Wilco at the Murat Theatre, Indianapolis June 15, 2007

In February of 2005 I got to see Wilco on my university's campus and they opened with "Hell is Chrome" - a really haunting song whose almost-cheerful opening piano chords betray the lyrics and Jeff Tweedy's resigned, but achingly beautiful voice that follows (apologies for all the hyperbole, but it's deserved!). That song set the tone for a wonderful concert over two years ago and I finally got to see the band again last night. The show was really good but it seems like Wilco has changed in the last couple of years - this is a completely unfair complaint but last night nearly every song they played just sounded... too happy (even the wrenching ones - like "Jesus, Etc." and a really amazing, newly orchestrated version of "Sunken Treasure") . Maybe this is a reflection of their new album or the addition of Nels Cline to the band, but it seems like they have shifted towards a new focus on longer instrumental jams that display the guitar talents of Cline and away from a band who had/still has at its center an amazing singer/songwriter whose lyrics resonate so intensely. Then again maybe it was just an off night and the vocals were set too low compared to the instrumentation... they still play well, long, and with so much energy. Unfortunately no cover of "Don't Fear the Reaper" last night either - instead we got a macrame owl with a goofy light display on it :)