You can’t match the intimate energy of a packed small club. And when it’s an artist who has been selling out huge venues both solo and with a supergroup, well, it becomes something special. That’s how we felt at The Atlantis Friday night as Julien Baker took the stage.
On the eve of her performance at the All Things Go Festival, Baker and her band played the intimate club, and it was immediately apparent this was going to be one for the books. Hours before Baker was to start there was a line of fans around the block waiting to get in.
At The Atlantis on Sept. 27, the night started with beautifully brilliant sets by UK artist Katie Malco and DC’s own Bartees Strange. Both artists performed solo with Strange giving the crowd a couple of new songs, including one called “Baltimore,” which he told the crowd was written about his recent move from DC to Baltimore.
Julien Baker has a way with words. Just listen to those opening lines of ”Happy to Be Here” with lines like If I could do what I want, and I would become an electrician / I’d climb inside my ears / And I would rearrange the wires in my brain. Immediately recognizable and utterly relatable, it’s no wonder Baker’s music draws such crowds.
Starting off slowly with the immersive sound of strings and piano, Julien Baker’s band began playing “Over” the instrumental lead from 2017’s Turn Out The Light as Baker took the stage to continue with “Appointments.”
Watch the official music video for “Hardline” by Julien Baker on YouTube:
Referencing some vocal issues, Baker asked the crowd for “all the help I can get, so if you’re so inclined,” but no one had to ask this crowd to sing along.
Julien Baker also had some other help as she brought up Bartees Strange who proceeded to shred alongside Baker and the other band members.
I don’t think I’d seen The Atlantis as full as it was Friday night. Even with the slight reduction in temperature outside, the club quickly warmed up. “It’s freakin’ hot,” Baker said, seeming to read everyone’s mind. But the emotional resonance of her performance made everyone forget the heat, at least for a short time — transporting us to another place.
Most of the set came from her last two full-lengths — Turn Out the Lights and 2021’s Little Oblivions — but there were some surprises in store as Baker and her band introduced at least two new songs, “Middle Children” and “High in the Basement.”
After a couple of songs Baker performed without the rest of her band, they returned to play an incredible version of “Hardline” as the strobes flashed and the whole club seemed to erupt.
Baker returned to encore with two of her oldest songs from Sprained Ankle, “Rejoice,” and “Everybody Does,” capping off a very special evening indeed.
Julien Baker continues her tour with several dates in New York.
DC will surely see Julien solo or with her aforementioned supergroup, boygenius, in the near future!
The setlist included:
Over
Appointments
Ringside (with Bartees Strange)
Heatwave
Red Door
Happy to Be Here
Favor
Relative Fiction
Middle Children (new song)
High in the Basement (new song)
Something (solo)
Song in E (solo)
Sprained Ankle
Bloodshot
Even
Hardline
Claws in Your Back
Encore:
Rejoice
Everybody Does
Here are more photos of Julien Baker performing at The Atlantis on Sept. 27, 2024. All photos copyright and courtesy of David LaMason.
And here are photos of Bartees Strange opening for Julien Baker at The Atlantis on Sept. 27, 2024.
And here are photos of Katie Malco opening the evening at The Atlantis on Sept. 27, 2024.
