Wilco "Bob Dylan's 49th Beard"

An interesting artifact from the Newport Folk Festival history books . . .

Do you remember that they tried to jump on the 1990s "Let's put together a Lollapalooza-like tour package!" bandwagon?

In 1998, The Newport Folk Festival Tour made its way across the amphitheaters and sheds of America, featuring Lyle Lovett, Nanci Griffith, Alison Krauss, John Hiatt and a cast of rotating acts, all loosely associated with Folk music.

My friends and I made it to a show, somewhere in North Carolina if memory serves me.

It was a great, long day, where I saw great headliners, but also caught some side stage and early-in-the-day lesser-known acts like Mark Eitzel and BeauSoleil.

And Wilco.

Yes, in their pre-"Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" days, Wilco was a respected, but ultimately lesser-known band. They were consigned to an early slot on the main stage, during daylight hours before half the crowd had even arrived.

Funny enough, the thing I most remember about seeing Wilco that day was not any particular song. It was Jeff Tweedy, heckling an audience member.

I mean, it's not uncommon for an audience member to shout out crap at the band. But I don't know if I'd ever seen a lead singer, just zone in on an audience member and shred him.

Not that I can blame him.

We were way the hell back on the lawn in the cheap seats.

Between us and the stage was a sea of empty, blue stadium seats, reserved for ticket holders, most of whom hadn't arrived.

And right in front of the stage was a small clutch of fans who'd shelled out the money for good seats, and had arrived early enough to catch Wilco.

Then there was the guys who had gotten their early. Wanted to get in his seat. But apparently wasn't at all interested in Wilco.

Jeff Tweedy was laying into the dude, because while Wilco was playing, the guy who was sitting by himself somewhere in the first 20 rows, was reading the newspaper.

"I wouldn't come to your office and stand there and read the fucking paper while you were trying to tell me something you asshole."

And then, before starting the next song, he added this memorable non-sequitor:

"I don't care you if you do have a beard."

A few years later, Jeff Tweedy wrote a song with the great title "Bob Dylan's 49th Beard," and when I hear it, I wonder if it was inspired by the inattentive asshole who needed to read Dilbert while Wilco was on stage.

Needless to say, I won't be bringing a newspaper tonight, when I go to see Wilco in Boston . . .


Hear the song on Youtube.