Written and Photographed by Lara Ann Schumacher
Edited by Sarah Murnane
For the first time since 2022, American indie folk-rock band Big Thief returns to Cologne with their Somersault Slide 360 Tour. Bringing with them an exciting mix of energetic new songs alongside their melancholic hits ,and, well, it gets as emotional as one would expect.
Starting off the show was Dylan Meek, brother of Big Thief’s very own Buck Meek. whose music definitely does not fit in one category. I can only describe it as experimental, dreamy jazz. Meek gave the crowd a very warm welcome, and in true kölsch fashion, he received one right back. He interacted well with the crowd, letting the fans be part of his songs that he performs in both English and Spanish. He performed a duet with his brother for the song “Brotherhood”, which was a nice surprise for the audience, getting them ready for what the night had in store for them.
After a short break, Big Thief took to the stage. The stage was dressed as a cozy living room, neat and small, anything else would not have been needed anyway, the music truly did speak for itself. The band started off with songs like ‘Double Infinity’ and ‘Vampire Empire’, setting the mood for the show. Not only do the fans get to experience Adrianne Lenker’s amazing lyricism, covering emotionally complex topics like dealing with the passage of time, loss and love, but also the bands distinctive instrumental skills such as the front woman’s very impressive guitar playing.
A mix of the bands songs and Lenker’s solo work really kept the crowd on their toes, from dancing to extended instrumental outros and bridges with intense solos, to crying in each others arms during songs like ‘Real House’ where not an eye stayed dry, or at least mine didn’t, but that is not too surprising).
A memorable moment of the evening was the duet between Buck Meek and Adrianne Lenker of one of Meeks songs ‘Wallet’, which they had not played together in thirteen years but decided during soundcheck that it just felt right this time. The emotionally charged performance, interrupted by their own giggles for not remembering the lyrics and chords perfectly, felt so pure and intimate that it was inevitable for the audience to leave this show with goosebumps and a warm heart.
Throughout the entire show, the band played new and unreleased songs, which, for every big fan, is an obvious treat. After ‘Trade Tomorrow’ and ‘Where Will We Go’, Lenker thanked the fans for going along with them playing so much of their unknown work and letting them grow as a group. She described touring and trying to blend old and new songs as a wild ride. ‘Pterodactyl’, which has only been performed once before, might even be her favourite song they have created.
The last couple of songs were some very dear to the audience, songs that people deeply resonate with. ‘Incomprehensible’ uses natures imagery to describe that we are not immune to time and life’s changes, and that we shouldn’t want to be despite what society tells us.
Following this was ‘Anything’, once again a song from Lenker’s solo project. The song is an incredibly accurate portrayal of nostalgia and longing, despite the pain one might feel remembering those small, seemingly unimportant moments of the past.
After finishing up their set with their song ‘Los Angeles’, every audience member, if die-hard fan or the occasional, casual listener, left the venue with a complete new understanding of the bands artistic vision. No matter what kind of music you are into, seeing Big Thief in concert will not disappoint and I highly recommend it to anyone who can appreciate amazing lyricism and vocals, as well as beautifully curated instrumentals.
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