Update on Dan and Matt Wilson live Pantages/BLB album project. I’m either suffering badly from “the Ikea effect” (we love those little tables and bookshelves way more because we put them together ourselves with the little screws and pegs), or this is turning out to be a really special document. I’m in love with a lot of the versions of the songs. Here’s what’s happened so far.

The song sequence. Both shows had the same setlist, except for the encores. My hope was that between the two shows at the Byrant Lake Bowl and the Pantages, we’d have one great version of every song we did. I was thinking we would almost end up alternating between the two shows on the download sequence – a song from the BLB, a couple from the Pantages, etc etc. But in fact, almost all of the versions from the Pantages were better. So it’s going to be mostly Pantages versions sprinkled with the occasional BLB version, all in the same order as the set list of the shows.

I’ve been spending many an afternoon in a studio down in Venice, CA, with engineer/producer Ryan Hewitt, who is mixing my album. Or, actually, unless I have some wild notion of changing something down the line (unheard of!), he has mixed it. It’s done. I’m very excited about the results. You’ve heard Ryan’s work if you’ve listened to either of the last two Avett Brothers albums, “I and Love and You,” and “The Carpenter,” which he recorded and mixed under the guidance of producer Rick Rubin; or if you’ve heard “Give Up the Ghost” by Brandi Carlile, or “I’m With You” and “Stadium Arcadium” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. No, he hasn’t made me sound like the Chili Peppers, thank goodness. But he has made my album sound really, really good. Moving forward, however slowly!

People of Los Angeles! I am going to play some songs with my longtime pals and collaborators, jazz trio The New Standards, at Largo on February 27th. TNS are upright bassist John Munson from my bands Semisonic and Trip Shakespeare, Steve Roehm who is all over my last album “Free Life” on the vibes, and my youthful rock idol Chan Poling of the Suburbs on piano. I produced their first two albums. ‘Nuff said.

I’ll probably sing three or four songs, including at least one with our mutual friend John C. Reilly, who is also guesting on the set. Lucy Michelle from Minneapolis rounds out the bill. Lotsa talent and good vibes at Largo. I can’t wait.

Pantages show was inspiring, more relaxed than Bryant Lake Bowl. Somewhat higher quotient of “drunken loud guy thinks he’s the show” than last night. But it takes all kinds I guess and you can’t hand pick them – they pick you. Thanks everyone for coming. Our mom enjoyed the round of applause you gave her.

My brother Matt and I talked with the City Pages about our upcoming shows at the Bryant Lake Bowl and Pantages Theatre. Read about our love for the Twin Cities, our admiration for Prince’s selling tickets to his drummer audition, and of the complexities of having siblings in a band.

ON Jan 24th I’m going to play a “Words and Music by Dan Wilson” show at Room 5 in Hollywood. These “Words and Music” shows are a chance for me to play songs I rarely get to play, and to talk a little more than usual about aspects of songwriting and my path as an artist. The last one was fun for me and hopefully interesting and/or inspiring for those of you who were there, and I’m excited to do it again.