A crispy breeze in the November air was floating in the Twin Cities. I don’t know why but Hump Day aka Wednesday always has a different flavor about it, especially when it comes to shows. Seems like people are needing a bit of midweek release, and that plays out quite nicely in a venue when the artists fed off of that energy from the crowd. Not only was it a Wednesday, but heading towards First Ave found out it was also a sold out show on top of that. All gravy, baby.
Popped over to The Depot before for a beer and chit chat with writer and fellow photographer Langen Goldstein and her partner. Luckily they snagged a table, it was bustling and lively inside with almost every seat taken. Nice to have some fellow humans to hang with versus melt into one of my favorite pastimes of creeping on conversations and people watching before a concert. Lines out both doors of First Ave as well, so waiting inside with a drink was the obvious favored option. After an hour, was time to head in and get ready for the opening support to hit the stage.
The atmosphere inside was friendly but busy, even though the opener was still fifteen or so minutes out, the audience was plush and ready to go. Casting my gaze over the very full floor, lots of very put together outfits greeted me. Kneehigh boots, sparkly skirts, cute leather motor jackets, a few fashion scarfs. Polar opposite from the metal shows that I typically attend, so tried to take it all in. As someone who wears all black all the time, maybe this winter I’ll dip a toe into a deviation from my standard cartoon consistent threads. Buzzed by merch, Josie Edwards’ tour tee sitting at $35, Michelle Branch was $40. Not too bad. Though there wasn’t the typical mile long line, but the folks at the tables were kept busy throughout the evening. Seems like merch keeps getting better and better, the printing quality and the variety of offerings.
The lights went low, signaling our entertainment was about to launch. Indiana-born Josie Edwards has only been making music since 2024, but dang, she is entertaining. Drifting out of another era, her style is understated and cool. Billowing pants with a glittery long sleeve top, she didn’t need many frills or wild accents to complete her look. With one of those timeless voices like she channels, doesn’t need the jazzy distractions to keep peoples’ eyeballs glued. Easily winning the crowd over, clapping in unison to a song they didn’t know, I danced to the calming tunes with the rest of my fellow concert goers. Something special about an opener that can romance and bewitch an audience that doesn’t know your work…yet. Having learned about so many new favorites just by going before the main act, elated to see Michelle Branch’s fans were ready to relish. Thinking Josie Edwards made a lot of new fans last night at First Ave, her new single “Chemical Light” is a bonified banger and encourage you to listen to it immediately. Excellent choice of act for the bill, props to the booker. Loved everything about Edwards’ set.
With 3.5 million records sold, Michelle Branch has etched her name into the music industry with consistency and universally acknowledged talent. With her infamous album “Spirit Room” released back in 2001, she has continued to make and performs powerful songs that speak to the soul of a person year after year. The audience was more than ready to hear her sing, every pair of eyes locked on that stage as if a viper was set to strike at any minute.
The violet light of First Ave bathed the entire venue in a calming purple blanket. Something about that color. Pretty magical, especially illuminating a sold out crowd. Everyone’s face can be somewhat seen but the tone distorts shadow in such a way features become blurred and morph in the almost-dark. As Branch stepped onto the legendary stage, the audience greeted her with cheers and screams from the coveted rail to the slightly more relaxed back of house. Opening up with “Drop In The Ocean,” she sounded record-crisp and as if leaping out of the recording studio. Also, does she just not age? I don’t know how someone plays music for that long and still looks as if they graduated college. Seems like fortune favors some over others, also it helps the karma levels when you produce such powerful music and never punching down. Though notoriously non-political, after releasing her song “I’m A Man,” she has revealed more of herself in recent years versus artfully avoiding turbulent topics. I get it. Especially being a woman in such a volatile industry, you need to dip duck dive and dodge endless variables attempting to bring you down or sully your reputation. Not being smashed into any box but her own, Michelle Branch is the talent she has always been touted as, proved incredibly clear during her First Avenue performance.
Playing a few of my ultimate favorites, “Are You Happy Now?” and “All You Wanted” buttoned up the end of the almost 2 dozen tunes she soulfully sung and played for us. Of course, no sold out show is complete without an encore. Knowing what the people wanted, well, needed, her megahit “Everywhere” closed out the evening to triumphant reception. Those starts that dotted the illustrious scene that was the early 2000s tend to dim after years of wear and tear. Michelle Branch is one of those rare galactic moments that still burn bright with many more eras to yet explore.
