The Tweedy Show Returns Tonight For Its 201st Episode

The Tweedy Show, the quarantine-inspired Instagram series featuring the musical antics of Wilco leader Jeff Tweedy’s family, is returning tonight at 9pm CST for its 201st episode. Episode 200 aired just over a month ago on July 29th as Wilco was setting out on the “It’s Time” tour performing live for the first time since March 2020, which of course, is when the pandemic hit hard.

The Tweedy Show’s premiere episode, which aired on March 19, 2020, appears to be missing online, but almost every other of the 200 episodes can be found on YouTube. I haven’t seen every one of them, but what I have seen are a lot of fun. Susie shoots the show with her phone, never appearing on camera as she captures her husband Jeff, and sons Spencer and Sammy playing a choice assortment of heartfelt covers and Wilco songs.

The family hanging out vibe is largely represented as well. Lots of joking and reminiscing, augmented by comments from fans (who are referred to as “clients”) mostly making requests. Family friends like comic actor Jeff Garlin made appearances via Zoom (I think, not completely sure), Spencer’s girlfriend, Casey Walker, pops up in person to sing some of her songs, and maybe most importantly there was a mini-Wilco reunion with drummer Glenn Kotche and John Stirratt stopping by the Tweedy home to perform several fan favorites and debut a new Wilco tune, “Hints.” 

A few months later, Kotche came back this time with multi-instrumentalist Pan Sansone for another mini-reunion to lay down around round of well-loved tuneage.

The announcement of tonight’s episode was a pleasant surprise as a lot of fans, myself included, thought the series might be over what with Wilco’s tour schedule, but since the band is on a nearly two week break, why not get the show back together?

 

So tonight, I’m looking forward to hearing the lively intro-music, old school announcer, and seeing the cartoon versions of the Tweedy family appearing on their jukebox screen. Whether or not they’ll be any song surprises, I bet it’ll be a splendid hour to take in right to the end that will surely be capped off by the traditional Tweedy Show closer, Roger Miller’s “Reincarnation.”

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Wilcopedia (The Blog) is back!

That’s right, after over a month and a half, Wilcopedia (The Blog) is back to catch up with things as I’ve missed some setlists, am behind on some exciting news, and haven’t shamelessly plugged my book, Wilcopedia: A Comprehensive Guide to the Music of America’s Best Band (order it here) in a while.

You can probably guess why I’ve been away for awhile. The dreadful infectious coronavirus disease has largely changed all of our worlds and I’ve had trouble adjusting to being out of work and having to stay at home under quarantine. You’d think this would be a good time to update this site, but I was way distracted and spent a lot of time on the phone with family and friends. I wish them and everyone else out there the best.

Also dealing with being under lockdown, is Wilco leader Jeff Tweedy and his family consisting of his wife Susie, and sons Spencer and Sammy, but they’ve come up with an interesting and very entertaining way to cope. Earlier this month, they began the Instragram video series, The Tweedy Show (incidentally the artist of the image at the top of this post is Jeff Knulek, newspaper cartoonist who creates the Jumble puzzles - I did a mini-interview about his work depicting Wilco here).

Over the course of 10 episodes, Jeff, sometimes accompanied by his offspring, played acoustic versions of “Solitaire,” “You Are Not Alone,” “Sky Blue Sky,” “Pecan Pie,” and “Summerteeth,” among many other Tweedy originals. But the real of the hangout sessions was in the rich roster of covers performed including “So Much Wine,” (Brett Sparks and Rennie Sparks), “Love Like A Wire” (Diane Izzo), “I Am the Cosmos” (Chris Bell), “Be Not So Fearful” (Bill Fay), and “Military Madness,” (Graham Nash), on which Sammy really crushed it.

Another notable episode involves the gang cover a few songs by singer/songwriter John Prine, who, it had just been announced had tested positive for coronavirus. They tackled “Illegal Smile,” “Angel From Montgomery,” and “Summer’s End” in touching tribute to the legendary musician.

And between all the songs, or tidbits of songs, is a lot of amusing banter. You never Susie, as she's the one filming everything, but her presence is hugely felt in her ongoing commentary and snarky reading of the requests.

The next episode, #11, airs tonight at 9:30 pm on Instagram (instagram.com/stuffinourhouse).

Also you can see the Tweedy family on Jimmy Kimmel Live, airing at 11:05 pm.

Now let’s get on to the three Wilco setlists I missed during my hiatus:

The Sylvee, Madison, Wisconsin 3/9/20

“Bright Leaves” / “Before Us” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “War on War” / “One and a Half Stars” / “Handshake Drugs” / “Side With the Seeds” / “Hummingbird” / “White Wooden Cross” / “Via Chicago” / “Laminated Cat” / “Random Name Generator” / “Reservations” / “California Stars” / “Impossible Germany”/ “Jesus, Etc.” / “Love is Everywhere (Beware)” / “Box Full of Letters” / “Everyone Hides” / “Theologians” / “I’m the Man Who Loves You” / “Hold Me Anyway” / “Misunderstood”

Encore: “Monday” / “Outtasite (Outta Mind)”

Symphony Hall, Duluth, Minnesota 3/10/20

“Bright Leaves” / “Before Us” /”Company in My Back” / “War on War” / “Handshake Drugs” / “Side With the Seeds” / “One and a Half Stars” / “Via Chicago” / “Bull Black Nova” / “Random Name Generator” / “Reservations” / “Hummingbird” / “Impossible Germany” / “California Stars” / “Love is Everywhere (Beware)” / “Box Full of Letters” / “Everyone Hides” / “Heavy Metal Drummer” / “I’m the Man Who Loves You” / “Hold Me Away” / “The Late Greats”

Encore: “Red-Eyed and Blue” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)” / “A Shot in the Arm”

Centennial Concert Hall, Winnipeg, MB, Canada 3/11/20

“Bright Leaves” / “Before Us” /”Company in My Back” / “Can’t Stand it” / “One and a Half Stars” / “Handshake Drugs” / “War on War” / “Hummingbird” / “Via Chicago” / “How to Fight Loneliness” / “Laminated Cat” / “Random Name Generator” / “Reservations”/ “Impossible Germany” / “Love is Everywhere” (Beware)” / “Box Full of Letters” / “Passenger Side” / “Everyone Hides” / “Theologians” / “I’m the Man Who Loves You” / “Hold Me Away” / “The Late Greats”

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

Okay! That’s all for now. Please stay in and stay safe I’ll try to do the same.

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