GCVI Choir Joins Wilco In Toronto For New & Old Favorites

Wilco delivered a pair of concerts at Toronto’s Massey Hall on July 2 and 3 last week. The band welcomed the Guelph Collegiate Vocational Institute (GCVI) Chamber Choir both nights of the run.

The choral collaboration came during the encores. The GCVI Chamber Choir made the roughly 40 mile trip from Guelph, Ontario to join Wilco for the title track to the band’s 2022 double LP Cruel Country as well as Wilco and Billy Bragg’s beloved collaboration “California Stars.”

“Cruel Country” is an honest look at America which carries the refrain “All you have to do is sing in the choir.” Watch Wilco team with Canada’s GCVI Chamber Choir to perform the song the day before America’s Independance Day:

Wilco leaned heavily on their 2004 album A Ghost Is Born — which they recently performed in full at their Solid Sound Festival — over the course of two nights in Toronto including standouts “Handshake Drugs,” “I’m A Wheel” and “The Late Greats.”

The band did dip into their latest LP, Cousin, with “Evicted” and “Meant to Be” performed at each show. The Chicago rockers also touched on their latest EP, Hot Sun Cool Shroud, with “Annihilation.”

Additional favorites played during the run included “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart,” “Jesus Etc.,” “Impossible Germany,” “I’m the Man Who Loves You,” and “Heavy Metal Drummer.”

Wilco wrapped their summer tour with a concert in Chautauqua, New York on July 5 and currently have no other dates on the books. Scroll down for the Toronto setlists.