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Wilco came to Hamilton last night and for the most part left the safe, predictable “dad rock” of their last two albums behind.

They played for about two and half hours to a sold-out crowd of 2200 at Hamilton Place Theatre, digging up all of their longer and more experimental epics for the show. They started on the darker side of their catalogue (Bull Black Nova and I am trying to break your heart) but then mixed in fairly heavily from YHF and Summerteeth. Toward the end of the show, they played a great rendition of California Stars with fellow Chicagoans Califone. As usual, I spent most of the show mesmerized by Nels Cline’s guitar technique, and the massive array of pedals at Jeff Tweedy’s feet.

Chart Attack has a nice review of the show (though anyone who’s followed Wilco would note that calling Tweedy “as charismatic as any rock frontman” is a relatively new observation). They’ve got a setlist, etc — the Neil Young cover near the end was a special treat.

I don’t know how the heck I missed this album when it came out in 2006, but I’m glad I’ve finally discovered it.

Brightblack Morning Light is a duo from Alabama-by-way-of-California who make laid back, slowed-down, roots-influenced, experimental blues rock. They don’t sound like anyone else I can think of. Either of their discs would be the perfect wind-down after a playlist of The Kills and Dead Weather.

Fellow eMusic.com users — it’s available here, because Brightblack’s first album was released on Matador. No luck for the 2008 follow-up, though.

Neko Case’s new Album, Middle Cyclone, hits stores on Tuesday.  But for the impatient, you can head right on over to NPR’s website to listen to a streaming audio preview of the album.  It’s fantastic, and worth more than a few listens.  It follows the tradition of being a little less country than every album since The Virginian, but it might be her best work since then.

At the very least, it’s her best album art, ever.

Dare I say, it was worth having my platinum membership in the international conservative conspiracy revoked for listening to NPR for an hour straight!

Another great show at the legendary Horseshoe Tavern last night: Blitzen Trapper, with Alela Diane opening.    BT put on a great show, complete with harmonicas and some extended Skynyrd jams.  The stage was surprisingly crowded – I didn’t realise they were a six piece.   They played about a 50-50 mix of Furr and everything else.  There is one thing I cannot figure out about Blitzen Trapper.  They are Oregonians, and yet they rhyme “Oregon” with “song” on their most Dylanesque track, Black River Killer.  If there’s one thing I know about people from OR, it’s that they instantly correct everyone on how it’s pronounced (sorta like “Oregn”).  So while I can’t quit reconcile that, maybe I’m overthinking it…

Big thanks to fellow concertgoer April for the photo – I forgot my camera as per usual.)