Yeah, Mickelson holed out from the Applebees parking lot on Washington Road en route to a 67, Couples kept himself in contention at the tender age of 470 and Westwood showed grit and reserve in a 68 that kept him in the lead. I’m sure that all of you couch potatoes had a great time watching it. And I’m sure I would have had just as fun as you did if I’d planted my self in front of the plasma.
Instead, I spent my Masters Saturday in the City of Brotherly Love with two of my lovely brothers from college. After a fun-filled drive up Everybody’s Favorite Interstate, complete with an unintended 40 minute backtrack (well, we WERE heading toward Baltimore when we were south of it) we had:
1. An all too quick walking tour of the city. But my pal Bob (the Philly local) managed to hit a couple of key highpoints, like the oldest residential street in America. There are places for rent there right now – imagine living in a 300 year old building. Then Drew had his first real Philly cheesesteak from Sonny’s. Being a Jersey boy and being disgusted by Cheese Whiz (slay me in the comments if you like – I can’t do Whiz), I got a Provie with (fried onions). While my heart still belongs to AC Subs (my South Jersey family’s favorite), this was one of the best steaks I’d ever had. Blew Pat’s away.
2. Strong Belgian beer and spirited political debate at Eulogy. I stayed away from the Delerium Tremens (we had other business to attend to later) and stuck with the Leffe Blond. Delicious. And it’s fun to listen to traditional (not neo-) conservatives agree with liberal political philosophy.
3. The reason Drew and I drove up. Wilco at the Electric Factory. I have to be honest, I like Wilco, but I did not love them before this show. I do really enjoy the new album. “Wilco (the song)” rocks enough to keep my attention, and the clever self-deprecation of the lyrics keep me smug and self-satisfied. Besides, they played it on the Colbert Report. Instant classic! And “Bull Black Nova” is one of my favorite songs in recent memory. But most of their recorded material is just a bit too soft for my general tastes, which relegates them to sleepytime music for me. To be honest, I’m more of a Son Volt kind of a guy (again, slay me in the comments, I can take it).
Having been on vacation the week before the show, I was fairly unplugged from the blogosphere and had not been reading reviews. I had no idea I was in for a three-hour rockathon that made Guided by Voices feel like Lawrence Welk. Below is the setlist that Bob compiled (with a couple of assists from your humble author).
1. Wilco (the song)
2. I’m Trying to Break Your Heart
3. Ashes of American Flags
4. Bull Black Nova
5. You Are My Face
6. One Wing
7. A Shot in the Arm
8. I’ll Fight
9. Company in My Back
10. Pot Kettle Black
11. Handshake Drugs
12. California Stars
13. Impossible Germany
14. Poor Places
15. Spiders (Kidsmoke)- acoustic version
16. You and I – acoustic
17. Sunken treasure
18. That’s Not the Issue
19. Forget the Flowers
20. Laminated Cat (by side project Loose Fur)
21. Walk on War
22. Passenger Side
23. Outtasite (Outta Mind)
24. Airline to Heaven
25. Via Chicago
26. Hate it Here
27. Walken
28. Jesus, Etc (Audience sing-along; no vocals by Wilco until last verse and chorus)
29. Theologians
30. You Never Know
31. I Must Be High
32. Can’t Stand It
33. Heavy Metal Drummer
34. I’m the Man Who Loves You
35. In the Street (Cheap Trick cover; aka That 70s Show theme song)
Total time: 3 hours
Encore
36. Dreamer In My Dreams
37. Casino Queen
38. Outta Mind (Outta Sight)
39. I’m a Wheel
I’m trying hard to get more into their records, but I cannot wait until I get to see them again. No boys club next time, though. The wife wants a ticket as well.
