About two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of seeing singer-songwriter Laura Gibson perform for the first time when she opened for Shearwater at Schubas Tavern in Chicago.
It was a small, unassuming venue: the space was a drafty, wood-paneled room adorned with faded murals and strung up white lights that created an intimate environment. There was no backstage entrance—only an exit door off to the left—a small merchandise table toward the back. The whole atmosphere was very inviting, dark and close for sure, but comfortable in its small size.
It is this same comfort that seemed to beckon Ms. Gibson to the stage which was bursting with amplifiers and sound equipment. Its metallic character was only broken by her single acoustic guitar, which was connected to a modest amp towards the back of the stage.
Gibson is a graduate student, and in my conversation with her as she made her way through her set, I found she had previously studied Fiction at Hunter College. It explained why her setlist was hastily jotted on a cover page of a recent essay.
This tour is not her first rodeo. She released “Beasts of Seasons” in 2009, followed closely by “La Grande”, written just three years later. Her most recent album, “Empire Builder,” is quite different from her previous two, however.
It doesn’t take much listening to find this out. The “About” section on her website narrates the album well; it is not just her fourth LP, but a cathartic album, one that tells the story of her struggle in New York City. It is the narration of a series of unfortunate events, starting with injury, and ending with the destruction of her apartment, a horrific gas explosion which left two dead, and all of her possessions lost to the flames.
I could go on to tell you her story, but perhaps it’s better said with her music. It’s her most personal album to date. It gently guides the listener through a story of independence, trauma, connection, and, finally, a sense of healing.
It’s not often I find myself connecting personally with the plight of artists, but, in my young age, I found it comforting to hear the resilience and rediscovery that Gibson finds in the wake of such an earth-shattering series of trials.
Her lyrics are earnest, honest, and wholesome. In that small room at Schubas, the set only broken by small quips and laughs, we found ourselves not in the telling of a story, but along for the ride.
“Empire Builder” is set for release on April 1; it is the album of a journey, and I can say with confidence that it is one that you will want to listen to this one.Laura Gibson’s album, ‘Empire Builder’, a journey of heartbreak and resilience