Last Wednesday night, music lovers across Richmond filled the Altria Theater for a chance to hear one of indie rock’s most celebrated icons of the past fifteen years: Sufjan Stevens.
Last Wednesday night, music lovers across Richmond filled the Altria Theater for a chance to hear one of indie rock’s most celebrated icons of the past fifteen years: Sufjan Stevens.
Touring behind Carrie & Lowell, his seventh album out this past March, the 39 year old musician from Detroit arrived in town with lofty expectations due to the incredibly high level of quality in his music since 2000. Armed with a plethora of new, lush folk music and a forceful video & light display aimed to wow & inspire the crowd, Stevens shattered all expectations with a show that saw throngs of people excitedly chatter about outside the venue well into Thursday morning.
Sufjan Stevens first came on the scene with the release of 2000’s A Sun Came, a four-track recording of rich folk and art music that set the stage for the now-classic albums to follow. After five strong releases by 2005, the singer’s output began to slow considerably with only two proper studio albums being released since, as well as random releases here and there such as an odd, artistic exploration of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway in 2009. Along with his last trip to Virginia’s capital, 2010 saw the release of Stevens’ sixth album,
Less than five years later, the thought of Stevens’ best work being behind him was completely shut down with the release of Carrier & Lowell, his most reflective work to date and one many critics are hailing as his best album overall. Due to the personal nature of the album and the style of music through which it was conveyed, many wondered (and maybe worried) how the songs would come across in a live setting. After only a few songs from the new album early in the set, it was clear that Stevens was ready to open up a vast musical world within each song even if the original idea started out small and humble.
Before Stevens debuted his new songs to Richmond, unique singer Moses Sumney opened the night with a set that perfectly showcased every reason why the musical community has quickly become enamored with his talents. The towering singer from Los Angeles utilized various looping and hand-made percussive elements to allow his voice the opportunity to truly soar through the Altria from the front row to the very last seat, high up on the balcony. Fans with the forethought to show up early were rewarded handsomely by the potential next big thing in indie music showcasing a voice that would make any sane person alive utterly speechless.
But the night belonged to Sufjan, even if his celebrated catalogue of past material took a backseat to the bold tapestry of his latest album. Songs from albums such as Seven Swans and Michigan still made an appearance late in the set, but it was clear the mindset behind the tour was to showcase his latest album and bring a sense of closure to Stevens’ troubled mind in regards to his mother. As images of his mother and step-father played on the unique screen behind him, Stevens appeared almost too reserved on stage, almost as if he was fighting back every emotion as he faintly sang lyrics like “I should have wrote a letter, explaining what I feel, that empty feeling.”
As the set waged on and the majority of Carrier & Lowell faded, Stevens let his guard down with a lengthy story about a childhood pet and a childhood friend who passed away. By the time the encore rolled around, the static figure on stage opened up even more with some humor to brighten up the otherwise somber night of music as his band behind him prepared to end the show on a high note with his most endearing song to date, “Chicago.” After the emotional journey of the past ninety minutes, the song’s repeated confession of “I’ve made a lot of mistakes” took on a whole new meaning while still remaining the cathartic release of a theater full of flawed attendees, all grateful for an incredible and unforgettable show.
Wednesday night was a premier look at folk music from a musician who’s seemed to revel in his ability to bend the genre over the years. Musically intricate, shockingly honest, and deeply profound, Stevens’ performance was as emotionally stunning as it was visually making it a night that validates not only every positive review of his latest album, but also every superlative bestowed on his magnificent career in the past. When speaking of Sufjan Stevens, it’d be unfair to describe him as a larger than life personality, the kind people drop everything to see. But when it comes to the songs he create and the emotions that come out during a concert, “larger than life” just doesn’t seem to cut it.
