The Crane Wives @ The Sylvee
Words and photos by allie hoffert
The Crane Wives’ Madison show on Aug. 16 marked the fifth show of Act III of their 2026 tour, and their second stop at the Sylvee in a little over a year. Following the release of their 2024 album Beyond Beyond Beyond, the Crane Wives have been touring almost nonstop. Sunday’s performance felt like a victory lap.
Since 2011, the Crane Wives have released four studio albums, one live album and a collection of singles. On their current tour (three legs across America billed as Acts I, II, and III), they’ve been performing material from across their discography, with everything adapted or elevated to fit the band’s current electric-forward sound. Songs from their first two folk albums were outfitted with layered guitar parts, and the Sylvee’s sound system elevated the performances of drummer Dan Rickabus and bassist Ben Zito, further adding depth to an already-complex musical web. For a set spanning 16 years of music, it was especially harmonious.
Following their inception as a Grand Rapids, Michigan folk band in the early 2010s and rise to fame through internet virality in the early 2020s, The Crane Wives have amassed a particularly devoted fanbase. Sunday’s crowd was no exception; the Sylvee’s packed audience was more engaged than any crowd I’ve seen at a venue this large. Opening notes of deep cuts like “Sleeping Giants” and “Pretty Little Things” were received with enthusiastic applause, and the sound of an entire audience singing along nearly drowned out the microphones during staple hits “Curses” and “The Moon Will Sing.”
The Crane Wives’ 90-minute set was full of standout moments, but extra credit has to be paid to the vocal performances from lead singers Emilee Petersmark and Kate Pillsbury. The Crane Wives have always featured impressive vocals from both singers, but their performances on Sunday were especially exceptional. Harmony-focused songs like “Never Love an Anchor” and “Bitter Medicine” were outstanding, as was solo work from Petersmark on “Nobody” and Pillsbury on “Arcturus Beaming.”
At the conclusion of their set, The Crane Wives returned to the Sylvee’s stage for a three-song encore. “October,” a plaintive love song from their first album, came first; the banjo line from the original recording was replaced with a gorgeously mournful lead guitar, and the march-like drumline was elevated by the Sylvee’s acoustics. Emilee Petersmark delivered the highlight performance of the night, soaring effortlessly through added high notes, opt-ups and vocal runs for a stunning rendition of a beautiful deep cut from the Crane Wives’ earliest days. The encore finished with “The Hand That Feeds” and “Tongues & Teeth,” two fan favorites that left the crowd enraptured.
It’s a mark of a great band to stand firm and play well through shifts in genre and lineup, years-long touring cycles and meteoric rises in popularity. Throughout their 16 years together, The Crane Wives have amassed an impressive catalog of songs and stories. On their 2026 tour, they’re celebrating every step of the journey.
