Elle Mannion | December 16, 2024
The last time Waxahatchee performed at the Tiny Desk, things looked — and sounded — a bit different. In 2013, Katie Crutchfield, sporting baby bangs, performed her bare-boned, devastating songs alone with her eyes mostly closed. “I rolled out of the tour band … I sort of didn’t really know what I was doing at all. My amp broke in the middle [of the set],” Crutchfield says of her 2013 performance.
And while she was already earning her place as one of the most profound lyricists of the 21st century, much has changed since then for the now Grammy-nominated artist. Across Crutchfield’s six albums as Waxahatchee, plus country duo Plains, she’s strayed from her DIY punk roots and settled into something more akin to Americana.
In this Tiny Desk concert, Crutchfield is cool and cozy behind the Desk; she sways with an easy smile as she kicks off the set with her latest single, “Much Ado About Nothing,” alongside a five-piece band. She performs one of NPR Music’s best songs of 2024, “Right Back To It,” as well as Tigers Blood’s title track and an album standout, “Crowbar.” She and the band end with “Fire,” a song that, as the first single from 2020’s Saint Cloud, marked the beginning of a beautiful transformation of Waxahatchee’s music.
“I’m really happy that that exists,” Crutchfield says of her 2013 Tiny Desk. “And I’m really happy to be back to show you this new version of the band.”
SET LIST
“Much Ado About Nothing”
“Right Back to It”
“Crowbar”
“Tigers Blood”
“Fire”
MUSICIANS
Katie Crutchfield: vocals, acoustic guitar
Eliana Athayde: upright bass, background vocals
Cole Berggren: piano, banjo
Spencer Tweedy: drums, background vocals
Colin Croom: pedal steel, dobro, guitar
Clay Frankel: guitar, background vocals
TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Elle Mannion
Director/Editor: Maia Stern
Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell
Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Kara Frame, Estefania Mitre
Audio Engineer: Andie Huether
Production Assistant: Ashley Pointer
Photographer: Michael Zamora
Tiny Desk Copy Editor: Hazel Cills
Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed
Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
#waxahatchee #nprmusic #tinydesk
Support for NPR Music comes from Better Help, committed to helping clients with issues ranging from relationship challenges and goal-setting to grief and depression. Learn more at BetterHelp.com/TinyDesk
Support for NPR Music comes from Google and Year in Search 2024. You can watch the film featuring the biggest breakout searches that defined the year at g.co/yearinsearch
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What a Crew
This artist made so many Best of 2024 lists, I made sure to mentally bookmark them. Thank you again Tiny Desk for just perfectly displaying what makes a great act great – distinctive voices, instrument mastery, and a tone full of soul
squad
Never seen a left handed pedal steel before!!! Amazing 😀
I love this band
2 of my favorite voices in this whole wide beautiful crazy world ❤
PLEASEEE get Billie Marten
Takes me back to Kentish Town in London this summer…what a singer, what a band and what a show. And the best choice of songs for the tiny desk set 😊
Please come to Merlefest
WAXAHATCHEEEEEE i love her so much!! It’s so exciting to see artists I love get the recognition they deserve 🙂
Fire makes me cry without fail every time i hear it
Tigers Blood is my favorite album of 2024. It’s truly been a guiding light for me through this tumultuous year. Thank you Waxahatchee. I don’t know where I’d be without you.
from the plains to her and the beautiful band is so so solid and makes me dance in my cowboy dreams everyday in my playlist
Spoon sent me here, and I'm so glad he did! Amazing music!
I come right back to this video every night! This is a group of musicians on the top of their game I hope Katie can keep this going!
Waxahatchee!!!!
Preciosidad de concierto y preciosidad de disco. De los mejores del año. Gracias, NPR. ❤
Pd. Joya de baterías cortesía de Spencer Milei.
Merry Christmas present – Waxahatchee opens for Wilco in North Carolina. My lovely bride of 23+ years and I will be there! Spring Road Trip!
Kind of has a folksy Americana feel to it
Poetry
As always fantastic, what an artist 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Tiger's Blood was my favorite album this year. My wife can't believe how many times I have listened to "Get Right Back To It." Keep going Katie – hope you get to the Twin Cities sometime soon. Thank you NPR.
Great music realy brings me back a human aspect of life"" down to earth💋❤️❤️
who she was in her first tiny desk vs. now is so beautiful to witness, always been a huge fan. incredible, Katie. sending love from Alabama <3