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.

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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)”

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Wilco Gives The Grateful Dead’s “U.S. Blues” The Cruel Country Treatment

This week’s Wednesday Wilco Song Spotlight shines on a cover that has been currently cropping up in the band’s encores:

“U.S. Blues” (Jerry Garcia, Robert Hunter)

The Grateful Dead’s “U.S. Blues,” which opens their 1974 studio album, From the Mars Hotel, isn’t really a blues tune. It’s more of a rollicking anthem with its punchy verses and sing-a-long chorus, as can be witnessed in the blazing rendition from the Winterland Ballroom in Oct. ’74 that opens THE GRATEFUL DEAD MOVIE (1977):

The Grateful Dead performed the crowd-pleaser, “U.S. Blues,” well over 300 times in their touring career up until the death of founder/front man Jerry Garcia in 1994, and then has been continued life through performances with such Dead off-shoots as Dead & Company, Furthur, the Phil Lesh and Friends, etc.

Last August, Wilco leader Jeff Tweedy, and his band’s lead guitarist, Nels Cline, performed with Phil Lesh & Friends at the inaugural Sacred Rose Festival at the SeatGeek Stadium outside Chicago under the banner of Philco. The one-off (for now) supergroup performed a 14-song set of mostly Dead classics, with guest appearances by Wilco’s “Via Chicago,” and “Airline to Heaven” from Tweedy and company’s Woody Guthrie/Mermaid Avenue collaboration with Billy Bragg.

The event featured Tweedy’s debuts on the Dead classics, “Dire Wolf,” “Franklin’s Tower,” and his lead on the show closer “Ripple,” a song which he’s performed multiple times since the ‘90s. But “U.S. Blues,” also a first for the Wilco front man, was an early stand-out in the set as can be seen in this cool clip:

When Wilco’s Cruel Country tour resumed after Sacred Rose, “U.S. Blues” made the transition from Philco to a prominent spot in their show’s encores for almost every show they’ve played since. As Tweedy expresses such sentiments as “I love my country, stupid and cruel,” on Wilco’s latest studio offering, Garcia/Hunter’s cynical digs at nationalism in the mid ‘70s rocker thematically fit like a glove in the band’s present-day repertoire.

When “U.S. Blues,” which is populated by the likes of Uncle Sam, Charlie Chan, and P.T. Barnum, comes off as a sarcastic call to “Wave the flag, wave it wide and high,” it could easily be coupled with Tweedy’s “Adjust your eyes to the light/Let them roll with pride,” from Cruel Country’s “Hints.”

Tweedy and Cline’s premiere performance with Philco of “U.S. Blues,” and its following nine encore appearances by Wilco have cemented the song as a crucial cover in the band’s catalog. An entry based on this post will be added to the Wilco: The Covers section in future editions of Wilcopedia.

I’ll conclude with the most recent performance by Wilco of “U.S. Blues” at the Fargo Brewery in Fargo, North Dakota on September 11, 2022:

 

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Wilco Delivers Cruel Country To The Pacific Northwest

Official show poster by Kate Bingaman.

Wilco’s Cruel Country tour rolls on into the fall with dates in Oregon, a few in Canada, and a stop in Montana over the last half a week. Jeff Tweedy and company are now taking a break until they return on October 2 in Memphis, Tennessee for Mempho Fest at Radians Amphitheatre, with two shows following that on October 4 and 5 at the Civic Theatre in New Orleans, that will be livestreamed on nugs.net.

But let’s catch up with what they played at their last four shows:

Hayden Homes Amphitheater, Bend, Oregon 9/20/22

“Handshake Drugs” / “The Universe” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “Via Chicago” (with “Many Worlds” coda) / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “All Across the World” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “Love Is Everywhere (Beware)” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “I’m Always in Love” / “Spiders (Kidsmoke)” / “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “U.S. Blues” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)”

Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver, BC, Canada 9/21/22

                                                     Official show poster by Violet Reed.

“Handshake Drugs” / “The Universe” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am My Mother” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “Story to Tell” / “Via Chicago” / “Hummingbird” / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “It’s Just That Simple” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “I’m Always in Love” / “Tired of Taking It Out on You” / “Spiders (Kidsmoke)” / “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “U.S. Blues” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)”

Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, Calgary, AB, Canada 9/23/22

Official show poster by Violet Reed.

