Wilco, Liam Finn @The Forum,Melbourne (05/05/2010)

Sat 8th May, 2010 in Gig Reviews

Check out photos from the Forum here

I have to admit I’m not that well versed in Wilco, however they have always maintained a certain underdog appeal. To me, they are the type of band that have never had the success they deserve, but somehow symbolise everything other bands aspire to. They ooze authenticity, yet before tonight I had never quite found the right angle to full appreciation.

In Liam Finn, Wilco couldn’t have found a more appropriate support for the night.
The Forum is a vast venue and it’s tough to maintain such a large audience, particularly as a solo act. Yet Finn did a superb job of keeping us genuinely enthralled with his gentle vocals and dirty blues guitar tasting like sweet and sour for the ears. His demeanour is at ease yet attractive, the perfect host and the crowd responded accordingly.

For a good part of the set, Finn was joined by Connan Hosford who adds some beautiful harmonies and strange warbling via moving his Adam’s apple with his fingers. I’ll be Lightning and Dolphin Love set the mood particularly well with Finn closing mad professor style by running around stage with a Theremin. Making use of his loop pedal and other gentle experimentation means Finn is certainly not shy about stepping out from the shadow of his father and stands an excellent talent in his own right.

Wilco’s performance kicks off with a computerised voice that humorously alerts us to the do and don’ts of Wilco audience etiquette, including telling us to rock on before the band enters to some big band jazz. The band launches into Wilco (The song) off the latest album before having the computer introduce the individual band members with the aid of a spotlight and I am Trying To Break Your Heart. The moniker of alt-country Wilco are so often labelled with doesn’t quiet do the complexity of their shifting moods justice. It certainly rings true that it is a form of country music for people who don’t like country music but there is so much more there. It’s like a melting pot of Woody Guthrie, The Beatles and Neil Young splashing country rhythms over great pop and dirty garage rock guitar. However, no song comes out of the pot similar to the last, creating extremely vibrant, individual pieces. What ties it all together is Jeff Tweedy’s heartfelt earnest lyricism. Bull Black Nova and You Are My Face show the six piece band fully firing with the electrifying shifts between a monstrous amount of guitars, both lilting and destructive.

With many members jumping between instruments the sheer scale of instrumentation is overwhelming. The understated core of the music, however, is drummer Glenn Kotche, who’s unusual style really draws out the sound in a live setting. After a tight version of the soulful I’ll Fight, Tweedy stops to ask the crowd if we’re doing okay and lets us know that he’s going to check in periodically from now on. At Least That’s What You Said offers up a perfect blend of the quie/ loud dynamic whilst Handshake Drugs allows bassist John Stirratt to step up with a catchy little lick.

Tweedy continues to espouse a dry wit, announcing that, “We’re playing our arses off!... We’ve played better, but we’ll do our best from now on.” As well as proclaiming his love of the Southern Hemisphere, “We’ve had good times here. Yay, good good times.” Stirratt takes vocals and guitar up for It’s Just That Simple, with Tweedy moving to bass, which is probably the most genuinely country song of the night with the introduction of a lap steel. Tweedy jokes that they are touring their first album as they launch into Box Full Of Letters. The crowd has been shouting requests all night and is rapturous when the band finally oblige with Via Chicago and its manic, overarching drums. Jesus, Etc sees the crowd singing nearly the entire song word for word while Tweedy looks on, and we’re blessed with a particularly tuneful crowd. Other highlights include California Stars off the Billy Brag collaboration album of Woody Guthrie songs, Mermaid Avenue and Fell In Love With A Drummer before closing the set with Outtasite.

After nearly two and a half hours, the encore is brief with an obscure cover leading into the excellent uptempo I’m a Wheel with its addictive refrain of, “I’m a wheel, I will, turn on you” ringing in the ears long afterwards.