Wilco is starting the new year with a burst of activity surrounding its latest album, Cruel Country, which was released digitally last May. The vinyl and CD editions of the project will be released Friday (Jan. 20), and the Chicago rock veterans are reactivating Wilcoworld Radio for the occasion.
Throughout more than 12 hours of original programming, Wilco is now offering a free radio stream from Wilcoworld.net featuring DJ sets from each band member, concert recordings of album tracks from 2022 performances, Jeff Tweedy offering a “deep dive” on the material, and, for good measure, an “audio mezcal tasting.” The stream will be available through Jan. 24.
Best of all is a new short film chronicling an impromptu performance at Carol’s Pub in Chicago last October, which quickly went from one show to three. Clearly enjoying the intimate surroundings, Wilco works through four songs from Cruel Country in front of a very appreciative audience: the mournful “A Story to Tell,” the down-on-my-luck ballad “I Am My Mother,” the handsome country soul of the title track, and the rollicking, pleading “Falling Apart (Right Now).”
Wilco will continue to feature Cruel Country material on an extensive 2023 tour, highlighted by three shows/no repeats residencies this March and April in Chicago, Port Chester, N.Y., and Reykjavík. Additional U.S. dates will follow through late April, and Wilco will pick up again for a couple of shows abroad later in the summer. Tickets for new shows are on sale Friday at 10 a.m. local time.
Wilco’s spring 2023 tour dates:
March 23, 25-26: Chicago (Riviera Theatre – no repeats)
March 30-31, April 1: Port Chester, N.Y. (Capitol Theatre – no repeats)
April 6-8: Reykjavík (Eldborg Hall – no repeats)
April 16: Charleston, S.C. (High Water Festival)
April 18: Orlando, Fla. (Hard Rock)
April 19: St. Augustine, Fla. (St. Augustine Amphitheater)
April 20: Clearwater, Fla. (Ruth Eckerd Hall)
April 22: Birmingham, Ala. (Avondale Brewing)
April 23: Athens, Ga. (Classic Center)
April 24: Huntsville, Ala. (Mark C. Smith Hall)
April 25: Nashville (Ryman Auditorium)
April 27: Knoxville, Tenn. (Tennessee Theatre
April 28: Asheville, N.C. (Thomas Wolfe Auditorium)
April 29: Greensboro, N.C. (White Oak Amphitheater)
April 30: Athens, Ga. (Alumni Memorial)
Aug. 19: Taboão, Portugal (Festival Paredes De Coura)
Sept. 3: Birmingham, U.K. (Moseley Folk Festival)
