The clash of pins and clanging of glasses at the bar were the only sounds to be heard in the packed Brooklyn Bowl as a silent yet attentive audience awaited the next song by the captivating folk band, The Crane Wives. It was almost haunting to witness such a silent audience in between songs, but the band’s music would bring their viewers’ to life when the first note of a song would play. Michigan based band, The Crane Wives, brought an intriguing whimsy to the typically raucous Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville. The tone for the show was set when an atmospheric melody played as a deer-masked figure weaved around stage and placed two glowing lanterns at the mic stands for the leading singers, Emilee Petersmark and Kate Pillsbury. The figure then raised his arms to the screen above him, revealing a projection of the band’s logo. As he exited, the tone shifted quickly as the familiar notes of Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten” began to play. The audience laughed at the sudden change, but they were quick to start belting the classic tune’s lyrics, creating even more hype in the crowd.
The two singers and their bassist, Ben Zito, and drummer, Dan Rickabus, joined the stage at the end of the song, taking their place among the wooden cutouts of cattails, rabbits, and foxes, common imagery for the band’s aesthetic. They kicked off the show with songs from their latest album, to which the audience sang back every lyric as if the album had been out for years. The band knew the dedication of their fanbase as they boldly chose to play an unreleased track several songs into their set. The audience erupted at the announcement of this track being played, yet again singing every lyric. Petersmark and Pillsbury’s crystal clear vocals blended together beautifully, with Rickabus occasionally chiming in to create a wonderful three piece harmony. Their setlist consisted of music from their entire discography, closing off with old favorites such as “Curses” and “Tongues & Teeth.” The band stressed how nervous they were to perform in Nashville due to the “music nerds,” but The Crane Wives had nothing to fear as they performed a stellar set that transported its viewers to the world of whimsy that their music creates.
- GC Moorman
Photos Courtesy of GC Moorman (For Bell Music Magazine)
