Indigo Girls: Tiny Desk Concert
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- Опубліковано 6 лют 2023
- Ann Powers | February 7, 2023
A thrill of recognition passed through the crowd gathered around the Tiny Desk when the Indigo Girls began the first song of this set of stone-cold classics. It's "Closer To Fine" - arguably the singalong song of the '90s (it was released in 1989) and still a signature for the duo that's been offering life lessons to its fervent fans for nearly four decades. In politically purposeful T-shirts - Emily Saliers wore one reading PROTECT TRANS KIDS, while Amy Ray's was from the environmental justice-oriented Water is Life Festival - the two shared space as only they can, trading off songs each had written while becoming one through their trademark harmonies. The selection they offered provides an ideal brief overview of a legendary career.
"Look Long," the title track from the Girls' 15th studio album, released in 2020, featured Saliers in a tenderly contemplative mood, calling for perspective in the midst of struggle. The duo's sole accompanist, Lyris Hung, seized the room's attention on the fiery Ray rocker "Go," and then came "Kid Fears," one of the Girls's most beloved ballads, a dose of compassion that feels as necessary now as it did in 1989. The love in the room at that moment flowed both ways. "I'm always quoting NPR, so thank you all for your work - all of y'all, collectively," Ray said near the set's end. And then as the music began again, the smiles on the Girls' faces showed that they were feeling that wave of gratitude for noble work returned.
SET LIST
"Closer to Fine"
"Look Long"
"Go"
"Kid Fears"
MUSICIANS
Amy Ray: vocals, acoustic guitar
Emily Saliers: vocals, acoustic guitar
Lyris Hung: violin
TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Bob Boilen
Director/Editor: Maia Stern
Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Videographers: Maia Stern, Jill Britton, Kara Frame, Sofia Seidel
Audio Assistant: Neil Tevault
Production Assistant: Pilar Galvan
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Joshua Bryant, Marissa Lorusso, Hazel Cills, Ashley Pointer
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann
#nprmusic #tinydesk #indigogirls
When I was 8 years old my parents took me to see the Indigo Girls in Chicago. We had front row seats for some reason and about halfway through the show I got tired and laid my head on my dad's lap. Amy (I think) noticed and told the whole crowd a small child was asleep in the front row and that it was very sweet. I was not asleep and got embarrassed! Who sleeps at a rock show!? So I sat up. They asked me how old I was and I held up eight fingers because I wasn't sure they would be able to hear me. Later, my dad found out this encounter was recorded and appears on their live album 1200 Curfews! I'll never forget and I will always admire and strive to emulate their life long dedication to social justice.
WOW, that's so cool to know that was you. I've loved them for a long time and love their live albums but it's cool to learn this. Thanks for sharing!
OH MY GOODNESS YOU'RE THAT KID!!! AWESOME. 1200 Curfews is so great.
Wonderful life experience, sweet blessings to all.
What a great experience 😊
So cool
They should be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Yes! I 100% agree!
Of course they should, I am still amazed they aren't
Yes!!!
We should vote for them - can’t we nominate them?!
Yes!!
My AP Physics teacher told me years ago that the line "I spent four years prostrate to a higher mind, got my papers and I was free" was one of the most important lines in music. The longer I work in academia, the more I know he's right. Also, that violinist is AWESOME!
I love learning. Try bring ignorant without a college education.
With all the stupidities in our country, this is what freedom looks like. Thank you NPR and Indigo Girls. Very moving.
Wait... how had they NOT done a Tiny Desk yet?! Glad that error has been corrected.
Boy, I have missed them! Their lyrics have always gotten my attention. They're like the female version of Bob Dylan. I have so much respect for both of them. Their violin player ties the music all together. This concert has been a blessing to wake up with. Thank you NPR for making this old lady's day. (71yrs young).
"Female version of Bob Dylan". With the harmonies of Simon and Garfunkel.
