Perhaps it was fitting that the unique complex where Jeff and his bandmates played the first of two Italian shows this week is named after the late, great film composer Ennio Morricone because there certainly was a bit of drama involved with tonight’s show. Wilco drama, mind you. Nothing overly serious, but material more befitting a dramedy than anything else.
Before I get into it, though, a few words about the venue. Designed by the famed Italian architect Renzo Piano, the Auditorium Parco della Musica complex opened in 2002 and consists of three indoor concert halls arranged radially around an open-air amphitheater — Cavea (which refers to the tiered-seating section of such a space) — with a capacity of around 5,000 in its mixed standing and seating configuration. It’s a memorable venue, to be sure, with the impressive arena-like cavea looming over and around the general admission standing floor in front of a wide, fairly low stage. I’ll bet there probably weren’t too many bad views in the place, unless you just had a tall person standing directly in front of you.
On a muggy Monday night in late summer, the venue wasn’t nearly at capacity for Wilco (whose show, apropos of nothing, came the day after a band called Cosmo), but there was still a decent turnout — maybe 2,000. The gig was part of the Roma Summer Fest concert series, which featured a diverse lineup of musical acts ranging from John Legend to Djo and the Village People to Judas Priest. Wilco was due on stage at 9 p.m., but in a departure from its usual trademark promptness, the band didn’t emerge until 9:12. When in Rome, I guess…
And that’s when the comedy of errors began. Like I said, it was hardly Shakespearean or anything, but when the band launched into its opening number — Art Of Almost — it seemed like there was a problem with Mikael’s laptop, which probably controls the glitchy sound effects in that song, bringing it to an abrupt halt. “We’re gonna get this right,” Jeff said, but despite a minute or two of trying to fix the issue (and Jeff nervously trying to fill the dead air with pleasantries), the situation remained awkwardly in flux. Finally, the band decided to move onto the next song. I had a feeling that might sadly be the end of AOA for the night, which ultimately proved correct.
Fortunately, things proceeded without any more technical difficulties for the rest of the show. But Jeff did flub a verse in California Stars, accidentally singing the “they hang like grapes on vines that shine” line instead of “I’d love to feel your hand touching mine,” the second time through (which was made worse because of John singing the correct line alongside him). And Jeff also didn’t change the “hello” lyric in I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, as he almost always does in foreign countries.
Maybe Jeff was distracted by another minor drama he had going on with himself — namely, The Case of the Stray Facial Hair — that formed the basis of easily his most amusing visit to Banter Corner during this show. After Love Is Everywhere (Beware), Jeff commented on the beautiful evening before going into his personal struggle with “one mustache hair that must be invisible.” Rubbing his finger under his nose, Jeff told the crowd, “If you see me doing this, it’s not because I’m doing cocaine. It’s because I have a ghost mustache hair that’s fucking with my nose.” One song later, after Theologians, he insisted, “Don’t worry about my mustache hair. It’ll be OK.” (In the same breath, however, he did remember that he wanted to “send that last song out to the Chicago pope.” The “big riff” ending was a little something extra for the American pontiff, I gather.)
Other bits from Banter Corner included responding to a small “Wheel-co, Wheel-co” chant that broke out near the end of the main set. Jeff apologized for cutting it off to say something else, and said they could revisit it later after a couple more songs. But the crowd wouldn’t be deterred and started the chant up again, causing Jeff to quip, “I wasn’t asking for that.” Jeff also had kind of an amusing, at least to me, moment when he was trying to do a variation on his usual bit comparing Box Full Of Letters to Annihilation. “It’s a totally different thing,” Jeff joked. “You’re not gonna recognize (the band that played one song from the band that played the other).” When the joke seemed to be mostly lost on the Italian audience, though, Jeff gave up with a mock sigh. “Ah, never mind,” he said.
In the end, this show didn’t differ from the other headlining sets Wilco has been playing on this European run despite the lack of a support act. There had been some speculation, perhaps fueled by something on social media or in one of the band’s email blasts, that these would be longer two-set “Evening With…” performances. That it turned out to be “just” a regular show didn’t seem to faze the vast majority of the crowd, which was probably excited to have Wilco playing — remarkably, for just the third time ever — in Rome.
vMy only “disappointment” was the apparent lack of bootleg T-shirt stands outside the venue, which I’ve come to associate with Italian shows over the years. It’s always amusing to see what the bootleggers come up with — maybe not to Wilco’s merch guy Andy, but definitely to me. At this show, the bootleg merch was nowhere in sight. Just a big tent outside the venue entrance marked “Official Merchandise.” Borrrrrrrrrinnngggg. Maybe there’s been a crackdown since my last Italian show in 2019, maybe Wilco’s audience has aged out of buying bootleg T-shirts or maybe the band isn’t popular enough to bootleg anymore (gasp!)
Anyway, more than making up for my bootleg blues was the very nice and much appreciated birthday shoutout from Jeff before a rip-roaring Monday>Outtasite (Outta Mind) combo to close out the night. Actually it was one day after my birthday, but I didn’t mind. It’s hard to think about time over on this side of the pond — the days get all screwed up in your head because of the time difference when you see stuff from back home and tour life messes with your day-to-day reality anyway.
Most importantly, Jeff and Co. got the day of the week correct — and Monday on a Monday is always welcome. Jeff delivered not only the whistle and the scream, but also the “sonofabitch” leading into Outtasite, while his bandmates did their thing, as always, to bring the show home in satisfying fashion. Bravi ragazzi!
Here was the complete setlist, as played, (there were no changes from the printed setlist, other than the abandoning of Art Of Almost to start the show):
Art Of Almost (aborted)
Handshake Drugs
If I Ever Was A Child
Via Chicago
I Am Trying To Break Your Heart>
California Stars
Evicted
Bird Without A Tail/Base Of My Skull
I’m Always In Love (acoustic arrangement)
Box Full Of Letters
Annihilation
Hummingbird
It’s Just That Simple
Love Is Everywhere (Beware)
Theologians
Impossible Germany
Jesus, etc.
Heavy Metal Drummer>
I’m The Man Who Loves You
Encore
The Late Greats
Spiders (Kidsmoke)
Monday>
Outtasite (Outta Mind)
Sorry, couldn’t resist posting one more Italian bootleg T-shirt from 2012. (I shot this one in Bologna).
Love those levitating John photos of yours.
Love ya !