Wilco's singer/songwriter Jeff Tweedy realized his band might not be ideal to headline an outdoor festival. In between songs, he told the crowd that his band's melancholy lyrics and softer arrangements aren't real "party" music.

"We're like the last band on the set today, and we're the band that's going to bum you out the most," Tweedy said. "I feel kind of bad about that. Actually, no I don't."

Tweedy and company finished up the eclectic bill at Saturday's Movin On' on the HUB lawn.

Some people might not have been paying attention, and that's too bad because they might have missed out on one of the finest rock bands of the moment -- and also one of the best live performances Penn State has seen in awhile.

Granted, there were fans singing along to every one of the rock band's songs and Wilco fans who drove the whole way from Los Angeles just to see the band do what it does best.

"They're the greatest guys in the world. When you haven't seen them in awhile, you start to miss them," said Jasmine Jakubowski, a fan who has been following the band.

Playing tunes from every one of its albums, Wilco proved it could play a gentle folk song such as the breathtaking "California Stars" to the hard-rocking pop song, "I Got You (At the End of the Century)," to the experimental, noise-ending "Poor Places."

The band played tracks perfectly from 2002's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot -- songs that, when heard on the experimental album, sound as if they could never be reproduced by five guys live in concert.

"They're one of the only bands out there who are pushing their music in a different direction," said Christopher Smalley, a fan who drove from West Virgina for the show. Saturday was Smalley's third Wilco concert and the second time he scored an official Wilco setlist.

And from hearing the band's works, no one could tell that Jeff Tweedy could play the guitar like a wanna-be Hendrix. During the jam in "Laminated Cat," his Fender Jazzmaster sputtered notes and feedback, while the rest of the band jammed.

Wilco started the show off a bit slow, but rocked out the end with a five-song encore, including several selections from 1996's Being There.

Even though the day was a bit dreary and rainy, the festival went without a hitch. Many fans enjoyed the heavier antics of the Get Up Kids, people laughed at the ridiculousness that was Bubba Sparxxx, and Jimmie's Chicken Shack may very well have been drunk during its performance, according to one fan.

The Get Up Kids, who spent most of Wilco's set singing along, rocked hard during its performance (including multiple Led Zeppelin teases) and threw its "emo" label out the window. Songs such as "Red Letter Day" and "Don't Hate Me" even got the mosh pits going, whipping fans into a frenzy.

Courtney Caccavo (sophmore-elementary education) was at Movin' On to see the Get Up Kids and has seen the band 15 times.

"I love their energy. They are just so awesome," Caccavo said.

One of the day's most surprising treats was Seven Nations' afternoon performance. The group's mature alternative rock mixed amazingly well with its talented bagpiping, electric flute and fiddle playing, and even got the crowd clapping to its traditional Scottish jigs.

Fans who stayed all day for the festival and witnessed the various genres were treated to a great day of music. Tweedy probably summed it up the best as he set up his guitar for the very last song of the night, the brilliant new "Kicking Television."

"This is really going to be worth it folks," he said.

Being a free show, it was more than worth it.