Wilco Plays the Pikes Peak Center in Colorado Springs, CO

The alt-country / rock / folk band Wilco played a two-hour long set during its show at the Pikes Peak Center in Colorado Springs. After the opening band Retribution Gospel Choir finished their set, Wilco promptly took the stage at 9pm, playing the first two songs from their newest album, Sky Blue Sky: "Either Way" and "You are My Face". For the next two hours, Wilco played songs from each of their six studio albums, as well as two songs from their Mermaid Avenue project.

For the first hour, Wilco played their main set. Highlights included "Handshake Drugs" and "Impossible Germany". The addition of guitarist Nels Cline to the lineup in 2007 provides the band with a subtle and weird--yet extremely talented and interesting--stage presence. On any song with solo parts, Cline straight ripped it up, son! Other, quieter songs would find Cline sitting with a lap steel, providing a solid accompaniment.

During the first encore, Jeff Tweedy informed the crowd that drummer Glenn Kotche will be having a child with his wife soon. He joked that the child's name will be Suds Kotche (full name: Mustard Suds Kotche).

The second encore consisted of a couple of Mermaid Avenue and A.M. songs. The second encore lasted far longer than expected, bringing the entire performance to nearly two hours. It concluded with a performance of the song "Hoodoo Voodoo" from Mermaid Avenue, which included a guitar solo battle between Cline and multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone.

The sound at Pikes Peak Center was great: loud-but-not-too-loud, and very clear. The band played through small amps and heads which were projected through the auditorium via microphones. One problem with Pikes Peak Center as a venue for a rock band is their food and alcohol service, which ended at 9:15. This meant that our socially responsible, attractive group was to watch the entire show thirsty; however, other obnoxious, less attractive patrons were able to smuggle bourbon and dance wildly in other people's seats. Pikes Peak Center should either employ a more motivated security staff, let people bring in their booze, or sell hooch past 9:15. You gotta give the people what they want.

Luckily Jeff Tweedy and the rest of Wilco put on a great show, so everything was good.