Locking In with Robin from Fleet Foxes
Article by Aisling Heaphy, photos by Finley Harrison
As the first flakes of long-awaited snow fell upon Chicago, Fleet Foxes fans huddled for warmth at Thalia Hall on Wednesday evening. The fans were in for a rare treat— one of eleven shows in Robin Pecknold’s First (last?) Solo Acoustic Tour.
Before Pecknold took the stage, opener Hannah Frances entranced the audience with stories of heartbreak and reluctant hope. All she needed was an acoustic guitar and her hauntingly beautiful voice to lull the audience into silence. As she meticulously walked her fingers up and down the fretboard of her guitar, she walked the audience through the grief-filled world of her fifth album, Keeper of the Shepherd. Playing the title track as well as “Bronwyn,” “Floodplain,” and “Husk,” Frances described the all-consuming nature of grief and the belief that eventually, just as the natural world will outlast our bodies and memories, even grief will subside. Tackling the devastation of an ended relationship and mourning what could have been, Frances vividly encapsulated the feeling of imagining a life with someone and confronting that loss on “Oranges.” Frances interacted frequently with the audience and boldly decided to put the Chicago-versus-suburbs debate to rest. An Aurora native herself, Frances declared that “it counts.” While it is undoubtedly a frivolous debate, Frances’ stance reflected the theme of the evening: community and togetherness. After an incredible performance, Frances left the crowd with a simple yet much-needed and powerful message: “take care of one another.”
Hannah Frances
As the lone Fleet Fox emerged sporting a beanie and Blundstones— the uniform of any good Seattleite— someone behind me in the audience quipped, “he looks like he works at an overpriced coffee shop.” Maybe in another life Pecknold was serving up $7 oat milk lattes, but fortunately in this one he’s captivating audiences with his masterful story-telling abilities and resonant singing voice. Alongside high-school friend, Skyler Skjelset, Pecknold formed Fleet Foxes in 2006 against the backdrop of Seattle’s growing indie folk scene. In that same year, they released their debut EP, Fleet Foxes. Following the explosive release of their self-titled album in 2008, the band’s successive EPs and albums have all been met with critical acclaim. Most recently, 2020’s Shore received a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Album. Fleet Foxes wrapped up the Shore tour at the end of September, giving Pecknold the opportunity to embark upon his first solo acoustic tour.
With the freedom of a solo tour, Pecknold curated a jam-packed setlist full of Fleet Foxes deep cuts and tributes to his favorite artists including Joni Mitchell, Judee Sill, Arthur Russell, Bobbie Gentry, and Elliott Smith. Equipped with an arsenal of acoustic guitars, Pecknold reserved one solely for Mitchell’s songs. Pecknold had the opportunity to play with Mitchell last month, and having mastered several songs for that gig, he showed off his Joni Mitchell scholarship, playing “Amelia” and the “Secret Veils of Ardor.” Pecknold was also sure to treat fans to favorites from Fleet Foxes’ discography including “Sunblind,” “Montezuma,” “Mykonos,” and “Helplessness Blues.”
A fount of humility and sincerity, Pecknold thanked the audience profusely between each song and brought the crowd together through an intimate banter. Reflecting on the unique pressures of a solo tour, Pecknold boiled it down to one simple statement: “I gotta lock in.” Even your favorite artists aren’t immune from the lingo of the chronically online. As a running bit, he claimed that every cover he played was his favorite song— and he played each one with such care and precision that the audience began to believe him. Having created a comfortable atmosphere, fans joined in with Pecknold as he sang “Montezuma,” “Helplessness Blues,” and “Oliver James.” During the highlight of the evening, time stood still and Thalia Hall felt like a place of worship as the audience became a choir and sang in rounds with Pecknold during “Mykonos.” “Did Jacob Collier teach you to do that?” Pecknold joked afterwards.
As Pecknold took the audience on a journey from Montezuma to Tripoli to Mykonos to Memphis, the crowd remained grounded in Chicago, enjoying a beautifully-finite hour and a half of harmonizing with total strangers. On “Third of May / Ōdaigahara” Pecknold asks, “Aren’t we made to be crowded together, like leaves?” Yes we are. Thank you, Robin, for being the tree that bound us together for one unforgettable evening.