Joanna Newsom performs at Thalia Hall in Chicago on Oct. 9, 2019
You don’t discover the songs of Joanna Newsom on the radio or by listening to curated streaming playlists. Her music finds you, oftentimes when you need it most.
Whether through the recommendation of a friend or a chance listen at a local record store, the first time you experience Newsom’s artful compositions – challenging the traditional construct of verse chorus verse through brilliant instrumentation and lyrics that speak of life, death, nature and the ever-after – you’re a fan for life.
On Wednesday, Oct. 9, Chicago-area fans of Newsom’s one-woman symphonies were treated to a majestic performance spanning her entire discography during the third sold-out concert in her four-night residency, dubbed The Strings/Keys Incident, at Thalia Hall. It only took two songs to garner the first of many standing ovations of the night as Newsom’s sprawling 15-minute-plus opus “Only Skin” took the audience on a once-in-a-lifetime sonic sojourn exploring the connectivity in everything both physical and emotional.
Joanna Newsom performs at Thalia Hall in Chicago on Oct. 9, 2019
One of the most awe-inspiring passages of the night came from a trio of Divers tracks performed back-to-back-to-back with Newsom alternating between harp and piano. Passion poured through “Time, As A Symptom” as she howled the lyrics, “The nullifying, defeating, negating, repeating / Joy of life,” amplifying the gravity in the room with each passing phrase. No one made a sound as Newsom then transcended into the haunting proverb that is “Anecdotes,” contrasting moments of monotony with life-changing revelations while her cascading arpeggios nurtured a dream-like atmosphere before “A Pin-Light Bent” closed out the trilogy.
Feelings of whimsical love on “Emily,” a song performed patiently with equal importance placed on each reverberating harp-string pluck, made way for reflections on loss, later in the night, on tracks like “Sadie.” “Waltz Of The 101st Lightborne” found Newsom quite literally playing with time as she sped up perky piano interludes before reducing the tempo when revisiting the song’s heartbreaking opening theme.
Joanna Newsom performs at Thalia Hall in Chicago on Oct. 9, 2019
The crowd stilled to a hush each time Newsom began a new piece, but in between songs she set the stage for conversation, at one point musing on her trip to Chicago, which included a visit to Lyon & Healy Harps, where she plans to purchase a new instrument for touring. While at the harp factory she learned that several of her fans had also recently stopped by during her residency to “make a trip of it.”
“I think that’s great,” said Newsom.
Newsom also used a tuning session to answer a few questions from the crowd, revealing Mary Oliver as in the running for her favorite poet and The Sound and the Fury as one of her most beloved books. She also explained how Rodarte designed her dresses for this tour with each look representing one of her albums, Ys being the inspiration for the night’s ensemble.
Joanna Newsom performs at Thalia Hall in Chicago on Oct. 9, 2019
As serious as Newsom is as an artist, she was also disarmingly affable throughout the performance. After earlier sharing that her mind can sometimes go empty while she’s playing – risking a forgotten lyric – fans shouted out that they always have her back. Newsom took audience members up on their offer of lyrical guidance while momentarily blanking on a phrase during “’81.” They happily obliged and the song concluded with another raucous round of applause.
Part of Newsom’s lure is her unflinching ability to “look and despair” when need be through songs like “Sapokanikan” while also illuminating life’s beauty in spite of inevitable sadness on “Cosmia” or “Bridges and Balloons,” all of which appeared on the show’s dynamic setlist. Her Wednesday evening performance left fans filled with the hope that despite existing in a world marred by inequality and pain, art can elevate humanity to a truly magical place.
Joanna Newsom’s The Strings / Keys Incident tour dates will continue through November with stops scheduled in Milwaukee, Carmel and San Francisco. More information can be found at www.dragcity.com/artists/joanna-newsom.