Wilco Welcomes Japanese Breakfast At Solid Sound Festival

By Scott Bernstein May 29, 2022 • 7:04 am PDT

Wilco was joined on Saturday during their second of two headlining sets by fellow Solid Sound Festival act Japanese Breakfast. JBrekkie frontwoman Michelle Zauner led Wilco and a two-piece string section through “Jesus, Etc.” as part of the host band’s encore at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Massachusetts.

On Friday, Wilco devoted their main set to a complete performance of Cruel Country, a double album released that day. Surprisingly, Jeff Tweedy and company went back to Cruel Country for seven songs on Saturday. The band also fit material from throughout their career into the 27-tune performance.

“You Are My Face” kicked off Wilco’s main set. The Sky Blue Sky standout was followed by Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’s “War On War” and “Muzzle Of Bees” from A Ghost Is Born. Next came “I Am My Mother,” which represented Cruel Country on Saturday along with its title track, “Bird Without A Tail / “Base Of My Skull,” “Tired Of Taking It Out On You,” “Story To Tell,” “Falling Apart (Right Now)” and “A Lifetime To Find.” The latter came during the encore.

Last night’s main set also featured such staples as “Side With The Seeds,” “Impossible Germany,” “She’s A Jar” and “Walken.” Additionally, Wilco looked to Schmilco for “If I Ever Was A Child” and Being There for the first U.S. “Hotel Arizona” since 2017. Sky Blue Sky saw six songs make the setlist on Saturday including the aforementioned “You Are My Face,” “Side With The Seeds,” “Impossible Germany” and “Walken” as well as “Either Way” and “What Light.”

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot era B-Side “The Good Part” got Wilco’s encore underway. Then, Zauner and the strings emerged for “Jesus, Etc.,” a song Japanese Breakfast has covered in the past. Wilco stuck with Yankee Hotel Foxtrot for “Heavy Metal Drummer” and then plucked “Dawned On Me” from 2011’s The Whole Love. Next, “A Lifetime To Find” gave the encore a taste of Cruel Country before the band closed out their second and final Solid Sound 2022 concert with the frequently paired “Red-Eyed And Blue” and “I Got You (At The End Of The Century)” as well as “Outta Mind (Outta Sight).”

Solid Sound ends today, Sunday, May 29. Jeff Tweedy will play a Jeff Tweedy & Friends set among the action at MASS MoCA.

Watch a clip featuring Japanese Breakfast on “Jesus, Etc.” below:

Setlist