Photo — Juli Yanai (@jbelle.photo)
Peppy, spritelike and dressed in a black ensemble with corduroy pants fit for the seventies, Jade Bird “opened up her songbook” and sang for the crowd on Saturday. With unmatched laughter and an endless supply of jokes, Bird charmed the sold-out crowd with her candor and powerful vocals. The show, which is part of her North American tour titled (you guessed it), “Open Up The Songbook”, took place at Globe Hall in Denver, Colo., on May 4th, 2024.
Upon stepping onto the stage, Bird greeted the audience with open arms and proceeded to say, “Denver, let’s start this show right!” And the crowd erupted in cheers as she dove right into strumming the energetic intro of “UH HUH”, a song off her first self-titled studio album that also has the highest Spotify streams. “UH HUH” is a fiery song featuring themes of revenge encased in explosive vocals with energetic instrumentals that cement Bird’s reputation as a powerhouse performer.
In the song, Bird sings lyrics:
“She's got you on your knees like a little boy
Everybody sees that you're just a little toy
She’s got a boxful that her daddy likely bought
She asks you if you love her, and you nod and say "Uh huh"
She's got you where it hurts but you don't seem to see
That while she's out at work, she's doing what you did to me
She's got you where it hurts but you don't seem to see
That while she's out at work, she's doing what you did to me.”
The song is a break-up ballad infused with the energy of female empowerment. Zingy and raw, it’s got attitude and it’s hard to pin down, much like the ever-evolving artist that Bird is. Throughout her career, the country-inspired indie artist has always made a point to be distinctly herself and continued to express herself through music that’s raw and unapologetic.
Bird’s performance at Globe Hall was no exception.
Playing songs including her newer releases all the way back to her single “Cathedral” from 2017, Bird’s performance was a time capsule of the artist’s entire discography. And not one to shy away from honesty, Bird walked the audience through each of her songs with hearty and at times self-deprecating explanations that made the crowd laugh in understanding sympathy.
Before playing a love song she’d say, “Now before I turn you all off from ever dating a songwriter, let me play a love song”, with her signature laugh, before blowing it out of the park with another stellar song.
And the audience was obviously there for her undeniable talent as an artist, but Bird’s stage presence is also largely due to her laissez-faire attitude toward life. Standing in front of the crowd and not taking herself too seriously, Bird had a ball while talking about life in all its trials and tribulations.
Bird also sticks true to the messages of female empowerment in her music. For this tour she’s opted to choose different local artists as openers for each tour stop, sharing the stage with other up and coming performers and highlighting their talent.
For the Denver leg, she invited singers Kayla Katz (instagram – @kaylanicolekatzmusic) and Emelise (instagram – @emelisemusic) to take the stage.
In a true moment of sisterhood, Emelise, Katz and Bird shared the stage to sing before Emelise and Bird ended the show by throwing down some Johnny Cash. Smiles could be seen across the room as Emelise and Bird strummed their guitars with pure joy, sharing appreciation for each other’s artistry.
Overall, the show was a night of laughter, singing and sisterhood that lit up the space and we look forward to seeing Jade Bird in Denver again.
