When Jeff Tweedy asked the sold-out State Theatre crowd Tuesday how many would be back on Wednesday, it sounded like more than half the room responded in the affirmative. "We'll be here, too," he quipped, but apparently he and the rest of Wilco took the query very seriously behind the scenes.
The Chicago rockers seemed intent on not repeating themselves Wednesday. Aside from the new record's material – which was also changed up a bit -- they only played two other songs both nights ("Impossible Germany" and "Heavy Metal Drummer"). Otherwise, it was all different stuff on Wednesday. Where Tuesday's set list was heavy on the "Being There" album, this one centered around "Summerteeth," plus it offered up different songs from "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" and most of the other records (though nothing just one from "A.M.").
Highlights among the Night 2 additions included the elegant 2009 masterpiece "One Wing," an especially windswept "Via Chicago," the first encore's spastic-rocking finale "I'm a Wheel" (which one dude in the crowd kept yelling for both nights) plus one other track off the new record, "Capitol City." The biggest surprises were the almost-never-played "Shouldn't Be Ashamed" and the unlikely choice of openers, "Less Than You Think." Comparison-wise, you'd be splitting hairs trying to judge the second night vs. the first (reviewed here). And you'd be missing the point: These weren't two shows; they were really one long one.
Here's Wednesday's set list: Less Than You Think / Art of Almost / I Might / Radio Cure / I Am Trying to Break Your Heart / One Wing / Kamera / Born Alone / At Least That's What You Said / Rising Red Lung / Impossible Germany / Shouldn't Be Ashamed / Don't Forget the Roses / Capitol City / Via Chicago / Can't Stand It / Dawned on Me / Shot in the Arm / Hummingbird ENCORE: Whole Love / Heavy Metal Drummer / Walken / Late Greats / Standing O / I'm a Wheel ENCORE 2: Cruel to Be Kind (with Nick Lowe)
Nick Lowe altered his opening set a bit, too, opening with "People Change" and ending with "Beast of Me" instead of "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding." I'll take that trade. He also preceded "When I Write the Book" with a memory of playing the State Theatre with his old band Rockpile – "shortly after the place was built," he joked (it was actually 1976).
