Election Day, a great time to exercise your civic duty, and a great time to see some live music by a band named after a bygone political slogan. That was the opportunity presented to the people of Buffalo this Tuesday, when I’m With Her opened their last leg of touring in 2025 at Asbury Hall. A choice between Sarah Jarosz, Sara Watkins, and Aoife O’Donovan would be nearly impossible. Fortunately on this ballot, “All of the Above” was the only option.
And a democratic evening it was. Each of the three ladies took the lead at the mic: with their voices, their instruments, and their banter. Whether you were there to see Watkins, Jarosz, or O’Donovan, there was an near equal amount of each to enjoy. But the true joy came in the melding of all three, which is what I’m With Her is all about. If you’re “with her,” you’re with all of hers.
They were closing out a year that included the release of their superb second album, Wild and Clear and Blue, back in May. Appropriately they opened the show with three straight from the new release. “Find My Way to You” featured Watkins taking lead on the fiddle and a mandolin solo from Jarosz, while the ensuing “Ancient Light” put their gorgeous three part harmonies in the spotlight.
Though it was their first time in Buffalo, the near sold-out crowd was with them from note one. As they dove into older material, a plucked fiddle, flying mandolin and punctuated guitar strums in “Games to Lose” whipped the audience into a frenzy.
Furthering the democratic mood, a quick poll was taken to see if the crowd was eager for a singalong. They had had a mixed experience with crowd participation at a show in Denver, which O’Donovan’s brother blamed on the band not committing to the cause. Buffalo elected to sing, sounding great in the old church walls, on “Overland.” The people have spoken!
Another choice came later amongst the band. They explained that there were three buckets of bluegrass themes: Home, Murder (“in a happy way”), and Gospel. They opted for the gospel bucket, with a striking rendition of “Lord, Lead Me On.”
The following “Sisters of the Night Watch” was a highlight of the evening, taking the audience on a musical journey. Eerie orange and blue lighting enveloped the stage, with O’Donovan and Watkins alone out in front. It was drifting, droning and floating with long instrumental meandering. Eventually Jarosz took control with some fiery guitar playing before Watkins shut it down, letting loose on some powerful vocals.
That opened a quartet of songs strung together by themes of family, at least superficially by title. A wonderful cover of Paul Simon’s “The Obvious Child,” another highlight, followed. The performance made full use of all three women, their voices and their instruments, intertwining in ever more interesting combinations. Originals “Only Daughter” and “Mother Eagle” brought the whole folk family to fruition, in set list parlance.
For the encore they came out to the edge of the stage to sing together into one mic. Their harmonies meeting together more naturally, purer and as perfect as ever on the beautiful “Rhododendron.” The show concluded paying tribute to another hero with John Hiatt’s “Crossing Muddy Waters,” and Watkins got in the final “word,” rattling off one last extra spicy fiddle solo.
As the glowing faces of the crowd made their way out into the street, the exit polls were conclusive, Buffalo was in love with I’m With Her.
Setlist: Find My Way to You, Ancient Light, Standing on the Fault Line, See You Around, Game to Lose, Overland, Different Rocks Different Hills, Ain’t That Fine, Call My Name, Lord Lead Me On (Traditional), Sisters of the Night Watch, The Obvious Child (Simon), Only Daughter, Mother Eagle (Sing Me Alive), Wild and Clear and Blue, Year After Year
Encore: Rhododendron, Crossing Muddy Waters (Hiatt)
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