Darlingside (photo by Shervin Lainez)
Three of the four core members of Massachusetts band Darlingside joined us at Jaan’s House in Nashville for a No Depression Session during AmericanaFest 2023 to share music from their latest album, Everything Is Alive (ND review).
Darlingside’s fourth core member, Dave Senft, still actively contributes to the band, but he no longer tours. Instead of replacing him with one musician, the band chose a novel approach and now tours in various configurations. This No Depression Session spotlights their six-piece configuration, including vocals from Deni Hlavinka and Molly Parden and percussion from the album’s drummer, Ben Burns.
Darlingside wanted the live version of the music to be its own thing with its own character, leaving the character and chemistry of the band’s four-member core intact. By not even attempting to recreate the sonics or the arrangements of the studio album on the road, they’re free to do as they see fit, to glorious effect.
These vocal harmonies are delicious; the studio audience was treated to goosebumps more than once. It’s not only the harmonies that make me feel a certain way. Even when they’re singing together in unison, like they do during a few phrases of the first song, “Green Light,” they vibrate the right way to make me feel it in my bones.
Setlist
“Green Light”
“The Breaking of the Day”
“Eliza I See”
Musicians
Vocals and banjo: Don Mitchell
Vocals and mandocello: Auyon Mukharji
Vocals and guitar: Harris Paseltiner
Vocals: Deni Hlavinka
Vocals: Molly Parden
Drums and guitar: Ben Burns
Find previous No Depression Sessions at AmericanaFest 2023 here, and look for more in the coming weeks.
