Big Thief – Hammersmith Apollo, London, 11 April 2023

What do I love about Big Thief? I’ve been thinking about this in the days that have passed since the first of two shows at the London Apollo. 

I think it’s their confidence and bravery. I get a kick out of seeing bands who are taking risks, changing things on the hoof. This manifests itself in a number of ways.

They start with an unreleased low key soulful number called Ruined, It’s quietly absorbed by the audience, who immediately shut up and engage with the band, despite the unfamiliarity of the song. I’m a sucker for bands who start quiet. I’ve been privileged to a couple of fantastic examples over the years – David Bowie wandering on in his frock coat at Glastonbury to Wild Is The Wind and Wilco opening a Berlin show with the 10 minute acoustic One Sunday Morning.

Big Thief gave us another three unreleased songs. It feels like people’s attention spans are running shorter, challenging them with music they haven’t heard before could go badly wrong, especially in a large venue. The Apollo audience remained rapt, no chatter, total engagement.

Big Thief are one of those bands that take a while to hook you but when they do, you’re in deep. 

Other things that I love about Big Thief?

The way they set up a few feet apart on such a large stage. It gives them the opportunity to spark off of each other, reading cues, switching harmonies and nods to take songs in different directions. They’re Berklee schooled musicians but they wear it lightly. They play like a jazz quartet, bouncing against each other. No one is showing off. Things are pared back, extraneous fat is removed to concentrate on the heart of the matter.

Setlists are changed night by night. The benefit of such a minimal stage set up is that there isn’t a lighting show or video crews to reconfigure if they want to swap Certainty for Separation Swarm.

The first night’s set lent heavily on their latest album Dragon Mountain. Spud Infinity was a jews harp driven hoot as ever. Change was an emotional encore. Security, a singalong. Other highlights were the cathartic howl of Contact, the new way of tackling the Crazy Horse meltdown of Not and the title track from their debut LP, Masterpiece.

People look back on musician’s times of peak quality. The phrase used seems to be Imperial Phase. 

This is where we are with Big Thief. I hope they’ll always be operating at this level. All things must pass though and you’d be a fool to not catch them whilst they are this hot. 

They really are that magical