Brandi Carlile Album Playback & Acoustic Show

On Saturday night, I and 2800 of my fellow Bramily* members had the joy of attending a one of a kind Brandi Carlile Band show here in Seattle, to get a sneaky preview of her new album, Returning to Myself.

The show was an album playback and acoustic performance, so the only folks on stage were Brandi, the Hanseroth Twins, and Sista Strings, all seated in comfy couches and chairs. It started with playing the album, all the way through. Not performing it, literally playing the record, with Brandi telling stories and talking about the songs in between. We all promised not to share any video or audio from the album that isn't out already (no spoilers!), so I won't talk too much about the songs either, but WOW. I'd never pretend to be some kind of critic who can put a value judgement on art, because it's so subjective, but I loved it. The band is very much firing on all cylinders on this one; it's very personal, and just feels like the most Brandi Carlile Brandi Carlile album to date. It's full of great songs, but I will venture that Human is an instant classic, and Church & State is going to be an ANTHEM.

After we heard the record and related commentary, Brandi took a few questions from the audience, and then the band played an acoustic set, starting with live versions of about half of the new album songs we'd just heard, and proceeding to a few requests from the crowd. All told, we spent a little under 3 hours together, singing, laughing, dancing, and just being filled with joy and excitement, at the end of No Kings day.

 

 

I've been to a couple smaller, fan-only shows like this, and it's always a very different vibe from a regular tour stop, in a great way. I have to assume it's because the artist knows the crowd is going to be completely and totally on their side, so they can let their guard down -- not put any less into the performance, just feel free to relax and have fun on stage. Last night was the same, a unique kind of experience and energy in the room. 

Although (tangent alert!), there was one song that felt very familiar, taking me back to the beginning. Early in my BC fandom, 2003-2004, Brandi didn't yet have a record deal, but she and the Twins had already been hustling in Seattle for years. They had a couple of demo CDs and played regularly around town, so people knew the music, and at that time, the 'hit' was Turpentine. Sure, there were lots of us at the gigs who kept the CDs on repeat and knew all the songs, but Turpentine was the one even the more casual fans could join in on. So when they played it last night, with every person in the room singing along, it was a moment of deja vu. Even though back then the song was faster, harder, more electric guitar forward, and not the melodic, 3 part harmony oh-oh-oh version they do now. Even though back then "it's 6am and I'm all messed up" was only the clean version for the recording, and neither the crowd nor the band were singing 'messed up' in the live version. Even with the clear differences that the years have brought to that familiar song, I felt like I was back standing in a crowded bar, belting it out with the strangers around me, more than 2 decades ago. 

And I couldn't be happier to still be here singing along, or prouder of Brandi and the Twins for what they've accomplished since those early days being the hardest working band in Seattle. 

Buy this album, y'all. I promise you're gonna LOVE it. 

 

*Insofar as fan clubs still exist for grown-ass adults in 2025, you could say the Bramily are Brandi's fan club