Angel Olsen – White Eagle Hall, Jersey City, NJ – 2.6.23
“It’s not Country, but it’s not NOT Country” says the back of one of the T-shirts sold at Angel Olsen’s merch stand. If this slogan is indicative of anything, it’s how far Angel Olsen has come. Her music has been put in many boxes over the years. Folk, experimental folk, alternative folk, indie, alternative rock, alt-country, country/folk and now country?
The first time I saw her was at the 1500 seat capacity, sold out Town Hall in New York’s broadway district from the first row in the balcony back in 2017. She sold out a trio of shows around the city that time. She wore a shiny one piece space suit and put on a glittering silver wig for the encore that night. 
I saw her again in 2019 in Asbury Park at the 750 capacity Asbury Lanes. For this more intimate show Angel was promoting the synth heavy “All Mirrors” release and she spent a lot of time behind her keyboard. She also played several songs solo without her band. Her performance was restrained and intimate. (Yes, that is a piece of broccoli on her keyboard.)
For last night’s show promoting her excellent new album “Big Time” at the not much larger White Eagle Hall in Jersey City, she and the band mostly wore chromatic primary color outfits. (Aside: they reminded me of a recent “art” installation in my home town.)
This time she was out front playing guitar and only occasionally turning to her keys for her older material. With her hair in a bouffant and beaming smile, she looked like a cross between Loretta Lynn and a 60’s movie star (Ann Margret?) Her performance was carefree and confident. She casually joked with the audience.
The new album nods to country and 70’s radio hits. In fact, for the encore she performed a cover of Badfinger’s “Without You” that was made a hit by Harry Nilsson in 1971. She introduced as one of her favorite songs. She told the audience of mostly young people – with a few of us gray haired fans sprinkled through the sold out crowd – that “some of you might know it.” One fan apparently knew it well and belted it out along with her. While Angel stayed in her place behind the mic for most of the show, for this grand finale she took the mic off the stand and sang the last line of the song to an adoring fan next to the stage.
Every time I see Angel Olsen I expect it to be in larger venues. While I’m grateful to be able to see her in small venues, she deserves to be playing in spaces as “Big Time” as she is.
Author
Eric K. Andersen is a former record company weasel who currently goes to a lot of concerts and takes pictures. You can find his website by clicking the link icon below.