Funny, I just clicked on this thread to comment on her Richmond in-store appearance on Sunday which I only knew about because Sidehatch posted it.
Well, let me say it was supposed to be an in-store. Deep Groove could maybe hold 40 people on a good day and by the time I got there at 1:30 with some friends, it was solidly 100 people queued up outside. The quick decision was made that she'd play in the alley next door and went out there. In Richmond fashion, it was one of those weird alleys we seem to have where the alley starts at the same level as the road and then descends 20 feet before coming back up at the other end of the block making sort of a valley.
By 2, there was easily 250 people out there and basically every indie band in Richmond had someone in attendance. We turned up sitting on the ground next to Miss Lucy Dacus who was holding court like she owned the place. Julien finally showed up about 2:10 and came down the back side of the alley which made people up on the street who really couldn't see realize, hey wait there's a backway into this which then resulted in both sides of the alley basically being jam packed and her surrounded on both sides with maybe 3-4 feet in any direction to the closest person by the end of the first song (Sprained Ankle). She was obviously a little freaked out by this and kept saying she really didn't know what "direction" to face which was an obvious indication "hey, maybe back the fuck up" that none of the VCU chucklehead kids seemed to get.
She played 4 songs off the first LP, and told a quick story about recording it in Richmond and 2 new tracks. By about 2:30-2:40, the police started showing up because I guess behind me people were queuing into the street. She wasn't using a sound system (just acoustic and the natural acoustics of being in a ravine) and someone signaled to her she needed call it a day. She decided to play one more which was Rejoice which ended with her literally in tears by the end and got a big ovation and two big burly guys pushed in and basically escorted her threw the throng of people that no one really accounted for. It was probably the best song I have ever heard played at 2pm on a Sunday in an alley, a title I'm not sure will soon be challenged.
Her voice is phenomenal live. I always assumed she did multiple vocal takes for the record but clearly no, I was wrong. All and all it was a great time and I'd love to see her in a legit venue. The fact she's just mousey, 4'10" 85lbs soppy wet adorable only added to the greatness. I will try and post some photos/videos later in the day from the first half of it but once the crowd started to swell, I got a little claustrophobic and was more watching to see if things were going to go bad.
All and all, a worthy addition to a Sunday Funday. Wish the record store had mimosas though.
