This was my fourth time seeing Sharon Van Etten and second time just on this day alone (the first was a “Free at Noon” show at World Cafe Live where she and her band played a 45-minute set of all-new material). When she headlined Johnny Brenda’s in January 2011, the place was almost full but this time, the show sold out well in advance. This is understandable since buzz has been building around her new album Tramp, released last week to generally ecstatic reviews (including one of my own, which you can read here). Anyway, she more than lived up to the accolades with an hour long set that was focused almost exclusively on material from Tramp. Owing perhaps to the late night vibe of Johnny Brenda’s versus the more sedate afternoon set, the more upbeat material like “Serpents” played well with moodier material like the slow burn of torch-like ballad “All I Can” or new single “Leonard”. At times I felt like some of the newer songs would perhaps be more appropriate in a seated setting, but seeing them played in my favorite club is a fair compromise (to say the least). The only older songs played were “Peace Signs” from 2010’s epic and the encore, “Love More” (also from epic and the first song recorded for Weathervane Music’s Shaking Through project).
The big surprise of the night (for me at least) was the opening band Shearwater. Having never heard them before and knowing that they were related to fellow Austin band Okkervil River, I was expect something vaguely akin to that band. Instead, we got a band with a driving, post-punk-ish rhythm section and an emotionally expressive singer somewhere between Win Butler, Bruce Springsteen and Jeremy Enigk. In short, they were great. What a great double bill!
