Wilco, Avila Beach Resort, September 29, 2012: I love that Wilco plays unusual spots around California and elsewhere, major mileage aside, but there's always the question of what awaits us at the end of the interstate. It turned out my brother and his wife really like Avila Beach, and the resort Website depicted an inviting setup on the water. It could be paradise, if seaside getaways are your thing.
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Here's a perfect encapsulation of the show's vibe: Nels had equipment trouble on the opening tracks. Apparently, his pedals and gizmos didn't react well to the sun and heat. I caught one exchange between Nels and his tech in which Nels called something "bullshit" (the extent of my lip-reading abilities). The tech swapped out Nels' head (commence Liz Lemon eye-roll sequence), and all was fixed. Several audience members requested a do-over, so Jeff had Nels recap his solos from an especially guitar-heavy roster. Nels delivered with his trademark exquisite touch, and Jeff followed with the one solo he knew, according to his claims -- a lovely, jarring jumble of notes.
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In the Reno write-up, I mentioned Wilco's outline for shows in new towns, but the band broke out of the mold for its San Luis Obispo premiere. Maybe it had to do with the connection between Jeff's kind of hometown of St. Louis and San Luis Obispo. In any case, we got the artsy opener ("One Sunday Morning," "Art of Almost"); the acoustic "Spiders"; a number of AM tracks; the always welcome inclusion of Summerteeth songs, including the formerly reviled "Can't Stand It"; and the Being There closer. Where did they think they were -- Berkeley!?
As if the show weren't already amusing enough, a narrative emerged: a battle with the elements. Under any other circumstances, we'd dream of seeing a show under such postcard-perfect circumstances, but three hours in the sun proved to be a challenge (see aforementioned technical issues). I think it may have been harder on Wilco, as the rays seemed to zero in on the band right in the middle of their set. Needless to say, Jeff didn't remove his jean jacket, though he commented on the brightness on several occasions.
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Sun, surf, and songs alone already made this a unique Wilco gig, but all the unexpected factors pushed it up another notch. Watch out -- I may be talking about it for some time to come.
See also:
» september gurls
» you can tell that i'm not lying
» if i had a mountain
» the lovely way the sunshine bends
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