The last time Michelle Branch released a solo record, it was 14 years ago. Despite this, her show at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC sold out days in advance. The venue was packed with a diverse group of people, including women in their mid-20s, graduated college fraternity brothers, and middle-aged men and their wives. During the show, Branch told the crowd that she was worried no one would come to her shows, but the concert-goers had obviously debunked her concerns.
Known for her 2002 hit single “Everywhere,” Branch is part of the early-2000s female pop rock musician crew with counterparts such as Avril Lavigne. Now, her tracks are dominated more by electric guitar riffs and slow melodies but still retain much of her old sound. Think of her music as an acoustic variation of Ashlee Simpson’s. During the show, Branch told the crowd she had gone through a breakup recently, which had inspired much of her new music. Evidently her album “Hopeless Romantic” is all about love lost and found.
Known for her 2002 hit single “Everywhere,” Branch is part of the early-2000s female pop rock musician crew with counterparts such as Avril Lavigne. Now, her tracks are dominated more by electric guitar riffs and slow melodies but still retain much of her old sound. Think of her music as an acoustic variation of Ashlee Simpson’s. During the show, Branch told the crowd she had gone through a breakup recently, which had inspired much of her new music. Evidently her album “Hopeless Romantic” is all about love lost and found.
Dressed in jeans and a casual black top, Branch focused on performing with her voice and guitar. She exuded a very down-to-earth vibe – not just with her outfit but with her performance as well. Branch made it a very dynamic concert by joking with the crowd, jamming with her band and letting the audience sing into the microphone.
The show was very much live: Branch performed most of her songs in a lower octave and embraced a variety tones for most songs. While it was refreshing to experience a new sound, her renditions also left me hanging. During her encore performance of “Everywhere,” she dismissed her band and sang with just her electric guitar – a big break from the rock-heavy original track. As the closing song, it lacked the proper energy and liveliness that would have punctuated the performance if she had kept the background percussions.
That being said, the show was still very enjoyable. Although Branch hasn’t performed much in the last few years, she’s a talented singer with a nice voice – and knows how to use it. A few of her new songs – my favorites were “Knock Yourself Out” and “Best You Ever” – are catchy and easy to listen to. Check out her new music below and catch her on tour while you can!
The show was very much live: Branch performed most of her songs in a lower octave and embraced a variety tones for most songs. While it was refreshing to experience a new sound, her renditions also left me hanging. During her encore performance of “Everywhere,” she dismissed her band and sang with just her electric guitar – a big break from the rock-heavy original track. As the closing song, it lacked the proper energy and liveliness that would have punctuated the performance if she had kept the background percussions.
That being said, the show was still very enjoyable. Although Branch hasn’t performed much in the last few years, she’s a talented singer with a nice voice – and knows how to use it. A few of her new songs – my favorites were “Knock Yourself Out” and “Best You Ever” – are catchy and easy to listen to. Check out her new music below and catch her on tour while you can!
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