not the case with this latest tour. I was initially concerned that these abbreviated (75-minute) festival sets would be the same ol' same ol', with Wilco's greatest hits show after show.

 

Wrong.

 

To quote Stephen Colbert: "Great set lists? Or the greatest set lists?"

 

I looked at the first nine Wilco AmericanaramA set lists and did a little quick analysis:

13-16 songs per set, drawn from a list (so far) of 70 titles

Only two songs have been played at nearly every show:

• Art of Almost (9)
• Dawned On Me (8)

11 songs have been played at 3-5 shows:

• Impossible Germany (5)
• Born Alone (5)
• Hesitating Beauty (4)
• Via Chicago (4)
• California Stars (4)
• I'm the Man Who Loves You (4)
• Shouldn't Be Ashamed (3)
• I Got You (3)
• Sloth (with Richard Thompson) (3)
• Heavy Metal Drummer (3)
• Jesus, Etc. (3)

Another 11 songs have been played only twice, and 46 songs performed only once in the nine sets so far. A lot of covers and (as is appropriate for an Americana tour) lots of Woody Guthrie tunes, including a Mermaid Avenue outtake that's never been played publicly before.

 

That's astonishing.

 

I sure hope this entire run goes up on the Roadcase, ideally as a complete collection.

 

At these prices, it's hard to believe anyone is following the band around from show to show. But I now wish I had overruled my initial pessimism and made plans to see multiple shows instead of just the one in Denver.

[Atticus]

god how I miss free time.

[nalafej]

Great write up. Quite a bit different from the '08 opening for Neil Young tour where they did the same ol' same ol' 

[sonnyfeeling]

god how I miss free time.

Well, I do Excel stuff for a living, so I can justify this sort of data analysis as "training" and "software evaluation."

[Mr. Heartbreak]

I have been thinking along the exact same lines.

 

After the incredible "Evening with Wilco" shows (2010?), where they had an acoustic set in the middle and knocked out 30-something songs, the next couple of years became fairly predictable. Of course, when you're not actually at a show, a list of pretty great songs can look ho-hum. But for diehards, it was becoming rather stale.

 

I bought my ticket for Tampa thinking, "Well, they're in my city, with Dylan, so of course I will see them." When they added Weir to the festival, my excitement level went up (more bang for my buck!), but I didn't have high expectations, really.

 

Then they played Ripple in West Palm, and reading about that got me pumped up. When they knocked out Dead Flowers and Friend of the Devil, I was in some kind of Wilco/Deadhead heaven.

 

I had to make the trek to Atlanta to see what happened next. 

They surpassed my expectations again, playing Dark Star>Cali Stars>Dark Star.

And they just keep going: Sloth. Who Loves the Sun. Cinnamon Girl. Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald??

Seriously, if they're trying to create a situation where there are Wilcoheads following them around the way people used to follow the Dead, they are doing a damn fine job of it...

[blureu]

Thanks for the analysis. How many shows are currently available to listen? 3?

 

[Atticus]

Well, I do Excel stuff for a living, so I can justify this sort of data analysis as "training" and "software evaluation."

 

I wasn't being critical.  I was completely and totally  enviously serious.

[indy81]

If you look at the setlists from 2012-2013, there's actually more variety than it seems.  It's just that the 3-4 rarities that get played every night get drowned out by all of the standards.  The AmericanaramA setlists are so exciting because they keep the rarities and have cut back on the number of standards.  Plus the guest spots have been thrilling and unpredictable.

[sonnyfeeling]

If you look at the setlists from 2012-2013, there's actually more variety than it seems.  It's just that the 3-4 rarities that get played every night get drowned out by all of the standards.  The AmericanaramA setlists are so exciting because they keep the rarities and have cut back on the number of standards.  Plus the guest spots have been thrilling and unpredictable.

Yeah, I did an analysis of those set lists when the tours were underway. There were slots every night for inserting a deep track, but for the most part everything followed a standard template. It was designed to sell The Whole Love, so understandable, but still...

 

I can't find those posts now, unfortunately, because the site search doesn't go back that far and apparently Via Chicago has search indexing turned off so posts don't appear in Google or Bing. Bummer.

 

Thanks for the analysis. How many shows are currently available to listen? 3?

The security on this tour is really tough, so the only recordings that have leaked out have been stealth. I think there are three shows in circulation right now, but you could look at the In A Future Age board to get a definitive answer.

[smells like flowers]

Great to read your synopsis of the setlists thus far!  I started feeling a little regretful about missing out, but checked airfare today and even though there are plenty of tickets (even GA floor seats!) for the venue I was looking at, airfare is crazy expensive and I can't swing it.  Boo hoo hoo. 

[gr8fulpete]

I realize I'm asking a bit much, but I would love to see your analysis include a listing of the songs played only once.  Looking forward to the NY area shows -- my only Wilco fix this summer other than Solid Sound (which was amazing).

[sonnyfeeling]

I realize I'm asking a bit much, but I would love to see your analysis include a listing of the songs played only once.  Looking forward to the NY area shows -- my only Wilco fix this summer other than Solid Sound (which was amazing).

I'll do that after the tour is over.

[Mr. Heartbreak]

I'll do that after the tour is over.

Cool! Spreadsheets! 

[choo-choo-charlie]

That's a spreadsheet I'd study. These set lists have been incredible to just watch. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a Roadcase release too. An Americanarama anthology would be most excellent.

[sonnyfeeling]

OK, if anyone wants to study the spreadsheet (read-only, but you can download and remix to your heart's content), go here:

http://sdrv.ms/189GN5U
 

It's a live document, so I'll be updating it as each new show is documented.

