Big Thief delivered an ethereal set at the Val Air Ballroom on August 17, 2026, in Des Moines, Iowa [Photo credit: Alex Gryczanowski]
ALEX GRYCZANOWSKI | Go Venue Magazine
Big Thief delivered an ethereal set at the Val Air Ballroom on Aug. 17, 2026, in Des Moines, Iowa, that had the crowd literally stomping their feet and begging for more. The audience came alive when Big Thief came on stage and everyone had their own moments to the music, whether it be holding their partner, screaming lyrics or simply swaying and enjoying the moment.
Big Thief is an indie folk band composed of vocalist-guitarist Adrianne Lenker, guitarist Buck Meek and drummer James Krivchenia. The band was also joined by their touring bassist, Joshua Crumbly, who was credited for bass in Big Thief’s latest album, Double Infinity.
The band was accompanied by opener Ben LaMar Gay, whose set was vibrant and uncategorizable. Though the genre is near impossible to name, the long, stark songs were reminiscent of a hybrid of jazz and folk, most notable in the drums and guitar played throughout Gay and his homies’ jam session. Gay utilized various onomatopoeias, a trumpet with a plunger mute and bells to build a creative ambiance.
Music is a form of art, but Gay’s performance and composition was more than the art itself. It felt as though Gay was painting a canvas with his music and creative lighting decisions throughout his set. It almost felt as though the music Gay and his band made grew brighter toward the end, as if “making a sound in a dark world,” Gay said, was a sound that brought light to life in a dark world.
Big Thief’s setlist has been different each stop of the Somersault Slide 360 Tour. The group walked on stage ablazing, opening with “God is Good,” a Vic Chesnutt cover. The entire crowd intently watched the band perform. It felt peaceful in the Val Air Ballroom.
Lenker’s voice shined throughout the evening, with a sort of Midwestern drawl to her range that felt just right, especially for a show in Iowa. The venue’s reverb built upon Lenker’s vocals as they rang out and it had the audience in a chokehold. Some fans were shouting “I love you Adrianne!” between songs, hoping to get her attention with their praise.
Of course, the band had incredible moments on stage. There were songs where each member of the band had a beautiful, soulful solo on their respective instrument. There were a few songs where distortion was used on guitars. With the band’s heavily acoustic-based sound, it was exhilarating to hear their incorporation of it in their sound.
When Big Thief played “Vampire Empire” the crowd sang along. In certain parts of the song, such as the chorus, Lenker stopped singing and let the crowd take over instead. It felt as though every single person was singing along with their entire heart. It was not only a beautiful performance, but a beautiful intimate moment with the crowd too.
Big Thief walked off the stage and the audience wanted more. The crowd clapped and begged for one more song. They grew so desperate that they started stomping on the ballroom floor, and it echoed like thunder throughout the venue until the band came back on stage to perform “Masterpiece” and “Incomprehensible.”
What’s most impressive about this tour is Big Thief’s set length: nearly 2 hours. It is incredible to see Big Thief play a set that long, considering that they perform nightly and also switch up the setlist every night. Big Thief should be applauded that their energy never noticeably wavered throughout the night.
If anyone has the chance to see Big Thief, they should seize the opportunity. Their performance brought the entire crowd together and had them begging for more. Their indie folk songs that are packed with an emotional punch need to be heard live to feel their impact.
Big Thief’s setlist included the following songs:
God is Good (Vic Chesnutt cover) | Rock and Sing | Born for Loving You | Sadness as a Gift (Adrianne Lenker) | Trade Tomorrow | 6-7-8-9 She’s Fine | Spud Infinity | Contact | Flower of Blood | Simulation Swarm | Christmas Day | Not | Shark Smile | Vampire Empire | Mary | Love So High | Cattails | Spatchcock Chickenshit Bingo | Masterpiece | Incomprehensible
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