For the first time in over two decades, post-punk icons Unwound is hitting the road. They kicked off their reunion tour last night (February 3) at the iconic Showbox in their hometown of Seattle, Washington. The night was filled with flashbacks from the band’s heyday, almost as if they didn’t take a 21-year break from performing as a full band. Unwound also performed a warm-up show on January 28 at the AAMC Ballroom in Astoria, Washington to properly prepare themselves for life back in the public eye with a setlist that is almost identical to the one used to inaugurate their return to live performance.
No one could have called that the post-punk godfathers would be touring again. The band called it quits back in 2002 after the release of their 2001 album, Leaves Turn Inside Of You. Rumors have been circulating ever since as to why the band broke up, and fans were just about ready to give up on their favorite band ever performing together again. It was radio silence from the Unwound camp until the summer of 2022 when they announced this current tour that sees the band traversing the U.S. for just over a month.
Unwound seemingly built their setlist for the fans who have waited 21 years to see them live again. They performed a career-spanning setlist that pulls from their storied discography, striking a healthy balance between new and old. They started the night off with “All Souls Day” from their 1994 album New Plastic Ideas before diving headfirst into their discography. The band also performed “Nervous Energy”, a song whose last performance dates back to 1993, before the band’s untimely split. Unwound shocked fans by adding “Lady Elect” from their 1996 album Repetition, marking the first time the band ever performed the track live.
Unwound is not holding back for their reunion tour. They have another show at the Showbox tonight before they make the trip to Portland for a three-day stay at Revolution Hall. The band will then be hitting cities like Los Angeles, Chicago, and Philadelphia, each city being gifted with at least two shows. Check out the full setlist, tour dates, and footage from their historic homecoming show below.
Dates:
02-04 Seattle, WA – Showbox
02-06 Portland, OR – Revolution Hall
02-07 Portland, OR – Revolution Hall
02-08 Portland, OR – Revolution Hall
02-10 San Francisco, CA – The Regency Ballroom
02-11 San Francisco, CA – The Regency Ballroom
02-14 Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
02-15 Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern
03-07 Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
03-08 Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
03-10 New York, NY – Irving Plaza
03-11 New York, NY – Irving Plaza
03-12 New York, NY – Irving Plaza
03-15 Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
03-16 Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
