Just two days removed from the Here and There Festival bringing four female-fronted bands to Beak and Skiff Apple Orchards, The Wild Hearts Tour landed with three more incredible women artists: Sharon Van Etten, Angel Olsen, and Julien Baker. All three would have fit perfectly well in Courtney Barnett’s lineup, but they were on their own mission with it’s own purpose.
There’s was borne of a common bond, a post-pandemic search for connection to like-minded souls. The cross-country trip brought them closer together and felt “like summer camp,” the bands enjoying a game Scattergories pre-show. More importantly lifetime bonds were solidified.
Before the show could begin, the ashes and destruction left behind after Barnett’s barn-burning set Sunday night needed to be washed away. Mother Nature obliged with an afternoon deluge. The rains delayed the venue’s opening, cancelled Quinn Christopherson’s opening set and everyone else’s soundchecks. The crews worked hard to get the show prepped regardless and they were thanked profusely throughout the night.
Sharon Van Etten was blown away by how many came out to see them play in LaFayette New York, in what was likely her first ever show at an apple orchard. The feelings were mutual, and the crowd was also feeling enormously lucky to get the opportunity, repeated opportunities in the grander scheme, to see such world-class talent in an area that isn’t known to consistently draw bigger shows.
The rain subsided, the sun was on its way toward the distant hills, the crowd assembled, ears pricked, and the stage was set and ready to go, a grey velvet curtain draped along the back, ready to absorb whatever light came it’s way.
Julien Baker got the Wild Hearts night rolling with her emotive indie-rock. “Heatwave” and “Ringside” were early opportunities for Baker to show her vocal range, her mouth gaping open as her keenly observant lyrics spilled out like she was saying them for the first time. She allowed herself to let loose in short bursts on her guitar, but finally burst the dam on set-closing “Ziptie,” her instrument finally meeting the power of her voice. She prepared us for the rest of the evening, “Sharon and Angel will come melt your faces… in a tasteful way.” She wasn’t wrong.
Olsen and her band arrived next. Guitar, bass, drums, keys, cello and fiddle all there to help color in Olsen’s beautiful songs, and each outfitted brightly to emphasize that. “Right Now” filled in the blue from the organ and backing vocals. “Shut Up And Kiss Me” getting a splash of green guitar. “Lark” with streaks of hot pink and lavender from the string section before getting ignited with color as it all builds together. Olsen, in bright yellow, brought a palette all her own, her buttery voice melting into each song. A country twang coming through in “Big Time,” sultry and soulful on “Go Home,” deep and rich like the darkening and colorful hues in the skies around the venue.
Contrasting with the Angel Olsen’s colorful display, Sharon Van Etten arrived to a darkened stage, only illuminating once the band fully launched into “Headspace.” Van Etten stood out like a flame in the midst of her all black clad band. Distant lightning strikes provided a nice addition to their more extensive light show.
Van Etten showed off the range of her songwriting throughout the set. The funky crunch of “No One’s Easy to Love” gave way to the slow drawn out “Used To It.” The nice slow build in “All I Can” contrasted with the upbeat and poppier “Every Time the Sun Comes Up.” The set burst into a dance party by the end, on stage and off, closing out with the disco beat of “Mistakes” and infectious “Seventeen.”
The night ended with Van Etten bringing Olsen back on stage to join on their co-written song “Like I Used To.” A wonderful way to close out the show, though it did leave us regretting that the camaraderie between the three leading ladies offstage didn’t produce more sparks on it. Perhaps we’ll have to wait for the Wild Hearts Tour 2023?
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