Jeff Tweedy and the rest of Wilco gave fans two hours of great music. (Alexander Michael/Retna Ltd.)
Due to the threat of a severe storm, Wilco’s appearance at Prospect Park on Monday looked like it might just be a cameo. Barely 20 minutes in — just as they embarked on the noise freakout that rounded off a sublime “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart”— a giant bolt of lightning cracked the sky behind the stage, causing gasps to ripple across the crowd. It was a beautiful sight, but one that suggested that this show (the first of a three-date run in New York City) was in real danger of being abruptly halted.
But while the rain came down continuously, the lightning stayed at a safe enough distance for Wilco to show the crowd why they have become such luminaries in American alternative-rock. The ongoing debate about which album in the band’s back catalog represents their best work has been made even more difficult by last year’s impressively diverse “The Whole Love.” They rightly seem proud of it, front-loading the set with numerous offerings from the album — including “I Might” and a dazzling “Born Alone” — before beginning a wonderfully meandering journey through 18 years worth of old favorites.
The country groove of “Impossible Germany” was a particular highlight thanks to guitarist Nels Cline, who shredded his way up and down the frets so intuitively that you’d think he’d been born with his guitar in hand. Even singer Jeff Tweedy — who gets to see Cline’s sorcery close-up at every Wilco gig — couldn’t help but salute his bandmate with the same awe as the thousands of people out front. Cline’s solos came frequently, and drummer Glenn Kotche didn’t demure when it came to showing off his skills, either. His beats were a constant marvel and gave songs like “Handshake Drugs” a primal punch. But every time the jam-band feel began to overrun the show, Wilco had the ability to take a total left turn, such as on “I’m Always in Love,” which marries a Velvet Underground-style chug to an irresistible power-pop melody.
“You guys smell like bacon,” exclaimed Tweedy at one juncture, apparently confused by the whiff of the nearby food trucks. An unusual statement, but after taking a soaking in the rain, most of the crowd were happy to take whatever compliments they could get. Yet Tweedy and his band rewarded their fans’ perseverance with more than just kind words.
By the time the lightning subsided at the end of the night, the band clocked in more than two hours and covered more musical ground than most musicians do in a lifetime. Those who skipped out early might have stayed dry and smug, but the fans who stayed for the duration walked away from Prospect Park with smiles that not even a monsoon could have removed. When Wilco is on this kind of roll, even the elements can’t stop them.