Brandi Carlile Takes Ascend Crowd Over the Rainbow

Brandi Carlilie 7.8.22 high res-11.jpg — Brandi Carlile
Photo: H.N. James

Brandi Carlile’s sold-out show at Ascend Amphitheater on Friday — the first of a two-night stand at the downtown shed — started with a sudden summer storm that precipitated a delay of about two hours. Plenty of fans were already inside the venue and had to chug or ditch the drinks they’d bought when nearby lightning forced an evacuation. But for those who stuck around, Carlile & Co. made it worth the wait for the all-clear that eventually came.

Lucius 7.8.22 high res-7.jpg — Lucius
Photo: H.N. James

Ascend seemed as packed as ever once the crowd filtered back into the venue through the lines, which had grown long from everyone trying to reenter at the same time. Opener Celisse’s set was cut; given the rocking singer-guitarist’s impressive appearances on lead guitar throughout Carlile's show, that’s a true bummer. But while folks made their way through security, pop foursome Lucius played a rousing set focusing on their latest LP Second Nature, which Carlile and Nashville’s own Dave Cobb co-produced. While Carlile’s acolytes seemed a bit more hammered than usual — besides parking garages, bars and restaurants along First Avenue South and Lower Broad were the best places to wait out the rain — they appeared mostly ready to get on with the show.

Following a little introductory guitar duel by longtime collaborators Phil and Tim Hanseroth, Carlile opened with the one-two punch of “Broken Horses” and “The Things I Regret,” and then looked out on the crowd with a sparkle in her eye.

Brandi Carlilie 7.8.22 high res-2.jpg — Brandi Carlile
Photo: H.N. James

“This is the mothership,” she said, adding that she always wanted to make it in Nashville. After two decades of relentless touring and recording, the Pacific Northwesterner said she feels like Music City is “home” whenever she’s here.

Before “The Mother,” a song about how parenthood made her question everything she’d ever known, Carlile told the crowd that she knew times were hard right now, especially in light of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade. She pointed out that she made a conscious choice to be a mother, and that it was imperative that others have that choice as well. While she normally tells a crowd to forget their troubles, now is a time for collective action.

“Let’s not put feelings aside,” she said. “Let’s have feelings.”

And feelings there were. “The Mother” brought fresh waves of tears to many in the crowd who were probably already crying following the ever-poignant “The Story.” “Party of One,” a defiant love song that closes Carlile’s masterful 2018 album By the Way, I Forgive You, and which she dedicated to her wife on Friday, sent legions of queer couples across the venue into fits of cuddles and mini makeout seshes.

The biggest shock and delight of the night came as Wynonna Judd, sporting a fantastic pair of black lace gloves, strolled out to join Carlile in a duet on The Judds’ “Girls Night Out.” Wynonna told the crowd her sister, actor and activist Ashley Judd, was sitting near the stage, watching her perform for the first time in 12 years. Judd introduced herself as “the artist formerly known as The Judds,” and talked about the recent suicide of her mom and singing partner Naomi Judd. She encouraged folks to reach out and forgive someone in their lives, and to recognize their own part in whatever rift they might have had; then she launched into another Judds classic, “Love Is Alive.”

Brandi Carlilie 7.8.22 high res-7.jpg — Brandi Carlile
Photo: H.N. James

Meanwhile, Carlile wore an “I can’t believe this is happening” grin. As Wynonna took a seat on a riser to stage left, Carlile told the crowd that the first three concerts she saw were Judds shows. Shooter Jennings also joined on keys, and stellar songsmith Katie Pruitt took the lead vocal on anthemic punk tune “Mainstream Kid.” As these things go in Nashville, both appearances were awesome and felt totally natural, not so much of a celebrity cameo.

In addition to fan favorites like “The Eye” and “The Joke,” Carlile peppered the set with covers. She flexed a bit, introducing a visceral rendition of Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock” by noting that she’d been on the phone with Mitchell earlier in the day. Carlile didn’t mention ringing Elton John — though it’s been noted they are friends and have collaborated together — but she seemed to have a great time singing “Rocket Man.” And the fan-fave cover of the night, at least to one large section near this writer, was an absolutely phenomenal and energetic cover of Heart’s “Alone,” with an assist from Lucius.

As the encore began, Carlile made space to highlight the aforementioned Celisse. With her own band, Celisse performed one of her songs, a heavy, bluesy slow burner called “Get There,” full of sick little riffs and near-metal drumming.

Brandi Carlilie 7.8.22 high res-16.jpg — Brandi Carlile
Photo: H.N. James

Shows at Ascend are subject to a curfew of 11 p.m., but Metro extended it by an hour due to the rain. Carlile ended the nearly 90-minute show backlit by a Pride rainbow. She noted that during Pride Month in June, she had capped each show with the same two-song combo — a practice she decided to continue since it seemed especially important to keep celebrating Pride all year long. The first song was “Stay Gentle,” a ballad about rebuffing the world’s efforts to harden us. That segued into a solo rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” reminding us that while we’ve been through a lot, the storm won’t last forever.