On January 20th, Atlanta had its long awaited reunion with indie-alt-queen Angel Olsen. After almost four years had passed since her last tour stop in the southern city, it was clear that every fan who packed into The Eastern last Friday night was honored to be a part of the kick off date for this tour - this time, in support of Olsen’s latest full length release, Big Time. 

While the gap between album releases alone would have been more than enough to get fans excited for this performance, seeing Olsen’s live debut of a whole new backing band definitely sweetened the deal. With the release of Big Time, Angel Olsen’s inner cowboy crooner takes the spotlight. Sporting a brand new string section (hello, cello) and a lap steel guitar, these fresh takes on genre-crossing are perfectly described on the back of the new tour shirt: “it’s not country, but it’s not not country”. 

As if meeting again but for the first time, the band offered a proper introduction to the new sound with early tracks from the album, “Dream Thing” and “Big Time”. Both songs showcase what Olsen does best with her songwriting - the lyrics pull the listener in close and move them along with carefully curated dynamic changes. Here, the addition of bluegrass-centric melodic lines creates an even more immersive soundscape, further supported by a projected backdrop of large-scale mountains on stage. Paired with her vocals - the big moments take up just enough space to make the room feel cozy, but not crowded. 

After this stellar performance, fans planning to attend her upcoming tour dates should be warned: better hope your town is big enough for Angel Olsen.

Photos and Review by Ariana Simon