In my recent essay reviewing the Chicago stop on the AmericanaramA tour, one of the things I was most impressed with was how Wilco is becoming more like the Dead. No, they're not much in the way of improvisational jamming, but they are beginning to craft setlists like them. It seems the band is pulling different sounding tunes from a host of great albums, together with interesting covers, into career spanning setlists comprised of "hits" and rarities. They also haven't been shy about inviting guests up to share the stage with them. It has raised my already high regard for Wilco just a tad higher.
Just a few weeks later, they'd meet up with the Dead's Bob Weir again at the tour's Shoreline stop and take the concept to the next level. After a few collaborations with Weir earlier in the tour (when Bobby opened shows for the traveling festival), Weirco reprised their ambitious Dark Star > California Stars > Dark Star suite, and also added in a St. Stephen and Ripple for good measure. They even nod to the headliner by covering Dylan's "When I Paint My Masterpiece" with Ryan Bingham, John Doe and My Morning Jacket contributing as well.
Here's the entire show from Wilco at Shoreline Ampitheater in Mountain View, CA.
The Stream
[box type="download"]Download Entire Show[/box]
And video of Birdsong > Tomorrow Never Knows from Riverfront Park in Nashville on 6/30/13
