This Halloween took a melodious turn when songwriter Adrianne Lenker, guitarist Buck Meek, and drummer James Krivchenia in their band Big Thief, along with joining bassist Joshua Crumbly, performed at Saenger Theatre, adorning quirky costumes and beautiful vocals.

Their 2025 tour, Somersault Slide 360, started in September. 

By Oct. 31, they had found themselves in the heart of New Orleans. 

Despite the large turnout, the entire concert felt incredibly personal, with Lenker communicating with attendees in her iconic soft-spoken voice.

I had originally come across Big Thief through TikTok before I knew Adrianne Lenker was a part of it. I had listened to a portion of one of their, at the time, unreleased songs called “Vampire Empire,” and I was immediately captivated by the lyrics and the vocals, both being so emotionally raw and beautiful. 

It immediately made sense when I found out that Lenker contributed to it.

Ever since listening to the unreleased version and then the released version, Big Thief became one of my favorite bands, and many of their songs have found themselves on my numerous Spotify playlists; from emotional crash-outs to seasonal moods, each one features some kind of song from them, whether it be “Real Love” or “Incomprehensible.”

Other than “Vampire Empire,” a few of Big Thief’s other songs went viral on TikTok, including “Incomprehensible,” which talks about the beauty of getting old, and “Velvet Ring,” which narrates the relationship of the song’s characters, Ben and Eliza, as well as Eliza’s infidelity.

These songs, along with many others, have been huge hits, so I wasn’t surprised at all to see how the Saenger was filled to the brim with people in their Halloween costumes.

Lomelda, the stage name for Hannah Read, was the musician who opened for the concert, and I believe she made the start to this night absolutely wonderful. 

I’ve listened to one or two of her songs on Spotify, but the emotion encapsulated in the recorded tracks was absolutely nothing compared to how the live music reverberated throughout the theater. 

Lomelda’s music is similar to Big Thief’s, landing in the same indie genre, and additionally, she captivated the audience with similar raw vocals. 

Alongside her singing was a myriad of instruments, which included a violin that suited the melancholy tone of the music perfectly. 

The music initially blew me away, but after she continued to play, I found myself becoming more soothed than anything.

After the stunning opening and an intermission, Big Thief came onto the stage in hot cheeto,  dragon-rider, and maiden costumes. 

Alongside the main three, the rest of the assisting band and crew also had on costumes, and while the action was initially humorous, it also brought a connection between the audience and them. 

Lenker is an incredibly humble artist who isn’t afraid to interact with the crowd and humanize herself and the rest of the band rather than acting as divine musical entities. 

It was nice to feel that kind of relationship with the singers, and I’m sure everyone in the crowd felt similarly. 

Besides the costumes, the concert was traditional for the most part, the band sang their songs without many breaks in between. 

The music was as beautiful as I expected it to be, especially with Lenker’s gentle singing accompanied by the crowd, who were fully immersed in each song. 

There were times when the music would become more upbeat, and everyone would stand and sway to the beat while singing their hearts out to the memorized lyrics. 

I loved to see the way people of all ages danced, either together or alone, as they looked at the stage or one another with infatuation and enthusiasm.

During the small breaks in between songs, Lenker would either introduce the next one with witty comments; for instance, she introduced “Dragon in the New Warm Mountain” by dedicating the song to the dragon piece of Meek’s costume.

 Additionally, she took a break in the middle to check on the audience, encouraging them to shake off the tiredness of the day and try to let go of the film of technology over their bodies, as she put it. 

It was incredibly comforting to hear, especially as she shared her frustrations regarding how addicting and draining technology can be, and after her speech, I found myself appreciating this shared moment away from screens and enjoying live music.

Nearing the end of the concert, she introduced a new song she had written about her encounter with 85-year-old Robert “Bob” Sanders, who was biking across the country in hopes he’d be named the oldest person to do so. 

The song goes on to explain how before that moment, Lenker was feeling distressed about the country after driving past border patrol and seeing the surveillance cameras. 

However, when she noticed Sanders biking further down the road, she stopped to converse with him, and with that conversation, Lenker found herself regaining hope in the world. 

This song spoke so deeply to me since it matched how I’d been feeling about the state of our country, and throughout all of the stress and despair, it was nice to hear about a small moment in humanity that sparked hope in someone. 

It’s so important to find those moments, and of course, Lenker goes out of her way to write and reflect on those moments through song.

At the end of the concert, the band had done a quick costume change and finished the concert with a more cheerful encore that left the crowd in high spirits as they left. 

The entire concert, surprisingly, lifted an unknown weight I had on my chest, and with a new vinyl in hand, I left the Saenger incredibly content with how I started my Halloween night. 

I definitely hope to see Big Thief perform again. I felt seen and appreciated by the band, albeit indirectly. 

These musicians put so much love and emotion into their work, and it is so evident through the way they passionately play and show their gratitude to their listeners every step of the way.