You arrived on this earth one year before me😊, I was thrilled to come across this tonite, brought back so many memories of listening to them inside dancing in the kitchen, outside in the gardens, I still do both just need to find those cds!
please add a 74 year old woman delighted to hear a group l have missed and love!😊
These girls are not the female version of Bob Dylan. They are completely unique.
@kathyhollenbach7413 These ladies rule
I used to have a female canary named Nell. She went through some bad times in a relationship with a male Zebra Finch, and after we separated them, we discovered that female canaries, too, can sing. She had a low, reedy sounding voice, and she sang every time we played the Indigo Girls' first album.
🐥🆒
That was a whole journey of a comment. ❤
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 These women have made a world of difference in my life and will forever be my favorite band. Thanks, NPR, for featuring them.
🏳️🌈 ❤🎉
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🎉🫂🎉🫂🎉
Yes, Thank You.
Sometimes a band or group transcends the usual categories that apply to musical endeavors and become something that’s beyond category. The Indigo Girls have definitely achieved that status. More accessible than icons, more deeply influential than mere pop or rock stars. More like community elders that you look to for wisdom, guidance and support when you need it most.
I lost my mom back in October, one of the very last things I got to do for her was FaceTime her during their show in Charlotte, NC. I am the house lighting guy at the Fillmore out here, and my mom never got to see my work live. But she did get to watch me do lights for their set, from the comfort of her couch soon before she passed. I will forever be thankful for the Indigo Girls (who I had never heard of prior) for helping to craft one of the last bonding moments I got with my best friend. I miss you mom, I hope I’m making you proud.
I'm in TEARS. What's not to love about them?
Same here. I cried with every song remembering every concert I've seen them in. They're so important to my sense of myself. And "Go," my absolute favorite.
Same! Their lyrics and harmonies are so beautiful and poignant.
Emily Sailers is the poet laureate of americana music!
For a moment I half expected Michael Stipe to step in from the side (ala their old vhs concert video). No worries, though. I still performed the backing vocals, as I have done in the car/dorm/bus/apartment/home/office since 1989. Thanks, Amy and Emily, for being the soundtrack of my life ❤
SAAAAAAME
I was thinking of Michael Stipes voice soaring in the background too. But this rendition is as beautiful.
Lol, I was singing the Stipe part. I saw the Indigo Girls live in Chicago about 1992. Great show
I was too
Nice comment Matt, this video touched my heart as do many of the comments. Bless the love here and thank you everyone.
Instantly transported back to my undergrad years. These girls got me through some really dark times and some really happy times. Amy and Emily need to be protected at all costs.
Bless them both, keep them safe always, Amen. 💜
Me too. I was living in the dorms in 1989 and I remember having the cassette (yes, before that thing called CDs) of theirs and I'd sing along, so yeah this immediate start on this performance of Closer to Fine melted my heart yet again. I know every note, word, nuance, harmony. Every moment of this entire concert was sublime. Brava, ladies. And yes that violinist is incredible too. I love y'all. God bless, no auto tune. Just real stories set to music.
@@lisamj And isn’t it incredible how we remember every single word and note after all these years, but we can’t remember what we had for lunch last Saturday?
I remember 90/91 living with my gf and another couple. She was seeing someone else on weekends and I was crushed and had nowhere to turn to. Thankfully alcohol and drugs just didn't do it for me! Anyhow, one of my other apartment mates had several Indigo CDs and I started listening to them. This music drew me in and gave me the strength to get through such hard and dark times. Here I am 30+ years later and the music is still so powerful.
The vocal instrument might be getting older but the guitar and violin won’t .. but if you loved them then guess what we are OLD!!! thanks NPR took me back to many a concert
So wonderful they included Lyris. She is amazing.
I know??? First saw her on Emily's Murmuration Nation tour and have been THRILLED to see her brought in regularly on IG gigs and tours now ... hope it continues.
Emily Sailers combines the complete skill set that very few songwriters possess... acoustic guitar finger style wizardry with brilliant melody and lyrics and a soaring captivating voice. If you like what you heard today, do yourself a favor. Check out Swamp Ophelia (Mystery, Fair Thee Well) and then move on to Rites of Passage. Love the Indigo Girls!
