In a bold departure from conventional concert formats, the acclaimed indie-folk quartet Big Thief transformed their highly anticipated Nashville engagement into an unprecedented live unveiling of their forthcoming triple album, Horsepower. Addressing an audience of 2,400 at the venerable Ryman Auditorium, lead vocalist Adrianne Lenker wasted no time in setting new expectations. "We have a special night for you," she announced, as the band settled around a large wooden table onstage, a tableau suggesting an intimate recording session rather than a typical performance. Lenker then playfully cautioned, "If you had hopes of hearing songs you know, those can be discarded." This candid declaration immediately signaled a night of artistic audacity, confirming that attendees were about to witness something far beyond a standard tour stop. The performance, spanning an expansive three hours and featuring a growing ensemble of guest musicians, was not only a live debut but also meticulously filmed for a future release, cementing its place as a pivotal moment in the band’s evolving narrative.
The Unveiling: A Night of Discarded Expectations
The evening of May [Date of performance inferred from context, but not explicitly stated. Will use a placeholder like "early May" or "recent weekend" to keep it factual as per original] at the Ryman was steeped in an atmosphere of both anticipation and mystery. Fans, many of whom are deeply familiar with Big Thief’s extensive discography and Adrianne Lenker’s prolific solo output, arrived expecting a curated selection of beloved tracks from albums like the critically lauded U.F.O.F. (2019) or Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You (2022). Instead, they were greeted with a pronouncement that fundamentally altered the evening’s premise. Lenker’s directness, delivered with a characteristic blend of earnestness and wit, disarmed the crowd, shifting their collective mindset from passive consumption to active participation in a unique artistic experiment. This kind of spontaneous re-imagining of a live show, while audacious, is not entirely uncharacteristic of Big Thief, a band known for its free-spirited approach to performance and a penchant for debuting unreleased material, often to the delight of their devoted following. Their 2019 tour, for instance, saw them performing a significant portion of what would become Two Hands mere days after the release of its "sister album," U.F.O.F., showcasing an already established comfort with presenting nascent work.
"Horsepower": A Monumental Project Emerges
At the heart of this extraordinary event was the revelation of Horsepower, a triple album that Big Thief had convened in Nashville to record just weeks prior. The decision to undertake a triple album project in today’s music landscape is a significant artistic statement. In an era often dominated by singles and EP releases, a triple album signifies a commitment to expansive storytelling and a profound creative outpouring. It challenges conventional consumption habits and underscores the band’s artistic ambition and confidence in their material. While specific release details for Horsepower remain undisclosed, the sheer volume of new music—29 songs performed across two sets and an encore—suggests a rich, multifaceted work. The title track, "Horsepower," had previously been debuted in live settings approximately three and a half years prior, hinting at a long gestation period for some of the material. Additionally, "Sadness As A Gift" recently appeared on Adrianne Lenker’s critically acclaimed 2024 solo LP, Bright Future, suggesting a permeable boundary between her solo endeavors and the band’s collective work, a characteristic fluidity that has long defined Big Thief’s creative process. The recording sessions in Nashville, a city synonymous with rich musical heritage and collaborative spirit, undoubtedly influenced the album’s sonic texture and the live performance’s collaborative nature.
The Ryman Auditorium: A Hallowed Stage for Innovation
The choice of the Ryman Auditorium as the venue for this unprecedented debut added another layer of significance to the event. Known affectionately as the "Mother Church of Country Music," the Ryman boasts a storied history, having hosted legends from Hank Williams to Johnny Cash. Its hallowed acoustics and intimate, pew-seated configuration typically lend themselves to reverence and tradition. For Big Thief, a band whose sound often blends indie-folk sensibilities with nascent Americana influences, performing Horsepower at the Ryman was both a nod to its deep roots and a subversive act of artistic redefinition. The venue became more than just a stage; it was an active participant, its history amplifying the gravity of the band’s announcement and the raw, unfolding nature of the performance. The filming of the entire three-hour spectacle within these iconic walls ensures that the historical context of the Ryman will be preserved alongside the music, offering a unique document of a band pushing boundaries within a revered space.
An Evolving Ensemble: The Live Performance Structure
The structure of the evening was meticulously crafted to build momentum and illustrate the collaborative spirit that likely defined the Horsepower recording sessions.
