Fans of indie folk-rock’s Big Thief flooded the Ryman over the weekend for the band’s two-day stint at the Mother Church — but unbeknownst to those fans, the group would not be playing much of their well-loved discography from the past decade.
Less than a year after the release of their twinkling 2025 record Double Infinity, Big Thief took to the Ryman’s stage for an exclusive debut of the upcoming album Horsepower — which was being documented for an upcoming concert film. The 30-track triple album, set for a spring 2027 release, leans into an Americana sound and features appearances from a mix of alt-country stars.
Sunday night’s show from the Brooklyn-based band — their second and final appearance in Nashville — featured a three-and-a-half-hour set with a brief intermission and no pictures or videos allowed. As the lights dimmed, the band’s core members — Adrianne Lenker, Buck Meek, James Krivchenia and Joshua Crumbly — took seats on the stage, gathering around a large wooden table fit for a feast.
Lenker shared that the table was sourced from Facebook Marketplace, and later placed at the legendary Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville, where they made the album. Throughout the record-making process, the table was where much of the new album came to life, according to Lenker.
Big Thief and friends at the Ryman, Aug. 22, 2026
Big Thief undoubtedly conjured this familial, collaborative spirit Sunday night, inviting a menagerie of musicians to join them onstage. A trio of exuberant fiddle players, as well as some twangy pedal-steel parts (courtesy of legends Russ Pahl and Greg Leisz), plucky banjo, tambourine and more, made for a dynamic and fresh performance of Horsepower. (The band told us they skipped one song that has two versions.) With the band seated for almost the entire set, the intimate performance was focused on folksy Americana and bluegrass-inspired songs that are more akin to 2022’s Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You than the sparkling, synthy sounds of Big Thief’s Double Infinity.
The night was chock-full of personal anecdotes from Lenker. She noted the origins of new tracks like “Space and Time,” which Lenker said she wrote with Meek on a ferry at 3 a.m. As Lenker put it, the song’s swaying rhythm “has the rock of the boat.” Another track titled “21” was written by Lenker and Meek while delivering pastries together in Brooklyn in their early 20s.
Soon, Americana icons Iris DeMent and Gillian Welch joined the band, combining forces with Lenker for an array of angelic harmonies, Welch sometimes also contributing banjo and tambourine.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had this much fun singing,” Lenker remarked.
While the majority of the songs from Double Infinity had their live debut this weekend, fans might’ve recognized tracks like the group’s 2023 single “Born for Loving You,” as well as “Sadness as a Gift” from Lenker’s 2024 solo album Bright Future, and another Lenker track, “Happiness,” which was released as a live single in 2025.
Lenker’s soft vocals shone as she performed vulnerable songs like “Loneliest Boy,” the witty “Faker” and the wonderfully titled “Spatchcock Chickenshit Bingo” — the latter of which Lenker says the band is searching for dances to match. The tone shifted slightly as Meek took lead vocals on “No Matter What.”
Yet another surprise guest, country star Lucinda Williams, joined Big Thief for their set’s final two songs. The group closed with “Gift Pleasure Joy,” a song Lenker said was about the love of making music with everyone onstage.
Big Thief at the Ryman, Aug. 22, 2026
The 210-minute set flew by — but not without tugging on the heartstrings, thanks to Lenker’s ability to write deeply poetic, heartwrenching lyrics, and the band’s community-minded spirit that draws on decades of women-led country and folk music. It felt fitting that the crew of musicians would gather for the distinctive pair of performances at the historic Mother Church. The music reverberated around the 130-plus-year-old auditorium, with fans fixed to their wooden pews, absorbing Big Thief’s artistry and lyricism.
The contemporary landscape features no shortage of indie groups drawing on alt-country influences, but Big Thief feels consistently authentic in their music making. With Horsepower set to be released in the coming months, the band is continuing on with its Somersault Slide 360 tour. Big Thief’s two-day stay at the Ryman provided a glimpse into what’s next for one of contemporary folk’s genre-defining groups.
