By The Way, I Forgive You is one of those albums that grabs you from the first listen and then makes hit repeat immediately. The album was nominated for 6 Grammys (the most nominations for any female artist in 2019) and won three, namely Best American Roots Performance for The Joke, Best American Roots Song and Americana Album. Carlile wrote The Joke as a commentary on the social and political climate in the US following the 2016 elections. She told NPR: "There are so many people feeling misrepresented. So many people feeling unloved. The song is just for people that feel under-represented, unloved or illegal", sentiments that so many people can relate to.
She performed at Madison Square Garden this weekend and her performance blew me (and the rest of the audience) away. She wore her interpretation of a tuxedo - white shirt, black pants with shimmering front panels and of course a black bow tie - and radiated warmth and joy. The show was an emotionally charged one in addition to being highly entertaining; her soaring vocals and heartfelt stories took the audience on an emotional rollercoaster ride. Indeed she was visibly overwhelmed to be living her dream of playing at a sold-out MSG.
I will admit to tearing up a few times throughout the show: when she sang the beautiful and timeless The Story, her perfect harmonies with twin brothers Phil and Tim Hanseroth (with whom she has performed for over a decade) on The Eye and when the audience switched on their cell phone lights to accompany her on the moving hit, The Joke. In between songs she shared stories about her busking days in Seattle, her daughters and wife, and her need to impress Joni Mitchell; you felt that she was being her authentic self on the stage which made the experience even more enjoyable.
She also brought other artists onto the stage for a couple songs: R&B and gospel singer Mavis Staples (who was also the opening act) and 2 of the members of Highwomen, an all-women country "supergroup" that is redefining the voice of women in country music, comprising Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris and Amanda Shires (Maren wasn't able to be there). Their catchy lyrics and perfect harmonies were amazing (I was also obsessed with Amanda's butterfly sunglasses!)
The complete setlist was as follows:
Hold Out Your Hand
Wherever Is Your Heart
Hard Way Home
The Story
Friendship (with Mavis Staples)
Highwomen (The Highwomen song)
If Ever She Leaves Me (The Highwomen song)
Redesigning Women (The Highwomen song)
The Eye
Raise Hell
Fulton County Jane Doe
A Case of You (Joni Mitchell cover)
Baby I'm gonna leave you (Led Zeppelin cover)
The Mother
The Joke
Pride and Joy
Encore:
Mainstream Kid
Party of One
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