Wilco’s Glenn Kotche Drums With Sylvan Esso In Chicago

By Andy Kahn Oct 23, 2026 • 12:32 pm PDT

Sylvan Esso welcomed Glenn Kotche of Wilco for the final five songs of Thursday’s show at The Salt Shed in Chicago. The duo’s Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn are touring with a full band in support of their album Ow ∞, which was released September 11.

The touring lineup behind Meath (vocals) and Sanborn (electronics) features Michael Libramento on bass, Jenn Wasner (Flock Of Dimes) on guitar, Ben Lumsdaine on drums and Dev Gupta on keyboards.

Sanborn said from The Salt Shed stage:

“We have so many friends in your beautiful city and a few of them have agreed to join us for a few songs. So we’re gonna play like five more songs if that’s OK with everybody. Please welcome to the stage – he played all over our new record – Glenn Kotche everybody.”

Kotche took a seat at a second drum kit for “Right to Left,” “On & On” and “Moving,” staying onstage as Finom (Sima Cunningham and Macie Stewart) emerged to sing on “Come Down” and “Rewind.”

“Right to Left” and “On & On” both appear on Ow ∞, while “Moving” comes from 2022’s No Rules Sandy. “Come Down” is from the band’s 2014 self-titled debut, and “Rewind” is from 2017’s What Now.

Sylvan Esso plays First Avenue in Minneapolis tonight (October 23) and Saturday (October 24), closing the first leg of the full-band tour. The second North American leg begins February 19, 2027 in Seattle. Watch a replay of the Chicago livestream with a nugs subscription (see preview below).