Set in front of a simple backdrop, which subtly shifted in color like a sunset, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings echoed this organic radiance with their understated yet powerful performance at The Granada Theatre on March 9.
The Granada, constructed in 1924, with its high ceilings and Spanish Moorish architecture, is a dazzling work of art in and of itself. However, the legendary folk rock duo was able to imbue the grand space with the warmth and intimacy of a small country dive bar.
Their setlist struck a lovely balance between well-loved classics and new gems from their most recent album Woodland, named after their Woodland Sound Studios in Nashville, which was destroyed by a tornado in 2020. Songs like “Empty Trainload of Sky” illustrate feelings of joy, grief, and impermanence in the aftermath of a disaster and in the complicated and often isolated state of modern society. The sweet strumming of one of my favorites, “Hashtag,” pulled the audience in close like a whisper, repeating the meditative pondering, “When will we become ourselves?”
Perhaps Welch and Rawlings are a master class in the answer to this question. The pair have been playing together for over a decade, and it shows in their seamless back-and-forth conversation and smooth as butter harmonies. Being oneself is not without embracing endearing quirks, like when Rawlings decided to restart “Ruby,” unsatisfied with his vocals. While any imperfection was hardly detectable, we were delighted to be treated to an extended version of this classic Americana tune.
In terms of being himself, Rawlings’s guitar seemed to serve as an extension of his very being. In each of his many solos, such as in the entrancing “Cumberland Gap,” his body swayed with each note, felt deeply by the musician and the audience alike. Welch’s quiet confidence was a perfect anchor. Her vocals flowed like honey, while she moved with grace, adding in a harmonica on “Wayside/Back in Time” and a banjo on the rollicking “One More for the Road.”
Bassist Paul Kowert joined for many tunes, adding an even greater depth. The night seemed to peak with their 2001 hit “Revelator.” Rawlings’s pitch-perfect plucking, and Welch’s open and vulnerable voice melded the crowd and performers into one. I felt transported into a kind of hypnosis through all of the ins and outs, emotions, highs, lows, and mystery of the song.
Rawlings and Welch proved that time-tested talent, personal yet universal songwriting, and authentic heart can speak louder than any bells, whistles, or backdrops ever could.
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