Wilco — 7/11/15, Minneapolis, MN (Sun Country stage at 15th and Linden) [Basilica Block Party]

[bböp]

Despite starting 10 minutes late, Wilco actually played a bit beyond its 90-minute slot headlining the main (Sun Country) stage and closing out this year's Basilica Block Party. And thankfully the band did because those extra minutes helped provide one highlight of the set when Jason Isbell — who had immediately preceded Wilco on the stage — came out with his gold Gibson Les Paul to take a solo on California Stars.

 

Isbell, who seemed to develop a bit of rapport (or is it just guitar geekery?) with Nels, delivered a nice jangly solo when his turn came up and did a better job than many others who have been in his shoes. As an aside, Isbell mentioned chatting with Nels in the morning during his set and the latter jokingly telling the former he "didn't have enough guitars." Isbell said hopefully in 15 years he and his band would have as many guitars as Wilco. Anyway, California Stars seems like it will be a nice chance for some of the bands opening for Wilco this summer to collaborate a bit. In addition to Isbell, Tristen (of whom I'm a big fan) from Jenny Lewis' band came out and sat in on keys and members of both the Lewis and Isbell bands contributed percussion. Jeff actually called hopefully for Jenny to come out, but when she wasn't around, he ultimately said anybody that wanted to join in was welcome.

 

At any rate, that was a fun way to end the night. Certainly it's tough when Wilco only has 90 minutes just because it seems like when they're just about warmed up, they have to stop. Jeff mentioned the band was running out of time and joked about how apparently they couldn't play too late next to the interstate (which runs right by the main stage site).

 

From the ambitious printed list, it was probably evident that a number of songs would have to be cut and that indeed was the case. Among the casualties were Either Way, I'm Always In Love, Hotel Arizona, Dawned On Me and A Shot in the Arm.

 

Nonetheless, Jeff reiterated how the band has been playing in Minneapolis for its entire 20-year history and how the city is "home away from home, whether you like it or not." Before Box Full Of Letters, he said that the band has "been playing this song here for 20 years, and it hasn't gotten any better." Other quips from Banter Corner included the setlist being "picked by the archdiocese" after Jesus, etc. and before Born Alone and the aforementioned comment(s) about being in close proximity to the interstate.

 

That's all I can think of for the moment, but I'll see if anything else comes to me. Until then, here was the complete set list as played:

 

Airline To Heaven

Company In My Back

Handshake Drugs

Camera

I Am Trying To Break Your Heart>

Art Of Almost

Panthers

Hummingbird

Sunken Treasure (acoustic arrangement; Jeff on acoustic guitar, no harmonica; Pat on keyboard)

Secret of the Sea

Heavy Metal Drummer (Glenn "manual" intro)>

I'm The Man Who Loves You

Jesus, etc.

Born Alone

Via Chicago

Impossible Germany

Box Full Of Letters

Red-Eyed and Blue>

I Got You (At The End of the Century)

California Stars (with Jason Isbell on electric guitar, Tristen Gaspadarek on keyboard and members of Jenny Lewis and Jason Isbell bands on percussion)

[rustinmaz]

Bbop... apparently I was right next to you at the show. And what a show it was! Took me back to the 1st Ave days. Thought I loved these guys until I met the woman in front of me with the tattoo. Still... after 20 years... they still bring it. Thanks guys for bringing some joy into my life tonight!

[Atticus]

Excellent. Looking forward to hearing the Isbell contribution.

[d. boony]

While there is a small amount of predictability in a Wilco set list (impossible Germany, late main set.  Rockers from being there, if played, tend to close etc...) I am stunned at how diverse their offerings have become. On any given night there are perhaps one or two songs you can pencil in.  After that, it's a smorgasbord.

 

Pretty amazing when you compare it to other bands who have been playing that long (cough.... U2, who I love....cough).

[luke79]

Tweedy seems to like to preface AM material (at least when I've seen Wilco) with a comment about the distance between the AM material and where the band is at now. I'm just happy to have heard just about all of AM live (except Dash 7) at this point. I was so excited to hear "I Must Be High" when I did. 

[Eternal Instigator]

Bbop... apparently I was right next to you at the show. And what a show it was! Took me back to the 1st Ave days. Thought I loved these guys until I met the woman in front of me with the tattoo. Still... after 20 years... they still bring it. Thanks guys for bringing some joy into my life tonight!

Next time I see you at a show, I should have at least one more Wilco tattoo on my other forearm! I fully own and embrace my fandom 

 

It was nice to talk to you guys and to be surrounded by Wilco fans at a festival gig! I always get nervous at festivals because you run the risk of standing near folks who were there for some other band and wind up talking through the band you're there to see. Not sure which one of you this is, but you NEVER have to apologize for singing along, even if you think you're the worst singer in the world! Tweedy and the guys like it and besides, singing along live with a favorite band is one of the things that makes a concert experience something special - you guys rocked it!

[Eternal Instigator]

Despite starting 10 minutes late, Wilco actually played a bit beyond its 90-minute slot headlining the main (Sun Country) stage and closing out this year's Basilica Block Party. And thankfully the band did because those extra minutes helped provide one highlight of the set when Jason Isbell — who had immediately preceded Wilco on the stage — came out with his gold Gibson Les Paul to take a solo on California Stars.

Nice seeing you at the show! You can tell a lot about a person from how they high five and that was a solid high five, my friend! Man, I love a good high five!

 

You left out how distracting it was with Woody Harrelson and Laura Dern watching the show from the side of the stage LOL! Someone else said they were at the Rock the Garden festival a few weeks earlier so yeah, they definitely must be shooting a film in the Twin Cities. But holy crap, when Isbell came out to play, I thought my husband was going to die and go to heaven! He's had a major man-crush on him for years and seeing Jason share the stage with Wilco was pretty much his dream come true! We saw him right after his first solo record came out at the now closed 400 Bar in Minneapolis - the single best super small venue rock show I've ever seen. He borrowed my lighter that night 

 

My one complaint was that the lighting seemed pretty bad which surprised me considering they've been doing this festival for 20 years - Tweedy was in shadows most of the time which wasn't a big deal for those of us down in front but I felt bad for anyone further back. 

 

Thanks for the setlist and review - well done as always! Hope to run into you again soon!

[Pecan_Pie]

Jason Isbell with Wilco.... when's the bootleg come out.  My god.

[bböp]

Nice seeing you at the show! You can tell a lot about a person from how they high five and that was a solid high five, my friend! Man, I love a good high five!

 

Thanks for the setlist and review - well done as always! Hope to run into you again soon!

Nice to see you again as well! Thanks for saying hi, and for the kind words!

 

Oh, and re: Woody and Laura, thanks for mentioning it! I actually wasn't sure they had moved up to side stage for the Wilco set, but I figured they must have. Turns out they have been shooting a project in town. Someone sent me a link:

 

http://www.citypages.com/arts/woody-harrelson-laura-dern-shooting-graphic-novel-movie-in-the-twin-cities-7424746

[PopQuizKat]

Jason Isbell with Wilco!  I was unaware Isbell was at 80/35 this may have pushed me to make the drive and tell work some bullshit.

[rustinmaz]

Folkgirl.. it was fun to talk to a real Wilco fan at the show. My singing must not have been too bad because only one guy behind me left early. Hopefully I see you at another show soon. Maybe this weekend at Pitchfork or maybe at the next SSF. It was a great night and getting so close I feel like I actually connect with the band. That's what has been bringing me back to their shows since the July 4th show in 1996. Connection... am I the Lonely One?