Sharon Van Etten’s show Saturday night at Bowery Ballroom was both an intimate family affair and an acknowledgment that the once-cultish folkie is moving on to bigger, better things: One of those shows where everyone wants to sing along but they don’t want to break the spell. Which makes it an ideal bootleg situation, actually; NYC Taper was there to capture the whole thing.
Stream or download the set here; of particular note is her encore cover of R.E.M.’s “Strange Currencies,” which happens to be the first song I ever learned on guitar, so I’m biased. She likes it too, apparently: “It’s my favorite part!” she notes, right before moaning, “And hear is my apppeaaaal!” See you next time, Sharon, probably at Terminal 5 or something.