For many music fans, there’s a collective shared experience of one band or two they overlooked for so long that when they finally stumble upon them, it feels inexplicable how they missed them in the first place. For me, Grand Rapids, Michigan-based The Crane Wives is one such band. I learned about them last summer through press releases about their latest album, Beyond Beyond Beyond. I was instantly hooked. Interviewing them for SWT only made me appreciate them more. But it wasn’t until I saw them live for the first time, Thursday, June 10 at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for their summer tour kickoff, that I fully grasped the full extent of their brilliance and sublime talent.
While getting the crowd pumped up about Iceland-based opener Árný Margrét and the show in general, Crane Wives drummer Dan Rickabus confidently predicted the audience would “feel the feelings” and be entranced by that night’s music. How right he was, as it was the most exuberant band performance/audience atmosphere that I’ve been part of in quite a while. The crowd, many of whom were longtime followers of the group, was fully engaged in the music, dancing, clapping, and enjoying themselves. The band followed suit, clearly unleashing the pent-up desire to get back on the stage and perform. It was so easy to get swept up in their electric and vibrant performance and synergy. The band performed for about an hour and a half and didn’t let up once. The band jokingly told the crowd at one point that, since it was their first show of the tour, they were getting their sea legs to perform. But to me, they were dialed in from the start. As much as I enjoy the band’s albums, they really come to life on the live stage.
One big reason is that the band is led by two incredible singer-songwriters, Emilee Petersmark and Kate Pillsbury. The two singers traded off vocals, sometimes in the same song and sometimes combining into powerful harmonies, allowing them to showcase their talents. Guitars, drums, bass, and voices combined to create a rich and dynamic sound.
The band performed a “mishmash” of songs from their 15 years of existence, including their aforementioned fifth album Beyond Beyond Beyond. The set was a tour de force that showcased the band’s full range in diving into folk, Americana, and rock music. The band played some older fan favorites such as “Pretty Little Thing” (off 2016’s Foxlore) as well as Beyond Beyond Beyond standouts like “River Rushing” and “Mad Dog”. The sound quality in the theater was phenomenal, further boosting and giving emphasis to the instruments and voices.
Adding to the specialness of the night was Árný Margrét, whose intimate and powerful folk songs set the tone for the night and instantly won over the crowd. The audience gave her the same high-spirited energy they later gave to The Crane Wives. She performed songs spanning two albums and an EP, including her fantastic album released earlier this year, I Miss You, I Do. Margrét had a commanding and poignant presence with just her voice and guitar.
All in all, feelings were felt, and then some.
Joshua is co-founder of Scummy Water Tower. He’s freelanced for a variety of newspapers, magazines, and websites, including: Rolling Stone, The Boston Globe, Chicago Sun-Times, Guitar World, MTV News, Grammy.com, Chicago Magazine, Milwaukee Magazine, MKE Lifestyle, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, A.V. Club, SPIN, Alternative Press, Under the Radar, Paste, PopMatters, American Songwriter, and Relix. You can email him at josh@scummywatertower.com.
