Brandi Carlile

As if seeing the Indigo Girls the night before weren't enough of a treat, I got to see Brandi Carlile the next damn night at the House of Blues.

Brandi Carlile has been my number one want to see in concert artist for a while now, and the wish finally came true. The concert was the perfect mix of old songs, new songs, and a few covers. It was all I hoped it would be and more, honestly. I knew the music would be amazing, but I did not know she would tell so many great stories and be so unbelievably interactive and charming. Brandi Carlile is the real deal.

(I found it surprising that most of the people I told I was going to this show had never heard of Brandi Carlile. So I'm going to link to some video of songs, mostly from recent shows, so you can check her out if you aren't familiar with her, because I think she is someone special and I love her music very much, obvs. I tried to find ones of good quality. I'm sure you know that you must click HQ if you can. Good stuff, beautiful, really. I must say that I loved every new song and can't wait for the new album this fall.)

Setlist:

Burn: This is a Ray LaMontagne song, which was a nice and surprising opener for the Ray fans in the audience. Video here.

Closer to You: What is not to like about this song? Nothing, that's what. Video here. (Bonus: the following song is also included in this clip.)

I've Just Seen a Face: I was aware that she has performed this in concert but it did not occur to me that she would do it at this show. I love this song, and I love her version of it, and I was bouncing on my toes with delight over this one.

Late Morning Lullabye: One of my faves. It just makes me happy. Video here.

Have You Ever: This was the first song by Brandi Carlile that I ever heard. B. put it on a mix CD for me. I have him to thank for introducing me to her. This remains one of my favorites to this day. Video here.

Dying Day: They stood on the edge of the stage and sang and played this one with no microphones and no amps. It still filled the entire house. Good stuff. Video here.

Dreams: New song. Video here.

Before It Breaks: Beautiful. Video here.

Oh Dear: This was a nice showcase for the twins. Video here.

Creep: Well, this is not a favorite song of mine. But I still enjoyed it. Video here.

What Can I Say: She invited the crowd to sing along on this one, and the crowd obeyed. Video here.

Over You: She wrote this song when she was 17, and it will be on her new album. Video here. It's not the greatest song ever, but it sure feels like being 17. She played it for her mom, who asked, "Why are you so angry?" Totally 17.

Turpentine: The three-part harmony audience choir aspect of this one was very fun. Video here.

The Story: This is the Brandi Carlile song that most people who have ever heard of Brandi Carlile know. Or at least know of. Or at least have heard in a truck commercial. This song did not disappoint, not one tiny bit. This song means a lot to me, just like it means a lot to a lot of other people, and there's a reason for that. And that reason is that it is awesome. I might have cried. Video here.

Jackson: Video here.

Folsom Prison Blues: Totally raucous and fun. Video here.

Let It Be: Beautiful beautiful beautiful. Can't find decent video. She played the piano. It was a perfect closing song. We smiled the whole way home.

At some point during the show when everyone was cheering and cheerful and things got really lovely, Brandi smiled a huge smile and said, "If they could all be New Orleans..." If all the concert venues, if all the cities, if all the places in world.

It was nice.