Tedeschi Trucks Band paid special tribute to the town of Vienna, VA, on Saturday with the partial debut of “Vienna”, the Billy Joel song about the other Vienna in Austria. The cover helped cap off the Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks-led blue-rock orchestra’s two-night, co-headlining run with Whiskey Myers at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap.
Midway through TTB’s closing set—the band and Whiskey Myers traded opening and closing duties each night—Gabe Dixon tickled out the familiar piano intro to “Vienna”. Tedeschi earned a swell of applause as she hit the opening “Slow down, you crazy child / You’re so ambitious as a juvenile,” but, rather than using the full might of the 12-piece band, Susan and Gabe performed as a simple piano-vocal duo, mimicking the minimalism from the original recording on 1977’s The Stranger. However, after just one verse, the band made a quick transition into its first performance of The Rolling Stones‘ “Sweet Virginia” since February 22nd, 2022, at Ryman Auditorium, offering a fine alternative for those wishing to hear the rest of “Vienna”.
Though a bit outside the group’s usual blues-based style, “Vienna” is a fitting choice for Tedeschi and Trucks, two once-ambitious juveniles (especially in the case of Trucks, who started playing bars at age 11) who have grown into musical elder statesmen in their autumn years. The meaning of “Vienna”—taken from Joel’s experience in Vienna, Austria, seeing elderly people still working jobs in the community, rather than being put out to pasture—aligns with the greater blues ethos, as artists just get better into old age. Given what Tedeschi and Trucks have accomplished together in their 50s and 40s, respectively, certainly Vienna and another half a lifetime’s worth of creative opportunities wait for them.
Watch Tedeschi Trucks Band debut Billy Joel’s “Vienna” and bust out The Rolling Stones’ “Sweet Virginia” in Vienna, Virginia and assorted videos from Lary Chinowski and full-show audio from taper vwmule. The band’s tour continues this month with co-headlining dates alongside Whiskey Myers and Gov’t Mule throughout the Northeast and Chicago and Detroit. Find tickets and tour dates here.
Tedeschi Trucks Band — “Vienna” (Billy Joel) > “Sweet Virginia” (The Rolling Stones) — 8/30/25
Tedeschi Trucks Band — Filene Center At Wolf Trap — Vienna, VA — 8/30/25 — Full Audio
Setlist: Tedeschi Trucks Band | Filene Center At Wolf Trap | Vienna, VA | 8/30/25
Set: Don’t Let Me Slide, Do I Look Worried, I Got You, Life Is Crazy (Mike Mattison), Bound for Glory, I Am the Moon, Vienna (Billy Joel) [1], Sweet Virginia (The Rolling Stones) [2], Anyhow, Shame, Midnight in Harlem, Made Up Mind, With a Little Help From My Friends (The Beatles)
[1] FTP, first verse only
[2] LTP 2/22/22