By Azzam Bilal 
HangupsMusic.com – Nashville, Tennessee. The Ryman Auditorium, famously known as the "Mother Church of Country Music," has served as the backdrop for some of the most pivotal moments in American music history. Last night, that hallowed ground played host to a new chapter for Big Thief, as the band took to the stage to debut their most ambitious project to date. In a surprise move that caught the indie-folk world off guard, the group revealed that their forthcoming release is a sprawling triple album titled Horsepower. The evening was not merely a performance but a statement of intent, featuring a 29-song setlist and a guest list that read like a directory of folk and Americana royalty.
The atmosphere inside the Ryman was one of focused intimacy, bolstered by a strict prohibition on photography and videography. By removing the digital lens, the band fostered an environment where the music was the sole priority, a rarity in the modern concert-going experience. This private showcase allowed the audience to experience Horsepower in its rawest form, even if the tracks were not presented in their eventual chronological order. The band, now operating as a trio following the departure of longtime bassist Max Oleartchik, demonstrated a reinforced chemistry that felt both expansive and grounded.
Introducing the new material, frontwoman Adrianne Lenker displayed her characteristic blend of humility and dry wit. She cautioned the audience that those hoping for familiar hits from their catalog would need to adjust their expectations, suggesting that the evening was dedicated entirely to the future. "If you had some hopes of hearing some of the songs you might know—those can also be discarded," Lenker joked, signaling a clean break from the past as they dived into the massive new body of work.
The scale of Horsepower is daunting, even for a band as prolific as Big Thief. Spanning 29 tracks, the album appears to be a deep dive into the textures of Americana, country, and experimental folk. To bring this vision to life at the Ryman, the core trio was augmented by an ensemble of master musicians who contributed to the record’s creation. The presence of Russ Pahl and Greg Leisz on pedal steel and guitar provided a lush, atmospheric foundation, while the fiddle work of Hannah Read, Richard Bowden, and Zosha Warpeha added a traditional, communal warmth to the arrangements.
Perhaps the most significant aspect of the night was the appearance of three icons of American songwriting: Lucinda Williams, Gillian Welch, and Iris DeMent. Their involvement in the Horsepower project serves as a bridge between Big Thief’s contemporary indie-folk sensibilities and the deep-rooted traditions of the genre. Each artist joined the band onstage, lending their voices and presence to a set that felt like a passing of the torch. Williams, known for her grit and poetic realism; Welch, a master of minimalist, haunting folk; and DeMent, with her unmistakable, crystalline country twang, all represent the DNA of the sounds Big Thief has been exploring throughout their career. Their collaboration suggests that Horsepower will be an album that deeply respects its lineage while pushing the boundaries of what a modern folk record can be.
While much of the material was new to the Ryman audience, some of the 29 songs have been percolating in the band’s orbit for some time. Dedicated fans may have recognized "Carry" and "Space and Time," both of which were premiered during a stripped-back session in an Irish field for Belgium’s Radio 1 earlier this year. Other titles on the setlist, such as "Sadness as a Gift" and "Bright Future," share names with Lenker’s recent solo endeavors, hinting at a cross-pollination between her individual songwriting and the band’s collective output. The setlist also featured more whimsical and enigmatic titles, such as "Spatchcock Chickenshit Bingo," a name that suggests the band hasn’t lost the playful, avant-garde spirit that defined their earlier work like Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You.
The transition to a trio has clearly not diminished the band’s sonic reach. If anything, the arrangements showcased at the Ryman suggested a more intentional use of space. With Lenker, Buck Meek, and James Krivchenia at the helm, the music felt meticulously crafted yet remained open to the spontaneity that has always been a Big Thief hallmark. The inclusion of pedal steel and multiple fiddles indicates that Horsepower may lean more heavily into the "country-folk" aesthetic than their previous record, the 2025 release Double Infinity.
Double Infinity marked the band’s first official foray as a trio and was met with critical acclaim for its lean, focused energy. However, if Double Infinity was a study in restraint, Horsepower appears to be a study in abundance. Releasing a triple album in an era of shrinking attention spans and algorithmic curation is a bold move, but Big Thief has built a career on defying industry norms. By debuting the record in full at a private show without the interference of social media leaks, they have reclaimed the narrative surrounding their art.
The timing of the Horsepower reveal comes just as the band prepares to return to the road. Next month, Big Thief will embark on a new leg of their tour in support of Double Infinity, traversing North America before concluding the run at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver on October 6. While that tour is ostensibly focused on their 2025 release, the shadow of Horsepower now looms large. It remains to be seen how much of the new 29-song epic will make its way into their standard touring sets, or if the band will continue to keep the new material under wraps until an official release date is announced.
The setlist from the Ryman performance provides a fascinating roadmap for what is to come. From the opening title track "Horsepower" to the closing "Gift Pleasure Joy," the titles suggest a thematic journey through domesticity, nature, and emotional resilience. Tracks like "6-7-8-9 She’s Fine" and "Loneliest Boy" hint at the narrative songwriting that Lenker has mastered, while "Avalanche, Hurricane" suggests a return to the more elemental, chaotic sounds the band explored on U.F.O.F.
For those in attendance, the night was a reminder of why Big Thief remains one of the most vital acts in contemporary music. Their ability to command a room as storied as the Ryman while introducing nearly thirty unheard songs is a testament to their confidence and the loyalty of their fanbase. The collaboration with Williams, Welch, and DeMent serves as an endorsement from the old guard, cementing Big Thief’s place in the pantheon of great American songwriters.
As the music industry awaits further details on the official release of Horsepower, the Ryman show stands as a significant marker in the band’s evolution. It was an evening that celebrated the craft of songwriting, the importance of musical community, and the courage to pursue a singular, massive vision. Big Thief has never been a band to take the easy path, and with a 29-song triple album on the horizon, they are once again proving that their creative engine is running at full throttle.
Big Thief at the Ryman Auditorium Set List 2026:
Horsepower
Baby Honey Sweetheart Darlin’
Wait a While
Space and Time
21
Casual Touch
Muscle Memory
Highway
Stay
Carry
Sadness as a Gift
True Love
Where Will We Go
Beautiful World
Faker
Loneliest Boy
Happiness
Oldest
Bright Future
Beautiful Powerful
Avalanche, Hurricane
Snail
Spatchcock Chickenshit Bingo
Trade Tomorrow
6-7-8-9 She’s Fine
These Are the Days
No Matter What
Born For Loving You
Gift Pleasure Joy
