(Editor’s Note: Parklife DC contributor Casey Vock previously lived and worked in the Champlain Valley. He returns to the area each summer for his current full-time gig. Having hoped to catch a show at Burlington’s Waterfront Park the past few years, he made it happen this time around.)
Adrianne Lenker tends to be a bit ambiguous about where she resides and spends her time away from the stage, and rightly so considering the recognition for her and the enthusiasm for the work that she’s done.
But it’s come to light in recent years that, after spending a great deal of time in New England, she’s currently or was recently based somewhere in Vermont — most likely in “the forests,” like she told the Associated Press last year.
She’s also known to have musician friends and some relatives throughout the region. And whether or not she still calls it home, Lenker’s connection to the area put a special touch on her most recent Green Mountain State appearance with her band, Big Thief.
As many as 4,500 fans filled the lawn at Burlington’s Waterfront Park the night of August 2, where Lenker and her bandmates took the stage just after sunset and performed a 90-minute Sunday night set that pulled from all but one of the group’s six studio albums.
Watch Big Thief perform “Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You” live from Levon Helm Studios on YouTube:
Joined by fellow founding members Buck Meek on guitar and James Krivchenia on drums, Lenker led a moody mix of songs, ideal for the dark and cloudy evening that remained after the daylight disappeared over the Adirondack Mountains, looming tall across Lake Champlain.
What has been a trio since longtime bass player Max Oleartchik’s departure in July of 2024, Big Thief arrived in Burlington as a four-person band. New to the group, bassist Joshua Crumbly made his rumbling presence felt in the first song of the night, “No Fear,” one of several tracks from the 2025 release Double Infinity.
Lenker hails from Indiana and grew up in the Midwest — it’s heard in her subtle drawl and it’s part of what makes her voice so gorgeous and heartbreaking. Her vocals came through loud and clear in a sweeping take on “Los Angeles” and a few tunes later on “Shark Smile,” a fan favorite from 2017’s Capacity and a big hit for the many ticketholders on hand at the Waterfront.
“Certainty,” a moving number from 2022’s Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You, heard Lenker joined by Meek, who’s got an unmistakable tone and warmth to his voice. Like Lenker, Meek records and writes his own material separate from Big Thief. Behind them all was Krivchenia, a magician and now a sought-after producer who’s working with notable artists.
Lenker was mostly quiet in between songs in Burlington, but her smile when interacting with her mates suggested the band leader was in high spirits for the show on the lake.
Meanwhile, fans screamed from the front barricade railing or relaxed peacefully in the back of the park closer to the water, enjoying craft beverages and a premium lineup of food trucks from in and around town offering great-tasting bites.
Like she has at shows in the past, Lenker invited a familiar face to the stage for what added up to a four-song encore. It was her brother, Noah, and he manned the mouth harp for the downhome jig “Spud Infinity,” much to the delight of the crowd.
Perhaps the twangiest of all Big Thief tracks, it was a fitting close to what felt something like a homecoming for this band and its beloved leader.
Setlist
No Fear
Los Angeles
Words
Shark Smile
Vampire Empire
Certainty
Simulation Swarm
Muscle Memory
Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You
Christmas Day
Not
Mr. Man
Incomprehensible
Encore
Donut Seam (Adrianne Lenker tune)
Cattails
Casual Touch
Spud Infinity (w/ Noah Lenker on mouth harp)
Below are digital shots of Big Thief performing at Waterfront Park in Burlington, Vt., the night of August 2, 2026. All photos copyright and courtesy of Casey Ryan Vock.
