Album Cover for Adrianne Lenker's Live at Revolution Hall. Photo Via Pitchfork

Adrianne Lenker recorded her first live album, “Live at Revolution Hall,” in Portland, Oregon, across two performances that took place on June 20 & 21, 2024, and on April 24, 2025 she released the full recorded performance for all to hear. 

Revolution Hall began as Washington High School and was originally built in 1906. The high school closed in 1981 and remained vacant until it was reopened at Revolution Hall in 2015. With a restaurant on the main floor, a rooftop bar, and a concert hall, all while still looking like a high school, Revolution Hall is a super unique venue that has hosted hundreds of artists. 

This album begins perfectly with the sounds of people bustling into Revolution Hall, awaiting Lenker's arrival. The sound of bouncers checking IDs and people searching for their seats transports you into the environment as if you’re really there. This, paired with the seamless transition into her performance, makes this album very special. Throughout the show, Lenker performs both solo work and songs from her band Big Thief, starting with the song “Little Things” by Big Thief. 

There are many standout songs on this album, the first being “happiness.” Despite this being live recorded, this song sounds like it was recorded in a studio. The crowd is silent, and all you can hear is Lenker and her guitar. This song has beautiful lyrics, and while the instrumentals are rather simple, Lenker still makes the song feel full of emotion. You almost forget that there is an audience until she finishes a song and hoots and hollers fill the recording. 

“Time escaping & wild whistling” begins with the audience whistling and giggling together before Lenker begins a beautiful guitar riff.. The audience is interactive in a simultaneously energetic and mellow way, perfectly matching Lenker's wit. This song stood out due to the fun nature of the intro and the impressive live guitar playing. Another unique thing about this album is that she included sound check from before the show for the songs “cattails” and “ruined,” further encapsulating the raw and live nature of this performance. I think this is a super unique addition to this album, in which she includes her mistakes to show how even people who are professionals make mistakes too. 

“Brief message for adrianne” is a collection of messages from fans attending the show. It's short, but it's a nice addition to the flow of the album, a nice break between songs, to make everything feel more emotional and real. The little details, like this track, are what elevate this album to be something innovative and individual.  

“Vampire Empire” is easily one of Big Thief's most popular songs. However, this arrangement is unrepeatable. The harmonizing with backup vocals and the fiddle-like instruments to accompany her guitar playing make this song gorgeous. In the end, the crowd joins in, fostering an environment that feels welcoming and full of people who understand each other. This song is inspiring and really adds to the raw nature of this album. 

“Sadness as a gift” is another song that shines through. Lenker strips this song down to just her guitar and pairs background vocals to elevate this song from the studio recording. As one of my favorite Lenker songs, this version did not disappoint. The fiddle and simple piano in the second verse round out the track, making it pure and quite touching. 

Two of Lenker’s most popular songs “not a lot, just forever” and “anything” are near the end of the album. “not a lot, just forever” begins a little differently than the studio recording, with an acknowledgement toward the crowd and some added instrumentals. The vocals on this track really shine through, with the addition of gorgeous backing vocals. Lenker invited the audience to sing “anything” with her which seems like it would throw off the recording, but in reality, it ties into the wholesome energy of the song. This track is the perfect way to end this album and performance. Lenker simply transports you into this concert hall with this emotional and well-rounded performance.