“Handshake Drugs” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “The Universe” / “War on War” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “Via Chicago” (with “Many Worlds” coda) / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “All Across the World” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “Love Is Everywhere (Beware)” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “I’m Always in Love” / “Spiders (Kidsmoke)”

Encore: “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “U.S. Blues” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)”

The ELM, Bozeman, Montana 9/24/22 

Official show poster by Peter Cardoso for Ghost Town Studio.

“Handshake Drugs” / “The Universe” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “Via Chicago” (with “Many Worlds” coda) / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “Tired of Taking It Out on You” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “Love is Everywhere (Beware)” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “I’m Always in Love” / “Spiders (Kidsmoke)”

Encore: “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “U.S. Blues” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)” / “Outtasite (Outta Mind)”

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Wednesday Wilco Song Spotlight: “Many Worlds”

This entry of the Wednesday Wilco Song Spotlight shines on a track from Jeff Tweedy, and company’s latest album, Cruel Country. It is the first song to be covered from Wilco’s 12th studio release in this series, so this serves as a preview of its future entry in an updated edition of my book, Wilcopedia:

“Many Worlds” (Jeff Tweedy)

Smack dab in the middle, kicking off the second LP or CD of the Cruel Country album, is this seven minute and 53 second pensive, light piano dirge, which initially recalls Tweedy’s meditations in such songs as “Reservations” and “Solitaire.” A slight crackling static opens the track’s aural synth background (courtesy of Mikael Jorgensen), then the haunting keys to cradle Tweedy’s soft vocals: “When I look at the sky, I think about stars that’ve died.”

It only goes to show that in what the Atlantic’s Spencer Kornhaber called a “eight-minute-long new-age cryfest,” even Wilco is in on the big multi-verse trend (as evidenced by Marvel movies, “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” Tik Tok whatnot et al) of the day as Tweedy concludes, “Many worlds collide, none like yours and mine.” Its following the similarly themed and toned track, “The Universe,” on the album makes that case too.

After three and a half minutes of these simple, repeated lines, the strands of this melody fade into the slight crackle as a lone acoustic guitar strums into the mix. Then Glenn Kotche’s drums, John Stirratt’s thudding bass, and more twinkling axe action via Nels Cline, and Pat Sansone joins in, until a rich Grateful Dead-style jam is in full progress. It flourishes, and fleshes out the tune for several minutes until wearily winding down into silence, the crackling having fully passed.

Technically, Wilco has only performed “Many Worlds” once in full when it was premiered at their Solid Sound Music Festival at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts, on May 27, 2022, but its instrumental coda as the outro to “Via Chicago,” has been performed around 20 times at every show following its debut.

Watch the live premiere of “Many Worlds” at Solid Sound (distant but still decent quality):

And witness the song’s coda as added to the Wilco classic, “Via Chicago,” at the Budweiser Stage in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on August 18, 2022:

It will be interesting to see if the lyrical section of the song will return to performances of the song in the future. The first half of the song before the jam seems a shoo-in for Tweedy solo gigs so it’s likely we haven’t heard the last of our vocalist’s lament about the stars on a live stage yet.

Until then, “Via Chicago” gets enhanced by a lush outro that casts a lovely spell over Wilco’s current concerts. Whether it’s a permanent addition of a new trick to an old dog is yet to be seen.

 

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Wilco’s Cruel Country Tour Conquers The West

Official show poster by Zoca

Last Wednesday, Wilco’s Cruel Country tour hit Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado, for their tenth show since 1997 at the historic venue. After that rapturously received performance that featured a guest appearance by opener Margo Price, Jeff Tweedy and company were joined by Texas country artist, Terry Allen, in Santa Fe, for a few versions of a few of his tunes; and the Grateful Dead’s “U.S. Blues” continues to pop up in encores, a welcome addition since the Philco show at the inaugural Sacred Rose Festival at the SeatGeek Stadium outside Chicago on August 26th.

