Concert Review: Allison Russell electrifies Nashville for “All Returners” tour finale
By: Dylan Basden
Allison Russell wraps up her “All Returners” tour at the historic Ryman Auditorium with a night filled with spectacle, intimacy, and special guests. After a month on the road, this show marks her return home, wrapping up a run of shows that spanned the entire country. Russell spent most of her 2024 on the road supporting Hozier, making a few pitstops to support Tyler Childers and to back Joni Mitchell as part of her band. Russell’s last headline appearance in the Music City was nearly a year and a half ago with a pair of sold-out show at the Basement East, a stark contrast as she headlines the city’s most iconic venue for her first time.
Out in support of her 2023 album, The Returner, Allison Russell continues to make room for herself in a musical landscape that isn’t always welcoming. A queer, black, immigrant woman, Russell, despite the wide range of genres she’s pulled from while developing her sound, continues to push her way forward into the country music bubble. This is a bubble that can often be unfriendly, but Russell has developed a name for herself, not only as a ‘musician’s musician,’ but also as an advocate and leader. Allison was the driving power behind 2023’s “Love Rising” benefit concert, an open protest against Tennessee’s anti-drag and anti-LGBT legislation. Russell brought together a powerhouse lineup of Jason Isbell, Hayley Willams, Hozier, Brittany Howard, and many more for a genre-spanning event that took over Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville. This is who Allison Russel is—a woman who in unafraid to push the needle and make herself, and others, heard.
The art of defiance is present through Allison’s performance. Not shying away from the stigmas of blending genres, Russell dances from country to bluegrass, from blues to jazz, with ease. She delivers what often times felt like chaos with grace, tying together the flow of music into a cohesive vision, enthralling the audience. Allison Russell performs like a woman possessed, streaking across the hallowed floors of the Mother Church with urgency, pulling in audience members and transforming the large auditorium into an intimate listening experience. No where does Allison do this better than on “Snakelife,” a slow burning track that takes on many forms, shaping and shifting as various elements come to life. The song ultimately culminates in a vocally impressive and emotionally devastating deviance from the recorded song as Allison sings in support of minority groups across the spectrum, black, queer, trans, immigrants, Jews, Palestinians, ultimately finding herself in tears as she cries out.
Russell, in addition to her singing and songwriting prowess, is also a gifted musician. She opened up the show with a sobering clarinet solo, a jaw dropping moment that quickly set the mood. She often revisited the clarinet, an instrument commonly overlooked featured prominently in Allison’s set. Russell is also a talented banjo player, evident by her time playing with Our Native Daughters, effortlessly plucking at the instrument, transforming it from its typical twang into an almost hypnotic sound. Her backing band, the all-woman Rainbow Coalition, was equally as gifted, adding rhythm and groove to the performance. Notably, the blues-heavy track “Demons,” a meandering song that featured light and plucky guitar, plodding bass, and delicate percussion. This felt like the perfect contrast to Allison’s eventual rasp as she slowly grew in volume, bringing in some classic call-and-response crowd work before walking the aisles of the Ryman. The Coalition, to their credit, featured prominently on the background vocals here too, adding layers to an already intricate song. The night also featured an all-star cast of guests, from her husband JT Nero, her daughter Ida, friends Kyshona, Devon Gifillian, and Amanda Shires, and finally her opener Kara Jackson. While they say you never know who will make a guest appearance when at the Ryman, it is safe to say this cast felt like a little family, a group of folks who came together not for the applause or the accolades, but for a genuine moment of collaboration.
Suffice to say, Allison Russell puts on a wonderful show; it is unique, it is inspiring, and to be frank, Russell is just plain talented. There are not many artists who can captivate a room, draw repeated rounds of standing ovation, and lay everything out on the stage quite like Allison Russell can. She might not have the most notoriety, in fact, she’s quite far from it, but Allison Russell is one of the best musicians you can find right now. Pair that with her advocacy and her determination and you’ve got a recipe for something really special.
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