Big Thief at the Moody Theater 2/15/2023

A band that starts their show by lighting a candle and easing into their set, only to finish with a roar of screeching guitars is my kind of band. I assume that Big Thief is typically thought of as being an indie-folk band. The best way to describe them is by explaining that they are their own kind of magic. Big Thief are their own thing entirely, separate from genre. They are indie, but they also think of themselves as a collective. Many of the members have their own solo projects. All of the members met at Berklee College of Music, all being musically educated. Plenty of well-known artists don’t know how to read music or know much of music theory, which doesn’t seem to affect their own skills and styles. Big Thief’s background in musical education seems to aid them with their creativity and unique range of experimentation and musicality. But don’t be mistaken, Big Thief still has this very organic mentality in approaching their music and their live shows. They aren’t held back by their musical education in any way, as they still play by their own rules. 

Big Thief’s show was an explosion of emotional release and catharsis by all means, with moments of calm and meditative reflection. There were also moments of their performance when there was rock in its most expressive and honest form. Stories told from a storied Adrianne Lenker who delves into many different ways of expression in her lyrics. Sometimes it might feel more like a story and other times it might feel more like a moment of poetic genius, but it all felt profound. What makes it special is that somehow it all felt unexpected. With some bands you love you might not know their true power or selves until seeing them live. That was definitely the case with Big Thief. Not that I didn’t know enough about them, but that I wasn’t fully aware of their extraordinary presence. 

The venue where I saw their live set, The Moody Theater, was a perfect setting for them. Big Thief makes you feel comfortable to be in their space. There was a familial feeling to their concert, as their vibe seems to revolve around shared human experiences as much as it feels personal.