Returning to Herself
I love Brandi Carlile’s music and would be in danger of losing my card-carrying queer status if I didn’t eventually see her live. What better time than her first arena performance, in the birthplace of the nation, the very gay-sloganed “City of Brotherly Love!”
Fans remember her music from when she was still a West Coast secret—critics raved about her songs etched with real moments, like she’d been inside your head and put a soundtrack to the messy, beautiful parts of life. Over the years she’s created a patchwork of history: Grammy wins, critical acclaim, and a unique sound that wove folk, rock, and Americana together.
But across the years of an artist’s career, you don’t really notice the arc until you’re smack in the middle of the peak. Tuesday night, standing at a packed Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, her arc was illuminated with a dynamic stage show where her intimate songs once heard on headphones were now echoing around a room full of people who knew every word.
There was a collective energy. Throughout the night, she was awed by the crowd, the stage lights and the magnitude of her first arena performance, keeping it “grounded” by taking requests, fun moments with cherished band members who are family to her, and sharing personal stories about her kids, who couldn’t attend her Super Bowl performance Sunday because they were sick.
Seeing her step onto that stage felt like watching someone come into her full power, an artist who’s paid her dues—but also joyously like a kid at Christmas discovering a gift she really wanted but wasn’t sure would be there under the lights. She said it felt like coming home, and that she’d always remember Philadelphia—she knew starting her tour in this city would give her the most “honest” feedback for her first night.
Standing in the arena where the Philadelphia Flyers and 76ers play and next door to where the Philadelphia Eagles play, she’s correct that this is a place where the fandom is nothing if not authentic.
When Carlile sang “America the Beautiful” at the Super Bowl’s pregame ceremonies on Sunday, it was a special moment: the first time an openly queer artist performed one of the patriotic songs at the NFL’s pinnacle game. She stood on the field at Levi’s Stadium in front of millions, guitar in hand, delivering a heartfelt, string-accompanied rendition of the song that set the tone for the entire event (where the first queer performer to perform at a Super Bowl, Lady Gaga, would perform again).
Although the crowd favorites were her classic songs like “The Story” and hits from her new album Returning to Myself, my most cherished concert moment was her cover of a Linda Ronstadt hit. Her talented duo SistaStrings, featuring Chauntee Ross (violin/vocals) and Monique Ross (cello/vocals) are the perfect accompaniment for her beautiful rendition of the song “Long Long Time.”
In Philadelphia Carlile worked the stage with her easy confidence, shifting from tender, quiet passages to the big, soaring notes of a rock star that filled every corner of the massive space. The crowd responded with emotional roars.
It felt like a celebration of her songs and how far she’s come. From those early years on the road playing small venues, to sharing stages with legends, to her Super Bowl moment this week, it’s been a humble ascent that’s blossomed.