Here’s what when down with Wilco’s shows out west:

Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO 9/14/22 

“Handshake Drugs” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “Via Chicago” (with “Many Worlds” coda) / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “All Across the World” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “Love Is Everywhere (Beware)” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “Heavy Metal Drummer” / “I’m the Man Who Loves You” / “Spiders (Kidsmoke)”

Encore: “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “U.S. Blues” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)”

The Santa Fe Opera, Santa Fe, NM 9/15/22

Official show poster by Matthew Decker

“Handshake Drugs” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “Via Chicago” (with “Many Worlds” coda) / “Company in My Back” / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “Tired of Taking It Out on You” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “Love Is Everywhere (Beware)” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “I’m Always in Love” / “Spiders (Kidsmoke)”

Encore: “Amarillo Highway” / “The Death of the Last Stripper” / “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)”

Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, San Diego, CA 9/17/21

Official poster by Justin Froning/The Housebear

“Handshake Drugs” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “Via Chicago” (with “Many Worlds” coda) / “Muzzle of Bees” / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “All Across the World” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “Mystery Binds” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “I’m Always in Love” / “Heavy Metal Drummer” / “Spiders (Kidsmoke)”

Encore: “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “U.S. Blues” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)”

Seaside Lagoon, Redondo Beach, CA 9/18/22

“Handshake Drugs” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “War on War” / “Via Chicago” / “Hummingbird” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “California Stars” / “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “Heavy Metal Drummer” / “U.S. Blues”

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Wilco’s Cruel Country Tour Continues In The Midwest & We've Got Set-lists & Posters To Prove It!

Official poster by Matt Pfahlert/TheSilentP.com.

After a brief break, Wilco’s Cruel Country summer tour continues with stops in Madison, Wisconsin; Grand Rapids, Minnesota; Fargo, North Dakota; and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, so let’s catch up with what they played and some of the fine art that accompanied the shows. Yeah, there’s a lot of same-ness here, but some cool tunes revolve in and out, and there’s the highlight of the cover of the Grateful Dead’s “U.S. Blues.” 

Wilco founder/front man Jeff Tweedy first performed the Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter-written song when he and his band’s lead guitarist, Nels Cline, performed with Phil Lesh & Friends at the inaugural Sacred Rose Festival at the SeatGeek Stadium outside Chicago on August 26th. There’s a video of the performance by the band dubbed Philco of the song, which theme and vibe-wise fits well with the Cruel Country material, included below in the setlist entries.

So have at ‘em:

The Sylvee, Madison, WI 9/9/22

“Handshake Drugs” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “ If I Ever Was a Child” / “Via Chicago” (w/ “Many Worlds” outro) / “At Least That's What You Said” / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Hearts Hard to Find” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “Love is Everywhere” (Beware)” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “I’m Always in Love” / “Spiders (Kidsmoke)”

Encore: “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)” / “Kicking Television”

Grand Rapids Area Library, Grand Rapids, MN 9/10/22

“Handshake Drugs” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “ If I Ever Was a Child” / “Via Chicago” (with “Many Worlds” coda) / “At Least That's What You Said” / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “All Across the World” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “Love is Everywhere” (Beware) / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “I’m Always in Love” / “Heavy Metal Drummer” / “I’m the Man Who Loves You”

Encore: “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “U.S. Blues” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)” / “Outta Mind (Outta Sight)”

Fargo Brewing Company, Fargo, ND 9/11/22

Official show poster by Zach Pape.

“The Plains” / “Handshake Drugs” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “Via Chicago” (with “Many Worlds” coda) / “Shouldn’t Be Ashamed” / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “All Across the World” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “Love is Everywhere (Beware)” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “I’m Always in Love” / “Spiders (Kidsmoke)”

Encore: “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “U.S. Blues” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)”

Washington Pavilion, Sioux Falls, SD 9/12/22

Official show poster by A. Micah Smith.

“Handshake Drugs” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “How to Fight Loneliness” / “ Via Chicago” (with “Many Worlds” coda) / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “Tired of Taking It Out on You” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “Love is Everywhere (Beware)” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “Box Full of Letters” / “Heavy Metal Drummer” / “I’m the Man Who Loves You”

Encore: “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “Monday” / “Outtasite (Outta Mind)”

Next up, Wilco brings Cruel Country to Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colarado. I believe it'll be their 10th time performing at the historic venue so it ought to be a blast.

