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Uncle Tupelo
Feb. 11, 1994, The 40 Watt (Athens, Ga.)
As with Guadalcanal Diary, Uncle Tupelo became my favorite band just in time for me to catch the farewell tour. Whatever personal problems Jay Farrar and Jeff Tweedy might have been having offstage, when they started playing, they were in lock-step. Not since Lennon and McCartney had a band been as blessed with two songwriters (#98 and #24 on our list of the 100 Best Living Songwriters), and they took turns at the mic singing some great ones from their entire catalog: "Chickamauga," "Anodyne," "The Long Cut," "Watch Me Fall." Plus old covers that they'd long since made their own like "Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down." The bandmates, of course, have gone on to form Son Volt and Wilco, but it was great to catch them onstage together in a single, wonderful night. I wish I still had the ticket, but some video will have to do. Listen to those guys harmonize:
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The Countdown:
#12 Radiohead - Oct. 6, 2003, HiFi Buys Amphitheater
#11 Guadalcanal Diary - Sept. 15, 1989, Center Stage
#10 The Hold Steady - Oct. 25, 2007, The 40 Watt
#9 Uncle Tupelo - Feb. 11, 1994, The 40 Watt
#8 The Ramones - Nov. 22, 1988, Center Stage
#7 U2 - Nov. 19, 2005, Philips Arena
#6 INXS - March 3, 1988, The Omni
#5 Midnight Oil - Aug. 28, 1993, Lakewood Amphitheater
#4 Sufjan Stevens - April 1, 2005, Calvin College
#3 Beck - Oct. 28, 2006, The Knitting Factory
#2 Pixies - Oct. 15, 1989, The Roxy
#1 Arcade Fire - May 1, 2007, Atlanta Civic Center
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Uncle Tupelo was the best. Never got to see them live, have had to "settle" for Tweedy and Farrar solo, as well as Son Volt and Wilco. One time at a Wilco show in Columbia, Tweedy and Co. played a hell of a set list, including "We've Been Had" and "New Madrid."
I love both Son Volt and Wilco, but Wilco definitely gets the nudge as far as live show is concerned. They're probably better live than Uncle Tupelo actually was, but I'm still so glad to have gotten to see U.T. live.