Big Thief Returns To Indy With Massive Sold Out Show
- Andy Skinner
- Jul 31, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 2, 2023
On Wednesday July 26th Brooklyn-based band Big Thief played a massive sold-out show at the Old National Centre's Egyptian Room, taking the 2,000-plus fans in attendance on a lo-fi indie rock and alt-folk journey via eighteen of their well-crafted songs.
Opener Nick Hakim's mega-mellow husky-voiced indie-soul stylings were well-received by the crowd, who didn't seem to mind that he introduced his backing band twice during the set - possibly forgetting he had already done so after only a few songs. With a drummer, bass player, and guitarist behind him, Hakim went back and forth between being seated at his keyboards and standing to serenade the crowd whilst playing guitar.
It was an understated set, although quite soulful. What the stage show lacked in unique lighting and decoration it made up for a tight performance between the four band members. You can purchase music by Nick Hakim from Indy CD & Vinyl HERE.
The Big Thief crowd could be divided into two distinct groups: the front half being quite young and focused on holding their spot of carpet for the duration of the concert, and the back half of the room reserved for older beer-drinking urban professional alternatives - just as much a fan as a younger audience member but possibly not as invested in hanging on every word, every note, seen by the fans hugging the front rail and happily crying as Adrienne Lenker and the band took the stage.
The chef's kiss belonged to Lenker at the outset, playing the solo track "Indiana," a clever homage to Adrienne's Hoosier roots that was not lost to those in the front along the safety barricade. It wasn't a particularly loud performance by the band, at times the crowd in front was more clearly audible with their singing along than Big Thief was themselves; however, this parlayed into a fantastic scene during the encore where Lenker and the crowd sang along together the song "Paul" in a-capella style after the band had been badgered throughout the night requests for the tune.
The show was performed during a typically hot and humid mid-summer night in Indianapolis, creating an interesting, if not unsettling, moment which occurred during the fifth song of the set. The band stopped the tune "Not" about halfway through as Lenker requested help for a fan in the middle of the crowd in apparent distress from the heat. The spotlights from the stage shined on the middle of the crowd as the entire room fell into a hush. Truly the most interesting thing to me was, as security took the cue and rushed to help the overheated patron, that the band members stood still during the entire episode (about a full five minutes) and didn't talk amongst themselves nor to the crowd. They just stood there silently, as the staff did their thing. It matched a bit with the dour appearance of Lenker and much of the subject matter of their songs, the scene had a way of caring about the unfortunate incident in the crowd while keeping fully in character, and then showcasing the playing chops of the band by picking the song up exactly where they had left off with nothing more than a four-count from their drummer, James Krivchenia. Guitarist Buck Meek and bassist Max Oleartchik were right back into the thick of what might have been the meatiest song of the set, with a few flashy solos from Meek while Lenker's full-sounding rhythm guitar on the song filling out the sound. It was impressive.
Big Thief Returns To Indy With Massive Sold Out Show
Review and photos by Andy Skinner for Indy CD & Vinyl
Purchase music by Big Thief from Indy CD & Vinyl HERE and music by Nick Hakim from Indy CD & Vinyl HERE.
View the full gallery of photos below:
What a fantastic, detailed review of Big Thief's sold-out Indy show! I especially loved the observation about the crowd's two distinct halves and the powerful moment when the band paused "Not" to assist a fan – truly showcases their character. Adrienne Lenker's "Indiana" homage sounds like a perfect touch. For anyone with a collection of concert photos like the ones here, I highly recommend checking out Merge JPG for organizing them; it's incredibly useful!
This is a fantastic and insightful review of Big Thief's sold-out Indy show! I particularly appreciated the detailed observations, from Nick Hakim's endearing double introduction to the fascinating audience breakdown. The description of Adrienne Lenker's "Indiana" homage and the crowd's a cappella rendition of "Paul" truly painted a vivid picture. And the moment during "Not" where the band paused to help a distressed fan, then seamlessly picked up exactly where they left off, sounds incredibly powerful and speaks volumes about their professionalism and presence. Thanks for sharing such a great snapshot of the evening. For anyone looking to document their own insightful thoughts or convert articles like this one into a more editable format, I'd recommend checking out MD to…
This review perfectly captures the magic of Big Thief's sold-out Indy show! The description of the crowd's energy and the emotional depth of moments like Adrienne Lenker's "Indiana" homage really brings the experience to life. And that mid-song pause for the overheated fan, followed by their seamless return, sounds incredibly powerful and uniquely Big Thief. It's refreshing to read such a detailed and honest account of a live performance. For anyone curious about visual branding, especially for indie artists, a crisp logo is key; you might find tools like Converter PNG to SVG really useful for making sure their imagery is always pixel-perfect and scalable.
What a fantastic read! This review beautifully captures the unique energy of Big Thief's sold-out Indy show, from Nick Hakim's soulful opening to Lenker's "Indiana" homage and that incredibly human moment where the band paused for a fan. It really paints a vivid picture of the atmosphere and their captivating stage presence. For anyone looking to explore their creativity, I highly recommend checking out AI Cartoon Generator – it's a fun way to transform your photos.
What a fantastic review of Big Thief's sold-out Indy show! I really enjoyed the detailed account of the evening, especially the distinction between the two crowd types and the poignant moment when the band paused "Not" to help a distressed fan. It truly paints a vivid picture of the band's character and their immersive live performance. The a capella "Paul" encore sounds like pure magic for the fans. For more engaging content like this, perhaps check out AI Image Generator By Nano Banana Pro – you might even find inspiration for visuals from these concert descriptions!