A sold-out crowd at a packed Union Transfer welcomed Sharon Van Etten back to Philadelphia on Wednesday, April 30 – this time with her band, the Attachment Theory.
Opener Love Spells did indeed cast a spell over the audience. At once mellow and confident, smooth and searching, Love Spells combined captivating instrumentals with vocals reminiscent of Prince. Love Spells’ passion for the music shone in their set.
Van Etten and her bandmates Devra Hoff, Jorge Castellano, Teeny Lieberson, and Shanna Polley came out strong with “Live Forever,” the opening track on the band’s eponymous record released earlier this year. The set included the majority of the record’s tracks, with highlights including “Trouble,” “Idiot Box,” and “I Want You Here.” Also on the setlist were several deeper cuts from Van Etten’s older discography, like 2014’s “Tarifa” and 2019’s “No One’s Easy to Love.”
“Philly’s like my home away from home,” Van Etten told the crowd, and there was a level of comfort in the room that spoke to that fact. Van Etten’s energy is a compelling combination of nostalgia and presence, a clear confidence earned through decades in the industry.
This is Van Etten’s first tour with the Attachment Theory and she spoke reverently about the inspiration that came with the new project, with finding a community. “The writing, the hanging, the conversations, the supporting each other…I couldn’t ask for a better chosen family,” Van Etten said in regards to her band. Notably, Van Etten made time to thank not only her band members, but also every member of their traveling crew, from tour manager to bus drivers – a rare and appreciated gesture of gratitude.
The crowd was remarkably multi-generational, with young kids and old folks singing along side by side. Van Etten’s deep connection with audience members was palpable – it felt like a current running between fan and artist, a mutual exchange of respect and love. For “Seventeen,” Van Etten knelt at the edge of the stage, holding the hand of a fan who had sung every word to the show. It was profound to witness a band with such definitive rockstar energy holding space so intentionally for the experience of the crowd.
