Brooklyn folk-rockers Big Thief’s extended world tour, which began over a year ago after the release of their Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You double LP, finally reached Cardiff’s Great Hall. This is a band who have set themselves high expectations through soul-searching lyricism, majestic guitar, and a bond woven vividly between the four band members.

At the heart of it all sits the lead singer-songwriter and guitarist Adrianne Lenker, whose visions conceive “songs of all sorts from places unknown”, to quote her Instagram bio. Her mystical writing upholds this ‘unknown’, an infinite force driving their creation. A perfect example is Simulation Swarm, from Dragon… and featuring the spellbinding lyrics “You believe, I believe too / That you are the river of light / Who I love, that I cling to / In the belly of the empty night”. 

This sold-out gig was opened by L’Rain, a Brooklyn-based experimentalist whose voice resembled Lenker’s at times. Both acts were unsurprisingly met with instant, loving cheer, vocal and in awe of the fact that this was happening, but it was Big Thief who pierced the crowd with sounds like tender jolts, albeit more rowdy and disjointed on a couple of new songs.

The setlist dated back to 2016’s Masterpiece, dipping in and out of their two 2019 releases, U.F.O.F and Two Hands. Skipping fan favourites such as Paul and Shark Smile, Big Thief made up big time with the pulsating Not. Evident here was their metal affinity that can only be grasped live; onstage, the rugged guitar solos and occasional coarse screams come easily, on a whim, unfazed by the studio.

Each member feels a lot and is not afraid to show. Guitarist Buck Meek always steals sights with fragile, tuned-in gestures – and, though not often enough, accompanies Lenker in soft, high-pitched whispers on songs like Certainty. The most certain thing is that Big Thief are one of the greatest alternative bands out there, songwriting sharpened to the bone.

Big Thief, Great Hall, Cardiff University Students Union, Sat 8 Apr

words PETRE-ADRIAN BANUTA photos HANNAH NICOLSON-TOTTLE