Big Thief Proves To Be A Timeless Act At The Hollywood Bowl
los angeles, california - september 27, 2025
Some venues just feel right for certain artists to perform in, and The Hollywood Bowl fits just like a glove for music as evocative as Big Thief’s. With seats for nearly 18,000, the brisk Los Angeles air brimmed with eager buzzing from a wide demographic: older couples on a date night, smiley grandparents with their grandchildren, early 20s locals with beers in hand, you name it. The wide range in the audience was a clear testament to the group’s renowned discography, which is stripped of any ingenuity and easy to resonate with. Following the release of their most recent album, Double Infinity, there was no doubt that its exploratory nature would translate to an otherworldly live experience.
Photo via Chillvia Plath.
“What an honor,” Adrienne Lenker remarked at the sight of the vast crowd. Joined by her bandmates Buck Meek, James Krivchenia, and Joshua Crumbly, the group strolled in calmly and collected. A standout element right off the bat was their stage setup—a tight formation between the members that only occupied the middle section of the grand stage. Like peeking through the cracks of a live studio session, the band’s decision to perform close together set the tone for the show, which seamlessly threaded throughout the night: intimate, collaborative, and candid.
“La da da da da,” Lenker hummed for the intro of “Spud Infinity,” an existential, bouncy track off of their 2022 album Dragon In A New Warm Mountain. The crowd watched awestruck at the choreographed dance between each member, where Lenker’s infamous, crisp vocal work moved with ease around the band’s instruments. Whistles and hollers followed familiar tracks like “Vampire Empire” and “Mythological Beauty,” serving as early treats before diving into the heart of the tour run.
“I’d like to take this moment to invite a very wonderful person, our friend Laraaji, to join us. We got to make the album together. We’re all very blessed and grateful that he’s here tonight,” Lenker announced before spending the majority of the set in the Double Infinity universe. Close friend and collaborator, Laraaji, joined the group at the start of “All Night All Day” and delivered a mesmerizing performance on a zither for a good chunk of the night.
Glittery synths dripped from songs like “Incomprehensible” and “Grandmother,” and showcased Big Thief’s ability to wrap you in the arms of the present moment. “How can beauty that is living be anything but true?” Lenker’s voice crooned earnestly. All around, people of all different ages swayed back and forth, many eyes closed, as if fully soaking in her words. It was the kind of performance that wakes you up to the thousands of life stories within the venue and ignites a sense of appreciation. The group’s friend, Greg Leisz, joined them on stage for the latter track, and even here Lenker was never short on expressing her gratitude for the gift of music and their process of making the new album: “How lucky are we? How wonderful is this? This is such a gift.”
When “Los Angeles” finally rolled around, a warm camaraderie billowed over the crowd that should have been immortalized in a bottle. Amidst the heavy guitars and crashing drum hits, the ambiance birthed an unspoken understanding amongst the audience––that there was no better place to be than in Los Angeles in that moment, and to be swallowed whole by Lenker’s lines that felt directed towards the sea of people in front of her: “But I know you without looking / You call, we come together / Even without speaking.”
At over seven minutes, the band’s performance of “No Fear” was more than captivating. An extraterrestrial lime green washed over the stage as Lenker ripped her solos on an electric guitar while sporting the coolest black shades you’ve ever seen. Krivchenia often brushed through a set of chimes near his drum kit, further sending the crowd into a hypnotic trance.
Photo via Big Thief.
Being in a massive venue didn’t stop the group from cultivating an intimate experience for everyone. “I guess I can’t get all your names at once, but we can try. Alright, one, two, three. Well, nobody has a ten-syllable name,” Lenker said after introducing her band members.
It’s only fitting to end the night with encores like “Masterpiece” and “Change,” tracks that laid the foundation for what Big Thief’s sound would evolve into. What never left the stage was the band’s palpable, humble spirit. Showering the theater with sincere gratitude between songs, there was nobody more deserving to take the Hollywood Bowl stage than Big Thief.
Big Thief will be touring North America for their SOMERSAULT SLIDE 360 Tour until November, before embarking on a European and UK leg next year. There’s nothing quite like the performances they put on, and we highly recommend you see them live at least once if you can. In the meantime, be sure to listen to Double Infinity, which is now on all of your favorite streaming platforms.
