Photo by Neil Krug

On Saturday, June 11, Brandi Carlile kicked off her Beyond These Silent Days Tour at The Gorge Amphitheatre, in Grant County, Wash. The performance saw sit-ins from Sarah McLachlan, Lucius and Celisse and showcased what the Washington-based cultural icon has in store for the rest of the country in the coming months.

Carlile started the performance with the namesake of her novel and hit song from her seven-track 2021 LP In These Silent Days, “Broken Horses.” She then continued to traverse her discography by leading her band through 2015’s Mainstream Kid” off The Firewatcher’s Daughter and the title track of The Story, which she released in 2007. She followed her personally penned songs with a song that is personal to her, Joni Mitchell’s “A Case Of You.” Next, Lucius’ Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig came on stage to assist on backing vocals on You And Me On The Rock.”

Carlile continued her 25-song set with the live debut of “Mama Werewolf” followed by “The Eye” and a quick nod to her daughter Evangeline Ruth Carlile’s upcoming birthday, with “Happy Birthday” during which the crowd happily sang along. Following “The Mother” Celisse joined Carlile and company to add guitar on “Raise Hell,” David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” and Radiohead’s “Creep.”

Wolfe and Laessig then returned to back Carlile on another debut off In These Silent Days “Sinners, Saints And Fools,” along with a cover of i-Ten’s “Alone.” The set was closed with “The Joke,” “Turpentine” and “Party of “One.”

After much applause and a well-deserved pause, Carlile returned to the stage with McLachlan and kicked on her encore with interpretations of McLachlan’s “Do What You Have To Do” and “Angel. The rest of the guests–Celisse, Laessig and Wolfe–returned to the stage to perform “Crowded Table” by The Highwomen. The Sista Strings and Kyleen King, who are members of Carlile’s band, joined them on vocals during the song as well. The encore continued as Carlile’s daughter and Josephine Hanseroth added their touch to “Hold Out Your Hand,” before the evening came to a close with “Stay Gentle” and a stunning “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.”

Watch fan-shot videos from the performance below: