Lucinda Williams tour plots special sets for New York, Chicago, Toronto

Last year, singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams performed special shows in both New York and Los Angeles, where she played five of her classic albums — one album per night — over a five-night run.

This year, Williams will treat her fans in New York and Chicago to another special series of concerts as part of her 30th Anniversary Tour, celebrating her milestone in the music business. Instead of playing a complete album each night, she will play songs from a different decade of her career over three nights.

On the first night in New York on October 3 at The Fillmore at Irving Plaza and the first night in Chicago on October 13 at Park West, Williams will perform some of songs from 1979-1989 off the albums “Ramblin’,” “Happy Woman Blues” and “Lucinda Williams.”

Her second-night shows on October 4 in New York and October 14 in Chicago, will find Williams celebrating her music from 1992-2001 with songs from “Sweet Old World,” “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road” and “Essence.”

On the third and final night — October 5 in New York and October 15 in Chicago — Williams will look at the current decade with tunes from 2004-present with tracks from “World Without Tears,” “West” and “Little Honey.” The second set each night will include songs from her entire career. Three-day ticket discounts are available.

Even though Williams is only performing two nights in Toronto, ON, at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on October 10 and 11, she will also present a special event for her fans. October 10 will see selections from “Ramblin’,” “Happy Woman Blues,” “Lucinda Williams,” “Essence” and “World Without Tears” over two sets, while the following night will be reserved for songs from “Sweet Old World,: “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road,” “West” and “Little Honey,” also over two sets.

The special performances are part of Williams’ 19-date, 14-city tour that starts on September 18 at First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN, and winds down on October 17 at The Pageant in St. Louis, MO. In cities where Williams is performing for one night only, she promises one long set of songs from her extensive repertoire, but more multiple-night bookings are in the works for next year.

Williams previously announced that she is offering a standing credit at her merchandise table for her upcoming U.S. concerts. The credit — $7 for clothing and $5 for CDs — is meant to help fans during these tough economic times.

Lucinda Williams itinerary:
(Dates are subject to change.)