Brandi Carlile Gives it Up

I haven’t been terribly impressed with The Depot as a music venue since its opening in 2006; the design isn’t all that feng shui, if you will, for high-quality concert entertainment. The view of the stage from the upper level is hindered by a railing supporting the ‘VIP’ area, which holds the majority of the tables in the entire venue — yet these tables cost a ridiculous amount of money, and that I have only seen a few used over my five or so visits. The seating on the main floor is a bit more visually pleasant until the crowd packs the dance floor like a sardine can.

Now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, my September 10 visit to The Depot to see Brandi Carlile in concert was less annoying than in the past. Not to say that I had a good view of the stage or that the turnout was mediocre — a great number of concertgoers attended with as much enthusiasm as I’ve ever witnessed.

Now, it could be because I was there with a friend for his birthday or it could be because The Depot finally set up a smoking section out front with tables (about as many as inside) and outdoor speakers (so you don’t miss any of the concert) and where you’re allowed to take your drink. But I honestly feel like it was because Brandi Carlile was amazing and utterly entertaining.

The 28-year-old indie pop/rock singer-songwriter opened her ‘The Give Up the Ghost Traveling Tour’ right here in Salt Lake City, which is quite the honor considering she was just in town last April. Opening the evening was The Noises 10, also in the indie pop/rock genre, and with a sound similar to Coldplay. Frontman Jason Scavone isn’t bad on the eyes either.

When Carlile — a petite, sassy songstress with such unique voice control that it leaves you awestruck — took the stage with her band (twins Phil and Tim Hanseroth, and Josh Neumann), they immediately broke into a barbershop quartet. A couple songs later they went completely unplugged and acoustic; Carlile effortlessly hushed the crowd, humbly (but unnecessarily) saying her voice wasn’t strong enough to reach the upper level unless everyone was absolutely quiet. And absolutely quiet it was, and absolutely moving as well. Her usual muture, raspy voice seemed to slip away in the quietness, leaving behind a feathered tenderness.

From sharp piano ballads to stints of booming country rock to even yodeling, Carlile kept the crowd in a wild frenzy like a drug addiction.

Of course, and perhaps because she was taking pre-requests from fans on her Web site brandiecarlile.com, Carlile sang the well-known and acclaimed hit “The Story” with intense passion, as if she was singing it for the first time — the high-pitch, raspy inflection that sounds like cracking glass conjured goosebumps. She also played one of my favorite singles, “Turpentine,” with fervent maturity and pleading vocals, just as she had written it.

Without a doubt, Carlile’s concert was one of the better I’ve seen so far this year. With as many Utah fans as she has, and will continue to have, this energetic little pistol will hopefully be back in another five months to rock my world again.