Yes, Mystery is one of the best songs ever written.
"Ghost" is one of those songs that can change your entire viewpoint and perspective. It changed the way i see myself in relationships for the better and I thank this duo for eloquently writing about what I never knew to exist.
I loved Closer To Fine in the 90s, and like many truly great songs it has depths that make it even more meaningful to me today.
Yes!
Indigo Girls never disappoint.
The Indigo Girls have had such a great and influential long career, and it isn't over!!!! Thanks NPR for bringing them to us this morning.
These two women helped me get through some really tough times. Their music was a life raft for me when I first heard it as a young teen. Glad they are still going. National treasures, the both of them.
One of my lifetime favorite band/duo. I've seen them play in the early 90s. I've always admired Emily's guitar playing and love Amy's voice (with perfect harmony by Emily) ... honor to see them on NPR on YT.
So great! I never would have thought Amy's voice would hold up longer than Emily's with the way she liked to thrash it, but here we are. Glad they are still kicking around.
that was awesome the Violinist killed it!
Aging sucks but it beats the alternative. God bless 'em for playing for us. They can hear. They do it because they love us and feel like they owe us something. I hope they feel how much we love them. They have held a place of prominence on the sound track of my life story for so long I can't remember my first listen; like they've been there all along.
I am so happy that they're still singing. Don't stop!
Lyris’ violin was like a third voice. Amazing performance. Love these women.
Love this.
I remember when the pandemic was at it's worst, the IGirls hopped online and treated us all to some great tunes. It was all live, unscripted and fabulous. You just left with a feeling that we were all in it together and there was hope.
This was amazing. Kid Fears is my absolute favorite Indigo Girls song. It is so haunting and beautiful. As others commented, I secretly wish Michael Stipe would have magically appeared to sing it with them as he does on the album track. Amy Ray is still killing it after all of these years. Her intensity and voice are incredible.
I remember the month their first album came out and hearing Michael Stipe encourage his fans to give them a listen. That's all I had to hear and bought the album before hearing one song. Several great albums later, I'm so happy I took his advice.
Still love those harmonies 30 years later...💕
A 35 year fan. Yes we were all in our early - mid twenties listening to Strange Fire. Love these ladies.
GOATS!! I LOVE YOU LADIES!!! TY FOR BEING YOU AND BRINGING US JOY FOR SOOOO LONG NOW! LOVE & LIIGHT!💖
YOU ARE PHENOMENAL LYRiS HUNG!!!
Can’t tell you how many Indigo Girls songs we played while writing more of our own.
Your legacy inspired so many people to sing in their cars, be themselves, start a band and more.
This was beautiful!
So xool
@@grandpianist I saw you subscribed. Cool! We probably have a lot of liked music in common.
The stuff on my list by slowjane (not Slow Jane) is my old band if you’re curious.
@@genghis_connie so true!!
I was surprised that upon the first moment hearing them with one or two listens I knew the lyrics as if we had all created them together and sang right along in perfect harmony.
I have heard of the Indigo Girls but this is my first time listening to them. I am so glad I stayed. Such great storytelling with much passion. All of the songs were amazing but "Go" was my absolute favorite. The violin solo did it for me. Y'all are great at your craft. Many blessings on your journeys. Peace! 💜
Me and my newlywed husband and the Detroit Palace (back in the day)…Bill playing guitar at 1am and us trying to do these harmonies…me playing them for my babies…my adult girls and I singing Galileo at the top of our lungs on the way to Salem like witches…thanks, IG, for the memories ❤❤❤
I’ve been living under a rock, apparently, and just not aware of the Indigo Girls - on the strength of this music had to look them up on Wikipedia, and wow. Thank you NPR Music.
Listen to the studio version of their hit Galileo, it’s a really happy beautiful song.
Holy cow... My musical voyage has certainly taken me thousands of places since SWAMP OPHELIA came out when I was in the middle of high school... But I've always returned and returned to RITES OF PASSAGE, for sure. This Tiny Desk has been a reminder that FOLK is for community and history and protest and progress. These folks have power and presence and virtues and virtuosity in their communication to the larger world. What a pleasure to see & hear.
