The Vic Theatre Nights That Became Wilco’s Kicking Television

Wilco recorded four hometown nights at the Vic Theatre from May 4 through May 7, 2005. By November, those Chicago performances had become Kicking Television: Live in Chicago, a double album with the room’s name embedded in its recording credits.

The lineup brought Jeff Tweedy, John Stirratt, Glenn Kotche and Mikael Jorgensen together with Nels Cline and Pat Sansone. The album moves between the concentrated force of Misunderstood and Via Chicago and the extended repetition of Spiders (Kidsmoke). It documents how the songs worked in the hands of that particular band.

The Vic’s role was concrete: these were the performances selected to represent Wilco on an official live release. The recording carried a four-night Chicago engagement far beyond the people who had tickets.

Explore The Vic Theatre on CouchLot.

Related stories: Wilco, Cain’s Ballroom and Ashes of American Flags; Wilco’s Snoozin’ at The Pageant.

Sources: nonesuch.com.