Article and photos by Wendy Podmenik Darugar
A hugely anticipated Wilco arrived in Norfolk just a few days after being featured on the Stephen Colbert Show, and played to a sold-out crowd at the NorVa. Creative forces Jeff Tweedy and bandmates released their eighth studio album Star Wars on July 2015 and not only have been touring, but have offered the album as a free download on their website for fans. Nominated for “Best Alternative Music Album” in the upcoming Grammy awards, Star Wars is considered to be one of Wilco’s best albums to date. Best described musically as experimental folk rock, Jeff Tweedy plays with switching and melding musical genres and writes lyrics that are thought provoking, frequently using a method of subconscious exploration to communicate emotion and mood.
Favorite track: Random Name Generator
By no fault of the band, the musical experience at the NorVa was marred by the extremely packed, uncomfortable venue and the noise of a chattering, socializing crowd. At one point during the show, people had to be urged to pay attention and listen, which was not a good reflection on the behavior of the audience.
Ultimately, the show was cut short by Wilco, with 3 songs being clipped from the setlist.
01 – More…
02 – Random Name Generator
03 – The Joke Explained
04 – You Satellite
05 – Taste the Ceiling
06 – Pickled Ginger
07 – Where Do I Begin
08 – Cold Slope
09 – King of You
10 – Magnetized
11 – Handshake Drugs
12 – Camera
13 – I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
14 – Art of Almost
15 – Hummingbird
16 – Box Full of Letters
17 – Heavy Metal Drummer
18 – I’m the Man Who Loves You
19 – Dawned On Me
20 – Impossible Germany
21 – Red Eyed and Blue
22 – I Got You (At The End Of The Century)
23 – Outtasite (Outta Mind)
Encore:
24 – Spiders (Kidsmoke)
Encore:
25 – Misunderstood
26 – I’m Always In Love
27 – A Shot in the Arm