Emma Ruth Rundle
October 28, 2024
Raleigh, NC
King’s Barcade
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I think it’s safe to say that many of us turned to the one thing besides our loved ones that was there and loved us unconditionally: music. Amid lockdown and no end in sight, I immersed myself in music and opened my ears, mind, and heart to lots of new music. Two genres of music that spoke volumes to me were Dark Folk and Death Gospel. Warm, dark, melancholic, beautifully disturbing, and hauntingly welcoming are just a few ways I can describe these genres that include artists such as Louise Lemon, Anna Von Hausswolff, Chelsea Wolfe, Marissa Nadler, and the subject of this review, dark/eclectic folk icon Emma Ruth Rundle.
Getting to see live music at that time was something I never thought I’d get to do again, so I filled that void by purchasing tons of vinyl, listening attentively with every nerve in my body completely present and susceptible to feel all the emotions of music that had taken for granted so much. The music of Emma Ruth Rundle brought up a myriad of emotions and even re-shaped the way I was as a songwriter myself, so when all these years later, in 2024, I had the opportunity to see her live, I bought the tickets, gassed up the car, and I hit the road for Raleigh, NC.
Upon walking into King’s Barcade, I immediately felt I was in some magical place. It was dank, dark, and musty, and I could feel that the walls of this room had seen some amazing things and still stood to hold those secrets. As for the audience, they were an impressively broad range of people. 20-something goths, Pitchfork worshiping hipsters, metalheads sporting their favorite Chelsea Wolfe and unreadable logo band shirts, and even a couple that looked to be in their 60s. That alone spoke of the magnetic appeal of Emma Ruth Rundle’s music.
Emma Ruth Rundle took the stage as the packed room cheered loudly, suddenly drawing to complete silence. Rundle perched herself upon a piano bench, accompanied by two guitars, a gigantic effects pedal board, and a collection of soothing yet haunting visuals projected on her and the back of the stage by a projector. Looking almost delicate and fragile, she picked up her acoustic guitar and opened things with “Living With The Black Dog.” Much like the dramatic shock rock of Alice Cooper, the moment she started singing, she transformed from this delicate, somewhat fragile doll to take on a whole new identity.
During the song “Run Forever,” Rundle panned the room with her eyes, and at one point, she made direct eye contact with me. Well, at least I think she did because it was in such an intense moment of delivery; I couldn’t tell if she was looking “at” me or “through” me. It gave me an unsettling feeling, yet I found it amazing that, for that moment, I felt like the only person in the whole room. This completely changed how I hear and feel about this song; I will never forget it when I listen to it.
At one point, Rundle addressed the audience, telling us that she chose to use ambient sounds in between songs because she felt that her stage banter on her previous Engine of Hell tour eventually started to feel like a comedy routine. She smiled broadly and thanked everyone for coming out. Then, she continued into the two songs representing Engine of Hell in the set, “Citadel” and a gut-wrenching version of “Blooms of Oblivion.”
This night’s audience blew me away with how respectful and attentive they were. It was exactly how I hoped it would be. It was a room full of people fixated, present, and open to receiving the emotive musical stories from a songwriter in their most vulnerable state being solo. There were moments when it was so quiet that the only sounds present besides the music were the bartenders pouring drinks and lightly clinking bottles.
Rundle’s hour and some-change set served as an anthology of sorts, including songs that spanned her sixteen-year career, such as “Arms I Know So Well,” “Haunted Houses,” “Shadows of My Name,” and the one-two show-stopping punch of “Darkhorse” and “Marked for Death.” Hearing those last two songs in such a stripped-down, vulnerable state drove home the emotion of both songs, literally bringing tears to my eyes. I couldn’t have held them back if I tried, but I didn’t want to. This was cathartic. This was my therapy, and I felt seen, heard, and felt by this person on stage who had no idea she was doing this to me with just her voice and a guitar.
Strapping on her electric baritone, Emma read a piece of poetry from her forthcoming book titled The Bella Vista Poems. She smiled and quietly said, “Thank you all for coming out. This is “Real Big Sky.” As I scanned the room, I saw that this song meant a lot to many people and allowed me to feel it in a way I didn’t feel by just hearing it on vinyl. Suddenly, that song took on a whole new meaning for me, which I will carry with me forever.
Emma Ruth Rundle. What more can I say? Shit, I’m impressed that I even found the words to describe this show, but as a long-time writer, I have learned that the best reviews and essays genuinely write themselves. Seeing Emma Ruth Rundle was a wish come true. I finally had the opportunity to connect with these songs on a much more personal level. It was like meeting a friend in real life that you’d only been pen pals with for years before. It was an extraordinary evening for me, and as I left the venue with my vinyl and t-shirt, I felt exhilarated, inspired, and comforted. I cannot fully describe the embrace of Emma Ruth Rundle’s music, but if you dig her music and see her live for the first time, you will know exactly what I’m talking about.
Check out Emma if she’s coming to your town and if she’s not, then get your butt in gear and get to the closest one. You can thank me later.
Emma Ruth Rundle 2024 North American Tour
11/01 – Brooklyn, NY – Littlefield +
11/02 – Hamden, CT – Space Ballroom +
11/03 – Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church +
11/29 – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios #
11/30 – Seattle, WA – Tractor #
12/02 – Sacramento, CA – Harlows #
12/03 – San Francisco, CA – GAMH
12/05 – Los Angeles, CA – Zebulon
12/07 – San Diego, CA – Soda Bar #
12/09 – Phoenix, AZ – Valley Bar #
12/10 – Santa Fe, NM – Meow Wolf #
12/12 – Austin, TX – Austin Central Presbyterian #
12/13 – Denton, TX – Rubber Gloves #
12/14 – Oklahoma City, OK – Resonant Head #
12/16 – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theatre #
+ with Ora Cogan # with Storefront Church
You can pick up tickets here: https://www.emmaruthrundle.com/tourdates
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