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It's safe to say Tweedy is very much a family affair—it's even in the name. What once started out as a solo project of Wilco's Jeff Tweedy has quickly blossomed into a subtler creative endeavor alongside his 18-year-old son, drummer Spencer Tweedy, culminating in an album dedicated to Jeff's wife and Spencer's mother. Despite the disheartening nature of the songs—much of Sukierae revolves around her recent battle with lymphoma—Tweedy and co. took the Crystal Ballroom stage Saturday night (following a raucous hometown appearance by the Minus 5) with a presence that was anything but demoralized.
After opening the show with the forgettable âHazel,â the band launched into a two-hour set of songs that showcased many of Wilcoâs hallmarks, albeit in lesser form. Absent the jazzy virtuosity of guitarist Nels Cline and the bombastic drumming of Glenn Kotche, the competent backing band of longtime family friends was nevertheless more than capable of recreating the finer points of Tweedyâs work. Standouts like the psychedelic âDiamond Light Pt. 1â functioned much like a forgotten cut off Wilcoâs A Ghost of Born, reveling in a kind of orchestrated chaos where eerie piano lines and galloping drums give way to screeching chords. Elsewhere, the classic-rocking âWorld Awayâ and an acoustic âFloweringâ shined, the latter punctuated by Spencerâs quick drum fills and the same bright dollops of electric guitar that would later resurface on the bandâs lead single, âSummer Noon.â
"This might be the perfect place to play a waltz," remarked the elder Tweedy moments into the show. "So, partner up." The delicate breeziness of "Wait for Love" and heavy-hearted "Nobody Dies Anymore" followed, though the overbearing chatter of the room nearly drowned out the second song in a similar fashion to his last solo show at the venue in 2006. "This song is dedicated to all you," he said before launching into "High As Hello" and its luscious set of harmonies. "Every time I pass people in this town it smells like marijuana."
Nevertheless, the true highlights came when Jeff took the time to dig into his back catalog before the cover-filled encore, culling songs from his earlier days in Wilco and the defunct Uncle Tupelo as a solo act strapped with a classical guitar. Hushed sing-alongs accompanied "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" and "Jesus, Etc.," while a simple whistle solo and stomping buoyed "Hummingbird" prior to the drifting, Dylan-like harmonica of "Via Chicago" and pensive longing of "One Wing."
"I'm looking at this request sheet you guys filled out on our Web site… there's a lot of sad fucking songs on here," he joked in his typical self-deprecating tone. "Are you guys all right?" A twee father-son moment came when Spencer hugged his dad before walking off stage, only to reunite with him later for a two-part rendition of "Heavy Metal Drummer." The last song—written and recorded in Chicago when Spencer wasn't even 4 years old—showed that Tweedy (the band) functions best when at its most minimalist: just a father and son sharing a blood-tied vulnerability with one another in the only way they know how.
All photos by Jerek Hollender.
WWeek 2015