NATALIE MERCHANT
@ MICHIGAN THEATER, ANN ARBOR (MI)
MAY 17, 2023
In April, 2023, Natalie Merchant returned to the music world with her first album of all new material since 2014βs Natalie Merchant. Keep Your Courage was a very welcome return as one could argue that she produced one of the best albums of her career. Fans have been waiting for her to return with an entire album, and they were not disappointed.
Not only did she come back with a stellar album, but she is also touring for the first time since 2017. In 2018, she was diagnosed with a degenerative spinal disease which required surgery and resulted in a temporary loss of voice. However, this did not derail the tour or her producing aΒ brilliant album. There was no trace of any vocal problems during the night. Merchant sounded as wonderful and strong as ever.
The venue, a beautiful old theatre, was the perfect setting for Merchant and her band, which included a string quartet. Other stops on this tour will feature a full orchestra, but in Ann Arbor, she made do with the quartet augmenting the band. She opened with βLuluβ from 2014βs Natalie Merchant. After some trouble with the sound, Merchant joked, βthis theatre is older than the actress I wrote this song aboutβ, silent film star Louise Brooks. After that, the evening was problem free, and Merchant sailed through two sets of incredible music.
Merchant touched upon her entire solo career, although she oddly did not perform anything from her wonderful Americana folk album, The House Carpenterβs Daughter (2003). However, the songs she did bring out more than made up for those that were missed. She sang songs from her new album, including the incredibly moving and beautiful βSister Tillyβ, which is not only a highlight of Keep Your Courage,Β but of the night as well. She very wisely spread her hits out throughout the night. In the first half, fans were treated to βBreak Your Heartβ, her new single βCome On, Aphroditeβ, and her classic βWonderβ.
But it was in the second half that she pulled out the heavy-hitters. She revisited 10000 Maniacs and let loose with βHey Jack Kerouacβ, which included a very funny story and impersonation of Alan Ginsburg, βVerdi Criesβ, Β and βThese Are The Daysβ, her closing song in the encore. The 10000 Maniacs songs were received enthusiastically by the crowd, but so were her solo hits βRiverβ, βLife Is Sweetβ, and βKind And Generousβ. She included a fantastic new arrangement of βMotherlandβ in her encore as well.
Merchant commanded the stage for close to three hours. Her presence on stage was nothing short of spectacular, and she seemed to be enjoying herself. She created an intimate night with great stories and even performed an intervention for a gentleman who would not put down his phone. Fans left the show on an incredible high. She did not disappoint. In fact, she has never sounded better. Merchant put on an incredible show and wisely picked her sets so that there was not a second where the show lulled. If anything, she could have played longer.
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