Tears in my eyes.
These geniuses have gotten me through
so many stages of my life.
Awesome fiddle
woven through poignant memories and gorgeous new messages.
Man what a beautiful concert.
Thank you
Thank you 🙏🏼
♥️
❤️
♥️
❤
Ok so funny story: I found out about the Indigo Girls barely 10 minutes ago through a story I was reading. Liked the 2 songs I’ve heard, looked them up to see which one sings which part and boom! New Tiny Desk. This is almost too good to be true xD it would be, if I didn’t already know how awesome y’all are.
Amazing, welcome to the IG fandom, we are glad you found us 😁
@@anniekate76 where's a good place to start with their music?
@@smilectics Nomads Indians Saints
I'd say Back On The Bus Y'all
@@smilectics Their big initial hits, which are my favs, are on their first full album, called Indigo Girls
what a lovely energy they have
My heart is soaring. Thank you to every soul who made this happen.
As a new lesbian still trying to figure out her place in this world, the Indigo Girls have changed my life. Thank you for your music!!
congratulations on your lesbianism
I completely understand
As an old, straight, cis-gendered, male Libertarian, I really like the Indigo Girls music! :)
Who cares?
Welcone Home 🤗❤️🧡💛💚🩵💜
Their Thursday night pandemic concerts on FB were EVERYTHING. I’m so glad I was exposed to them at summer camp many years ago.
Fantastic! I'm still applauding. Thanks, NPR, for hosting the Indigo Girls, and thanks to Indigo Girls for the fabulous concert. Hugs all around!
Saw them in a tiny club (Boston, I think) in ‘89 or ‘90, possibly a side gig during the REM tour. Completely packed. We were at the back and they were still just feet away. Amy broke a string during “Blood and Fire” (low E maybe) and just kept singing, in time, while someone (either a roadie or Emily, can’t recall) took her guitar off and put another around her neck. She then played the song out from there. Kept the full emotion of the vocal (lots, if you know the tune) going the whole time like nothing happened. Super cool. Great to see she’s still got it, especially on “Kid Fears,” my favorite tune of theirs. Emily’s harmonies still sound great there, too.
Smiling through my tears. Thank you Indigo Girls for your work, your gifts to the world. You make this world a better place. So beautiful to see your bountiful gratitude.
Well put!
The Indigo Girls are MAGIC!! Their music was a big part of the soundtrack of my high school days (Atlanta in the 90s), and one of the reasons I took up guitar myself. So much respect for these ladies and the beautiful music they create. I love them so much. And I love that they've continued to play and create--there IS space in society (and in the public eye) for creative, talented women with wrinkles and gray hair!
Best thing on the internet today! I will watch this on repeat. ❤🧡💛💚💙💜
OMG. SO AWESOME!!! The best duo out there. Their songs are so timeless.
The sound engineering is absolutely crisp. I'm not even using any high-end speakers.
Wow such great talent. I've been a fan for years. Bout time NPR!!!!
1980's Little Five Points...Atlanta...small bar...went there to have a few beers and being the young dude looking to hit on young ladies...they came, they played...I loved the music...loved the crowd...then realized...I was probably one of only a few men...the bar was filled with ladies...and I had the time of my life...
Instant tears of joy. Thanks for pushing hope forward.
Yes yes YES!!! These women have captivated me for 33 years. Their art has accompanied me for my entire adult life; I could never thank them enough for that.💜
ps The musical drummers they’ve chosen over the years have been stellar and very inspiring to this drummer.😊🤘
Ah, our big sisters, still singing and leading.
❤
Oh, what a lovely surprise! :-) Listened to them a lot when I was coming out in 2002-ish.
I’m sitting alone in my living room watching you on my lap top, singing Michael’s part in Kid Fears. My animals think I’ve lost my mind. Thank you, ladies, for stopping by Tiny Desk.
Ha! I was singing that part too! Great memories!
