Wilco played 3 surprise ‘Cruel Country’ shows at Chicago dive bar Carol’s Pub (setlists, video)

"When we thought about celebrating Cruel Country in Chicago," Wilco wrote on Sunday morning on their social media, "only one place came to mind: Carol's Pub." That was the band announcing that they'd be playing the legendary Chicago country dive bar, which holds about 200 people, that night. Tickets went on sale at Carol's box office only and very quickly sold out, but Wilco ended up adding two more shows to accomodate more fans with 7 PM, 9 PM and 11 PM sets.

Wilco's sets featured songs from this year's Cruel Country, and a few from Being There and A.M., but the bulk of their sets were covers, including Bob Dylan's "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You," Tom T Hall's "That's How I Got to Memphis," Roger Miller's "Reincarnation" and Grateful Dead's "US Blues." They also played Uncle Tupelo's "New Madrid."

Check out the 7 PM and 9 PM setlists, plus video and instagram pics, below.

Wilco play three shows in Iceland in 2023, and recently teamed up with Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh as PHILCO at the Sacred Rose Festival in August.

Pick up Wilco albums on vinyl in the BV shop.

SETLIST: Wilco @ Carol's Pub, Chicago 10/9/2022 (9 PM Set)
Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You (Bob Dylan)
I Am My Mother
Cruel Country
Far, Far Away
Forget the Flowers
That's How I Got to Memphis (Tom T. Hall)
It's Just That Simple
New Madrid (Uncle Tupelo)
She's My Rock (Stoney Edwards)
Someday Soon
Hesitating Beauty (Billy Bragg & Wilco)
The Death of the Last Stripper (Terry Allen)
A Lifetime to Find
Give Back the Key to My Heart (Doug Sahm)
Falling Apart (Right Now)
U.S. Blues (Grateful Dead)

SETLIST: Wilco @ Carol's Pub, Chicago 10/9/2022 (9 PM Set)
Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You (Bob Dylan)
I Am My Mother
Cruel Country
New Madrid (Uncle Tupelo)
That's How I Got to Memphis (Tom T. Hall)
Please Be Wrong
Someday Soon
Hesitating Beauty (Billy Bragg & Wilco)
The Death of the Last Stripper (Terry Allen)
She's My Rock (Stoney Edwards)
Falling Apart (Right Now)
Give Back the Key to My Heart (Doug Sahm)
A Lifetime to Find
U.S. Blues (Grateful Dead)
Reincarnation (Roger Miller)