In late 1997, recording sessions for what would become the album “Mermaid Avenue” began in Chicago, the home base of the band Wilco. The group was finishing up their second album, “Being There,” and gearing up for their third, ultimately titled “Summerteeth.” It was during a pivotal period of recording in Dublin that a distinctive creative partnership formed between Wilco’s frontman Jeff Tweedy and multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett.

According to bassist John Stirratt, the collaboration between Tweedy and Bennett during this time laid the foundation for the sound of “Summerteeth.” Tweedy has acknowledged that Bennett brought a level of musical expertise and theoretical knowledge that expanded his own abilities, describing Bennett as the first bandmate with deep musical knowledge who helped him translate his ideas into songs.

However, the close partnership had a darker side as well. Tweedy and Bennett shared a residence separately from some of the other musicians and studio staff, a space that producer and collaborator Billy Bragg referred to as “the smoker’s house,” describing how Tweedy and Bennett also became social and drug companions during the sessions.

Bennett’s tenure with Wilco was relatively brief. He contributed to the band’s critically acclaimed 2001 album “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” before leaving the group. He passed away in 2009 due to an accidental Fentanyl overdose. Nevertheless, Bragg credited Bennett with playing a crucial role in shaping the distinctive sound of “Mermaid Avenue,” calling him a “secret musical weapon” who made the record “weird” and unique.

“Mermaid Avenue,” released in 1998, was a collaboration between Bragg and Wilco, featuring previously unrecorded lyrics by American folk legend Woody Guthrie set to new music. The album combines Bragg’s songs with those led by Wilco, blending gentle acoustic ballads with more raucous, energetic tracks. Opening with Bragg’s lively “Walt Whitman’s Niece,” the album quickly establishes a diverse musical landscape. Other highlights include “California Stars,” co-written by Bennett and Tweedy, and “Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key,” a reflective ballad featuring harmonies from former 10,000 Maniacs singer Natalie Merchant.

Upon release, the album received widespread acclaim, including a four-star review from noted music critic Greil Marcus. It also helped spur Wilco’s rise to prominence, paving the way for subsequent successes with “Summerteeth” and “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot,” which positioned the band as major figures in Americana and alternative rock and enabled them to perform in increasingly larger venues.

Despite its success, tensions arose between Bragg and Bennett over the album’s final mixing and future touring plans. Bragg ultimately took control of the remixing, decisions that contributed to the album not being performed live in full during its initial years. Although the relationship between the collaborators eventually healed, plans to stage a live performance together did not come to fruition for many years.

Since 2010, Wilco has hosted the Solid Sound Festival annually at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in North Adams, Massachusetts. The festival seemed an ideal occasion to revisit “Mermaid Avenue,” but Bragg’s regular commitment to the Glastonbury Festival in England had prevented his participation. At one point, Tweedy considered asking Elvis Costello to fill in for Bragg.

This year, with Glastonbury on hiatus, Bragg was available to join Wilco for a live performance of “Mermaid Avenue,” and Tweedy expressed enthusiasm about finally presenting the album on stage together. He noted the renewed relevance of Guthrie’s lyrics, citing songs like “All You Fascists Bound to Lose” as resonating with contemporary audiences.

The concert drew approximately 8,500 attendees, including Nora Guthrie, Woody Guthrie’s daughter, who remarked with amusement that she had been waiting three decades to witness the album performed live in its entirety.