Waxahatchee is a place on Earth. And Katie Crutchfield grew up in that place in Alabama. She later took its name for the musical vehicle that she has now driven for the past 14 years. Along with the five other members of her band, they have now been out on the road since early July and are fast approaching the end of their current tour of Europe and the United Kingdom. Leeds is four stops from home.
Tigers Blood is the name of the tour, its title taken from that of Waxahatchee’s sixth studio album which was released in March of this year to universal acclaim. She will play this record in its entirety this evening. Woven into the beautifully textured fabric of Tigers Blood in concert are eight songs from her previous album, 2020’s Saint Cloud, plus another three originally recorded by Plains, the collaborative project between Katie Crutchfield and her fellow American singer-songwriter Jess Williamson.
There is also space for a new song, ‘Much Ado About Nothing.’ It makes a belated appearance in the set arriving as it does as the first of a three-song encore. The tune’s opening line is “I’m going in the right direction.” On the evidence of what we see and hear this evening, Katie Crutchfield’s quietly confident assertion is undoubtedly true.
The question of the direction in which the music of Waxahatchee is heading is also answered tonight by one look at the complexion of the setlist. There is absolutely nothing there from any of her first four albums. It is a clear statement of intent on Katie Crutchfield’s part affirming her wholesale departure from the earlier indie-rock bent of those records. A subsequent shift towards contemporary Americana was first precipitated by Saint Cloud and then it built up an even greater head of steam with the arrival of Tigers Blood.
Katie Crutchfield delivers the opening lines to ‘3 Sisters’, the opening song of this set and the first track on Tigers Blood virtually a capella before the band merge with her. It is a bold beginning reflecting her burgeoning confidence as an artist and a performer. 23 songs later she ends with ‘Fire’, its line “I put on a good show for you,” when taken in the context of the evening is one of remarkable understatement.
What takes place in the interim is a nigh-on perfect demonstration of modern country music. It is rich, relaxing, rewarding and achieves the objective of just freezing time for its duration. Crutchfield’s phrasing and delivery are warm and assured – complemented by the higher register of bass guitarist Eliana Athayde’s delightful harmonies – as she emotes on the vicissitudes of life and love through the eyes of someone who most surely knows about such things.
Come ‘Crimes of the Heart’ Katie Crutchfield is sat on the lip of the stage, as one with this sold-out crowd. ‘Oxbow’ is enhanced even further by some wonderfully understated pedal steel and the following ‘Line of Sight’ – the second Plains’ song that Waxahatchee plays here – brings readily to mind Emmylou Harris’s time with Gram Parsons and the Fallen Angels. Yes, it really is that good.
Photos: Simon Godley
More photos of Waxahatchee at Leeds Irish Centre
