Wilco, Live at Stubb’s Bar-B-Q

I have never been a big fan of alternative country, “y’allternative,” or whatever the correct label is now. I am proud to say that I witnessed an amazing Uncle Tupelo show, however. It was in Bozeman, Montana in 1993, at The Cat’s Paw, a casino/bar. Uncle Tupelo broke up in mid-1994, with Jay Farrar going on to form Son Volt and Jeff Tweedy fronting Wilco. Wilco’s third recording, Summerteeth, was a total departure from their two more roots-rockin’, earlier releases, AM and Being There . With Summerteeth, the band had
ventured off into quirky, dreamy pop arrangements that had more in common with the Beach Boys Stubb’s BBQ. Stubb’s is one of, if not my favorite venue in town. I’m sure music purists would argue that other clubs have better acoustics, or dislike the lack of intimacy that you would find in a smaller place.
Stubb’s gives you the sensation of being at an outdoor festival, with grass, Port-o-Potties, and lights strung in the trees, yet you are downtown, just off 6th Street. And where else can you see a band play and look up and see groups of birds, migrating in formation.

The sold out performance began with the first song (not sure what the name is) off the new record Yankee Foxtrot Hotel. It seemed like Wilco was having a hard time connecting with the huge crowd during the first couple of songs. Alicia, Peter, Joel, Nicole, Laura, Bob, Sarah and I were standing pretty far back and that may have had something to with not getting into it at first. Let me share a beef of mine: it never fails that when I go see a show, especially at Stubb’s, people will journey through the packed-in crowd to score a better spot. This is fine. No problem. But what pisses me off is when you move out of their way, so they can
pass by you and then they take your spot! This happened over and over at the Wilco show. After about three songs in, I was determined to get closer and try to get away from the
Manute Bol tall dude in front of me. I trudged forward with the intention of reaching the “Sonic Youth Spot.” When Sarah, Jon Moore, and I saw Sonic Youth, we found an easy way to get to the very front by sort of going under the balcony next to the big stacks of speakers, inching down into the crowd, and then breaking for the front. It is a super easy way to get to the very front and I’m sure many Stubb’s veterans have finely honed this technique.
As soon as I arrived, the show had just taken off. They had played “She’s a Jar,” probably my
favorite song off Summerteeth and later belted out “A Shot in the Arm.” When Jeff started screaming, along with hundreds of people around me, “Something in my vains, bloodier than blood” there was practically a breeze coming off the speakers. I had to frantically find a piece of napkin or risk ringing ears for the next 6 months.

The highlight of the evening was when they played “California Stars,” from Mermaid Avenue, the Wilco/Billy Bragg collaberation. I can’t think of another song I would have rather heard from Wilco off of this record. At some point in the middle of the song, I looked up
and kind of smiled as there were in fact plenty of stars out on this balmy, Austin evening. I then looked behind me and as far as I could see people were dancing and singing along.

September 24th, 2001