IN CONCERT: Wilco - The Green at the Momentary, May 2nd, 2026
Concert review and all photography by Abby Lynn Davidson
Wilco at The Momentary by Abby Lynn Davidson
Wilco played the Green at The Momentary for the second time Saturday, May 2nd for “A Night with Wilco”: a three hour long, two set show with an intermission and a full encore.
The band kicked off the first set with “Via Chicago” and “Handshake Drugs”, two songs which Glenn Kotche shines on live. “Via Chicago” is a little bit slower in its studio version, but the liveversion includes chaotic but controlled drum solo breaks every few bars, which are jarring in a great way. Next, Jeff Tweedy’s vocals leaped to the top of the mix on “If I Ever Was A Child” and “Cruel Country”.
When it comes to their setlist, Wilco does a brilliant job of intermixing deep cuts, new tracks, fan favorites and old gems. They could easily take a predictable route, or play a ton of songs from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, but their ability to keep their setlist interesting and surprising is why they are one of the best live bands.
Wilco at The Momentary by Abby Lynn Davidson
Several songs later, they led into “War on War”, which carries a relevance that didn’t seem lost on the audience. Eventually Wilco closed out their (first) set with a major fan favorite– “California Stars”.
The band went backstage for about 15 or 20 minutes, as stagehands reset the guitar racks. Wilco returned for the second set with “Box Full of Letters” from their earliest album, and then “Annihilation” from their most recent EP.
If the first set was for Wilco’s most deep-in-the-discography fans, the second set was for everyone. This is where their most popular tracks like “I Am trying to Break Your Heart”, “Love Is Everywhere (Beware)”, “Impossible Germany”, “Jesus, Etc.”, and several more come into play.
The audience was at its most energetic halfway through the set, when a group of audience members began yelling “Kingpin!!”-- a song which hadn’t been played regularly since about 2009 . But apparently, it reentered the rotation this year, and was played several songs later. Eventually, the second set came to a close with “Heavy Metal Drummer” and “I’m the Man Who Loves You”.
Wilco at The Momentary by Abby Lynn Davidson
ENCORE
Tweedy poked fun at encores about how they could be convinced to do a couple of extra songs if the audience yelled at them enough.
And Wilco received what they evidently deemed as adequate yelling from the audience, the bandreturned for “The Late Greats” and “I Got You (At the End of the Century)”. The printed setlist for the second set said the show would end with “Spiders (Kidsmoke)”, but the band called an audible and opted to end with “Outtasite (Outta Mind)” instead.
Check out the setlist and full Photo Gallery below!
All photos of Wilco by Abby Lynn Davidson
WILCO GALLERY
(Click to expand for fullscreen & slideshow)
(Click images for fullscreen / slideshow)
SETLIST
Via Chicago
Handshake Drugs
If I Ever Was a Child
Cruel Country
Forget the Flowers
Evicted
Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull
I'm Always in Love (Slow version)
Everyone Hides
Hummingbird
It's Just That Simple
You and l
War on War
Falling Apart (Right Now)
California Stars (Billy Bragg & Wilco song)
SET 2
Box Full of Letters
Annihilation
I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
One Wing
Either Way
Love Is Everywhere (Beware)
Impossible Germany
Jesus, Etc.
The Universe
Hate It Here
Walken
Kingpin
Heavy Metal Drummer
I'm the Man Who Loves You
Encore:
The Late Greats
I Got You (At the End of the Century)
Outtasite (Outta Mind)
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