Wilco Show They're Champs In Hamilton

As soon as I got to my seat, I was greeted by a gentleman stranger with the phrase, "I think I should've eaten more hash." Perfect.

Tuesday's (Feb. 23) show was the first time Wilco played Steeltown, and not surprisingly, Jeff Tweedy and company didn't disappoint.

The band, who were fresh off their recent Vancouver performance, walked on stage to some Olympic fanfare, which brought the majority of the crowd at the sold-out Hamilton Place Theatre to their feet. The audience vibe was overwhelmingly happy, like a group of depressed teenagers at an all-you-can-eat Prozac buffet.

The opening seven songs were seamless and showcased the band's rock-God prowess to the 2,100 in attendance. Wilco are clearly still in the prime of their career as the magic they pull out of their instruments seems effortless. During "You Are My Face," Nels Cline ripped a solo that most of us could only accomplish on air guitar.

It became apparent throughout the night that Glenn Kotche is easily one of the finest drummers on the planet today. His flawless transition from chaotic smashing to perfect timing in "Via Chicago" earned him some well-deserved roars of admiration from the crowd.

And then there was Tweedy, as charismatic a frontman as there is in rock. He wasn't afraid to engage the rather boisterous crowd, no matter how ridiculous the comment.

At one point, shouts of "Vancouver 2010!" rang out. Followed by "Canada!" And then the inevitable "U.S.A.!"

The rumbling of boos were quickly shot down by Tweedy as he explained, "Wilco is owning the podium today. This transcends country."

Brilliant.

A nice nod to their neighbors to the north was paid as the band covered Neil Young's "Broken Arrow" during the encore. But the night's highlight came midway through the set as the vocal responsibilities were turned over to the audience for "Jesus, Etc." The collective voice carried the song right through to the final chorus, where the band joined in.

Wilco are one of the gold medal bands of their generation. While the world was focused on the other side of the country, a show in Hamilton, Ont. confirmed you don't need to be an athlete to deserve a spot on a podium.  

Here's what Wilco played:

"Wilco (The Song)"
"Bull Black Nova"
"I Am Trying To Break Your Heart"
"One Wing"
"You Are My Face"
"Company In My Back"
"A Shot In The Arm"
"What's The World Got In Store"
"Deeper Down"
"Impossible Germany"
"Ripple" (Grateful Dead cover)
"Handshake Drugs"
"You Never Know"
"Jesus, Etc."
"Poor Places"
"Reservations"
"Spiders (Kidsmoke)"
"Hummingbird"

Encore:
"Broken Arrow" (Neil Young cover)
"Via Chicago"
"California Stars"
"Box Full Of Letters"
"Hate It Here"
"The Late Greats"
"Walken"
"I'm The Man Who Loves You"