LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS: Crane Wives in Boston, MA (11.21.25)
Having never seen The Crane Wives live before, I really didn’t know what I was walking into at Roadrunner. The crowd was already fired up before the show even started, with a lot of young faces, a lot of excitement in the air, and people cheering at literally anything happening onstage, even a roadie dropping off water bottles. Always a good sign.
Around the time the lights finally dimmed, this figure walked out through the fog wearing a fitted suit and a gold deer mask. It felt a little surreal, almost theatrical. He moved slowly, placing lanterns around the stage one by one. When the words “THE CRANE WIVES” lit up behind him, the whole room exploded in cheers. And from there, the night really began.
They kicked off with “Scars,” and Emilee came out instantly commanding hair moving, guitar ready, smiling like she’d been waiting all year for this. On the other side, Kate took her place with this calm but powerful presence. When the two of them started singing together, it made sense why people are so obsessed with their harmonies. It’s one of those things that hits better live than any studio version can show. Its a rare gift too.
Behind them, Ben and Dan were locked in tight, never missing a beat. The whole band moved like they’ve been doing this together forever, which, honestly, they have.
One thing that stood out immediately was how the crowd reacted to every single sound. They said this tour was a chance to dig through 15 years of deep cuts, old favorites, and things that never made it onto albums, and you could see people trying to guess each song just from the guitar tuning. When “Arcturus Beaming” started, someone near the front screamed the title so loud it startled half the row.
They pulled songs from all over their catalog: “The Well,” “Allies or Enemies,” “Predator,” “Here I Am,” “The Moon Will Sing,” “The Hand That Feeds.” I had to look up all the names so I wouldn’t miss any.
They threw in fan favorites, too: “Pretty Little Thing,” “River Rushing,” “Mad Dog,” and Roadrunner’s sound system didn’t do them any harm. Every harmony sounded clean, and every bass line felt like it was moving straight through the floor.
The opener, Árný Margrét, deserves a mention too. Her set was soft, almost calming, just her guitar and voice, and people actually listened, which doesn’t always happen for openers. It set a nice contrast before The Crane Wives stormed the place.
There were also those little personal moments that make a concert feel alive. At one point, someone tossed a crocheted gift onto the stage. Usually, that’s a huge no, but they laughed it off, told people to aim for empty spots if they were going to throw things, and Kate made a joke about how ridiculously crafty their fans are. It was one of those interactions that reminds you why some crowds feel different, more connected, more invested.
By the time the night wrapped up, the audience was exhausted from excitement, and it was a good night for everyone.
Photos – Crane Wives at Roadrunner in Boston, MA on November 21st:
