Wednesday Wilco Song Spotlight: “Evicted”

This entry of the Wednesday Wilco Song Spotlight shines on a track from Jeff Tweedy, and company’s latest album, Cousin. It is the first song to be covered from Wilco’s 13th studio release in this series, so this serves as a preview of its future entry in an updated edition of my book, Wilcopedia.

“Evicted” (Jeff Tweedy)

Shortly after “Evicted,” the first single off of Cousin dropped online on August 1, fans and critics noted the tune’s similarity to Prince’s 1985 hit “Raspberry Beret.” Kitty Empire of the Guardian even wrote that song is “a pretty heartbreak ballad that boasts shades of Prince’s Raspberry Beret’ as played by Teenage Fanclub.”

 

Tweedy addressed the issue on his Substack newsletter, Starship Casual (click to subscribe), in a Chit Chat Check-in audio segment available to subscribers called “Raspberry Evicted Beret.” In what he also called a “Prince TED Talk,” Tweedy explained that he “doesn’t hear” the songs sounding alike, and said that he learned “Raspberry Beret” so that he could play the songs side-by-side.

After playing a bit of Prince’s tune, and discussing that it “things that were out of my skill set to sing, and some things that I don’t relate to in terms of romantic conquests,” he went on to play a chunk of “Evicted,” and remark, “I don’t think Prince would say he deserved that” (referring to the song’s repeated refrain “I deserve it”).

 

It’s understandable that Tweedy would want to underline the differences in the lyrical stance (as he says it’s important for him to do so), but while the choruses are very different as he displays, it’s the phrasing in the verses that have the vibe of the verses in Prince’s mid ‘80s A-side, and LP album track from his psychedelic pop album, Around the World in a Day.

 

Otherwise “Evicted” is an infectious, folky take on the old standard lover’s lament which combines George Harrison-style guitar licks, with a groovy beat, and a catchy chorus sealing the deal: “I’m evicted from your heart.”

 

In a press release for the song and the album (released on September 29) Tweedy wrote, “I guess I was trying to write from the point of view of someone struggling to make an argument for themself in the face of overwhelming evidence that they deserve to be locked out of someone’s heart. Self-inflicted wounds still hurt and in my experience they’re almost impossible to fully recover from.”

 

Tweedy debuted “Evicted” at a solo show at Largo at the Coronet in Los Angeles on January 6 of this year. The second performance of the song at the same venue appeared on Episode 218 of The Tweedy Show. The song was played by Tweedy at six solo shows before Wilco took it on at their show on August 22 in France at Ramonville St Agne (Le Bikini).

 

Wilco has performed “Evicted” at every show since then, and went on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to play it the other night (Oct. 9), which you can see at the top of this post. I’ll conclude with another version of the song from The Tweedy Show (Episode 221, August 2, 2023):

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10 Years Ago Today, Dylan Nailed “The Weight” With MMJ's Jim James And Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy

In the summer of 2013, Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy took part in one of the most epic renditions of The Band’s roots rock classic “The Weight,” to date. The occasion was the Americanarama Festival of Music tour, in which Wilco, and My Morning Jacket opened for the legendary headliner, Bob Dylan. While the tour began with each act doing their own sets, a few collaborations cropped up with MMJ’s Jim James, and Tweedy joining Dylan for covers of the Reverend Gary Davis’ “Twelve Gates to the City,” and Blind Willie Johnson’s “Let Your Light Shine on Me.”

But those obscure one-offs were followed by the much more recognizable likes of Robbie Robertson’s “The Weight,” which premiered at Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach on July 24, 2013. The twangy opening chords, that has become a rock standard since its 1968 release on The Band’s Music From the Big Pink, instantly made the audience erupt (on the YouTube clip of the song above, someone yelling “Holy shit!” can be heard), and Dylan’s croaky handling of the first verse continued the rapt reception. 

After James’ soulful singing of the second verse, Tweedy, who had played “Bob Dylan’s 49th Beard” in Wilco’s set earlier that evening, wonderfully sang the third verse. Dylan masterfully regained the song for verse #4, and they all provided their ragged harmonies to the song’s concluding lines.

I was at this show, and was among those whose jaws dropped when this song was played. I rank it among the greatest moments I’ve ever seen live as it was a definitive performance through and through.

 

Despite his history with The Band, and the fact that he owned the song’s copyright (Robertson wrote it while being paid a salary by Dylan), this was only the second time that Dylan had performed “The Weight” live. On their Dylan and the Band’s much heralded 1974 tour, he would often leave the stage during The Band’s sets, and there’s no evidence that he ever joined in on the song, but at Levon Helm’s gig at Lone Star Café in New York on May 29, 1988, Dylan provided his hearty vocals and guitar to the crowd pleaser. 

 

Dylan, James, and Tweedy went on to play “The Weight” three more times on the Americanarama tour in 2013 picking up some guests stars along the way to help out. The J. Geils Band’s Peter Wolf helped out at Pier A Park in Hoboken, New Jersey on July 26, Ryan Bingham guested at the USANA Amphitheatre, West Valley City, Utah on August 1, and at the tour’s last performance of the classic at the Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre in Irvine, California on August 3.

Tweedy wouldn’t return to the song for nearly a decade until Wilco broke it out for their Sky Blue Sky 2022 festival at the Hard Rock Hotel in Riviera Maya, Mexico. Mavis Staples, after belting out The Staples Singers’ signature song, “I’ll Take You There,” with Tweedy and Co. again put in a passionate performance of “The Weight.” Wilco, and Staples were also joined by Sima Cunningham, Liam Kazar, Kurt Vile, Nubya Garcia, and Spencer Tweedy for the song that served as the show’s finale.

In his upcoming book, World Within a Song, Tweedy wrote about the much-loved tune, particularly the live version from Martin Scorsese’s 1978 concert classic film “The Last Waltz,” and Staples’ performance (from an excerpt posted on Tweedy’s Substack newsletter Starship Casual):

“As great as the original studio recording of this song is, it doesn’t have Mavis Staples. I’ve watched it a thousand times and I still can’t understand the full ramifications of what it tells us about Mavis’s singular talent. Pure commitment, entirely free of pretense, a range of emotions on display in one line that surpasses what most other singers could summon up in an entire career…and above all else, the thing I think it’s impossible to find more of in any other footage of any other artist, joy.”

So let’s end with that performance as it may be the most definitive version of “The Weight” there is:

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My Annual Wilcopedia Makes A Great Christmas Gift Post

Hey folks, here’s my annual shameless plug for my book – you know, the one this blog is based on - Wilcopedia: A Comprehensive Guide to The Music of America's Best Band - on sale now at a super low price on Amazon. The sales of this 2019 first edition will help make way for the second edition, ideally set for 2024, which will be celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Jeff Tweedy and company’s Wilco work.

Wilcopedia contains entries for every album, including entries for every song from A.M. to Schmilco, sections on each member, live material, film and TV appearances; covers, etc. It offers insights and background into the superb Chicago band's canon unavailable in any other book on the band (and now there are quite a few). And there are color photos too!

 

So If you’re a fan or know somebody who is, Wilcopedia, which Mojo said was “a useful tome for the fan to crack open whenever a Wilco record blares through the speakers,” consider this great gift idea at its low price.

 

Okay, enough of my hyping – such shameless plugging always wears me out.

 

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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 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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Wednesday Wilco Song Spotlight: “Hold Me Anyway”

Most of the previous entries have been excerpts from Wilcopedia, but since the band has released two records, Ode to Joy and Cruel Country, since my book’s release in 2019, songs from those albums are now being included in this series. This will give folks a bit of a preview of the second edition of Wilcopedia (btw the first edition is at a cool discount price on Amazon!).

This installment of the Wednesday Wilco Song Spotlight shines on the next to last song on Wilco’s eleventh studio album, Ode to Joy (2019):

 

“Hold Me Anyway” (Jeff Tweedy)

 

The delicious hook in the form of an infectious chorus helps to make this the album’s most friendly and personable song. Like many of the tracks on Ode to Joy, “Hold Me Anyway” commences with Tweedy’s lone guitar which goes on to accompany the singer’s ponderings. In a couplet reminiscent of “Theologians, Tweedy soberly states “I’m like a hologram / Light is all I am.”

 

While I wrote that this track is a warm one, it does have dark lines about “freaking the fuck out,” and equating oneself with a plastic bag ‘high in an old dead tree.” Such thoughts clear away when the chorus comes around to answer the question, “Are we all in love just because’ with the joyous refrain: “No! I think it’s poetry and magic / Something too big to have a name.”

 

The seemingly bleak lines that follow about how love is still tragic, and wondering who’s to blame when you die, are sung in the same uplifting manner as the “poetry and magic” moment, with Nels Cline’s fuzzy guitar riffing coming in to punctuate the proceedings. The chorus is repeated three times, with no further verses added, but it’s still a winning song structure that results in one of the album’s most memorable moments.

 

“Hold Me Anyway” made its live debut at USF Verftet in Bergen, Norway on September 7, 2019 and, like most of the songs on the album, it has been performed over 60 times through the Ode to Joy tour of 2019-2021. 

Watch the third live performance of “Hold Me Anyway” at Den Grå Hal in Copenhagen, Denmark on Sept. 10, 2019:

“Hold Me Anyway” has also popped up three times on The Tweedy Show, the popular Instagram program featuring the songs and shenanigans of the Tweedy family. Tweedy responded to the many requests for the song from viewers, who the family refer to as “clients,” with a sweet solo version of the song on Episode 20 (April 9, 2020), then it was performed (again solo) as the opening number for Episode 92 (September 3, 2020), dedicated to a client named Kathy; and was lastly strummed on Episode 183 (June 10, 2021).

But since the song concluded Wilco’s set before the encore at the KettleHouse Amphitheater, in Bonner, Montana on August 7, 2021, it has gone into hiding.

 

During the tour for Ode to Joy, a large sign held up by a fan, or a client, quoting the song’s key line, “Thanks for the poetry and magic,” appeared at a few shows. Certainly it’s a sentiment that all Wilco fans can agree with.

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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 Makes The Cover Of Uncut & A Tale Of Correspondence

The September issue of the great British magazine, Uncut, has Wilco on its cover for the first time, and I’m elated to have gotten my copy. It contains a sweet 13-page spread that covers both the 20th anniversary of the band’s breakthrough masterpiece, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and their new brilliant release, Cruel Country, and a cool disc entitled Crosseyed Strangers, which boasts “an alternate” version of YHF, made out of live tracks, and alternate takes. The only issue I have with this, ahem, issue, is that the cover (pictured above), features a picture of Jeff Tweedy extracted from a photo shoot for Saturday Night Live in 2007 – that’s right, 15 years ago.

So I guess Uncut thought an older, grayer Tweedy wouldn’t sell as many magazines, but did they have to cropout the rest of Wilco? I always hated when a picture of one member of a band is supposed to symbolize the whole like it’s The Best of The Doors or something, but whatever. The important thing is that Wilco made the cover of one of my favorite magazines, which is something that I actually wrote them about in 2019:

Thing is, they cut out my letter’s mention of my book, Wilcopedia, which had just been published and I was hoping to get reviewed by Uncut. I was hoping to get a plug in the pages of the magazine, and I was disappointed that it was omitted – maybe because Uncut had their own guide to the band that they were working on at the time (it came out the next summer):

Sigh. Well, at least Mojo reviewed Wilcopedia.

 

This isn’t the first time I had correspondence with Uncut. 20 years ago, I wrote them about putting the Replacements, another band I love on the cover. In 2002, my second favorite album was Mono which was by Paul Westerberg underthe name Grandpaboy. Apparently I was under the delusion that this album was a secret Replacements reunion album as that was the rumor in early '02 and the tracks certainly had that sound and spirit, but it was later revealed that Westerberg played all the instruments himself. Before I knew that, I wrote them this letter which they printed in May 2002:

Oh well, still a great album, and the Mats (the Replacements nickname, for those not in the know) still deserved a cover – something that they still haven’t gotten! C’mon Uncut, how about an Ultimate Music Guide on the Mats? That’d be super.

 

Anyway, so far I haven’t been able to get Wilcopedia in the pages of Uncut so far, but maybe with the expanded second Edition has a chance? Maybe an updated version of their Ultimate Music Guide can have a books section with a mention? Maybe I can at least get Uncut to follow me on Twitter, and get a shout-out there? 

 

Double sigh. Like something I said in my letter from two decades ago above, I guess I'll just keep dreaming.

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