Wilco
The Fairgrounds at the Salt Shed
Chicago, Illinois
June 14, 2024

Location: Floor, ~50 feet back, in line with the left stack

Source: DPA 4060 => Tascam DR-2d
Conversion: WAV => Audio Cleaning Lab => FLAC (16-bit)

Track listing:

CD1 (77:38):
(1) Band entrance (0:23)
(2) Infinite Surprise (6:07)
(3) Can't Stand It (4:48)
(4) Handshake Drugs (6:31)
(5) At Least That's What You Said (5:30)
(6) I Am My Mother (2:38)
(7) Cruel Country (3:44)
(8) I Am Trying to Break Your Heart (5:26)
(9) Levee (4:23)
(10) What Light (3:51)
(11) Theologians (3:53)
(12) Cousin (4:19)
(13) Bird Without a Tail => Base Of My Skull (9:30)
(14) Hummingbird (3:30)
(15) Banter (1:12)
(16) Evicted (3:54)
(17) Box Full of Letters (3:36)
(18) I'm Always In Love (4:15)

CD2 (53:47):
(1) Jesus, Etc. (4:18)
(2) Impossible Germany (10:27)
(3) Dawned On Me (4:12)
(4) The Late Greats (2:48)
(5) A Shot in the Arm (5:04)
(6) Encore break (3:03)
(7) Via Chicago (5:03)
(8) California Stars (5:19)
(9) Spiders (Kidsmoke) (12:52)
(10) Outro (0:36)

There are no fades applied to this recording; if you choose to burn to CD, the above splits are just a suggestion.

Comments: This was both Wilco's and my first time at this relatively new venue; once a Morton Salt factory, this has been converted to a nice 2000-or-so-capacity theater on Chicago's near northwest side. During the summer months, they hold events in the "Fairgrounds" outdoor area next to the facility (which I assume holds more people). This represents the first of two sold-out nights for the band, who were still promoting 2023's "Cousin."

The performance was great; even the material from "Cruel Country" (which I don't love) and "Cousin" (which I consider plodding) came off well in this environment. The last hour or so of the show smokes, concluding with a powerful "Spiders (Kidsmoke)."

This being my first time at the venue, I realized about an hour or so into the show that the sound was awfully distant relative to my position, and I moved forward 10-15 feet into the sweet spot -- you'll notice the sound improve significantly throughout the recording, even though I didn't move that far. It also offered the benefit of getting me away in front of the sea of chatty concert-goers I was standing in; I usually feel like audience chatter is more annoying to me as the taper than it is to other listeners, but in this case it definitely gets in the way of enjoying the music. Fortunately the improved sound coincides with the more entertaining part of the concert.

Recommended if you are a Wilco fan. This is by no means a perfect recording, but with a good setlist and decent sound the serious fans should find this worthwhile.

Check out the samples in the comments if in doubt.