Wilco, Billy Bragg, & Natalie Merchant Performed
Stereogum • • entertainment
Key Points:
- In 1998, Wilco and Billy Bragg collaborated on Mermaid Avenue, an album featuring previously unheard lyrics by folk legend Woody Guthrie, curated by his daughter Nora.
- The project expanded with a second volume a few years later and a third in 2012 as part of the Complete Sessions box set, including contributions from artists like Natalie Merchant.
- Last night at Wilco's Solid Sound festival, the group performed the entire Mermaid Avenue album live for the first time, marking their first full-album performance together.
- Although Wilco and Bragg have performed some songs from the project before, they never toured behind either of the first two volumes.
- The live performance at MASS MoCA in North Adams, MA featured songs from all three volumes played out of order.
