Stompin’ and Hollerin’: Joy Abounds at Birdtalker’s Cornerstone Show

(Note: This review is from November 2021. You can stream Birdtalker’s latest EP ‘Thunder’ (2023) anywhere you listen to music.)

If you are in a time in your life where you feel shrouded in darkness, allow Nashville five-piece, Birdtalker, to show you the light. 

Birdtalker’s show at Cornerstone on November 4, can be described as nothing short of healing.

The band opened with, “Better in the Morning,” a gut-wrenchingly reflective song. In the song, co-lead Zack Green gently looped and harmonized with himself. The lyrics combined with the stunning harmonies are powerful enough to bring tears to one’s eye. 

Though all of the lyrics prompted reflection, the lyric that resonated most with fellow perfectionists and others who are hard on themselves was, “Be gentle with yourself as you uncover your best kept secrets yet to be uncovered.” 

Zack once wrote that this song was “a love letter to himself” and that he realized he was “ the script writer of [his] own internal dialogue, not the victim.” It was clear the quiet crowd soaked this all in. 

Another standout of the show was the song “Graveclothes,’’ which felt just as lively as it did in the recorded version. There certainly were no ‘mournful sounds’ to be heard that night.

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The title song of the tour, “Tides,” brought a tidal wave of calm and peace to the audience. The guitarists deliver lines of music evocative of the peace and relaxation one feels when experiencing a moonlit night by the waterside. 

Birdtalker offered another breathtaking performance with the song, “Just This.” The staccato like string plucking during the song’s introduction builds anticipation leading to the beautiful release of Dani and Zack’s first line. Throughout the song, Zack and Dani’s chemistry was palpable. Their harmonies moved so effortlessly together, and the quick pickups gave the song a magnetic energy that made you want to lean towards them, feeling every moment of the song with them. Chris Wilson’s performance on the drums is also to be commended on this tune, his gentle percussion keeping time perfectly with the staccato guitar lines. 

Perhaps the most emotional performance of the night though came when the band performed “Blue Healer,” a song about Dani’s own journey with depression. The personification of sadness wearing blue rain boots was, in the words of Dani, “a light hearted delivery of thoughtful subjects.” 

There came a point during an instrumental section of the song, where all that rang out in the venue was the gentle guitar line and Zack’s beautiful bird-like whistling. 

Following ‘Blue Healer’ came the song “Heavy,” a crowd favorite. Heavy was surreal to hear live. It was a song of collective healing. The lyrics, “leave what’s heavy, what’s heavy behind,” felt particularly meaningful as we all come out of the anxiety-ridden Covid times. Everyone was finally in a room together singing and dancing after a traumatic year. Never has this song felt more relevant than it did that night. To hear the band and audience sing and dance together was like a warm hug. Multiple tears were shed in the room during this song; it was a pure release of emotion. 

The official final song of the night was certainly the most danceable. ‘“Old Sob Story” reminded you that the group hails from Nashville. It had a bit more of a bluesy tone. Zack showcased a deeper, more bellowing sound. The whole band made this song come alive. Every member brought an electric energy to the stage that made you mourn the show coming to a close. 

The band came up with a little diddy to commemorate their first time performing in Berkeley, singing “Happy Berkeley to you” to the tune of Happy Birthday. The crowd joined in the cheerful tune. Though it was silly and lighthearted, the love in the room was obvious. 

Following the singing of “Happy Berkeley To You,” the audience was treated to a four song encore featuring the song that started it all for Birdtalker, ‘One.’ The encore also included, “My Lover,” “Better Days,”  and “The Dream.”

All the songs of the encore were beautiful in their own way. “My Lover” paints the one you love as being like a resolution. It was just Zack and Dani on stage, which felt beautifully intimate. They shared their love with the crowd. ‘Better Days’ brought more of the band on stage and served as a reminder that there will in fact always be “better days.” Lastly, “The Dream” was a standout because the band all sang together. Brian Seligman brought the most happiness to the song with his gorgeous performance on the mandolin. It was an encore that livened the spirits of all those in the room.

If you have yet to see Birdtalker live, add it to your bucket list. One does not merely attend a Birdtalker show. You experience it. Dani, Zack, and the rest of the band’s joy shine through in their songs. You will leave the show feeling rejuvenated and uplifted. 

Article and Photos by Anna Armstrong