Marooned by a quiet breeze

The tears fall from heaven

Entwined with our neighbors 

By the time the bell tolls seven

It’s August and it’s patient

Though the sun’s setting early 

And a night of Big Thief

Awakens behind Surly

To understand the ambiance of the Surly Festival Field rendition of Big Thief and opener Ben LaMar Gay is a task no less than herculean if you were not yourself in attendance. This is, of course, an overstatement, unless you are later-in-life philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein or a frequent reader who knows the limits of my own vocabulary and narration. If I must try to render the night, which I must, for my allegiance to Radio K (real college radio), do me a favor and metaphorically close your eyes. Imagine an embrace of friends, the call of your sister, a tangible shift in barometric pressure, and a deep gratitude for nature, community, and song. 

This theme is revisited several times as vocalist Adrienne Lenker speaks closely with the crowd, remarking on a deep appreciation to family and friends who joined our band tonight in a sort of a homecoming event. Quick backstory: The band, according to their wikipedia page, started out of Brooklyn with a founding date of 2015, a year before their debut album “Masterpiece”. With the accolades that quickly came to the band in the following years, so too did their loyal following. But it did not always start that way, as we hear from Adrienne. The humble beginnings of this remarkable group has roots in the open mic nights in our very own Land of 10,000 Lakes, at the early age of 12. 

The venture to the show tonight was an interesting one, per usual. Frankie came over, flowers in hand, by 5 pm to my apartment. Slowly, we made our way to the bus shelter to wait for the E line, whose trusty LED screen read the time as 12:28. Oh well. We waited, and with backs turned to University Avenue, heard the crash of three cars. Someone reportedly turned the wrong way down a one way street. Thankfully, all members of the accident were walking about within three minutes’ time of the collision. Then the E line came. “Drop Off Only”, the electronic banner read. We boarded. 

We get to Surly under the weight of a sky, heavy with the desperate aspiration to rain. The tease of a sprinkle as we walk in; “damn, I wish I brought my umbrella”. Colors worn by the crowd tonight include a prelude of olive green (tasteful) and a staple cherry red (naturally). Boots, dresses, T-shirts, bolo ties, facial piercings, mullets, braids, flip-flops, bathing suits, and the like adorn a packed festival field whose capacity is just around 6,000. 

Ben LaMar Gay, a multi-instrumentalist leader of a pack of rag-tag (creative, clean, and practiced) musicians parades to the stage clad in all yellow. A group whose intention is to exist beyond the bounds of genre assignment begins slowly, slowly, with a flute and chant towards the sky. The duration of Gay’s set transfixes the crowd, moving from a transient melody through an evolution of experimental jazz. Percussive highlights include: several different mallets on the drumkit, vocalization through the bell of a trumpet, something akin to beatboxing, and use of several bells of varying sizes and intensities. On a dime, this group turns from rhythm to rhythm, playing the evocative songs needed to shift the sky from day to night. What emerges in the reflections of this music discussed by my small group of animated listeners ranges from a warning call from rebel troops, inspiration from the artist Ice Spice, or sounds that make you want to roll around on the floor. Make of that what you will. 

The sun sets. The band closes. Green lights from the stage above. The headlining band Big Thief comes to stage and, I’m assuming, casts a spell over the audience that lasts all night. Starting with “Cruel and Beautiful World”, the music is the only noise that is made for miles around. The listeners are entirely silent otherwise. After a roaring applause, song two comes in, with the bass driving the heartbeat of “No Fear” off of the recently released album Double Infinity. A slow march kept constant only by the heavy bass performed by Joshua, a member who joined the band only after 2024. “Simulation swarm” is next, from Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You, an album where the majority of songs played tonight originated. Immediately a crowd favorite, with more swaying than I’ve seen in a while, listeners alike are enraptured by the mesmerizing guitar riffs shrouded in a fuzzy and muffled effect. This song, to me, epitomizes the genuine lyricism and folky roots that has drawn and captured many listeners, young and old, followed quickly by “Vampire Empire”. 

Steam rises from the stage, which could be attributed to many sources, including a fog machine, smoke, incense (why not), or steam from the band and sweaty crowdspeople. “Shark Smile” keeps the audience entranced until all microphones are cut out and we lose any amplification for the next three songs. With great resilience and collection, the band continues to play acoustic, nonstop, with the crowd in silence and straining to listen only from the monitors onstage. At this point, I’m remarking on the occurrence and getting shushed. C’est la vie. Then, what comes alive first but the drums, then the upright bass. This watershed moment of unification by music, the crowd sings along with artists alike, sharing in the appreciation of song and lyrics that have made an indelible mark on so many in attendance tonight. 

A total of 19 songs are played by Big Thief in this set, tied off with an encore of “Incomprehensible", admittedly a favorite of Adrienne’s. This show carries us through chirps akin to bird calls, to silence, between electronics and crisp acoustics. This music played is beyond music but ventures into the territory of an immersive experience and that begs us to reflect on our own lives; relationships, existence in the world, and conception of growing old. A quick rock vignette is even a visitor of the evening, perhaps an homage to the contemporary Minneapolis music scene, received with open arms by the crowd. As a foodie at heart, I’ll leave my parting words and reflections on this concert in the form of a metaphor; this show was a hearty one-two punch, warmed up and served with butter and a side of a Surly Furious. 

Show Review: Elizabeth Wash