Before Wilco’s set at the Rock en Seine Festival, when I saw a young woman at the rail of the AXS Stage who had drawn “ELT” on a small sketchpad that she was clearly planning to flash in Jeff’s sightline during the show, I didn’t want to shatter any hopes she might have harbored of actually getting her request played. So I kept my mouth shut, and just kept what I was thinking to myself: Comment dit-on longshot?
In reality, longshot would have been a major understatement. If there somehow existed a prediction market for Wilco songs being played — c’mon Kalshi, you don’t see any potential in that? — I’m not sure ELT would have even been in play. I mean, Jeff and Co. could barely fit the obligatory songs into their one-hour set, much less a song that hasn’t been in rotation in years. Looking at the printed setlist afterward, it was almost comical to think that they could have squeezed in Spiders (Kidsmoke) as a final number when they already had to cut Heavy Metal Drummer for time earlier in the set.
This is the problem with a band like Wilco at most festivals — namely, that their catalog is too big at this point to fit into such a limited time slot. Earlier in this run, at the Green Man Festival in Wales, the band had a headlining position (and accordingly, a longer set time) so that it was able to play something resembling a normal set. But at most of the festivals that Jeff and his bandmates have played, at least the two I’ve attended, it honestly feels like they’re barely there. I suppose it’s sort of like a big fish in a small pond versus a small fish in a big pond sort of thing.
As I’ve said before, I understand how festivals fit into the economics of touring bands and why they play them. I also don’t pretend to know the ins and outs of the logistics — perhaps Wilco actually requested for some reason to be on what was clearly the third of four stages at Rock en Seine in terms of prominence (judging by the size, the presence of video screens, the acts booked, etc.) — but it was hard to walk away from tonight’s set not feeling like the band was kind of an afterthought amid other acts like Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Franz Ferdinand, The Black Keys, Sparks and Wet Leg, all of whom seem quite popular in France and were on one of the top two stages. Who knows, maybe hard-core fans of those other artists felt like “their” bands also got short shrift — well, except for headliner Nick Cave since he got a full two-hour slot on the main stage — but they were certainly more prominent than Wilco in the pecking order.
Not that there weren’t at least a few positives, at least as I saw it, to Jeff and Co. being on a somewhat smaller stage. For one, it was pretty easy to get right to the rail. I think anyone who was determined enough to get up close was probably able to do so, and that mostly meant the biggest fans were the closest during their set (which isn’t always the case at a festival since you usually have fans of other acts jockeying for position throughout). It was nice to see a few familiar, friendly faces up there, and French audiences have always — in my experience — been among the best for Wilco over the years.
Certainly one of the highlights of the set came right away with the electric version of Art Of Almost. If I’m not mistaken, it was just the third time the song has ever been performed in France — and the first time in nearly a decade. We also got pretty good crowd participation on Hummingbird (after which Jeff gave a quick “merci beaucoup”), followed by I Am Trying To Break Your Heart (during which he changed the “…when we said hello” line to “bonjour,” as he usually does).
Via Chicago, meanwhile, had me wondering — as it always does now in festival-type situations — if someone seeing Wilco for the first time thinks it’s just completely bonkers the way that one now-infamous Redditor did after seeing it at the Outlaw Music Festival/Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic earlier this summer. Since Wilco apparently has some sort of connection with Sesame Street/The Muppets now, maybe there’s some hope that Animal will actually join Glenn behind the drum kit someday.
Anyway, it was clear as the Rock en Seine set rolled on that things were becoming extremely rushed in the second half. After Impossible Germany, Jeff was visibly letting his bandmates know that the setlist would have to be amended in some way. And even with very limited visits to Banter Corner — I think Jeff only paused to express gratitude for the better-than-expected weather (mercifully, no rain!), say “thanks for having us,” and announce that the band had time to squeeze in a couple more songs — the hour Jeff and Co. were on stage seemed to go by rather quickly.
Oh, and what about that request for ELT? Well, I guess the good news was at least Jeff saw it and acknowledged it. Of course he still demurred, albeit with regrets: “Sorry, we’re not gonna get to that one. I apologize.” In retrospect, I think we all could have seen that one coming (but wouldn’t it be amazing if they had just somehow magically conjured it up out of nowhere? One can always dream…)
Here was the complete setlist, as played, at Rock en Seine (as mentioned, Heavy Metal Drummer was on the printed setlist after Jesus, etc., but was cut, and “Spiders or I Got You” was listed as the final song of the set, but neither got played):
Art Of Almost
Handshake Drugs
If I Ever Was A Child
Hummingbird
I Am Trying To Break Your Heart>
California Stars
Bird Without A Tail/Base Of My Skull
Via Chicago
Impossible Germany
Jesus, etc.
I’m The Man Who Loves You
“Banque Cashless” is almost straight out of a Franglais joke. Ta.