Adrianne introduces her second song of the night, ‘Baby Honey Sweetheart Darling’, as the lights behind her transition from aquarium-blue to the burnt orange of an autumn sunset. The audience chuckles as she pronounces ‘darlin’’ with a soft drawl and a smile, taking a sip from the mug of water next to her. She’s sitting alone on a wooden chair and using a classical footrest. On either side of her is a piano and a violin that Nick Hakim and Josefin Runsteen will play for the second half of the set, but for now she is accompanied only by two small lava lamps perched quaintly on the edge of the stage. She makes it about a line into the song before clearing her throat and laughing slightly as she says ‘Maybe it’s higher,’ moving her capo down a fret. Surprisingly varied in age, though mostly 20-somethings, the audience hangs on Adrianne’s every word. On stage, she speaks softly and talks to us as if we are not strangers, making jokes about how long it takes her to re-tune her guitars every couple of songs and about how ‘Bright Future’ was taken off her new album, despite sharing a title. Tonight, the energy in the Barbican Hall is deeply emotive. We cheer enthusiastically between every song, with the number of whistles and whoops increasing down the setlist. There are a few songs where the applause just won’t die; every time, Adrianne looks surprised and quietly says ‘Wow, thank you.’ and remarks upon how special the evening is. As Adrianne, Nick, and Josefin walk off stage before the encore, we give them a unanimous standing ovation and thunderous applause that makes Adrianne pause, standing on the edge of the stage and shielding her eyes from the spotlights to see the audience’s praise properly. The applause does not waver until they return for the encore.

The formality of the atmosphere created by the concert being seated meant the audience doesn’t sing throughout the show, but during the encore, Adrianne invites us to join in with ‘anything’, the penultimate song; initially tentative, a choir of gentle voices emerges from those brave enough, filling the room with a sense of safety and beauty that I have never felt so strongly at a concert. I hear at least three people sniffling quietly during ‘Real House’, the final song. By the end of the show, I can’t help but feel a bittersweet connection with everyone as we wipe our tears and filter out into the cold, rainy night, towards the fluorescence of various tube stations. 

Setlist – 27th April 2024

Adrianne solo
two reverse
Baby Honey Sweetheart Darling (unreleased)
Two Hands (Big Thief song)
Pretty Things (Big Thief song)
Born For Loving You (Big Thief song)
Kerina (Adrianne Lenker & Buck Meek song)
my angel
The Only Place (Big Thief song)
Adrianne, Nick Hakim, and Josefin Runsteen
Oldest (Big Thief song) (Scrapped from Bright Future)
Bright Future (Scrapped from Bright Future)
zombie girl
heavy focus
No Machine
not a lot, just forever
symbol
Sadness as a Gift
Encore 
anything
Real House