Wilco Kicks Off Winterlude 2017 Run At The Chicago Theatre

Wednesday night Wilco held a concert at The Chicago Theatre as part of the band’s four-show Winterlude run at their hometown venue. The band’s first performance of 2017 featured few deviations from a career-spanning setlist structure that Jeff Tweedy and Co. relied on while touring at the end of last year.

The 19-song main set began with frequent opener “Ashes Of American Flags” off their record Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Two songs from last year’s Schmilco LP, “If I Ever Was Child” and “Cry All Day” came ahead of the YHT favorite “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart.” Opening night also featured Shmilco cuts “Someone To Lose” and “We Aren’t The World (Safety Girl)” as well as a pairing of “Hummingbird” and “The Late Greats” off A Ghost Is Born to close out the set.

Wilco’s 2015 album Star Wars was represented by “Pickled Ginger” and the first encore opener “Random Name Generator.” The night also saw a song selected from A.M. (“Box Full of Letters”), Being There (“Misunderstood”), Summerteeth (“Via Chicago”), Sky Blue Sky (“Impossible Germany”), Wilco (The Album) (“Bull Black Nova”) and The Whole Love (“Art of Almost”). The show closed with “California Stars” from the collaborative Mermaid Avenue record.

Wilco returns to The Chicago Theatre tonight, and again on Saturday and Sunday. Chicago radio station 93WXRT is offering a free livestream of Wilco’s show on Saturday, February 25 beginning at 8:30 p.m. CT via 93XRT.com or locally at 93.1FM.

Here’s “Misunderstood” from opening night captured by Kevin Higley: