Early on between songs during The Staves’ sold-out performance at New York City’s Bowery Ballroom, Emily Staveley-Taylor brought up the struggles she has with her accent because of constant touring in the United States. The three sisters hail from Watford, Hertfordshire, England, but one of two things happens when exposed to the American accent for long stretches. It either becomes Americanized, or it reverts back stronger and more aggressive than before. After she provided an example for the audience, her sister Jessica said, “This is the most beautiful identity crisis ever.”
That was the only identity crisis taking place. As performers, The Staves proved with their brilliant show that they are quite sure of who they are. The result was one of the most stirring shows that I’ve seen at Bowery in years.
Touring on the heels of their latest EP Sleeping in a Car, Emily, Jessica and Camilla all demonstrated that this trio is poised for big things. After nearly every song on their 16-song set list, the crowd gave extended rounds of applause. They understood that what they were seeing and hearing doesn’t happen all that often. The extra attention was not lost on the sisters, who couldn’t help but giggle and sheepishly thank the audience as they tried to move things along. But that only encouraged more applause from the diverse and eclectic group that assembled that Thursday night.
The applause was entirely deserved. So much of the performance is stripped down, but that only heightens the impact of just how good these ladies are at singing. The song construction and their live execution lead to gorgeous moments of harmonies and soft, somber reflection. The sisters can go from a song called “Tired as Fuck” (a new one that played very well to the crowd) to “Make It Holy” seamlessly. And the three showed how deft their are as musicians, juggling multiple instruments and dazzling with their use of looping pedals. My personal highlight during the set was their live rendition of “Roses,” my favorite song off the new EP. The rising crescendo and the booming harmonies could not have been more perfect live, but a close second came during their final song before the encore. At the end of “Let Me Down,” all three sisters gathered around Camilla in the middle of the stage and used her looping pedals to create on gigantic, glorious harmony that rang through the ballroom for a solid minute.
The Staves definitely don’t take the crowd for granted, either. The energy and appreciation the crowd was showing was easily reciprocated with their performance, and in such an intimate venue, it was a truly special thing to witness. With three big festival dates planned for the summer (Winnipeg Folk Festival, Newport Folk Festival, and Eaux Claires Music Festival), if these women were flying under the radar, they won’t be for long.
What made the show even more special was opening act Trevor Sensor. The Illinois native blew me away with his showmanship and his lyrics, which I need to hear several more times just to really let them sink in. His songwriting and vocal stylings invite an obvious comparison to another singer-songwriter: The Tallest Man On Earth. But there’s something else about him too that I just can’t quite put my finger on. Whether it was Bob Dylan, Langhorne Slim, or someone else, he had my complete attention as soon as he uttered the first word.
What struck the deepest chord with me was the passion he exuded on stage. Even though he didn’t have much room to roam around the stage, he pranced and leaned as close to the crowd as he could, raising his guitar into the air. By the end of his brief set, he had won me and, I hope, most of the crowd over. I am eager to see what’s next for this young talent.
Take a look at all the photos from the show below:
The Staves Setlist:
1. Outlaw
2. Steady
3. Black & White
4. Roses
5. Mexico
6. In The Long Run
7. Damn It All
8. Make It Holy
9. Hopeless
10. Winter Trees
11. Blood I Bled
12. Sleeping in a Car
13. No Me, No You, No More
14. Let Me Down
Encore:
15. Teeth White
Trevor Sensor
The Staves
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