Barbican Hall, London
“It’s almost like sunshine here.”
As a warm, soft light illuminates the singer-songwriter, her solo performance commences within the Barbican’s grandiose Hall; delicately poised for a devastating emotional suffering for what would prove one of the year’s most heart-wrenching performances.
Donning the complete cowgirl look (boots, jeans, wide-brimmed hat), the Big Thief frontwoman portrays herself as an intrepid, yet perturbed, soul finding her way through life. Inciting such familiarly introspective lyricism through the years, Lenker illuminates this afternoon’s audience, forever armed with her trustworthy guitar, with an indelible sentimentality plucked from her imagination.
From ‘Orange’s vivid imagery (“Fragile orange wind in the garden / Fragile means that I can hear her flesh”), to ‘Candleflame’s Bob Dylan-esque inflections (“You know I love you, I can’t explain / Cryin’ over the candle flame”), the inspired writing style of this modern songwriter conjures such a breadth of emotions seldom pronounced in today’s age. Through each twist and turn of this matinée set, Lenker proves wistful and romantic, even pairing intimacy with humour within the facetious ‘Spud Infinity’, (“Kiss your body up and down other than your elbows / 'Cause as for your elbows, they're on their own”).
Suddenly, from the side-of-stage gallows, two other musicians emerge, supporting Lenker for the set’s remainder: Nick Hakim on piano and Josefin Runsteen on violin; both offering extensively harmonious vocal parts. Tangibly drawing the audience in nearer, ‘Free Treasure’ beseeches Lenker’s recently-prescribed world on Bright Future, eternally posing her signature delicate, fragile voice which threatens to bend and break at any moment (“Love without measure / Patience and pleasure / Free treasure”).
Whilst the well-renowned Big Thief track ‘Vampire Empire’ rousingly rears itself - bolstered by Hakim and Runsteen - it’s the inaugural track on her latest LP which renders the crowd despondent. Unleashed from Lenker’s heart-rendering storytelling, perfect for an afflicted audience, nary an eye remained dry in the Barbican through such longing words against the sumptuously ethereal, folk-infested soundscape conjured (“Mama, what happened? I never thought we'd go this long / Now 31 and I don't feel strong / And your love is all I want”).
Lenker undoubtedly retains an air of celestial transcendence wherever she wanders. As the set winds down, a further deep dive into her lesser-known catalogue proves equally mystic, courtesy of ‘Not a Lot, Just Forever’ and the set’s concluder ‘Oldest’, which forever captivate this afternoon’s audience who remain stoically rigid and entranced by such a moving performance.
As the 'sunshine' continually seeps through, our rather glowing Sunday afternoon bids adieu to this devastatingly captivating set from one of folk’s finest modern singer-songwriters. Alongside the impermeable sound quality within the Barbican Hall, perfectly complimenting the supporting musicians, Adrianne Lenker’s set provides genuine, heart-touching moments amidst her storytelling; a testament to her infallible legacy teetering on the edge of greatness.
9/10
Adrianne Lenker's latest LP, Bright Future, is out now via 4AD and can be found below.
Photo is courtesy of Beth Knight whose work can be found here.
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