This Friday afternoon, I'll be heading down to Nashville to check out a couple recommended jamgrass bands from some of my former colleagues at Compass Records, the site of my former employment during my eight month residency in Tennessee's capitol city. And to culminate the weekend, I will head to the Ryman Auditorium on Sunday night to catch my third Wilco show in 6 days. I saw the first of three last night at D.C.'s 9:30 club, and left the venue after a 2 hr. and fifteen minute set filled mostly with well-rehearsed rockers, alt-country ballads from their earlier albums and Woody Guthrie (!) covers from Wilco's dual disc Mermaid Avenue releases. I'm hoping for the same degree of variety tonight and Sunday.
From a publicity perspective, Wilco has become one of the biggest media darlings since their 2002 release of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. They are kind of like the Barack Obama of slightly experimental folk-rock in that it's easy to jump on their bandwagon. But if any of you tune into Post critic Josh "Freedom" DuLac's live discussions on washingtonpost.com every Tuesday at 2, you'll see that he thinks otherwise with the quote,
"Wilco: The most overrated band in America? Or simply the most overrated American band? I don't hate them. I just don't understand the big droolfest they've triggered."
I know this is a forum for general, informal musical discussion, but man I can think of about 100 other bands who would win the blue ribbon for both the most overrated band in America AND the most overrated American band. I'm sure you can too. Chime in with comments if you'd like!
Anyways, I digress. Try to come out tomorrow night for Roomful of Blues, established by the legendary Duke Robbillard in 1967. Of course, he's not with the band these days, but the current lineup delivers quite a show. Starts at 8 - tickets are $22. We'll see you there!
Talk soon,
Graham
I did think it was a drag how Wilco's single release from their album last year "What Light" was product placed quite a bit.
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