Tweedy Visits Austin

Austin City Limits Introduces Wilco Leader Jeff Tweedy & Son’s New Project: Tweedy

New Episode Premieres October 25th on PBS

Watch Tweedy Behind-the-Scenes at Austin City Limits

Austin City Limits (ACL) presents a Season 40 highlight—the return of ACL veteran Jeff Tweedy for a very special hour of music. The Wilco leader showcases his new solo project Tweedy, joined by son Spencer and their special guests, as they perform a mix of new songs and Wilco classics. The episode premieres Saturday, October 25th at 9pm ET/8pm CT. ACL airs weekly on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings for times) and full episodes are made available online for a limited time at http://video.pbs.org/program/austin-city-limits/ immediately following the initial broadcast. The show’s official hashtag is #acltv40.

As a longtime favorite son of ACL, it’s only fitting that Jeff Tweedy returns to the ACL stage with his own son for the show’s milestone 40th anniversary season. The esteemed singer-songwriter has appeared on ACL four times previously with his main outfit Wilco, starting back in Season 25. This new installment marks his first-ever solo outing for ACL, accompanied by his 18-year-old son Spencer Tweedy on drums, with lush harmonies from Holly Laessig and Jess Wolfe of the band Lucius.

“It took me 18 years to have a solo record because I had to grow a drummer,” jokes Tweedy to the ACL audience, as the father-son team begin the strikingly intimate hour with songs from the critically-acclaimed 2014 release Sukierae. In a recent four-star review, Rolling Stone hails the debut as “another tour de force from a guy who’s made a few.” Closing the five-song band set of new material with the new folk-rocker “Nobody Dies Anymore”, the Grammy-winning frontman treats the Austin crowd to a solo acoustic set of fan favorites from Wilco’s vast catalog including “Via Chicago” and “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart”. Tweedy also performs a spirited version of Austin songwriter Doug Sahm’s classic “Give Back the Key to My Heart”, a song he recorded more than twenty years ago as a member of the legendary Uncle Tupelo. The episode comes to a captivating close with Jeff Tweedy taking the stage solo for a powerful rendition of Wilco’s “Misunderstood”.

“This show has special meaning for all of us at ACL,” says ACL executive producer Terry Lickona. “A few years ago I introduced Wilco from the stage as the band that best sums up everything that Austin City Limits is all about. Jeff Tweedy continues to be one of the most creative voices in modern music, and together with his son they continue to build on two incredible legacies – his and ours!”

Tweedy Setlist:
World Away
New Moon
High As Hello
Low Key
Nobody Dies Anymore
Via Chicago
I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
New Madrid
Jesus, Etc.
Give Back the Key To My Heart
California Stars
Misunderstood
Season 40 Fall 2014 Broadcast Schedule (additional episodes to be announced)

October 4 Beck
October 11 Ed Sheeran | Valerie June
October 18 Nine Inch Nails
October 25 Tweedy
November 1 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
November 8 Los Lobos | Thao & The Get Down Stay Down
November 15 Eric Church
November 22 ACL Presents: Americana Music Festival 2014

The complete lineup for the full 13-week season, including new episodes to air beginning January 2015, will be announced at a later date. Check the news section of acltv.com for additional episode updates.