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Wilco Setlists: New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, & Massachusetts

Wilco’s Cruel Country tour continues with dates in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Here's what they played and a few of the cool poster prints that accompanied the shows:

Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY 8/21/22

 

“Handshake Drugs” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “Via Chicago” (with “Many Worlds” coda) / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Tired of Taking It Out on You” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “Love Is Everywhere (Beware)” / “California Stars” / “Love is Everywhere (Beware)” / “Box Full of Letters” / “Spiders (Kidsmoke)”

 

Encore: “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)”

 

Beak & Skiff Apple Orchard, LaFayette, NY 8/23/22

Official show poster by Rene Clairin.

“I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “Handshake Drugs” / “Story to Tell” / “Either Way” / “War on War” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “Via Chicago” (with “Many Worlds” coda) / “Hummingbird” / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “Hearts Hard to Find” / “Love is Everywhere (Beware)” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “Heavy Metal Drummer” / “Spiders (Kidsmoke)” 

 

Encore: “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “Box Full of Letters” / “The Late Greats” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)”

 

The Green at Shelburne Museum, Shelburne, VT  8/24/22

Official show poster by The Housebear Design.

“Handshake Drugs” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War”/ “If I Ever Was a Child”/ “Via Chicago” (with “Many Worlds” coda) / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Tired of Taking It Out on You” /” Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “Love is Everywhere (Beware)” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “Heavy Metal Drummer” / “Box Full of Letters” / “Spiders (Kidsmoke)” 

 

Encore: “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)”

 

Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion at Meadowbrook, Gilford, NH 8/25/22

Official show poster by A Micah Smith.

“Handshake Drugs” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “Via Chicago” (with “Many Worlds” coda)/ “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Hearts Hard to Find” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “Love is Everywhere (Beware)” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “Box Full of Letters” / “Spiders (Kidsmoke)”

 

Encore: “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)”

 

Westville Music Bowl, New Haven, CT 8/27/22

Official show poster by Brian Methe.

“Handshake Drugs” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “Via Chicago” (with “Many Worlds” coda) / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Hearts Hard to Find” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “Love is Everywhere (Beware)” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “Box Full of Letters” / “Spiders (Kidsmoke)”

 

Encore: “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)” / “Kicking Television”

Veterans Memorial Park, Vineyard Haven, MA 8/28/22

 

“Handshake Drugs” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “Via Chicago” (with “Many Worlds” coda) / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “California Stars” / “Box Full of Letters” / “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “Spiders (Kidsmoke)”

Wilco now takes a break, but the Cruel Country tour will return on September 9 (my Birthday!) when Jeff Tweedy and Company play at the Sylvee in Madison, Wisconsin.

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Wilco’s Cruel Country Tour Hits Michigan & Canada

We’re catching up with the set-lists from Wilco’s Cruel Country summer tour with their shows in Michigan, Toronto, and Montreal. The shows may be very similar in their song content, but there are some notable additions along the way like the tour debut of “Spiders (Kidsmoke)” in our first entry:

Interlochen Center for the Arts, Interlochen, MI 8/17/22

“Handshake Drugs” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “Via Chicago” (with “Many Worlds” coda) / “At Least That's What You Said” / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Hearts Hard to Find” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “Love is Everywhere (Beware)” / “California Stars” * / “A Lifetime to Find” / “Box Full of Letters” / “Spiders (Kidsmoke)” 

Encore: “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “Red-Eyed and Blue” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)”

* w/Courtney Marie Andrews

Budweiser Stage, Toronto, ON, Canada 8/18/22

“Handshake Drugs” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “Via Chicago” (with “Many Worlds” coda) / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Hearts Hard to Find” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “Love Is Everywhere (Beware)” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “Box Full of Letters” / “Spiders (Kidsmoke)”

Encore: “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “Red-Eyed and Blue” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)”

MTELUS, Montreal, QC, Canada 8/20/22

“Handshake Drugs” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “Via Chicago” (with “Many Worlds” coda) / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “All Across the World” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Country Song Upside-Down” / “Impossible Germany” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Love Is Everywhere (Beware)” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “Spiders (Kidsmoke)”

Encore: “Box Full of Letters” / “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)”

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Wilco Is Back In The U.S.A. & Here’s What They Played in The Last Several Days

Official show poster by The Housebear Design.

