Across the border from The District, I was out in Maryland today when I struck up a conversation with the assistant manager of an 84 Lumber location. To my surprise, he did not know of one of the best bands in the last 20 years — perhaps THE biggest name in Americana music — Wilco. In fact, NPR called them “the best live band in America.” (Proof NPR should stick with music and not politics, but I digress …)
“What, you don’t know Wilco?,” I asked. Now, I chuckle. This new friend did give a glowing recommendation to the venue based on one performance he had seen at Wolf Trap — RiverDance … Go Irish! Woohoo! In his defense, his girlfriend drug him to the show … Anywho, Wilco plays D.C.’s storied Wolf Trap on Tuesday … and yes … the PingWi-Fi roadtrip will include the show. We actually called ahead for once for media credentials and everything is set … IF “The Dirty Gig” doesn’t get in the way. Here’s more on the venue in Vienna, Va.:
It has been eight years since the last time I saw and wrote about Wilco … during one of the best times of this writer’s life — at The Austin City Limits Music Festival, from the front row in the photo pit … which was the final stop on my second nationwide roadtrip … the first blog, called The Wi-Fi Guy. (Lots of history or stats … or whatever there …)
Being on the road now, I do not have access to all of my photo archives … So you’ll have to take my word for it that the shots of Jeff Tweedy and the boys were some of the best of the trip. Hmmm … speaking of ACL and Wilco … if you have ever wondered who all those kids are in the photos that randomly flash across the top of this Web site … one of the shots is a bunch of concert goers waiting to see Wilco.
Meanwhile, for posterity’s sake, here is what we had to say on the topic way back when …
Wilco & Wi-Fi from not so very long ago …
Know what I sayin?
