NYS Music 202​2

Tag: julien baker

  • Wild Hearts Tour Concludes with Two Nights at Central Park SummerStage

    Indie legends Sharon Van Etten, Angel Olsen, and Julien Baker joined together for The Wild Hearts Tour, a mostly outdoor-focused concert series. Angel and Sharon released the cathartic and joyful song, “Like I Used To” together last year, to critical acclaim. Julien Baker’s latest album, Little Oblivions also received widespread praise when it was released last year. Given the triple-headliner lineup on The Wild Hearts Tour, it quickly became one of the most highly anticipated acts in the indie music scene. After hitting roughly 20 stops in the United States, the tour concluded with two incredible nights at Central Park SummerStage during the weekend of August 21, with support from Quinn Christopherson.

    Sharon Van Etten performing at Central Park SummerStage, photography by David Reichmann

    The final night at Central Park’s SummerStage began with light cloud cover and mild heat. Fans lounged on picnic blankets and enjoyed the afternoon sun with a beer or a snack. Quinn Christopherson opened the show with driving guitar progressions and passionate vocals. His set also included a handful of tear-jerking and quieter moments. The crowd was well warmed up by the time Quinn’s set finished, and the onstage crew turned over for Julien’s set in what seemed like just a few minutes.

    Quinn Christopherson performing at Central Park SummerStage, photography by David Reichmann

    Julien Baker took the stage as the sun began to dip and the air cooled. The crowd swelled as she began playing her hard rock set. Julien leapt up and down the stage, flipped her hair, and held her guitar above her head at moments. She also sprinkled in a number of quiet and sorrowful moments throughout her set, displaying the great range her musical catalog is known for. Julien thanked the audience and joked with them occasionally between songs. She mentioned how special this tour had been. As her set neared an hour in length as the sun entered into golden hour, she thanked the crowd one last time before walking off to great applause.

    Julien Baker performing at Central Park SummerStage, photography by David Reichmann

    Angel Olsen’s set began at the very last moments of daylight. The stage lights took over as the atmosphere in the venue turned stark and dramatic. She walked onstage under a glowing orange spotlight and thanked the crowd. She played a number of tracks from her latest full-length record, Big Time as well as a number of deep cuts and fan favorites. She ended her set with the rousing lead single, “All The Good Times.” Angel thanked the audience one last time, told them how special this tour had been, and walked off as the crowd’s excitement peaked in anticipation of the final set of the evening and the tour.

    Angel Olsen performing at Central Park SummerStage, photography by David Reichmann

    Sharon Van Etten took the stage as the final headliner in The Wild Hearts Tour. Her latest album, We’ve Been Going About This All Wrong, was released earlier this year and was a smash hit. Her performance featured intimidating and powerful vocalizations and dancing. She frequently singled out audience members to lock eyes with and single directly towards. Sharon’s dynamic movements and passionate vocals created an all-encompassing stage presence which took over the crowd.

    Sharon Van Etten performing at Central Park SummerStage for The Wild Hearts Tour, photography by David Reichmann

    Sharon paused occasionally between songs to share sentimental moments with the audience. She said towards the end of her set, “I came up in New York City,” and mentioned how great it was to be able to end this tour “where it all started.” She talked briefly about the 40 or so people working on the tour, the hardships of touring in a post-pandemic world, and urged the New York City crowd to embrace kindness and acceptance. She also shared a few anecdotes of her first times meeting Julien, Angel, and later Quinn. “These people have become my family…Thank you so much for coming out.”

    Sharon Van Etten performing, photography by David Reichmann

    Sharon closed out her main set with her hit track “Seventeen.” She walked off stage briefly, only to return a few moments to answer the cheers demanding an encore. She began her encore with a solo rendition of “Darkish.” For the final track of her set, Sharon invited Angel Olsen onstage to perform their sensational single, “Like I Used To.” She talked about writing this track of Angel, saying how she had been a fan of hers and wanted to work on something together. Then she invited Julien, her bandmates, and Angel’s bandmates to join Sharon onstage for the final song of The Wild Hearts Tour. Sharon thanked the crowd one last time and the band played as the artists slowly walked off.

    Sharon Van Etten Singing, photography by David Reichmann

    Now concluded, The Wild Hearts Tour was surely a one-of-a-kind event. You can follow Sharon Van Etten’s ongoing world tour here, and listen to her music here. Angel Olsen’s tour has a few remaining stops in the US before she heads overseas, and her catalog can be found here. Julien Baker has one upcoming show scheduled for November in Atlanta, and her catalog can be found here. Quinn Christopherson’s music can be streamed here.

  • Sharon Van Etten, Angel Olsen and Julien Bakers’ Hearts Run Wild at Beak and Skiff

    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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