Nick's Crucial Tracks September 28, 2025

"Handshake Drugs (Live In Chicago, May 2005)" by Wilco

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A song you've seen performed live, or would really like to see performed live?

Went with my sister to see post-rehab Jeff Tweedy and Wilco on their A Ghost is Born tour…wow, more than 20 years ago now. The band still has this same lineup but this tour was right when Nels Cline joined the group.

The opening act was Calexico promoting “A Feast of Wire”, and I remember the horn section of Calexico coming out during the encore. For this particular track, we were close enough to have a pretty good view of Cline tearing up his beat up Jazzmaster.

Wilco are at their best when they’re surreal and psychedelic and I remember them projecting some trippy visuals on a screen for this show. Even though it’s been 20+ years, I’d see them again, particularly to hear Cline improvise the solo to “Impossible Germany”