ASK ANY CASUAL WILCO LISTENER about the band's connections to Springfield, Missouri, and you're not going to hear about the gold record that hung on the late, great, Lou Whitney's wall in The Studio — a Springfield institution that contributed to their double album, Being There, in 1996. Instead, you'll likely hear about the last time the band appeared in southwest Missouri, and the 20 years that had them playing practically everywhere else around the globe.
Written by Cameron Steele
Photographed by Matt Loveland
Die-hard Wilco supporters were left to travel to Kansas City, St. Louis, Tulsa, or Fayetteville — staples on the band's numerous tours in the years that passed — if they wanted to catch the acclaimed act live and in-person. We had resigned ourselves to that reality with every tour announcement, hoping there would be a stop within a 200-mile radius.
That changed in early 2025, when the band's management reached out to the historic Gillioz Theatre, in downtown Springfield, Missouri. The venue has continued gaining the attention of agents and performers around the country — in part, because of their commitment to artistic excellence that is displayed in the venue's programming, as well as the safety and support they have provided to other successful artists like Chappell Roan. Word travels in the music industry — where to play, where to avoid, who to work with, and who not. The band was ready to return to Springfield, under the right circumstances. The historic Gillioz was the safe space that they were looking for.
For more than two hours, the surreal feeling of seeing such a beloved band return to the Ozarks was shared by well over 1,000 satisfied guests. Although the members are the same — Tweedy's group has included longtime bassist John Stirratt, drummer Glenn Kotche, guitarist Nels Cline, and multi-instrumentalists Pat Sansone and Mikael Jorgensen, since early 2024 — this iteration of the band is seasoned, and comfortable in their own skin. The diversity of their setlist was evident, as they continued their habit of incorporating new, fresh versions of fan favorites with uncommon deep cuts. "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" was given an acoustic treatment that resonated with the audience, their silence a testament to the reverence that Steele alluded to before the band took the stage. Cline's virtuosic solo on "Impossible Germany" left jaws on the metaphorical floor, as it has had the reputation for since appearing on Sky Blue Sky in 2007. The crowd joined in for the nightly sing-along of "California Stars," from the band's Mermaid Avenue collaboration with Billy Bragg, bringing to life lyrics from folk icon Woody Guthrie. Their genre-bending interpretations of familiar and surprising songs was captivating, with the smiles being shared by each member of the band throughout the night serving as a reminder to the audience: this is how it should be.
There was an air of magic permeating the venue as Tweedy held up his arms in celebration at the end of the show. He is a renowned songwriter who has been outspoken about the importance of music to his own mental health, and how special community feels when sharing musical experiences together. The many fans in attendance that night could agree that this shared experience was beyond their expectations. Wilco's triumphant return to a stage in Springfield, Missouri, was long overdue, but just what we needed. This reviewer is confident that we won't have to wait another 20 years to see and hear more of their live magic in our neck of the woods. DM
The Grammy-winning group last hit a Springfield stage in 2006, playing the Shrine Mosque to a raucous and rowdy crowd — a trait far more common in the band's earlier years. One particularly overzealous fan controversially made his way onto the stage, only to be met with a right hand from Jeff Tweedy, the band's frontman and primary songwriter for the last three decades. They never stopped in Springfield again. Many have speculated about the reason for the absence, or why the punch was thrown in the first place. Ultimately, it came down to the safety of the fans and the performers, something that was clearly lacking in the way Springfield was represented at that show, and seen by the fans who were climbed over and stepped on as the individual tried to make it to the stage.
Die-hard Wilco supporters were left to travel to Kansas City, St. Louis, Tulsa, or Fayetteville — staples on the band's numerous tours in the years that passed — if they wanted to catch the acclaimed act live and in-person. We had resigned ourselves to that reality with every tour announcement, hoping there would be a stop within a 200-mile radius.
That changed in early 2025, when the band's management reached out to the historic Gillioz Theatre, in downtown Springfield, Missouri. The venue has continued gaining the attention of agents and performers around the country — in part, because of their commitment to artistic excellence that is displayed in the venue's programming, as well as the safety and support they have provided to other successful artists like Chappell Roan. Word travels in the music industry — where to play, where to avoid, who to work with, and who not. The band was ready to return to Springfield, under the right circumstances. The historic Gillioz was the safe space that they were looking for.
Fast forward to August 13, 2025, just a few short months after the Chicago-based outfit's tour announcement for "An Evening With Wilco," which featured two sets from the band, a short intermission, and no opener. Fans from around the country noted the return to Springfield, familiar with the lore of their last visit to the area. The energy was palpable in the Gillioz — an intimate, 100-year old venue that has hosted the likes of Dave Chappelle, Cheap Trick, Dwight Yoakam, and the aforementioned Roan, in the last decade alone. "There is a feeling of reverence and joy," said Geoff Steele, Executive Director of the theatre, privately before welcoming the concertgoers to the establishment, and a special night of music. In his greeting, he made sure that expectations were clear: protect our ability to bring artists at this level to our city, by treating them well when they're on our stage.
What came next was a career-spanning evening that made up for lost time, and gave Springfieldians a chance to hear songs from the many albums and tours that had come in between visits. From the droning "Quiet Amplifier," a live rarity from the 2019 album Ode to Joy, to the rocking "I Got You" — a live staple from the Being There album that hung just a quarter-mile away in Whitney's iconic Studio — the night felt celebratory. The band has never sounded better; their vast catalog is a dynamic, well-rounded pool to choose from on any given night.
What came next was a career-spanning evening that made up for lost time, and gave Springfieldians a chance to hear songs from the many albums and tours that had come in between visits. From the droning "Quiet Amplifier," a live rarity from the 2019 album Ode to Joy, to the rocking "I Got You" — a live staple from the Being There album that hung just a quarter-mile away in Whitney's iconic Studio — the night felt celebratory. The band has never sounded better; their vast catalog is a dynamic, well-rounded pool to choose from on any given night.
For more than two hours, the surreal feeling of seeing such a beloved band return to the Ozarks was shared by well over 1,000 satisfied guests. Although the members are the same — Tweedy's group has included longtime bassist John Stirratt, drummer Glenn Kotche, guitarist Nels Cline, and multi-instrumentalists Pat Sansone and Mikael Jorgensen, since early 2024 — this iteration of the band is seasoned, and comfortable in their own skin. The diversity of their setlist was evident, as they continued their habit of incorporating new, fresh versions of fan favorites with uncommon deep cuts. "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" was given an acoustic treatment that resonated with the audience, their silence a testament to the reverence that Steele alluded to before the band took the stage. Cline's virtuosic solo on "Impossible Germany" left jaws on the metaphorical floor, as it has had the reputation for since appearing on Sky Blue Sky in 2007. The crowd joined in for the nightly sing-along of "California Stars," from the band's Mermaid Avenue collaboration with Billy Bragg, bringing to life lyrics from folk icon Woody Guthrie. Their genre-bending interpretations of familiar and surprising songs was captivating, with the smiles being shared by each member of the band throughout the night serving as a reminder to the audience: this is how it should be.
There was an air of magic permeating the venue as Tweedy held up his arms in celebration at the end of the show. He is a renowned songwriter who has been outspoken about the importance of music to his own mental health, and how special community feels when sharing musical experiences together. The many fans in attendance that night could agree that this shared experience was beyond their expectations. Wilco's triumphant return to a stage in Springfield, Missouri, was long overdue, but just what we needed. This reviewer is confident that we won't have to wait another 20 years to see and hear more of their live magic in our neck of the woods. DM
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