Wilco’s Cruel Country tour continues with the band back in the states having just played four shows in the Midwest over the last several days. So with no furher ado, here’s what Jeff Tweedy and company treated their audiences in Iowa, Nebraska, Indiana, and Kentucky from August 12-16:

 

Paramount Theatre, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 8/12/22

 

“I Am My Mother” /  “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War On War” / “Handshake Drugs” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “All Across the World” / “Via Chicago” / “Many Worlds” / “Everyone Hides” / “Story to Tell” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Tired of Taking It Out On You” / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Hearts Hard to Find” / “Impossible Germany” / “Mystery Binds” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Heavy Metal Drummer” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “Box Full of Letters” / “The Late Greats”

Encore: “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “Red-Eyed and Blue” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)” / “Outtasite (Outta Mind)”

Outlandia Festival, Bellevue, Nebraska 8/13/22

 

“Handshake Drugs” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Story to Tell” / “War on War” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Hummingbird” / “All Across The World” / “At Least That's What You Said” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “Impossible Germany” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Heavy Metal Drummer” / “Box Full of Letters” / “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “A Shot in the Arm” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)”

 

TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park, Indianapolis, Indiana 8/14/22

Official show poster by Convent Designs.

“I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “Handshake Drugs” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “Via Chicago” / “Many Worlds” / “Story to Tell” / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Hummingbird” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “Love Is Everywhere (Beware)” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “Box Full of Letters” / “I’m Always in Love” / “The Late Greats”

Encore: “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)”

 

PromoWest Pavilion at OVATION, Newport, Kentucky 8/16/22

 

“Handshake Drugs” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “War on War” / “If I Ever Was A Child” / “Via Chicago” / “Many Worlds” / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Story to Tell” / “Hummingbird” / “Bird Without a Tail/Base of My Skull” / “Tired of Taking It Out On You” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Impossible Germany” / “Love is Everywhere (Beware)” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “Box Full of Letters” / “Heavy Metal Drummer”

Encore: “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “The Late Greats” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)”

 

Check back to this space for more setlists, news, and all kinds of Wilco whatnot.

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Due To COVID-19, Wilco Plays First Show Without Lead Guitarist Nels Cline In 18 Years

Last night, at Teatro Kursaal in San Sebastian, Spain, Wilco performed their first show in 18 years without lead guitarist, Nels Cline. Earlier that day, Cline had tested positive for COVID-19, but insisted that the band go on without him. Jeff Tweedy noted Cline’s absence, and expressed hope that there wouldn’t many shows missed by the master axeman. Cline’s coronavirus episode has occurred just six shows into Wilco’s tour for their recently released 12th studio album, Cruel Country.

 

Cline in recovery posted this on social media (twitter, Instagram, Facebook):

And now, the setlist for the first Nels Cline-less Wilco show since he joined the band, with multi-instrumentalist, Pat Sansone, onstage at Otto’s in Dekalb, Illinois, on May 19, 2004. (Of course, there’s no “Impossible Germany):

Teatro Kursaal, San Sebastian, Spain 6/20/22

“I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Kamera” / “Story to Tell” / “Ambulance” (Jeff solo) / “Sunken Treasure” / “Hummingbird” / “Poor Places” / “War on War” / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Passenger Side” / “The Universe” / “How to Fight Loneliness” / “Hearts Hard to Find” / “Box Full of Letters” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Forget the Flowers” / “California Stars” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “Heavy Metal Drummer” / “I’m the Man Who Loves You”

 

Encore: “Red-Eyed and Blue” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)” / “Monday” / “Outtasite (Outta Mind)”

To get a taste of a Cline-less Wilco, here's a clip from last night's show of “Sunken Treasure”:

For information (tickets, schedule, etc.) on Wilco’s current Cruel Country tour please visit their official website, wilcoworld.net.

