Photos and Article by Bri Guntz
Bell sleeves, funky jackets, and long skirts were staples among the crowd at Schubas Tavern on September 23 to see the Oracle Sisters. The room was full of friendship as fans chatted with their neighbors while waiting for the band to take the stage. The night started with a performance from Ryder the Eagle, a French man in a clerical collar.
Ryder’s performance was unpredictable from start to finish, featuring saxophone interludes with the occasional harmonica. While the performance was far from conventional, Ryder kept the energy high jumping from stage to floor. When on the floor the crowd circled him as he crawled and squatted across the room. As he returned to the stage Ryder told the story of his marriage and divorce, following with his single life experience. He summed up his time with casual dating saying, “[I] couldn’t get it up because I wasn’t emotional”. This was followed by the song Eloïse, which is about rediscovering love.
As the Oracle Sisters took the stage there was a complete vibe switch. The band opened with only Lewis Lazar and Christopher Willatt taking the stage. The pair sang a raw version of I Don’t Want To Move with just their guitars. Following the song, the rest of the band joined the stage. Willatt introduced the band by stating that it’s “all fairytales and lullabies from here”. A lullaby is the best way to describe the sound of the Oracle Sister, with most tracks featuring gentle keys and harmonies that seem to suspend time.
The band demonstrated their professionalism when Lazar had a string break on his guitar mid-set. Despite the instrument malfunction, the Oracle Sisters finished the song seamlessly. When the song ended they recruited the audience for help, with one member putting new strings onto the guitar. However, audience participation did not stop there. A fan was invited on stage to sing with the band after she held up a sign from the front row. The Oracle Sisters welcomed her onto the stage warmly.
Ultimately seeing the Oracle Sisters live was like hanging out with all of your closest friends. No matter where you stood in the room there was a sense of intimacy that was truly extraordinary. Their ethereal sound made the 3-hour concert feel like 30 minutes. The European band will be finishing out their North American tour on the West Coast.
Check out the Oracle Sisters on Instagram and check out their Spotify below, and stay tuned for an interview with Oracle Sisters later this week!