“We plan to rock your faces off today. Are you with us?” singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile testified on Sunday night to a sold-out crowd. And she sure followed through on her promise.---
Carlile took command of the stage with her crystal-clear voice and punchy lyrics as she, sporting white suspenders, was sandwiched between her original band mates, twins Phil and Tim Hanseroth, and the rest of her crew. The show opened with a bang as each member of the six-person band jammed on a fiery intro before jumping into “Raise Hell,” which ended with a solo from drummer Konrad Meissner.
It was obvious that the over 2,500 people in attendance were in love with Carlile’s talent and personality --everybody was gushing all night long. As she would simply smile (OK, maybe a little flirtatiously) to a section of the audience, those pearly whites would induce roaring screams. Her connection to the female-dominated audience ran deeper than merely with the music, it seemed.
The band then found their way to the center of the stage for a ragtime version of “Caroline.” Carlile said that was how they wrote and recorded most of Bear Creek, her latest album released in June.
The band members took a break as Carlile picked up the guitar and performed a solo “Looking Out.” After that pleasant set highlight, the band joined her for a cover of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which turned what was in one instance a mellow concert into a full-on rock show the next, complete with flashing lights and electric guitar solos performed by both Tim Hanseroth and Carlile.
Three members left as Carlile and the fedora-fashioned twins played “That Wasn’t Me,” which garnered large applause as they walked off the stage. Carlile was left with just her guitar when she led the audience in singing happy birthday to the twin's other brother, Jeremy -- who wasn't introduced despite the celebrations (and probably heard the song over the phone). The evening ended with her solo version of Leonard Cohen’s classic “Hallelujah,” blowing the audience away with probably the most amazing display of her vocal talents of the night.
Photos by Savannah Turk