Oh wow! How exciting! Kid Fears is coming up then- best IG song!
Oh man I wanted to hear Power of Two so bad 😭 but it’s so good to see and hear from them. I’ve listened to the Indigo Girls on and off since I was a kid when I found them through their work w/P!nk and then caught on to their own music. Still sounding just as great as when I first heard them 😊👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
I used to sing Power of Two to my kids when they were little... ❤️
"You know the things that I am afraid of
I'm not afraid to tell
And if we ever leave a legacy
It's that we loved each other well"
Their voices, harmonies, and acoustic orchestrations are iconic, and take me back to a period of my life in the late '80s into the '90s. It's good to see that they're still making music and telling their stories as only they can.
It's absolutely blowing my mind seeing them older now. I feel like I took a break from listening to some artists from the 80s or 90s and when I plug into them again, I can't get my head around the fact that 30 years have passed by in a blink. What happened?
Was just thinking the same thing! Part nostalgia and part mind blown. Good to see them either way.
The last concert, and frankly one of the only shows I ever got to see with my mom who passed recently, was IG's.
It was a great time and I'll never forget being able to share it with my her.
Love you forever, mom.
What a memory. Here’s to moms.
These songs are so tightly coupled with my formative years, they mean so much to me. Thank you for this
These girls have been one of my favorite soundtracks since 1990. I’m a 67 yr old male and I have seen them at least 5 times. I admire their passion, their bravery, and their talents. They are sublime.
They got me thru some hard times! So great to see this. Namaste.
Thank you!!! They have been the soundtrack of my life. Such gratitude for these two women, their lyrics, honesty and voices.
When my daughter was in second grade, and had to write a list of her favorites for open house, for her favorite music, she wrote IN2GO girls. Now she’s 35 and still loves them. So does her Madre!
Yes!!! It’s about time I get to see these fantastic women on here. I got really excited when Amy said “we’re gonna do an oldie” and I heard the first chord of Kid Fears. I was the audience member singing along with you from my couch. The ones, the ones, the ones that you love…..ah, the ones that you love.❤❤❤
Right on, Alison. I knew the last song was going to be one of Amy's, and when they played the first chord of "Kid Fears," I just about lost it. Gives us an idea of which of her songs Amy thinks the most of. I'm right there with her!
so good. I just watched a live from 1989 and they have the same guitars!
I love your music always. And Lyra is such an amazing addition.
SUPER love Emily’s shirt ❤❤❤
Lyris, sorry!!!
These lovely ladies provided the soundtrack to my early adult life and I’ve missed seeing them live. So happy to have seen this!!
About 20 years I had the pleasure of seeing you perform at the w.x.p.n. weekend concert series in Camden, New Jersey.. You performed on the same bill with Patti Smith. Even though Patti had the 8pm slot , Amy Rae. and her sister were thae artists everyone wanted to see and spend the evening with. So many wanted to just sleep under the stars and spend the night with the 2 of you! The music was magical and the feeling of tranquility overwhelmed the background of the Delaware River and the Philadelphia skyline. I was 35 then and was an excited young man, looking forward to a 2nd career as an educator, and maybe write to song or 2. Wow Amazing soung for tiny desk! So clear and energized. I could listen all day long, if I only had the time. At 55 I'm trying one last hail mary. To connect with musicians from all over the world and bring new music to as many young students as I can. Weather it's the indigo girls, Jake Thistle, Robert zeligson, or the ghost of Elvis, I want to leave this earth motivating children to listen to live and recorded music while investing thier ow time on the arts and finding thier true tallents. I would love for this generation to put down thier video games and cell phones and play instuments,sing, paint, take pictures or do anything to find thier true talents and identity. Why do isay this. Because the 2 if u do truely motivate others of all ages and for that I just need to to say thanku! Thanks for the last 40 years of a one song that will be in my mind till death and beyond. For making so many albums and videos that I'll never get bored in old age. Finally for being such activists and supporting so many causes and illnesses over the years. So many people have benefited from your philanthropy and the ability to create change that was needed in America. The 2 of you will not o ly go down in musically history but of our own history of America. I'm looking forward to another 20 years of the uplifting music that I'm hearing as I write this. Your harmonizing vocals still give me goosebumps in this moment and I can barely get myself to get off my bed and ready for work at 530am. Thanku both for adding a soundtrack to my difficult UT amazing life.