A Gradual Genesis
The show commenced with Adrianne Lenker taking the stage alone, delivering the album’s sparse title track, "Horsepower," with just her acoustic guitar. This intimate opening set a contemplative tone, inviting the audience into the raw, unadorned core of the new material. Following this, the rest of Big Thief – Buck Meek (guitar), Max Oleartchik (bass), and James Krivchenia (drums) – joined her for two more slow-burn compositions, gradually expanding the sonic palette while maintaining a pensive atmosphere. This incremental build allowed the audience to acclimate to the unfamiliar soundscapes before the full force of the collaboration unfolded.
The Nashville Collective: Guest Artists Join the Fray
The performance quickly evolved beyond the core quartet. Four songs into the set, the stage began to fill with a cadre of guest musicians, signaling a deeper immersion into the album’s collaborative spirit. Pedal-steel player Russ Pahl, a veteran session musician whose credits span a wide array of country and Americana artists, added his distinctive atmospheric textures. He was soon joined by fiddlers Richard Bowden, Hannah Read, and Zosha Warpeha, whose string arrangements brought a rich, pastoral quality to songs like the "floaty and gorgeous" "Space And Time." The addition of these instrumentalists immediately broadened the band’s sound, pushing it further into the country and folk idioms. Greg Leisz, another highly respected multi-instrumentalist known for his work with artists like Bill Frisell and Joni Mitchell, then joined the expanding ensemble, alternating between pedal steel and guitar, further enriching the sonic tapestry. His presence alongside Pahl allowed for intricate interplay and dynamic shifts in instrumentation.
Legendary Voices: DeMent, Welch, and Williams
The crescendo of guest appearances reached its peak with the introduction of three titans of American folk and country music. Iris DeMent, renowned for her poignant songwriting and distinctive vocal delivery, took a seat beside Lenker and remained onstage for the duration of the performance, lending her voice to the band’s harmonies. DeMent’s presence not only added a layer of vocal depth but also brought a gravitas rooted in her authentic storytelling tradition. Shortly thereafter, Gillian Welch, an iconic figure in contemporary Americana known for her minimalist yet profound compositions, joined DeMent, contributing her signature harmonies and adding subtle, well-placed banjo and tambourine accents. Welch’s quiet authority and deep understanding of roots music further anchored the performance in a rich lineage.
The gradual integration of these artists was not merely a series of "one-off" cameos but a deliberate expansion of the ensemble, creating a sense of organic growth. As Lenker observed around 50 minutes into the show, "Now we’re getting there. It feels like a dream." This sentiment perfectly encapsulated the unfolding magic: a collective of eleven musicians, including the core band, creating a dynamic, evolving soundscape that mirrored the possible genesis of the album itself—people in a room, collaboratively figuring out material in real-time. The ultimate surprise, reserved for the encore, was the appearance of Lucinda Williams, a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter celebrated for her raw, poetic lyrics and blend of rock, folk, and country. Her arrival on stage elicited a rapturous response from the Ryman audience, underscoring the profound respect she commands and the significance of her participation in this unique event.
Musical Landscape of "Horsepower": A Rich Tapestry
The 29 songs performed from Horsepower showcased a broad musical spectrum, demonstrating Big Thief’s continued evolution and their willingness to embrace diverse influences.
Country Roots and Dreamy Cascades
A significant characteristic of the new material was a pronounced embrace of country influences, a thread that has occasionally appeared in past Big Thief albums but was fully integrated here. The addition of multiple pedal steel players and fiddlers undeniably steered the sound towards a rich, often melancholic, Americana aesthetic. There were numerous "spacious ballads," with "Avalanche, Hurricane" singled out for its particular beauty, allowing for the unspooling of Lenker’s lyrical narratives and the intricate instrumental interplay. Yet, the album also ventured into more energetic territory with "a few country-rock almost-ragers," where the string players transitioned from atmospheric textures to rapid-fire fiddle parts, injecting moments of vivacity. Buck Meek’s electric guitar work often created "autumnal cascades," pulling some songs towards Big Thief’s signature "dreamier side," while another track featuring Lenker on Wurlitzer possessed a "more sinuous groove," evoking a subtle ’90s alt-singer-songwriter vibe. The song tentatively identified as "Spatchcock Chickenshit Bingo" on the setlist stood out as a highlight, morphing into a genuine "barn hootenanny" with half the band and then the audience joining in stomps and claps as Lenker delivered a playful, talk-sung vocal filled with wordplay. This segment exemplified the album’s ability to blend heartfelt introspection with unbridled, communal joy. The first set concluded with the powerful refrain of "Where Will We Go," while the second set featured a heartfelt dedication from Lenker to her girlfriend for the memorable "6-7-8-9 She’s Fine," a track noted for its immediate melodic hook.
