Wilco @ Edinburgh

Today was one of those special days... an afternoon walk through the tropical Currie Woods will Arlo, then off up the toon toon.

After playing 9 shows in Scotland in the past 28 years (we'd been to 7 of them) , Wilco were playing there first in Edinburgh, which means no 90 minute drive and getting home about 1am, instead in my almost home town, yeehah!

The Usher Hall, capacity 2900. Barrlowlands, capacity 1900. 1000 more peeps, OMG. Although Wilco have been around almost 30 years and are critically acclaimed, most people think I am referring to a nearly bankrupt store, they are not widely known in most countries. So I recognise I have a problem when I worry that an extra 1000 people might not be achievable, and the gig goes flat, and they decide never to play here again.

So, there we are, front rails, just off centre in front of dear Pat, it's filling up and I decide yup, that's enough, nothing to worry about now, sheesh. Courtney Marie Andrews came on first and was very good, amazing voice. Then we got speaking with the couple behind us who had come over from Sweden to see them and spent 30 mins chatting to them, then it was time and I turned around. I realised I missed those 30 mins I usually spend watching the set get changed and building up the anticipation, suddenly straight in the deep end!

Well... I had been more excited about this gig than I usually am, they'd been in my(ish) city for 2 days, posting photos, enjoying the great weather, they were in my(ish) hometown, this was going to be special, and yes, to cut an ridiculously long story short, it was special, fantastic, maybe the best, probably the best, aye ok the best, right? The audience sounded great, which the band responded to early on, sorry this was supposed to be short wasn't it, it was fab, we loved it, come back again soon please, like not 4 years away. And we went for a drink with the lovely Swedish peeps too.