Watch Wilco's Surprise Show At Chicago's Carol's Pub 10/9 W/Poster, Set-lists, & Tweets!

Original Show Poster Designed by Evan Wachowski/Printed by Kyle Baker

Not even two days after I had pondered whether Wilco’s Cruel Country tour had come to a close came about a surprise show announcement. Actually three shows, as Jeff Tweedy and company ended up performing three sets at Carol’s Pub in Chicago on Sunday, October 9, at 7, 9, and 11 pm. Here’s the tweet that kicked off the event:

Here’s a CBS News segment about the shows:

And now let’s get into the set-lists for the dream show for fans that had Wilco going back to their small club roots. This was evident in the covers that appropriate for the intimate performance like Bob Dylan’s “Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You,” and Tom T. Hall’s “That’s How I Got To Memphis,” and in the ole Uncle Tupelo tunes like “New Madrid” that were sure crowd pleasers. Considering the capacity at Carol's is around 200 people for each show, several hundreds of lucky Wilco fans were certainly in heaven on Sunday night. Here’s what they heard:

The 7pm show:

“Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You” (Bob Dylan) / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “New Madrid” / “That’s How I Got To Memphis” (Tom T. Hall) / “Please Be Wrong” / “Someday Soon” / “Hesitating Beauty” / “Death of the Last Stripper” (Terry Allen and the Panhandle Mystery Band)/ “She’s My Rock” (Stoney Edwards) / “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “Give Back the Key To My Heart” (Doug Sahm) / “A Lifetime to Find” / “U.S. Blues” (Grateful Dead) / “Reincarnation” (Roger Miller)

 

The 9pm show:

“Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “Far, Far Away” / “Forget The Flowers” / “That’s How I Got To Memphis” (Tom T. Hall) / “It’s Just That Simple” / “New Madrid” / “She's My Rock” / “Someday Soon” / “Hesitating Beauty” / “Death of the Last Stripper” / “A Lifetime To Find” / “Give Back the Key to My Heart” / “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “U.S. Blues”

 

The 11pm show:

“Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “Far, Far Away” / “That’s How I Got To Memphis” / “Forget The Flowers” / “It’s Just That Simple” / “New Madrid” / “Story To Tell” / “Someday Soon” / “Hesitating Beauty” / “She’s My Rock” / “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “Give Back the Key to My Heart”/ “A Lifetime to Find” / “U.S. Blues” / “Reincarnation”

And finally, videos of the show, courtesy of Susie Tweedy, and SoabTtirb:

Whew! Whatta great Wilco event all around. Stay tuned as it’s pretty clear that this band ain't finished with providing Cruel Country in 2022.

More later...

Wilco’s Cruel Country Tour Wraps Up For 2022 – Or Does It?

Last night, Wilco played their last scheduled show on their Cruel Country tour for 2022 in Columbia, Missouri. Now there are just under three months left in the year, so there’s plenty of dates that could be scheduled, but for now the next date for Jeff Tweedy and company is set for a residency in Reykjavik, Iceland on April 7, 2023. Thanksgiving and/or Christmas dates, most likely Chicago-set, of course, could very well be announced, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, Tweedy is going to be serving up a solo show at the Kentucky Theatre in Lexington, KY on October 19, 2022, which I’m going to be attending. The performance is part of the Kentucky Theatre’s 100thAnniversary Celebration so I’m pretty psyched about the event. Of course, there will be more about this in future posts.

But for now, let’s look back at what might be the last several sets of songs Wilco played this year:

Radians Amphitheater, Memphis, TN 10/2/22

“Handshake Drugs” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “Via Chicago” (with “Many Worlds” coda) / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “California Stars” / “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “U.S. Blues” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)” / “Outtasite (Outta Mind)”

The following shows were both streamed by nugs.net. You can watch clips of the opening songs from both nights, “Misunderstood,” and “Handshake Drugs” below.

Civic Theatre, New Orleans, LA 10/4/22

Official show poster by Nate Duval

“Misunderstood” / “Cruel Country” / “Far, Far Away” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “Cry All Day” / “Via Chicago” / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Story to Tell” / “Whole Love” / “All Across the World” / “Born Alone” / “Ambulance” / “Sunken Treasure” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Love is Everywhere (Beware)” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “Heavy Metal Drummer” / “Spiders (Kidsmoke)”

Encore: “Red-Eyed and Blue” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)” / “U.S. Blues”

Civic Theatre, New Orleans, LA 10/5/22

“Handshake Drugs” / “A Shot in the Arm” / “The Universe” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “Kamera” / “Random Name Generator” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “Laminated Cat” / “Poor Places” / “Reservations” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Everyone Hides” / “Hummingbird” / “Hearts Hard to Find” / “Impossible Germany” / “Forget the Flowers” / “Mystery Binds” / “Box Full of Letters” / “It’s Just That Simple” / “Theologians” / “I’m the Man Who Loves You”

Encore: “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “Monday” / “Outtasite (Outta Mind)” / “U.S. Blues”

Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival 2022: Stephens Lake Park, Columbia 10/7/22

“Handshake Drugs” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “Hearts Hard to Find” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “Via Chicago” (with “Many Worlds” coda) / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “California Stars” / “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “U.S. Blues” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)” / “Outtasite (Outta Mind)”

More later...