Before playing to a packed house at World Cafe Live on Friday night, Joseph warmed up with a stripped down Free at Noon performance.
The trio of Portland, Oregon siblings Natalie, Allison, and Meegan Closner released their fourth album, The Sun, in April. It takes their songwriting to new pop heights, with lush instrumentation and uplifting melodies in step with festival circuit stars boygenius. For the midday crowd, however, the band scaled things back to an acoustic guitar accompaniment, putting their three voices in the forefront and showcasing the power of their harmonies. This was especially powerful on the new album’s “Slow Dance,” where the acoustic guitar and the band’s footstomp percussion dropped out, letting their voices hang beautifully in the air.
The set also featured their XPN-fave 2016 single “White Flag,” as well as their cover of “Come On Up To The House” from Tom Waits’ 1999 album Mule Variations. The set was a solid warm-up for band and fans alike for that night’s full-band headlining set at World Cafe Live. See photos from Free at Noon below. Joseph’s tour at Atlanta’s Variety Playhouse, at Brooklyn Bowl Nashville, and more; find their full tour schedule here.