Jeff Tweedy played Lincoln Center Out of Doors w/ Helen Gillet (pics)
“I received an email asking me if I wanted to play Lincoln Center, so I said yes. I didn’t realize it’d be in the parking lot.” Jeff Tweedy was joking, of course, about Damrosch Park, which is part of Lincoln Center but, outside right next to the Metropolitan Opera house, it does kinda have that feel. It’s home to the annual Lincoln Center Out of Doors festival which the Wilco frontman played solo Friday night. Tweedy’s an affable pro and played without a setlist, without switching guitars once, and kept the place entertained the whole lovely evening. We got a mix of solo songs, a few Uncle Tupelo songs, Wilco favorites and new ones that will be on their upcoming Ode to Joy. (He played “Empty Corner” and “White Wooden Cross” both of which were debuted at Wilco’s Solid Sound Fest.) There were some covers, too, including Meat Puppets’ “Plateau” and, when a toddler ran up the center aisle to the front railing, Tweedy asked the kid, “Did you come here for sad and depressing songs too?” before dropping a few bars of “Baby Shark.”
Helen Gillet opened, playing an entrancing set with just her cello, a loop pedal and her voice. Pictures from the whole night are in the gallery above.
Earlier on Friday, Jeff and his Wilco bandmate Nels Cline stopped by AOL’s BUILD Series to perform “White Wooden Cross” and “Empty Corner” and to talk about the new album.
Jeff plays Newport Folk Festival this weekend and he’ll be back when Wilco’s tour hits NYC in October.
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photos by Ellen Qbertplaya
