Jeff Tweedy At The Salt Shed - November 2025

There were plural Tweedys on the stage on Saturday night at the Salt Shed.  You could tell right away when they walked on the stage based on how they looked.  The hair.  And the way that Jeff Tweedy was smiling.  He was happy to be playing with his kids and other people (that he said) he knew since they were "little".  There he was - seemingly looking healthy - playing from his new thirty-song (yes...30 songs) album Twilight Override with a band backing him featuring two pairs of siblings (one of them being his two sons - playing drums and keyboards).  I don't know what anyone else was expecting, but (for me), the highlight of the night was the free water and cups from the hosts at the Salt Shed.  I had never been there before, but was really impressed with the place.  It is a big cavern and they have done a really nice job creating a unique venue.  We parked up the block about 10 minute walk (we went for pizza prior to the show and left the car there) and it was easy to get in and get settled.  They have a big bar and....those free water cups and water stations.  That part was great.

Jeff Tweedy played these unknown (to me) songs and talked about how he'd been at "Frontman school" (funny) and introduce the band.    As for the music, here's how Pitchfork reviewed the album (also...I think there's some notion that Pitchfork is...well...whatever):  

Twilight Override is comprised of only strange, beautiful, and threadbare originals, but the sense of glorious indulgence is straight 1970 Dylan.

He mentioned that he'd 'call out' the 'quiet songs' - and he did.  Here's the Tribune review of the show - where the lede was the 'quiet song' part.  

The Tribune also crows about Twilight Override (triple record):

To simply call it a record shortchanges its breadth. In an era where three-minute songs struggle to capture the attention of listeners who try to get their fixes by constantly swiping and scrolling, Tweedy made a triple album with a run time of almost two hours. It ranks with Wilco’s “Cruel Country” (2022) as the most consistent and engaging Tweedy-involved work in a decade.

What's struck me about the whole experience is that despite some efforts, it appears that I've failed to listen to 'new music' from Wilco. Say the past six years-or-so, I've failed to tune-in.  The last time I posted here on the blog about Wilco is from 2019.  Lines up to that same six-year decline.  

How long did they play?  ViaChicago shows that they played 26 songs.  How many Wilco songs?  It appears there was one - song 25 out of 26 of the night - Far, Far Away.  Or, maybe there are more on the setlist.  See that six-years-of-absence I mention in the paragraph above.  

AITAH for expecting a bunch of Wilco songs?  Maybe.  

Did we stick around to hear the one (confirmed by me, at least) Wilco song?  No, we did not.  

Did we have a great night?  We did.