Brandi Carlile at Red Rocks 2025
Every pandemic-less year since 2019, I’ve seen Brandi Carlile live. And each time, I’ve come away saying, “No one in America enjoys their job more than Brandi.” But, in 2025, when LGBTQ+ folks are more directly targeted than at any time in my adult life, I had to wonder, going into my annual Brandi Carlile show, would it be the same? Would SHE be the same? Well, on this particular Saturday, under a full moon at Red Rocks, it was all of the unbridled, overwhelming joy that Carlile delivers every single night, but also more important, more urgent, more dire, and, as she admitted herself, with more than a hint of anger simmering underneath.
This year’s “Bramily” Red Rocks run was a three-night affair, with each show fronted by Allison Ponthier and Lucius. The wonderfully charismatic Ponthier, making her first appearances at the world’s most beautiful amphitheatre, more than met the moment. The highlight of her set was “Everywhere Isn’t Texas,” which the Lone Star native prefaced with a reminder that so much of the US is still unsafe for trans and non-binary folks. Lucius, out promoting their self-titled fifth album, found an excellent arrangement that best benefits their sound – singer-songwriters Jess Wolf and Holly Laessig were backed by a bass player/percussionist, a guitar player, and a two-piece string section, for a sort of chamber-folk feel that seemed almost tailor-made for Red Rocks.
Brandi Carlile, too, had a slightly different arrangement than I’ve seen from her in the past. Rather than a larger band or, like last year, performing with the Colorado Symphony, it was a relatively tight six-piece band (including SistaStrings) that accompanied her. Although, when she hit the stage, leading with her latest single, “Returning to Myself” (from the album of the same name, due out in October), it was all Brandi. Soon enough, her long-time collaborators Phil and Tim Hanseroth joined her, ripping through a catalog of Carlile favorites, mixed in with tunes from Who Believes in Angels?, her album with Elton John released earlier this year. Highlights included “The Story” (of course) and “Broken Horses,” but particularly memorable was the brand-new “Church & State,” a pissed-off rocker that Carlile likened to “an hour of therapy” every time she sings it.
For the rest of us, it felt like nearly 150 minutes of that same level of relief, accompanied by light-up mood bracelets distributed to fans on the way in. Really, though, all the light that was needed was up on stage all night long, from an inspired, scream-out-loud take on Alanis Morrisette’s “Uninvited” to the always tear-inducing ball of catharsis “The Joke.” And the evening wrapped with a sort of Red Rocks tradition – children of the touring party joining the band for a raucous take on “Hold Out Your Hand.” In 2025, it’s hard to go out into the world every day and feel good about, well, much of anything. This night, though, made a better world seem possible. Distant, but possible.
Brandi’s website: https://www.brandicarlile.com
Check out Allison Ponthier and Lucius here:
https://www.allisonponthier.com/
https://www.ilovelucius.com/
To listen to Brandi Carlile’s new single, “Returning to Myself,” go here:
