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There was definitely a session at the Loft in, I believe, January or February. Remember the Wilco Instagram account posted a photo of the band at a Blackhawks game? Anyway, I believe the record is probably close to done (or very nearly). Whether they’ll play any new material until it’s actually out remains to be seen...

The challenge for a band, of course, when playing a pair of de facto warm-up concerts to shake off the cobwebs of an 18-month layoff is to still put on a good show for the audience. Given the overwhelmingly friendly makeup of said audience — once again, it seemed like the vast majority of the 700 or so inside the Bijou Theatre tonight were either super-ardent fans who had traveled from afar and seen Wilco many, many times or enthusiastic locals who were thrilled the band had chosen to visit their little corner of the world — that probably wasn’t too hard to achieve. Nevertheless Jeff and his

Yeah, I believe it’s fairly common knowledge (or at least expectation) that there will be a new Wilco record out sometime later this year or early next...

Ah, stop yer whining or no beer for you! #FOXACHE

Man, give a guy a few hours! Anyway, there you go...

As the Bijou Theatre lights dimmed and Wilco prepared to take the stage for the first time in more than 18 months, the heavy stage curtain remained tantalizingly drawn. When it finally opened, what would it reveal? To what extent would the performance that was about to take place be familiar and to what extent would it be different? And on a day when tickets went on (pre)sale for the first American tour in many moons, how much would this long-awaited performance say about where the band is headed in the short — and long — term? These types of questions, I suppose, are what has drawn fans fro

Or we could just turn it into a Broken Social Scene-type of thing... #justsaying #freeforall

Thanks for the detailed report! Of course I messed up the timing in my own head, so I was thinking the first show wasn’t until tonight...forgot you all are way ahead of us (timewise, and probably otherwise). Sounds like a fun way to kick off the tour. Glad to hear that Jen Cloher was well received (well, she is on home turf). I assume she just played solo? I regret missing her on this run, just as much as missing Jeff!

They just announced the comedians and authors who will be performing/talking, fwiw.

Check out the After The Show forum for discussion about this show. And too bad you missed James Elkington, because he was excellent.

Hey Steve, thanks a lot for the kind words! I'm glad to play some small part in helping people who can't make it to shows feel like they're still able to keep up with what Jeff is up to. See you again before long, I'm sure. Great to see you, man! Weird night, but thanks for the perspective vis a vis the Warm/Warmer material. You're right — you've got to take the opportunity to see these shows while you can. Hey, really nice to meet you man! I appreciate the kind words, and thanks a lot for reading my drivel over the years. Hope to get back to another (slightly less weird, maybe) show

Thanks for reading! And yes I am planning to go to Europe for some of the Wilco shows in June and September. Yeah, that's pretty much it. I like those recaps! Maybe I'll skip all the drivel and just boil each show down to its essence from now on... Thanks for following along with my blatherings! I sure wish I could get Down Under for the run of shows coming up next month, but I'll certainly be looking forward to reading about them from your perspective (and others' as well).

The story was writing itself quite nicely: After two nights of relative bedlam, Jeff closed out a long run of solo acoustic performances in support of Warm (and Warmer) by returning to his home state and putting on a solid show for a respectful audience. Back in the familiar confines of a darkened theater, Jeff was able to return to his usual unplugged setup and got to play some of the quieter, sadder songs that he hadn't been able to in the more "festive" atmospheres of the previous evenings. Of course, given some of the weird things that have happened on this tour, you knew things would pr

Nice!

Yeah, I think weird (or maybe just long) is a pretty apt one-word description. Coming down for the finale? There’s still time!

Yes, and yes!

Thanks for filling in some gaps (and correcting me when necessary), Vince! That show was just too bizarre from a crowd interaction and banter standpoint to fit into a reasonably sized recap. I forgot about the, er, dance contest! Sorry again about your song, but good to see you the past couple nights either way. Onward!

Hoo boy...where to even start with this one? I guess the best place is the most obvious, which is to say that while there have been more than a couple of odd venues and peculiar audiences on this Warm tour — Jeff did play five shows in Florida recently, after all — this penultimate performance in Cincinnati probably took the proverbial (wedding) cake. Seriously, about the only things missing from this scene were a bride and groom (or bride and bride or groom and groom) feeding each other said cake — and maybe a run through the Electric Slide. Jeff has probably performed at weddings of family

In retrospect, I suppose the first sign that this wasn't going to be the kind of show that has come to define most of Jeff's solo acoustic tour in support of Warm — that is, a relatively quiet performance in a darkened theater with a modicum of crowd participation — was when he took the stage and immediately plugged in his guitar. Usually Jeff isn't plugged in at all, using just a vocal microphone and another for his guitar. But in certain situations, like bar-type venues or festivals, he will plug in to give his guitar more oomph. Earlier in the tour at a similar venue (the Orange Peel in A

Oh, good to know! Thanks so much, bbsimkins.

Yeah, I guess I shouldn’t have said “awfully short.” I meant a bit short. More telling was the (alleged) lack of any Warm or Warmer songs. But yeah, it’s a testament to Jeff that he was able to go on at all.

Wilcoworld currently has the following listed as the setlist for this show, which seems awfully short even for a festival set under the effects of a bad case of food poisoning. Also, it seems a little odd to me that he wouldn't have played a single thing off Warm (or Warmer, which had just come out that day). And also a friend of mine just confirmed that he "definitely, 100 percent," played Don't Forget because it made her think of her dad. So I would say this setlist is incomplete at best... New Madrid I Am Trying To Break Your Heart Heavy Metal Drummer California Stars Passenger Side I'm

Claptrap territory reached! Somebody plant the flag...

I should have thought of that! Henceforth, call me blues harp — harp for short...

Ah, thanks for the clarification.