Wilco (the band)

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Jeff Tweedy leads Wilco at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Photo by Amanda Lanning

It is a golden age for Wilco fans.

Fifteen years into their run, America’s favorite alt-county/indie-rock/whatever band is busier than ever, giving their fans plenty of reasons to rejoice.

For starters, there is the recently released concert film, Ashes of American Flags, which can currently be found in theaters, on DVD and on iTunes. The film, made by Brendan Canty and Christoph Green, documents five shows from Wilco’s 2008 tour, as well as the band members hanging out. It’s sure to be a great update to Sam Jones’s 2002 documentary on the band (pre-Nels Cline), I Am Trying to Break Your Heart.

An extensive upcoming summer tour, which takes Jeff Tweedy and company around the continental U.S. and twice to Europe, should keep the fans happy—especially with stellar opening acts like Akron/Family, Grizzly Bear, Connor Oberst and Yo La Tengo.

There is also news of the band’s next studio release, the minimally (and brilliantly) titled Wilco (the album), which hits stores June 30.

Nels Cline playing at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Photo by Amanda Lanning

Finally, the guys just wrapped up a spring tour with a headlining slot at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Leaving the new material for the next road trip, the guys reached deep into their back catalogue for this one, to the great delight of an enormous and adoring crowd.

Led by guitarist and secret weapon Nels Cline (with whom FLYP recently caught up), the sextet tore through a number of tracks off 2007’s Sky Blue Sky, but also found time for classics like “Pot Kettle Black,” “Jesus, etc.” and “Forget the Flowers.” A gorgeous version of Woody Guthrie’s “California Stars” was the soundtrack to a spectacular Louisiana sunset and the crowd only began to file out after the band finished off a two-song encore with the upbeat “Outtasite (Outta Mind).”

This year finds Wilco at its peak both live and in the studio. Do yourself a favor and check them out.