Wilco to Play Katrina Benefit, Push Back Live Album

On November 1, the band will play a benefit concert at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre, with proceeds going to two New Orleans-based charities: the New Orleans Musician's Relief Fund and the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans. The former aids musicians affected by Katrina, while the latter handles the safekeeping of the city's architecture and neighborhoods. While the Red Cross is working on covering the essentials, these organizations focus on the inspiration. Feel free to quote that on your next literary analysis, 'cause goshdarnit, it was deep.

Wilco's John Stirratt said in a press release, "The city is so vulnerable now, and with so much money being directed there, we need to avoid unnecessary loss in architecture and musical culture."

Wilco will headline the show, with special guests yet to be announced. We think this means no Autumn Defense, 'cause hey, special guests are supposed to be a surprise. Tickets are $35 and $50, with opera boxes going for $600 and $1,000. Charities run a hard bargain, but, like Nickolodeon's The Big Help advises, "Raise money or donate your allowance," or (our personal favorite), "Have a bake sale!" It's for the community, kids! Best of all, Ticketmaster and Musictoday are reducing their processing fees for this show... so expect to pay a meager one gazillion dollars in convenience fees.

In other Wilco news, the band's forthcoming live album, Kicking Television - Live in Chicago has been pushed back to November 15. Our mamas always told us that patience was a virtue, so we advise you to hold your effin' horses, em-effers. The two-CD release is, of course, coming out thanks to our buddies over at Nonesuch.

Those who pre-order from Musictoday will get an "exclusive download" (whoawhoawhoawhoaWHOA!) of "How to Fight Loneliness" for doing so, proving yet another one of Mom's axioms-- the early bird gets the worm. Unfortunately, the worm will be fighting loneliness in some robin's belly.

The band starts an extremely brief tour tonight in Indiana, before Jeff Tweedy takes off all by his bad self for a solo trek.

I'm the news writer who loves you:

10-13 Indianapolis, IN - Murat Theatre
10-14 Asheville, NC - Thomas Wolfe Auditorium *
10-15 Atlanta, GA - Phillips Arena #
10-22 Rio De Janeiro, Brazil - Tim Festival
11-01 Chicago, IL - Auditorium Theatre (Hurricane Relief)
11-05 Madison, WI - Orpheum Theatre (Jeff Tweedy solo) &
11-06 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue (Jeff Tweedy solo) &
11-08 Ann Arbor, MI - Michigan Theater (Jeff Tweedy solo) &
11-09 Grand Rapids, MI - Calvin College Fine Arts Center (Jeff Tweedy solo) &
11-12 Grantham, PA - Brubaker Auditorium (Jeff Tweedy solo) &
11-13 Northampton, MA - Calvin Theatre (Jeff Tweedy solo) &
11-14 Albany, NY - Empire State Plaza Performing Arts Center (Jeff Tweedy solo) &
11-16 New York, NY - Tribeca Performing Arts Center (Jeff Tweedy solo) ^
11-17 New York, NY - Tribeca Performing Arts Center (Jeff Tweedy solo) &
11-18 Kingston, NY - Ulster Peforming Arts Center (Jeff Tweedy solo) &
11-22 London, England - Shepherd's Bush Empire (Jeff Tweedy solo)

* with Rose Hill Drive
# with the Rolling Stones
& with Glenn Kotche
^ with Nels Cline

Wilco: http://www.wilcoworld.net
New Orleans Musician's Relief Fund: http://www.nomrf.org/index.html
Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans: http://www.preserveneworleans.org/

Posted by Kati Llewellyn in on Thu: 10-13-05: 12:00 AM CDT | Digg this article | Add to del.icio.us | Permalink