JULIEN BAKER / ANGEL OLSEN 7.21.2022

Words and Photos By Faith Nguyen

Julien Baker and Angel Olsen Powerfully Kick off the Wild Hearts Tour in Bristow, VA

With the setting sun as a backdrop, a crowd of summer concert-goers with blankets and lawn chairs spilled into the grounds of Wolf Trap’s Filene center, nestled in a national park right outside of Washington, DC. On July 21st, the names of both Indie Rock musician Julien Baker and Folk Rock artist Angel Olsen plastered the signage of the venue. Both under the record label “Jagjaguwar”, the two solo acts joined together, along with Sharon Van Etton, to form the Wild Hearts Tour. Though each with their own style and message, these three women share spots among the ranks of the most powerful voices in Indie Rock today.

First on the Lineup was Tennessee-based singer-songwriter Julien Baker. As an earlier act in the night, one might expect much in terms of energy or crowd interaction, but Baker brought both on opening night. Rotating between singing emotionally raw lyrics, shredding on her electric guitar, and playing gentle keyboard melodies, Baker, along with her 4 supporting instrumentalists blew the non-existent roof off this intimate outdoor amphitheater. The songs on her set ranged from head-banging rock to soulful ballads that would make anyone feel like the main character of a coming-of-age movie. Though small in stature, Baker filled the massive Wolf Trap stage with powerful vocals, impressive instrumental solos, and countless hair flips. All of these things were met with raucous applause from the crowd, who sang along with her throughout the whole set.

After a quick set change, Indie Folk singer-songwriter Angel Olsen took the stage as the growing crowd vocalized their excitement. Along with her came a slew of backup musicians, including a 2 piece strings section. Each performer was dressed in a monochromatic outfit in a different color of the rainbow, Olsen wearing a bright-yellow, custom jumpsuit by designer Jessica Owen. The only thing brighter than Olsen’s outfit was her smile, which shined throughout her whole performance. Grinning at the audience, singing at her keyboardist, and laughing through the chorus of her most popular song, it was clear that Olson is a musician that enjoys her craft. Similarly to Baker, Olsen displayed a variety of song styles, from delicately picking her guitar to foot-stomping, hand-clapping folk rock.

Olsen also shared the stage with an ASL interpreter, who likewise interpreted during Baker’s set. Though dressed in black and positioned far to the side of the stage, the two women who interpreted throughout the night gave an attention-catching performance, dancing around and mouthing the lyrics as they signed. Having these interpreters as part of the performance was a small detail that felt huge in terms of inclusivity in live music, hopefully as a role model to other artists in the future. Between this inclusive gesture, the emotional performances, and the animated audience, wild hearts were evident both in the artists on stage, and the fans who came to support them.