Katie Pruitt Sets a High Bar at The Basement

Expectations can cut both ways, even when they come from within. Sometimes the pressure drives an artist or athlete to achieve feats they never thought possible, and sometimes it can set them up for disappointment in spite of all their talent and hard work. Singer-songwriter Katie Pruitt had to trust that the effort that went into her heavily biographical debut album Expectations — the culmination of a lifetime of experience and five years of work establishing herself in Nashville — was going to communicate something important and connect with fans. Based on the reaction at her sold-out release party Friday night at The Basement, she’s not only set the bar high, but sailed over it with flying colors. 

The venue was packed out long before the music began. The crowd seemed full of anticipation as I wove my way through the densely populated room. I found a spot near the back to wait it out until the first act. I was disappointed to see a man carrying an acoustic guitar onto the small stage, looking like a youth pastor — usually a sign of a boring, patience-testing time ahead. But that’s another thing about expectations: Sometimes people defy them in wonderful ways, and Ryan Sobb cut right through my apprehension. His clever, quirky wordplay and weathered baritone voice reminded me a lot of Jay Farrar of Son Volt and Uncle Tupelo fame. He was entertainingly self-deprecating, while at the same time punchy and fun. Next was Anthony da Costa, who you might have seen around town as an energetic sideman when he’s not playing his own rock-’mericana tunes. The crowd quickly packed in to get a better look at what da Costa and his band were doing. Since I couldn’t actually see them, I decided after a few songs to take a breather on the back patio, where the temperature was a balmy 34 degrees. (As a result, I unfortunately missed out on Pruitt joining in with da Costa later in his set.)

There’s a good chance that there will be a lot of die-hard fans in the audience at a record-release show. There’s some extra weight to that fandom in the case of a debut record. Everyone who comes is doing so on the basis of what they’ve seen the artist do in person, or the power of a handful of tracks that made it to the internet and/or the radio. On the strength of an outstanding live show and a live-in-studio EP released by OurVinyl in 2018, Pruitt has built a devoted following, and she sold out the O.G. Basement not long after the show was announced. Enthusiastic cheers erupted when Pruitt appeared, making her way to the stage, but then a reverent hush fell over the crowd, reminiscent of a congregation waiting for a service to begin. 

Once the set started, some of the things that draw people to Pruitt’s songs became clear. She has a knack for conveying a whole range of emotions that come with trying to find kindness, beauty and truth — things you want to believe in — in a world that’s often bleak and full of chaos and prejudice. Her music balances heavy darkness, heartbreak and melancholy with grace, peace and even some levity. Most of the songs take their time, though they never feel too slow, and they always feel relatable, even though they’re largely drawn from her personal experience. Her treatment of these ordinary parts of life as something sacred is tremendously compelling, from the clutter of frustrations in “My Mind’s a Ship (That’s Going Down),” to the tension between a desire to belong and the need to stay true to yourself in “Normal,” to falling in love during a pretend sword-fight with baguettes at a grocery store in “It’s Always Been You.” 

Pruitt also took time to explain some of the stories behind the songs. One emotional peak was the Atlanta native’s preface to “Georgia,” about the strain that resulted from coming out to her conservative Catholic family. She explained that their tearful fights have lead to an understanding — in the end, at-times painful expressions of honesty strengthened the bond between the parents and their adult child. Another highlight: “Expectations,” which drips with the sonic influence of prime-stardom Fleetwood Mac and features the singer discussing getting comfortable with life being a work in progress.

Over the course of the evening, it became clear that Pruitt was feeling an obligation — both to her fans and to herself — to deliver on the promise of her new album as she heads out on her first headlining tour. Expectations are high for her, and that seems to be right where she wants them.

See our slideshow for more photos.