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Live in Nashville
25th Anniversary Tour
October 30, 2024 Review by Traci Turner
A staple of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s, Sixpence None the Richer is back with a brand new EP, “Rosemary Hill,” and it holds its own against the song that made them a household name, “Kiss Me.” Their first new music in over a decade, it was worth the wait.
When they announced a 25th anniversary tour before the EP release, excitement hit levels on social media like I had not seen in quite some time. With many of the dates sold out, it appears people are not just faking online excitement; they are plopping down the cash to see these musical icons in person.
Two weeks into the tour, Sixpence stopped at the Exit/In in Nashville. This is a smaller venue, making this an intimate, sold-out event for a hometown crowd (technically the band is from Texas, but has called Nashville home for more than two decades).
Another transplant to Nashville, former San Diego resident Anna Vaus opened the evening. The singer/songwriter, joined by Kevin Monahan on guitar, began with a lovely cover of “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” from Tears for Fears. She had very beautiful originals – such as “Born on a Windy Day” and “Halloween on Christmas Eve” – but also did a fantastic job with two covers from Fleetwood Mac, “Dreams” and “Landslide,” which included a full audience sing-along.
When it was time for the headliners, thematic entrance music began, ramping up the energy, and the crowd began cheering and yelling as the band took their places on the small stage.
Matt Slocum was on guitar, Justin Cary on bass, Dale Baker had drums, and Steve Hindalong has been helping on the tour by adding percussion and guitar. The kick drum began thumping, guitars revved to life, and then an incredible round of screams and hollers went up as front-woman Leigh Nash appeared.
With a sparkly, gauzy dress over black leggings, Nash smiled broadly to the crowd and the band went into “Angeltread,” followed by “Within a Room Somewhere.”
Nash and the guys took a moment to enjoy the crowded room, and Nash thanked everyone for attending. She said she had seen Jeff Buckley play from that very stage when she was a teen, and now was standing in a room full of many familiar faces. After mentioning the new EP, they shared one of the new songs from it, “Thread the Needle,” then went into a cover they are very well-known for, Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over.” As Nash swayed along to the song, the lights reflected off her sparkling dress, shooting glittering rays all along the walls.
Once again saying how thankful they were and how she was getting chills from seeing so many people she knew in the crowd, Nash introduced two singers to help on the next song. Sam Ashworth and Ruby Amanfu lent support during “The Tide,” the song released by Nash last year that gave the first heads up Sixpence None the Richer was back in business.
The new EP’s title track, “Rosemary Hill,” was followed by “Midnight Sun,” a cover from The Choir (the band touring musician Steve Hindalong founded), then Nash told a heartfelt story that led into “Don’t Let Me Die in Dallas.”
Nash’s father had been on the way to one of her shows, but had to stop at a motel due to illness, even fearing he may die. Nash had to get through her show, and then rushed to him, and the “momentous” time led to “thoughtful conversations” between them. While he did not pass in Dallas, he has since and she wrote the song in his memory.
Despite it being the last week of October and spooky season, Christmas was welcomed – with some incredible bells – by a cover of Joni Mitchell’s “River.” Then through “Melody of You,” “Homeland,” and “Down and Out of Time” before Nash brought opener Anna Vaus to the stage. Nash said they had collaborated over Zoom to write the next song together, “Julia,” which also appears on the new EP.
As “There She Goes” began, cheers went up from the crowd and phones came out to record video. Nash’s voice was absolute perfection and sounded exactly like it did when we first fell in love with her. Matt Slocum also got appreciate yells during the guitar “solo” portion.
Of course, we could have bet money safely that even more phones would come out and cheers would escalate when “Kiss Me” began, and it did indeed occur. The crowd was mesmerized during the song, but erupted in applause at song’s end.
After closing with another new one – and one of my favorites – “We Are Love,” the band said goodnight before coming back for an encore with “Tension Is a Passing Note” and “Breathe Your Name.”
When I spoke to Nash a few weeks ago, she said she had been “super nervous” and had “jittery energy, strange energy” on the first night. But the crowd “reflected back something so powerful and sincere and sweet that it just shows you what a crowd can do.” I feel confident in saying the band felt that tenfold on this night.
Sixpence None the Richer’s tour closes in SoCal with December 12th at Belly Up in San Diego; December 14th at Constellation Room in Santa Ana; and December 15th at Troubadour in West Hollywood. If you can find tickets, grab them, because they are disappearing fast!
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SID 241033 | JIMMY ALVAREZ | EDITOR