 

The structure is as follows: Set Lists (tab 1), Song list (tab 2), and Pivot Table listing songs by number of times played, in descending order (tab 3).

[JayK]

OK, if anyone wants to study the spreadsheet (read-only, but you can download and remix to your heart's content), go here:

 

http://sdrv.ms/189GN5U

 

It's a live document, so I'll be updating it as each new show is documented.

 

The structure is as follows: Set Lists (tab 1), Song list (tab 2), and Pivot Table listing songs by number of times played, in descending order (tab 3).

Fantastic. Thanks!

[Cold as Gasoline]

OK, if anyone wants to study the spreadsheet (read-only, but you can download and remix to your heart's content), go here:

 

http://sdrv.ms/189GN5U

 

It's a live document, so I'll be updating it as each new show is documented.

 

The structure is as follows: Set Lists (tab 1), Song list (tab 2), and Pivot Table listing songs by number of times played, in descending order (tab 3).

 

I love your spreadsheet!  I'm such a nerd.  Sadly, last night I was making a spreadsheet of all the Wilco and Tweedy shows I've seen and what their setlists are so I can run some stats  Will be adding the Friday Americanarama show to that spreadsheet soon!

[kidsmoke]

What a buncha computer nerds! Thank you, sonny!

[linclink]

OK, if anyone wants to study the spreadsheet (read-only, but you can download and remix to your heart's content), go here:

 

http://sdrv.ms/189GN5U

 

It's a live document, so I'll be updating it as each new show is documented.

 

The structure is as follows: Set Lists (tab 1), Song list (tab 2), and Pivot Table listing songs by number of times played, in descending order (tab 3).

This rocks, thanks!! That they are playing 15 songs, 75 min. & mixing it up sooooo much is just part of why I'm going.

I'll be in Toronto, mostly because they are likely to play with Richard Thompson & I get to see the Richard Thompson Electric Trio too!

But I'll probably try & make Darien Lake (hate the venue, but great tickets are becoming available at very cheap prices now), & maybe Hoboken (since it's general admission, tickets will be very cheap & I think I may need to come to NYC to pick up a Gibson J-200 I'm hopefully, buying), or any of those June 26-28 NYC/Philly area shows (Jones Beach & Camden- but I hate that Camden venue as well)...

[worldrecordplayer]

I have been thinking along the exact same lines.

 

After the incredible "Evening with Wilco" shows (2010?), where they had an acoustic set in the middle and knocked out 30-something songs, the next couple of years became fairly predictable. Of course, when you're not actually at a show, a list of pretty great songs can look ho-hum. But for diehards, it was becoming rather stale.

 

I bought my ticket for Tampa thinking, "Well, they're in my city, with Dylan, so of course I will see them." When they added Weir to the festival, my excitement level went up (more bang for my buck!), but I didn't have high expectations, really.

 

Then they played Ripple in West Palm, and reading about that got me pumped up. When they knocked out Dead Flowers and Friend of the Devil, I was in some kind of Wilco/Deadhead heaven.

 

I had to make the trek to Atlanta to see what happened next. 

They surpassed my expectations again, playing Dark Star>Cali Stars>Dark Star.

And they just keep going: Sloth. Who Loves the Sun. Cinnamon Girl. Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald??

Seriously, if they're trying to create a situation where there are Wilcoheads following them around the way people used to follow the Dead, they are doing a damn fine job of it...

And don't forget Tomorrow Never Knows.  Which from what I've seen of available YouTube vids, is right after Dark California Stars as the most blind blowing of all the Weir sit-ins.  

[Mr. Heartbreak]

How did I forget that and Bird Song? As a Deadhead, I have to say a mea culpa. My only excuse is that I blocked it out, because I wasn't there for it!

[sonnyfeeling]

I've been updating the spreadsheet regularly. With the tour now 2/3 over (18 down, 9 to go), the WIlco set lists are still showing astonishing variety.
 
Art of Almost is played at every show. But 48 songs, or roughly three in every set, have been played only once on the entire tour. And another 25 songs have been played at only two or three shows.
 
You can see the entire list here:

http://sdrv.ms/189GN5U

 

Feel free to sort and filter the list to your heart's content. You won't break anything.

[nalafej]

Can't wait for the final wrap up. I just went through the list of guests and it is really amazing. They range from up and coming of avant-garde musicians to the hall of famiest musicians around. 

 

Nancy Sinatra

Jackson Browne

John Doe

Bob Weir

Beck

Sean Lennon

Warren Haynes

Ian Hunter

Richard Thompson

Leslie Feist

Garth Hudson

My Morning Jacket

Ryan Bingham

Low

Cibo Matto

Lucius

Richard Bowden

Taras Prodaniuk

Michael Jerome

Roger Manning

James Mastro

[A heart I know by heart]

Can't wait for the final wrap up. I just went through the list of guests and it is really amazing. They range from up and coming of avant-garde musicians to the hall of famiest musicians around. 

 

Nancy Sinatra

Jackson Browne

John Doe

Bob Weir

Beck

Sean Lennon

Warren Haynes

Ian Hunter

Richard Thompson

Leslie Feist

Garth Hudson

My Morning Jacket

Ryan Bingham

Low

Cibo Matto

Lucius

Richard Bowden

Taras Prodaniuk

Michael Jerome

Roger Manning

James Mastro

Peter Wolfe from J Geils too...

[Hixter]

If I counted correctly at setlist.fm, the band played 115 different songs during the tour. That's pretty remarkable.