Like any musician, Wilco's Jeff Tweedy has his pre-show rituals. In the case of this video, they involve learning a bunch of his old songs he's about to play on stage.
"Rituals" (subtitle: "What Do People Do Before Their Big Moment") is a new series of brief video documentaries from Thrash Lab, part of Ashton Kutcher's Katalyst Network, showcasing musicians in revealing moments on and off stage. The latest piece catches up with Tweedy in March at the Vic Theater, preparing for his annual youth scholarship benefit show.
Tweedy plays the Chicago concerts each year to raise money for his sons' school (both of them appear, barely, in this video). The set list for the shows: whatever the first 30 fans in line request him to play. That means Tweedy's in for a crash course on his own catalog.
Songs in the video include Wilco's "Hell Is Chrome," "Bull Black Nova," "Whole Love" and Uncle Tupelo's "Wherever."
Here's the short film, debuting here today:
Wilco's next local at-bat is a concert July 8 at the Fifth Third Bank Ballpark out in Geneva, with Andrew Bird and the Congregation. Tickets here.
More "Rituals" to come on Thrash Lab's YouTube playlist.
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