LIVE REVIEW: THE CRANE WIVES – ACT III TOUR @ THE SYLVEE, MADISON, WI – AUGUST 16, 2026

It takes a special kind of band to take complete control of a venue and deliver a captivating performance of a lifetime, and The Crane Wives did exactly that in Madison, Wisconsin. Rich harmonies defined the night as fans gathered to both sing along and watch in quiet reverence, letting the band guide the audience through an immersive journey of songs old and new alike.

The night kicked off with Brye, a confessional indie-pop singer-songwriter whose raw, vulnerable lyrics served as a perfect primer for the evening. To introduce her, The Crane Wives’ drummer, Dan Rickabus, took the stage first to ask for the audience’s undivided attention, a request the crowd fully obliged. He also shared his daily icebreaker question, asking, “What bug are you today?” to which Brye’s answer was the “Monarch Butterfly.”

After Rickabus left, Brye began by offering candid backstories before each of her tracks, such as sharing how she still gets emotional over old “POV” TikToks before launching into her viral breakout hit “LEMONS,” as well as breaking down the concept of an “almond mom” ahead of “Apples.”

For her second-to-last song, she spun a small wheel to let chance choose the track, only to playfully override it and perform the emotional “Jenna” instead. Right before her final song, Brye opened up about a recent setback. Her trailer containing all her gear and brand-new merch had been stolen, but she expressed deep gratitude to both The Crane Wives and the audience for their support, noting she was playing on a borrowed guitar and selling handmade shirts. She closed her set with “Diet Culture,” continuing the theme of deeply personal songs.

When it was time for The Crane Wives, dramatic music filled the venue as a cloaked member in a deer mask dropped lanterns across the stage where each band member would stand. Then, Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten” boomed across the speakers, getting the crowd dancing as the band took their positions.

The setlist started strong with “Bitter Medicine” and “Allies or Enemies,” with co-lead singers Emilee Petersmark and Kate Pillsbury taking turns on lead vocals while delivering beautiful harmonies together.

Every once in a while, the band paused to share a bit about themselves or the stories behind the music. Before playing “Queen of Nothing,” they acknowledged that while it’s been amazing that internet algorithms have brought in a lot of new fans recently, this particular song was from the “before times,” when they weren’t sure they were going to make it as a band. However, they’ve now been together for five albums and 16 strong years. They also took a moment to acknowledge Brye and express how great it has been getting to know her on the road.

The show was dynamic throughout. They slowed the pace down with “Pretty Little Things,” but then brought the energy right back up with “Little Soldiers.” They played new material like “Black Hole Fantasy” right before throwing it back to “The Moon Will Sing,” which started with the sounds of crickets and a howl, instantly setting the whimsical, nature-inspired scene The Crane Wives are so known for.

During “The Moon Will Sing,” the audience pulled out their phone flashlights to light up the room, with several fans covering their lights with blue and pink pieces of paper to create a colorful sea of stars, prompting Petersmark to comment after the song about how special that was.

The tone shifted once again as the crowd was invited to “get rowdy” for “Steady, Steady.” Energy remained high over the next few songs, and after “Arcturus Beaming,” the band made a cheeky joke about needing “Britney Spears mics” so they could run around the large stage at The Sylvee, unbound by instrument cords.

They took a moment to acknowledge that this was the fifth show in a five-show-in-a-row run, expressing how grateful they were to The Sylvee team for making everything so easy. Energy stayed high for the final two songs of the main set before the band left the stage waving.

After lots of cheering and clapping from the audience, the band returned for a stellar three-song encore. After the first song, “Mad Dog,” they took another moment to reflect on their journey, noting that since they are from Michigan, they have been playing Wisconsin since the beginning, but were incredibly impressed that 1,500 people showed up, especially as they are a fully independent band. They thanked the audience for making their dreams come true.

A loud cheer erupted when they announced “The Hand That Feeds” was next, and they ended the night with the high-energy “Tongues & Teeth,” which featured lots of running around the stage and headbanging. At the end, the band handed their setlists to fans at the barricade, leaving the room buzzing from a perfect night of indie folk music.

The Crane Wives Photo Gallery

Brye Photo Gallery

Setlist

• Bitter Medicine
• Allies or Enemies
• Never Love an Anchor
• Queen of Nothing
• Take Me to War
• Pretty Little Things
• Little Soldiers
• Black Hole Fantasy
• The Moon Will Sing
• Steady, Steady
• Nobody
• Arcturus Beaming
• Sleeping Giants
• Curses
• Encore: October
• Encore: The Hand That Feeds
• Encore: Tongues & Teeth

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Live photography by Anna Daugherty for No Flash Needed. © 2026 No Flash Needed. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without written permission.