Joanna Newsom hasn’t released a new album since 2015’s Divers, and before last night, she hadn’t played a live show since a January 2020 gig in Austin. Last night, Newsom returned to the stage as a surprise opening act. Fleet Foxes played at the Belasco in Los Angeles with a secret opener. Newsom was heavily rumored to be playing the show, and the crowd got confirmation when the curtain came up to reveal a harp and a piano. Fleet Foxes leader Robin Pecknold told the crowd, “Without further ado, I present the high priestess of acoustic music, Joanna Newsom.”
During a solo set that reportedly lasted one hour, Joanna Newsom played seven songs. She opened her set with “Go Long,” and she closed it with “Sawdust & Diamonds.” The other five songs that she played were all new, and they were all unsurprisingly quite long. Newsom told the crowd that Robin Pecknold put the show together specifically so that she could play. During Fleet Foxes’ set, Newsom returned to the stage and duetted with Robin Pecknold on “Blue Spotted Tail.” For the last song of the night, Newsom sat in with Fleet Foxes as they covered her “Good Intentions Paving Company.”
A few people in the crowd caught video of last night’s set. Below, watch some of those fan-made videos — including full footage of four new songs — and check out Newsom’s setlist, via Setlist.fm.
Little Hand & Commentary
by u/sleepingredwolves in JoannaNewsom
SETLIST:
01 “Go Long”
02 “Bombs Are Whistling”
03 “Marie At The Mill”
04 “Little Hand”
05 “The Air Again”
06 “No Wonder”
07 “Sawdust & Diamonds”