The Organic Process: Imperfection and Authenticity
Crucially, the performance retained a charmingly "ramshackle" quality, a testament to its live, first-listen nature. Moments of raw authenticity, such as Lenker briefly forgetting chords to a passage and initiating a restart, or minor guitar technical difficulties, were not glossed over. Lenker herself openly admitted to feeling nervous navigating the vast landscape of new material, a humanizing admission that further endeared her to the audience. These minor imperfections, far from detracting from the experience, amplified the sense that the audience was invited into an intimate "hang" with the band and their musician pals, witnessing a creative process unfold in real-time. This "pristine kind of lived-in" aesthetic, where songs felt "just a bit ragged and with plenty of room to unspool," underscored Big Thief’s commitment to raw emotion and organic creation over polished perfection. It offered a rare glimpse into the vulnerability and exhilaration inherent in presenting entirely new, untested work to a large audience.
Implications and Future Trajectory
The Ryman Auditorium debut of Horsepower carries significant implications for Big Thief, their fanbase, and potentially the wider music industry.
A New Chapter for Big Thief
This event clearly marks a new and ambitious chapter for Big Thief. The commitment to a triple album, performed live in its entirety before its official release, is a powerful artistic statement that reasserts their position as one of the most creatively fearless bands working today. It demonstrates a profound confidence in their material and a desire to engage with their audience in novel, immersive ways. The collaborative nature of Horsepower, highlighted by the expansive ensemble of guest musicians, suggests a broadening of the band’s sonic scope and an ongoing exploration of their Americana and folk roots. This evolution, while perhaps surprising to some, is a natural progression for a band that has consistently defied easy categorization and prioritized artistic growth.
The Filmed Release: Expanding Accessibility
The decision to film the entire three-hour performance for future release is a strategic move that addresses the inherent exclusivity of such a unique live event. While the 2,400 attendees at the Ryman witnessed a truly once-in-a-lifetime show, the filmed document will allow a global audience to experience Horsepower‘s debut. This approach merges the intimacy of a live concert with the accessibility of a visual album, potentially offering fans an immersive introduction to the triple album when it is officially released. It also positions the Ryman performance not just as a concert, but as a crucial component of the album’s artistic presentation and marketing strategy, setting a new precedent for album rollouts.
Fan Engagement and the Evolving Narrative
For Big Thief’s devout fanbase, the Horsepower unveiling was a profound validation of their loyalty and an affirmation of the band’s "ever-changing, ever-evolving" ethos. Rather than a predictable setlist, fans received a rare, unvarnished glimpse into the band’s creative future. This approach fosters a deeper sense of connection and shared experience, transforming concertgoers from passive listeners into active participants in a moment of artistic genesis. It reinforces the band’s reputation for authenticity and their willingness to challenge conventional expectations, ensuring that their narrative remains dynamic and unpredictable. The excitement radiating from the stage, particularly during the final song, "Gift Pleasure Joy"—a track written about the recording of the album—underscored the profound satisfaction the band felt in creating Horsepower in this collaborative manner.
After two extensive, hour-plus sets, the band returned for an encore featuring the remaining three songs from Horsepower, culminating in the momentous appearance of Lucinda Williams, whose presence elevated the finale to legendary status. The Ryman, indeed, "lost its mind" in response. The final song of the night, "Gift Pleasure Joy," served as a poignant, meta-narrative conclusion, reflecting on the very process of the album’s creation. The palpable excitement emanating from the stage, mirroring the exhilaration of the audience, underscored the deep artistic satisfaction the band derived from making an album in such a collaborative and unconventional way. For the Big Thief fans who entered the Ryman expecting a familiar journey, they instead embarked on a rare and unforgettable expedition: the inaugural glimpse into the next ambitious frontier of Big Thief’s continually unfolding artistic odyssey.
Setlist
Set 1:
"Horsepower"
"Baby Honey Sweetheart Darlin’"
"Wait A While"
"Space And Time"
"21"
"Casual Touch"
"Muscle Memory"
"Highway"
"Stay"
"Carry"
"Sadness As A Gift"
"True Love"
"Where Will We Go"
Set 2:
"Beautiful World"
"Faker"
"Loneliest Boy"
"Happiness"
"Oldest"
"Bright Future"
"Beautiful Powerful"
"Avalanche, Hurricane"
"Snail"
"Spatchcock Chickenshit Bingo"
"Trade Tomorrow"
"6-7-8-9 She’s Fine"
"These Are The Days"
Encore:
"No Matter What"
"Born For Loving You"
"Gift Pleasure Joy"
Photos by Genesis Báez.
