Wilco — 8 May 2026, Albuquerque, NM (Popejoy Hall At University Of New Mexico)

Unlike several other stops on this leg of the “Evening With…” tour, this wasn’t Wilco’s first time playing in Albuquerque or even in the Popejoy Hall on the University Of New Mexico campus. Heck, Jeff had just been in New Mexico less than two months earlier when he played in Santa Fe with the Tweedy band. And some of what transpired at that mid-March show at The Lensic bled over into tonight’s Wilco gig, whether everyone fully realized it or not.

(Incidentally, Wilco has played in New Mexico dating all the way back to some of its earliest touring in 1995 but I don’t think Jeff and Co. have ever played anywhere in the state except Santa Fe and Albuquerque. They’re certainly no Phoebe Bridgers, who kicked off her comeback tour tonight with a mysterious show in Roswell, of all places.)

Anyway, at one point midway through Set 2 at Popejoy, someone yelled out “Parked By The Lake,” referring to the parody country song that Jeff and his Tweedy bandmates apparently performed in March. Having not attended that show, I didn’t get the reference right away but Jeff acknowledged it. “I heard that,” he said, proceeding to quote one of that song’s most famous lyrics. “Eighty miles outside Santa Fe/That’s where I’m parked.” Someone else within Jeff’s earshot remarked, “That’s a good song.” Replied Jeff: “That is a good song.”

It was by that point in the show that Jeff, who departed from his usual dark fashion palette tonight in favor of a pink shirt and khakis fitting for the New Mexican setting, seemed to be more willing to visit Banter Corner — and also revisit some of the bits he used on the Twilight Override tour. Like the one about his pricey guitar picks. Just before Impossible Germany, Jeff apologized for delaying the start of the song so he could get a fresh pick. “Ever had anybody apologize to you for getting a new pick?” he asked rhetorically. “First time? I’m conscientious.” Then after the long jam, he said first to the audience, “See why I needed a new pick?” and then jokingly to Nels, “You can’t have one, Nels. They’re expensive. I had them carved out of my hip bones.” A bit later, he put a twist on another familiar quip, saying, “We’re running out of time. I just mean in general.”

Indeed, it seemed like there was an 11 p.m. curfew hanging over the band but that proved to be just enough time to get in a full 33-song performance that clocked in at just shy of three hours (176 minutes, to be exact, including an 18-minute intermission). Ostensibly it was the last show of this little two-week-plus run, though it actually wasn’t since the band performed a semi-secret (in that it wasn’t widely publicized) benefit concert the following evening in Colorado before heading home. Still, Jeff gave his usual extended introduction of (and shoutout to) the Wilcrew as he typically would at a tour-ending gig — which happened after he apologized to front-of-house engineer Jared for accidentally using the wrong plug to plug in his guitar before I Am Trying To Break Your Heart.

“That’s how many people it takes to make this happen,” Jeff said after mentioning each of the crew by name (including his namesake guitar tech, Jeff Tweedy). “They do this in spite of us not being pleasant to be around. I mean, we pay them but…”

Another Wilcrew member, the new drum tech Chris, got caught up in the ongoing brotherly back-and-forth between Jeff and Glenn when Jeff introduced him by looking at Glenn and joking that Chris “does drums, so he’s not quite as important as (the other crew members).” A bit later Glenn got some measure of revenge by pretending to speak into Jeff’s microphone as the band came back on stage for the encore. Jeff gave a look of mock disgust and pretended to wipe the mike off with his shirt sleeve.

It was just that kind of good-humored night, I suppose. Near the end of the first set, Jeff had an amusing exchange with a middle-aged guy near the front of the stage who was apparently committing a faux pas with his phone while taking a photo. “I just wanted to tell you your flash was on,” Jeff said to the man. “There’s young people here and I didn’t want you to embarrass yourself.” The guy, perhaps not quite understanding Jeff, replied, “I’m 50 years old.” Jeff shot back, “I know.” Then a pause, followed by, “You look good.” Maybe you just had to be there…

Though there wasn’t a universal consensus by the Popejoy audience on whether to sit or stand — and Jeff pointed this out on a couple of different occasions — it seemed like everyone was pretty much left to do what they felt like instead of the vibe at some shows where sitters and standers butt heads. Jeff kept claiming that he “wasn’t going to weigh in” on the matter, though of course he did. Before The Universe, Jeff said, “I see what song’s coming up (next) and you probably should be sitting.” But afterward, as the set headed toward its inevitably rocking conclusion, he chimed in again: “Now you should probably stand, I guess. It might be fun. This is a Friday night last time I checked.”

Ultimately, it just seemed like Jeff and Co. were enjoying being back in New Mexico and capping off, more or less, their first little bit of touring in what is shaping up to be a busy 2026. Jeff raised his arms triumphantly during the mention of “the great southwest” in Hummingbird, awkwardly changed the lyric in Kingpin to “livin’ in…Albuquerque,” and later mentioned how he thought Albuquerque “deserve(d) both Qs in your name.” And by the time everyone filed back out into the New Mexico night after an enjoyable I Got You>Outtasite two-fer, everything seemed about as right with the world as, well, a green chile cheeseburger.

Here was the complete setlist, as played (there were no changes/omissions from the printed setlist for Set 1, but in Set 2, Love Is Everywhere (Beware) replaced One Wing on the printed list, while neither I Got You or Outtasite were listed in the encore but were played):

Set 1

1. Handshake Drugs

2. If I Ever Was A Child

3. Cruel Country

4. Forget The Flowers

5. Evicted

6. Bird Without A Tail/Base Of My Skull

7. I’m Always In Love (acoustic arrangement)

8. Everyone Hides

9. Hummingbird

10. It’s Just That Simple

11. You And I

12. Country Song Upside-Down

13. War On War>

14. Via Chicago

15. California Stars

16. Falling Apart (Right Now)

Set 2

17. Box Full Of Letters

18. Annihilation

19. I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

20. Kamera

21. Love Is Everywhere (Beware)

22. Either Way

23. Impossible Germany

24. Jesus, etc.

25. The Universe (electric arrangement)

26. Hate It Here

27. Walken

28. Kingpin

29. Heavy Metal Drummer>

30. I’m The Man Who Loves You

---

Encore

31. The Late Greats

32. I Got You (At The End Of The Century)>

33. Outtasite (Outta Mind)