Think of Brandi Carlile as something of a Forrest Gump of music — in the best way. Just as Tom Hanks’ character in the 1994 movie was always interacting with brilliant and revered people, so too does Carlile, except as a collaborator. Just consider her work with a host of household-name artists including the Indigo Girls, the Fray, Tori Amos and Chris Isaak. Unlike Gump, though, it’s her musical instinct, not happenstance, that brings Carlile to the attention of many world-class musicians. To say that such work is the stuff of dreams isn’t an overstatement when you consider Carlile’s musical inspirations came from attending concerts by Dave Matthews, Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder, and others at Seattle’s Benaroya Hall.
“I watched them,” she said, “and I wondered what it would be like to stand on that beautiful stage.”
| Onstage |
| Brandi Carlile |
| When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday |
| Where: Birchmere, 3701 Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria |
| Info: $45; 202-397-SEAT; ticketmaster.com |
Now Carlile has experienced performing on that and many other beautiful stages. Her latest album “Live at Benaroya Hall with the Seattle Symphony,” was recorded during two sold-out shows featuring the orchestra, Carlile and her band, which includes brothers Phil and Tim Hanseroth.
The memories of the shows are fresh in Carlile’s memory thanks in large part to a jubilant crowd that was so raucous, “there were a few seconds I couldn’t even hear our band over the symphony.”
Carlile and her band insisted on making the live performance the priority of all those involved in the venture.
“When you’re standing in front of 3,000 people, you’d be amazed what you forget,” she said. “Before the show we were asked to adjust the lighting for a few songs to allow for photos for the album packaging and we said, ‘No, no, no. The show is all that matters,’ ” she said. “The ironic thing is if you believe nothing matters more than the show, that will translate in an unspeakable way on the recording.”
