BRANDI CARLILE | 04.25 | PHILLY

Words & Images By: Jake Krolick

Brandi Carlile :: 04.25.07 :: World Cafe Live :: Philadelphia, PA

Brandi Carlile :: 04.25 :: Philly

It was a far cry from singing back-up for an Elvis impersonator, but Brandi Carlile was right there when the Seattle rock band, The Fighting Machinists, ceased to exist. She immediately teamed with guitarist Tim Hanseroth and his bass playing twin brother Phil to form her band. Two albums later, Carlile has graced World Cafe Live’s stage more than any other musician. Not much of a surprise since she seems to be WXPN’s darling first cousin, and has built a massive Delaware Valley fan base as a result.

Carlile and the band entered softly as an announcer told the story of Philadelphia’s meter maids plastering a $100 dollar parking ticket on the band’s tour bus. This fifth time around Carlile had packed the house. Flanked by the Hanseroth twins, she kicked off with her newly purchased cowboy boots and they launched into “Follow.”

Brandi Carlile :: 04.25 :: Philly

Carlile looked uncomfortable without a guitar in her hands. Like a smoker without a cigarette, she held the instrument to feel secure. Her guitar playing was not the main attraction and her barely audible strumming went unnoticed. However, her voice ignited screams of delight. It was throaty and on the edge of cracking. An old hand despite her youth, Carlile controlled the crack like a tightrope walker balancing on a cable. Her gentle way of changing octaves was easy on the ears, but her voice is a powerful device that she freely unleashed at the drop of a hat.

Carlile seemingly took little notice of her band and chose to focus on the crowd. At one point, she paused to compliment a young girl at a table in front on her choice of seats.

Brandi Carlile :: 04.25 :: Philly

The band’s timing was hot. They had no visible cues but nailed the aggressive tempo changes during “Fall Apart Again.” Carlile’s new single, the power ballad “My Story,” added weight to the performance. Carlile and the brothers acted as if they had been doing this since they were born. Josh Neumann’s cello solos on “Downpour” and the first encore further cemented this performance.

Carlile’s passion for the venue led to some pleasant moments including a standout with guest Gibb Droll. Carlile watched as Droll played Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues.” She looked relaxed and natural as they played together. The sincere, solo performance of Leonard Cohen‘s “Hallelujah” ended the show in the same peaceful manner it began.

SETLIST
Late Morning Lullaby, Follow, Until I Die, Fall Apart Again, Closer To You > I’ve Just Seen A Face (Beatles cover), Have You Ever, Losing Heart, Until I Die, Turpentine, Wasted, My Song, Downpour, The Story, Closer To You, Again Today, Folsom Prison Blues, Hallelujah (solo).

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