We love our Wilco around here, and as if we needed another reason, they’ve presented instructions for their Pay-What-You-Wish Silent Auction Random Lottery Ticketing Thing in convenient chart form. Fun, for a good cause, and presented with eye-catching graphics (the random drawing better be drawn out of a Wilco baseball cap) — that’s the Wilco [...]

Jeff Tweedy graced the stage Saturday night at the Vic for the second time this weekend for his annual benefit concert for his son’s school.  The show began promptly at 8pm and opened with the title track off Wilco’s latest effort, The Whole Love. The audience eagerly applauded Tweedy throughout the night, who engaged the [...]

Jeff Tweedy returned to the Vic for a solo show on Friday just a few months after his visit with Wilco on the Incredible Shrinking Tour. The first show of the two night stand featured a varied set list sprinkled with Jeff’s trademark banter, and he even threw in a debut, “Sunloathe”, for the hometown [...]

Wilco’s so-called Incredible Shrinking Tour was stuff of legend before even one note was played.  After 55 shows across North America and Europe this year, the Chicago faithful was salivating for the band’s holiday homecoming.  The clever selection and revelation of the venues fueled the eagerness.  And the announcement of support acts and the media [...]

For the smallest show of the tour (~500 capacity), the band treated the fans to a number of rarities. Sunday, December 18th, 2011 Lincoln Hall, Chicago, IL One Sunday Morning (Song for Jane Smiley’s Boyfriend), One By One, In A Future Age, Country Disappeared, When The Roses Bloom Again, Why Would You Wanna Live, Cars [...]

Getting smaller…. Friday, December 16th, 2011 The Metro, Chicago, IL Sunken Treasure > Wishful Thinking > Art Of Almost, I Might, I Am Trying To Break Your Heart > One Wing, Company In My Back, Ashes Of American Flags, Shouldn’t Be Ashamed, Either Way, Born Alone, Capitol City, War On War, How To Fight Lonliness, [...]

Lots of new tunes make their way into the setlist on this next stop on the  incredible shrinking tour. Thursday, December 15th, 2011 The Vic Theater, Chicago, IL One Sunday Morning, Hell Is Chrome, Art Of Almost, I Might, Hotel Arizona, Radio Cure, Born Alone, At Least That’s What You Said, Rising Red Lung, Say [...]

The incredible shrinking tour continues in what is reported to be a much jammier show than the previous night, featuring a nearly 15 minute take on “Spiders (Kidsmoke)” and only a handful of repeated songs. Tuesday, December 13th, 2011 Riviera Theater, Chicago, IL Less Than You Think > Art Of Almost, I Might, Black Moon, [...]

“It smells a bit more like weed in here than the opera” – Jeff Tweedy, 12/12/2011 Monday, December 12th, 2011 Civic Opera House, Chicago, IL One Sunday Morning (Song For Jane Smiley’s Boyfriend), Poor Places, Art Of Almost, I Might, Misunderstood, I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, One Wing, Rising Red Lung, Impossible Germany, [...]

Another interesting mix of covers this year, spanning decades and genres with ease.  Kudos to WSP for uncompromising dedication to music they love and turning on their fans to some of their more obscure obsessions. Vic Chesnutt – “Degenerate” Howlin’ Wolf – “Tail Dragger” Blue Oyster Cult – “Godzilla” Black Sabbath – “Iron Man” (Paris [...]