The Crane Wives pack Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl to the brim

The Crane Wives, a band I haven’t really had much of an opportunity to get to know until I was asked to cover their Nashville tour date, dropped into Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl on an overly humid Nashville summer night. A quick Google search let me know the band is renowned for their evolution from folk‑pop roots into electrifying indie rock and, despite having heard very little of them, I was surprised to see the audience this night reached sell-out levels! It made me want to spend some time learning about other bands I am not familiar with! The Crane Wives — from Grand Rapids, Michigan — are known for delivering emotionally-charged performances, backed by tight musicianship which was on full display this Thursday night.  

Doors opened at 6 pm and, by the 8pm, fans had filled Brooklyn Bowl’s open floor, with pins and lanes rattling behind them.

If you have never had the chance to see a show at one of three Brooklyn Bowls (in Nashville, NYC, and Vegas), I can’t recommend this place enough. I mean, where else can you bowl while you watch a concert?! Support this evening came from local rising act Arny Margret, whose strong vocals and stage presence warmed up the room perfectly. I was also unfamiliar with her music until she stepped onstage, but, since she is a local, I plan on making sure I don’t miss her next event.

Once The Crane Wives began performing, I knew right away why people were lined up around the corner to see them. Their setlist reflected a fine balance between fan-favorites and newer material, with the band diving into the emotional depths of “Scars” while elevating the room’s energy with older tracks like “Curses” and “The Garden”. The band stayed onstage for around an hour and 40 minutes, but it felt like a much shorter stretch of time.

I guess time flies when you are listening to great music! 

The show was an emotionally resonant, well-paced journey, weaving vulnerable lyrical explorations with spirited instrumental bursts. The band’s stage chemistry and warmth shown to fans made this Nashville stop very memorable; it was definitely a notable night for indie folk-rock lovers and a highlight of the Brooklyn Bowl’s vibrant summer lineup. If you, like me, had never heard about The Crane Wives until now, please check out their latest album Beyond, Beyond, Beyond and be sure to catch them at a city near you if you have the opportunity! 

Photography by Derek Jones

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