Wilco residency filled with the familiar and the new in country-infused opener at the Riv

Hometown heroes Wilco launched their spring tour with the first of a three-night stand at the Riviera Theatre on Thursday. Jeff Tweedy and his bandmates will complete the series this weekend, with an enticement for devotees attending all three concerts: An entirely different show is promised each night.

The self-imposed restriction meant that audience members might not get a heavy dose of tracks from Wilco’s “Cruel Country” album on Thursday. The sprawling double album’s “I Am My Mother” was nonetheless a highlight early in the set, with imagery of migrants seeking better lives. On title track, Tweedy expressed a childlike love for his homeland without omitting wry reflection on its faults. “All you have to do is sing in the choir, set yourself on fire every once in a while,” he sang.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone played a supple guitar solo straight from Laurel Canyon during the new “Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull,” while guitarist Nels Cline channeled the Byrds’ Roger McGuinn on 12-string electric guitar.

Despite Tweedy’s roots in alternative country, the experimental and evolving Wilco has long resisted categorization as a country band. Twenty-eight years following its debut album “A.M.,” Wilco embraced the format when playing material from “Cruel Country.” Drummer Glenn Kotche played a lively two-step beat for “A Lifetime to Find,” while Cline played weeping lap steel. Tweedy’s lyric imagined a conversation during a surprise visit by Death. “I can see you’ve done your best,” says the Grim Reaper as jolly music unfolds, adding that there’s no point in delay. “It’s too late for regrets; I am here to collect.”

Tweedy set a lighthearted tone by announcing that the band would present a golden “Best Behaved — Wilco Tour 2023” statuette to a member of the audience.

“There’s a lot at stake tonight,” said Tweedy. “More so for you than us.” The prize ultimately went to super fan Paul Suwan. “Paul’s been to more Wilco shows than there have been Wilco shows,” said Tweedy.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Weekend ticketholders can flood the band’s online request portal for chances to hear the disarming “Cruel Country” song “Falling Apart (Right Now),” which went unsung on Thursday. However, the band’s 12 albums provided plenty of strong material for the evening.

It was a lucky night for fans of 1996 sophomore album “Being There,” with six songs on the menu, including a soulful version of the lovesick “Say You Miss Me.” Wilco encored with hot versions of “I Got You (At the End of the Century)” and “Monday.” The latter was infused with an extra measure of Mott the Hoople-styled glam rock.

2004’s “A Ghost is Born” was also well-represented. John Stirratt’s loping bass propelled the breezy “Handshake Drugs,” which ignited when Cline threw licks like showers of electrical sparks. The jaunty “Hummingbird” earned one of the concert’s biggest audience singalongs. “Theologians” initially misfired, but the opening night snag became a treat.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

The band then offered a glimpse into what a studio rehearsal might encompass. Tweedy conferred briefly with his bandmates before saying good-naturedly, “We’ll just try it again.” The rebooted song went without a hitch. “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” chestnut “Ashes of American Flags” followed, crowned by a transcendent jam.

The gentle and melancholy “She’s a Jar” was made all the more Dylanesque by Tweedy’s neck-mounted harmonica. “I can’t help but feel like you’re humoring me a little bit when you cheer for the harmonica,” said Tweedy in jest afterward. “It’s condescending. Four notes. Anyone can do it.”

Late in the main set, Tweedy paused to take a hand count of people who would be attending all three shows at the Riv. Noting that it wasn’t unanimous, Tweedy dryly asked why the band bothered learning three different sets. “Just between us, this is the only good set list,” he said, deadpan. “It’s really not looking good for the next couple of nights.”

Opening the show was youthful Chicago trio Horsegirl, who joined a cavernous post-punk and shoegaze sound with melody while performing material from 2022’s “Versions of Modern Performance.” Threads connecting to bands like Ride, Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine and Pavement were evident in songs including “Anti-glory” and “Billy.”

Wilco Set List:

• Less Than You Think
• I Am My Mother
• Cruel Country
• Handshake Drugs
• Say You Miss Me
• I Must Be High
• Hummingbird
• Cars Can’t Escape
• Love is Everywhere (Beware)
• Pot Kettle Black
• Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull
• She’s a Jar
• Forget the Flowers
• Theologians
• Ashes of American Flags
• The Lonely 1
• How to Fight Loneliness
• A Lifetime to Find
• California Stars

Encore:

• I’m Always in Love
• Red-Eyed & Blue
• I Got You (At the End of the Century)
• Monday

Jeff Elbel