If you have never heard of First Aid Kit, you are missing out. I first heard of the Swedish sisters, Johanna and Klara Söderberg, when they released Emmylou, a song which references the iconic folk and country singer, Emmylou Harris. Indeed, the song was well received by audiences and critics and was named as the number ten Single of the Year in 2012 by Rolling Stone magazine. I was moved by their brilliant harmonies and folksy sound and immediately purchased their second album (featuring Emmylou) titled The Lions Roar. I also saw the duo when they toured the US to promote the album, a show which officially made me a fan.
A few career highlights (so far) include:
Their cover of R.E.M.'s Walk Unafraid on the soundtrack of the movie Wild
2015 Brit Award nomination for Best International Group
Their performance of Red Dirt Girl and Emmylou for Emmylou Harris at the Polar Music Prize ceremony
Four Leonard Cohen-themed concerts in 2017
A collaboration with Tove Lo on Cute & Cruel from the latter's album Dirt Femme
A cover of Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill
The vinyl EP Tender Offerings, featuring four previously unreleased tracks
Three Glastonbury performances
Five studio albums
Their fifth album, Palomino, which NME praised as a more experimental "gem in First Aid Kit’s consistently good arsenal of timeless, harmony-rich roots music", is tinged with Americana but sees the sisters moving to a more pop-oriented sound, influenced by the likes of Fleetwood Mac and Hall & Oates. In support of the album, they brought the Palomino Tour to NYC this week and, much like the famed horse from the album's title, their performance showcased the freedom and beauty of their music as the sisters filled Radio City Music Hall with their smooth and soaring harmonies. They performed songs from the new album as well as some of their earlier hits and two cover versions, namely Fleetwood Mac's Songbird and Willie Nelson's On The Road Again. The show from start to end was, in a word, sublime. And it was clear that the sisters were thrilled to be living their dream on stage at Radio City.
The complete setlist was as follows:
Palomino
Angel
It's A Shame
Fallen Snow
Stay Gold
Everybody’s Got to Learn
Rebel Heart
The Lion's Roar
Wild Horses II
Songbird (Fleetwood Mac cover)
Ghost Town
Hem of Her Dress
A Feeling That Never Came
Emmylou
Fireworks
Encore:
Out of My Head
King of the World
On the Road Again (Willie Nelson cover)
My Silver Lining
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