Wilcopedia (The Blog) wishes Cline a full, and speedy recovery. Here’s hoping he won’t miss the entire Spain leg (seven shows) of the tour.

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What’s Up With Wilco: Solid Sound Setlists & Cruel Country Reviews

2022 is shaping up to be a very good year to be a Wilco fan. Friday, May 27, brought the release of Jeff Tweedy and company’s critically acclaimed (see below) 12th studio album, Cruel Country, which gave us 21 new songs. On that same day, Wilco performed the double album in full at their Solid Sound at MASS Moca (Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art) in North Adams, Massachusetts. For the first time, Solid Sound was live streamed so that folks unable to attend (like yours truly) could view it at home on Flymachine.

 

Here’s Friday night’s setlist, which contained a very interesting encore:

 

“I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “Hints” / “Ambulance”/ “The Empty Condor” / “Tonight’s the Day” / “All Across the World” / “Darkness Is Cheap” / “Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull” / “Tired of Taking It Out on You” / “The Universe” / “Many Worlds” / “Hearts Hard to Find” / “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “Please Be Wrong” / “Story to Tell” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “Country Song Upside-Down” / “Mystery Binds” / “Sad Kind of Way” / “The Plains”

 

Encore: “It’s Just That Simple” / “New Madrid” / “Climbing” (Meat Puppets) “Wild Mountain Thyme” (The Byrds)/ “Once a Day” (Connie Smith) (with Neko Case) / “She's My Rock” (Stoney Edwards) / “Reincarnation” (Roger Miller)

 

Unlike Wilco’s ninth studio album, Star Wars, which they premiered in full in the summer of 2015, and then preceded to play in its entirety for much that year, it looks like the performance of Cruel Country may be a one-off deal as the next night at Solid Sound they incorporated the new material into a more diverse setlist:

 

“You Are My Face” / “War on War” / “Muzzle of Bees” / “I Am My Mother”/ “Cruel Country” / “Side With the Seeds” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull” / “Tired of Taking It Out on You” / “Hotel Arizona” / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Either Way” / “Impossible Germany” / “She’s a Jar” / “What Light” / “Story to Tell” / “Love is Everywhere (Beware)” / “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “Walken”

 

Encore: “The Good Part” / “Jesus, Etc.” (with Japanese Breakfast) / “Heavy Metal Drummer” / “Dawned on Me” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “Red-Eyed and Blue” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)” / “Outtasite (Outta Mind)”

On Sunday, May 30, Tweedy played a solo show at the festival, which you can see the setlist for here. The set’s obvious highlight came when David Byrne of Talking Heads fame joined the Wilco front man, his sons, and a bunch of other Solid Sound cohorts for a rousing rendition of “California Stars”:

Over the last week, Wilco’s latest release, Cruel Country, has been garnering a lot of rave reviews. Many of their headlines share common themes, i.e. the band’s so-called return to their roots, and the album’s so-called statement. Here are some of the most notable notices (click on the titles to read the reviews):

 

On Its Timely New Album, Wilco Reclaims “Alt-Country” (Carl Wilson, Slate)

Jeff Tweedy’s State of the Nation Address (Kitty Empire, The Guardian)

Wilco Get Back to the Roots They Never Had on ‘Cruel Country’ (Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone)

Wilco's 'Cruel Country' Is a Murky Reflection of American Identity (Matthew Ritchie, Exclaim!)

Wilco’s New Album Looks For Patriotic Songs for a Cruel Country (Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic)

Wilco Get Back to Basics on Cruel Country (Ben Salmon, Paste)

After a well-earned break after their busy Solid Sound weekend, Wilco returns to the road on June 11 for a European tour which will take them through Norway, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Spain, and the Netherlands, before they come back to the States, to kick off a US tour in August in Iowa. Check out their official website for their complete schedule, ticket info, etc.

Postnote: In case you missed Wilco’s previous activity this year, just over a month ago, Wilco celebrated the 20th Anniversary of their fourth album masterpiece, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, with full performances of the album at shows in Chicago and New York, and the announcement of deluxe YHF box sets to be released in September. Check out the Wilcopedia post from April about the expanded releases.

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