Photos: Wilco play a trifecta of no-repeat shows in St. Paul
by Darin Kamnetz and Reed Fischer
December 16, 2024
The Chicago six-piece Wilco played a total of 95 songs from their vast catalog over a three-night stand at the Palace Theatre in St. Paul on Dec. 13 to 15. True to the shows’ billing, each night featured no repeats, as well as no opening acts.
Singer and guitarist Jeff Tweedy led his talented group through detailed and passionate versions of songs spanning all the way from their 1994 debut A.M. up through this year’s Hot Sun Cool Shroud EP. With a dedicated crew deftly handling a steady stream of guitar changes, the sets stayed in tune and on time. With Tweedy’s surefooted vocals leading the way, jubilant bassist John Stirratt shared center stage and contributed key harmonies. Pat Sansone split his time between keyboards for the ambient moments and strapping on an electric guitar to strike some Townshend-esque poses and windmills for the rockers with more firepower.
Glenn Kotche employed a wealth of techniques on the drums, holding the crew together, and then letting go for a huge closing solo during “Let's Not Get Carried Away” on Saturday evening. Keyboardist Mikael Jorgensen ensured that the multi-layered compositions could feel just as full as their recorded versions, if not moreso. Guitar hero Nels Cline showed just as much gentle feel for a lap steel as he did raw abandon on his electric guitars. His ripping solos — such as on Sunday’s performance of “Impossible Germany” — often shifted the entire room’s mood as the band hit upon their alt-country, folk, psychedelic, and drone sides.
Plenty of fans hit all three nights, and they were rewarded with an onslaught of big hits, hidden gems, and an occasional clever aside from Tweedy. Underneath the jokes, the band came off as serious about delivering their material well, and genuinely appreciative for how well the whole thing landed.
Friday, Dec. 13, 2024
1. Company In My Back
2. Should've Been in Love
3. Country Song Upside-Down
4. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
5. Hints
6. Country Disappeared
7. Misunderstood
8. From Far Away
9. How to Fight Loneliness
10. It's Just That Simple
11. Tired of Taking It Out On You
12. Venus Stopped the Train
13. Secret of the Sea
14. Hesitating Beauty
15. Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull
INTERMISSION
16. Someone Else's Song
17. You Satellite
18. Hell is Chrome
19. Panthers
20. Levee
21. One Wing
22. You Are My Face
23. Pot Kettle Black
24. Box Full of Letters
25. I'm Always In Love
26. Random Name Generator
27. Theologians
28. I'm the Man Who Loves You
29. A Shot in the Arm
Encore:
30. Too Far Apart
31. Heavy Metal Drummer
Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024
1. Spiders (Kidsmoke)
2. Wishful Thinking
3. Evicted
4. Art of Almost
5. Muzzle Of Bees
6. Sunken Treasure
7. She's a Jar
8. Handshake Drugs
9. Either Way
10. Bob Dylan's 49th Beard
11. Remember the Mountain Bed
12. If I Ever Was A Child
13. Quiet Amplifier
14. Less Than You Think
INTERMISSION
15. The Late Greats
16. Blue Eyed Soul
17. Whole Love
18. Cold Slope
19. King of You
20. Laminated Cat (Aka Not For The Season)
21. Camera
22. Side with the Seeds
23. What Light
24. Jesus, Etc.
25. Say You Miss Me
26. Hate It Here
27. Monday
28. Outtasite (Outta Mind)
29. I'm A Wheel
Encore:
30. Casino Queen
31. Let's Not Get Carried Away
Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024
1. Via Chicago
2. Poor Places
3. Reservations
4. Sky Blue Sky
5. Shouldn't Be Ashamed
6. I Am My Mother
7. Cruel Country
8. Love Is Everywhere (Beware)
9. War On War
10. Sad Kind of Way
11. Meant to Be
12. Ashes of American Flags
13. Forget the Flowers
14. Everyone Hides
15. One Sunday Morning (Song For Jane Smiley's Boyfriend)
INTERMISSION
16. Annihilation
17. At Least That's What You Said
18. Hummingbird
19. On and On and On
20. Can't Stand It
21. Sonny Feeling
22. Hotel Arizona
23. Impossible Germany
24. Passenger Side
25. A Magazine Called Sunset
26. Dawned On Me
27. Walken
28. Kingpin
29. I Got You (At the End of the Century)
Encore:
30. Falling Apart (Right Now)
31. California Stars
32. Candyfloss
33. Kicking Television