Big Thief emphasizes spontaneous live experimentation that frequently alters studio arrangements and produces markedly different performances night to night. During a ten-minute performance of "Not" at Best Kept Secret in 2022, Adrianne Lenker forgot lyrics and drummer James Krivchenia chanted the missing words until the verse resumed and the band continued. Lenker refuses to prioritize records as a business, preferring authenticity over forced releases. The unexpected 2023 TikTok virality of "Vampire Empire" prompted speculation that recent sunny acoustic singles aimed to replicate that success. Controversy arose after announced 2022 Tel Aviv shows were canceled with a statement opposing occupation, and bassist Max Oleartchik's later departure sparked debate about motives and past IDF service.
Live, the band departs unexpectedly from the studio script, and performances of the same songs can turn out very different on a given night. During a ten- minute performance of "Not" at the Netherlands festival Best Kept Secret in 2022, singer-guitarist Adrianne Lenker forgets the lyrics early on, and drummer James Krivchenia begins to chant the missing words like a mantra. The verse resumes, and the band soldiers on, Lenker's perseverant guitar solo howling with the weary relief of a shipwrecked sailor spotting land.
Since the unexpected 2023 TikTok virality of "Vampire Empire," some fans have wondered if the sunny acoustics of recent singles are a ploy to replicate that success. And then there's the matter of one bandmate's departure. Big Thief drew harsh criticism from pro-Palestine groups and fans in 2022 for announcing two shows in Tel Aviv, home of longtime bassist Max Oleartchik, which they subsequently canceled, expressing opposition to "the illegal occupation and the systematic oppression of the Palestinian people."
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