This is great. I'd really like to see Dar Williams on Tiny Desk next
That's what real music sounds like. Live and unedited. No auto-tune, no special effects, no overproduction. Just magic.
😁😁😁😁😁Those opening chords are such a joy to hear. THANK YOU INDIGO GIRLS & TDC!!! ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Love love love these ladies! Their lyrics spoke to me years ago as a young mother and now as a GrandMom of 4 ❤️❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
the indigo girls have been my favourite band since i was in high school, so so happy to finally see them on tiny desk! ❤
I remember going to see the Indigo Girls way back in the 80's as they would play local bars regularly in my hometown. Long before they had a big record deal. Love that we "grew up" together and they are still thriving. Music connects us to the past but is timeless as it travels into the future..
I love your last line, so true.
This brought me right back to my senior college year in 92. And now 30 odd years later happy to see them still creating and sharing 🤍
I have adored the Indigo Girls since I was 16 years old in 1994! Thanks, Amy and Emily, for all the amazing songs and their messages plus the many live shows I’ve enjoyed. ❤ Thanks, NPR!!
I’ve never clicked faster on a video.
Clicked on this on a whim and am immediately blown away by the sound. 🎵🎶🎵
How to age gracefully embodied. And still excellent.
Love, love, LOVE them! Live, in-person, recordings they are amazing. Reminds me of such a powerfully formative time in my life and for them I'm forever grateful. 💜
One of my best memories is seeing them at Red Rocks. It’s probably been at least 20 years. They’re still just as amazing!
We were probably at the same concert. They were on tour with Spearhead.
We came up from Fla in the early 90’s to see the at Red Rocks. Wow, what a concert! What a beautiful place.
I have so much respect for these women, having grown up with their music. Listening to their music is what got me into singing harmonies and I’m so grateful for that.
I admit I was not very familiar with your music. My wife and I were on a long drive to a vacation and she put on Swamp Ophelia. To say it was a revelation would be an understatement. Song after song of the most brilliant, soulful, inciteful lyrics, backed by impeccable and emotional music. After it was done I asked to play it all again, and again. When we were in the car, your music was playing. Now several decades later, I still play that album. It is a national treasure. I am not discounting other albums. But, for me, Swamp Ophelia is one of the great albums of all time. It is a part of me, and I thank you for that gift.
Waking up to this this morning is better than Christmas! Love IG!
Not seeing any timestamps . . .
0:00 "Closer to Fine"
4:16 CtF-LL transition
5:31 "Look Long"
10:14 LL-G transition
11:14 "Go"
15:21 G-KF transition
17:02 "Kid Fears"
21:40 last applause
22:19 Capital One
Awesome! Brings back incredible memories.These 2 inspired me to play guitar . Saw them at the Greek theatre in Berkeley and the whole crowd was swimming with their songs . Never forget it . Thank you Indigo Girls !!!!!
Wow! Grew up with these fine ladies.. love this song.
What a beautiful legacy the Indigo Girls have! They are pioneers and I am eternally grateful for their consciousness, their connection, friendship, and love that is clear between them, their brilliant writing and their dedication and commitment to their values and changing the world in their own way. Thank you for hosting them!!
Wow! 1st one to say "LOVE IT" still !!!
Great sound as always. Thank you tiny desk for bringing such an eclectic mix of music :)
These ladies make me feel EVERYTHING 😩❤️
Best morning ever❤ Thank you
🔥🔥🔥🔥
Their songs have always been and continue to be exactly what my heart needs most. Thank you Amy and Emily
These gals are amazing. Their music is magical.
Five seconds into this... instant ear to ear grin.
Best flashback ever!
Thank you both for again and again putting words to what I feel in my heart!