Adrianne Lenker – Music Hall of Williamsburg – March 18, 2024
Her sixth solo studio album, Bright Future, drops on Friday, and ahead of its release, Big Thief bandleader Adrianne Lenker was back home in Brooklyn on Monday night for an intimate, sold-out show at Music Hall of Williamsburg.
(Adrianne Lenker Shubert Theatre in Boston on 11/12-13.)
(Adrianne Lenker plays Kings Theatre on 11/18-19.)
(Adrianna Lenker plays Union Transfer in Philadelphia on 11/25-26.)
Photos courtesy of DeShaun Craddock | dac.photography
Declan McKenna – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA – June 2, 2023
Declan McKenna, 24-year-old English singer-songwriter, made his “Big Return” to the US this spring and summer. The “Big Return Tour” made a stop at Philly’s Union Transfer. This tour is his first in the US since before the pandemic, making his show not only super in demand but sold out!
The crowd of 1,200 waited patiently for Declan to make his entrance while enjoying the company of the opener, The Oracle Sisters. Performing a similar style to McKenna’s music, the crowd loved them! Hyping up the crowd with so many guitar solos and even a flute solo! They got the crowd re-energized & ready for McKenna.
McKenna made his way onto the stage and kicked the night off with “Beautiful Faces,” a hit off his latest album, Zeros. Right off the bat, everyone was jumping and going absolutely crazy for Declan. He played two more songs off of Zeros before playing “Paracetamol” off his debut album What Do You Think About the Car? Hearing the reactions of the crowd the whole night, I think it’s safe to say his debut album was full of songs that the crowd couldn’t get enough of.
After some slower and more mellow songs, McKenna said “Who’s ready to dance?” before playing the intro to “Why Do You Feel So Down?” Concertgoers were seen jumping and dancing with their friends and loved ones while screaming the lyrics. The night was a beautiful and tasteful mix of his two albums and the single “My House.”
The moment so many people were waiting for, “Brazil,” Declan’s biggest hit and widely known now for being viral on Tik Tok. The crowd was the loudest it had been all night; phones were out and recording while others danced and screamed the lyrics along with the singer. It was the end of the show, or so the audience thought.
McKenna came back out with two more songs and didn’t leave the crowd hungry for more. With a cover of George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass” the crowd was in awe of Declan’s vocals and just enjoying his presence. Before leaving, he ended with “British Bombs,” another one of his most known singles. He put his guitar down, picking up the tambourine, jumping and running around the stage while singing the anti-war and politically charged song. The crowd was back to the hype it had for “Brazil” and wasn’t ready for the night to end. Before exiting, Declan thanked the crowd relentlessly and walked off stage.
Leaving the venue, concert goers were heard speaking to their friends about how in awe they were of the show and praising McKenna’s long-awaited performance after waiting so many years for his return to Philly.
After almost 18 years… (since about the age of 14 years old) I have finally seen Bright Eyes live!
Around freshman year of high school I started to get into alternative/indie rock and stumbled upon this little band called Bright Eyes. It’s truly insane to me that even 18 years later I still resonate with and love his music. I take major pride in growing and changing from my adolescent self in nearly every way possible, but the love I have for the music I grew up with remains the same. I truly think part of the reason I’m super introspective and self-aware is from consuming music like Bright Eyes at such an early age. Conor Oberst continues to remain a lyrical genius, and his performance last night did not disappoint. He was engaging with the crowd, dancing, thanking and bantering with his bandmates, and overall had such an infectious energy. It was everything I’d hope it would be.
Sharing this experience with my boyfriend Shaun was super special. When I met Shaun, the first thing we talked about was music. Music is such an important part of my life and the way it has shaped me. Both of us have been listening to Bright Eyes for the same length of time and have never seen them live so it was so awesome to get to do this together.
Devendra Banhart – Webster Hall – October 11, 2023
Devendra Banhart’s been at the front of the freak-folk movement for a couple of decades now, but he’s not afraid to embrace new sounds. On his 11th LP, the Cate LeBon–produced Flying Wig, out three weeks ago, “LeBon has made Banhart’s spacey music more spacious by closing him in — the production cages in his vocals. There are edges and corners in the arrangements where there used to be curves,” says PopMatters. “Like the inanimate object from which the album gets its title, it’s just the context that makes it bizarre. A wig that lies there is just a wig. One that flies is strange. That’s true of this record as well.” And last night he brought the new tunes to the East Village to headline a packed Webster Hall.
(Devendra Banhart plays Union Transfer in Philly tonight.)
(Devendra Banhart plays Asbury Lanes in Asbury Park, N.J., tomorrow.)
Photos courtesy of Adela Loconte | www.adelaloconte.com