An Evening of Queer Alternative Country in Washington, D.C. with Katie Pruitt and Next of Kin

Maggz

22 hours ago

4 min read

Written and Photo by Maggz

| Katie Pruitt stopped in Washington, D.C. for her second night of her Fools for the Fleeting tour and performed to a packed house of like minded souls, grasping for art that speaks to them in these difficult times

An Evening of Queer Alternative Country in Washington, D.C. with Katie Pruitt and Next of Kin - Photo Maggz — Photo Maggz

The unseasonably warm night in Washington, D.C. kicked off with Next of Kin, who performed songs from their discography including "Jekyll and Hyde” and recent release, “Dimestore Jesus.” Next of Kin is an Austin-based, self-described “cuntry” trio comprised of Caelin, Madison, and Lili. Dressed in coordinating dark denim with custom embroidery and big brass belt buckles, the band’s aesthetic is bold and loud in all the best ways. Fans eagerly lined up after their set to buy merch that was all designed by the brand themselves, a very grassroots endeavor that doesn’t stop them from having trendy tees and tote bags that appeal to concert goers.

“We’re gonna get a little angry and nasty on this one so shake your goods a little,” they instructed from the stage, encouraging the crowd to dance to the next song. Their songs are perfectly crafted layers of three-part harmony, backed up by a guitarist on stage and often starting or ending a capella. This trio has this one thing that is so beautiful and rare these days - a true love and talent for singing live. Their raw vocals are true gifts to hear and the messaging of their music boldly declares the facts: queer people are and have always been living in deeply red states like Texas. Next of Kin declares that country music can be gay (and maybe has always been.) This group is one to watch, with fantastic vocal chops and insane aura.

“Any U-Haul lesbians in here?” Katie Pruitt called out from the stage after performing her opening song “Expectations.” The crowd laughed at this, some whoops and cheers from the balcony in reply, and Pruitt continued to explain that she already lived with her girlfriend when they started dating, so instead they did the next gayest thing (her words) and got “Matching Tattoos.”

“Wow! There’s so many people here - holy shit!” Pruitt acknowledged in between songs, the fans who showed up for her Thursday night show excited to hear her perform live, swaying in couples across the packed floor.

Pruitt’s album Fools for the Fleeting is hot off the Rounder Records presses, having been released on September 18. Produced by Isaiah Beard, the 10-track album highlights themes of heartbreak, choosing human connection over technology, and natural disasters. Pruitt’s voice and introspective songwriting lend well to her blend of alternative country and folk-rock. Her songs are about finding beauty in the chaos, turning upheaval into hope, and remembering that in the midst of so much pain and suffering, we have to keep sticking up for each other.

An openly queer artist, Pruitt’s songs often reflect on her conservative, Catholic upbringing outside of Atlanta, Georgia and how her experience with organized religion created tension for her in coming out. “The Aftermath” even had a (as Pruitt described) “lesbian action movie” music video to accompany the single back in August. It’s important, now more than ever, that more and more queer artists continue making art explicitly about their experiences growing up in conservative, Christian environments as far right culture deepens in so many parts of the country. Pruitt spoke during the show about deconstructing her faith and how she feels the Bible does have some good things to say, it’s the people that end up twisting and manipulating words for their own agenda.

Before performing said song live, Pruitt checked in with the crowd as many artists often do in D.C., “This administration, man, it’s crazy! You guys are in the middle of it, are you okay?” The crowd loudly replied with screams making it clear that, no, we are not doing okay. “Little Boxes” continues to make observations about current society and talks about taking time away from doom scrolling on our phones to “Take a walk, cut the cord, knock on your neighbor’s door.” Opener Next of Kin made references to the current state of politics in the United States, calling out Texas Governor Greg Abbott and encouraging the audience with a chant of “My body, my choice!” The political commentary from both artists was well received by the crowd gathered in The Atlantis, like minded individuals singing together and hoping for a better tomorrow.

“Best voice in Nashville!” a fan yelled out from the balcony in the second half of Pruitt’s set. Pruitt took the compliment humbly and once again thanked fans for being there. The fan wasn’t wrong, Pruitt’s voice is phenomenal and hearing her perform live in such an intimate setting was a healing and inspirational evening. To be able to deliver such important messages through music that can be appreciated by many is a skill that Pruitt has honed through her years of hard work and dedication to her craft. “Orion’s Belt” was a personal favorite that she performed towards the end of her set.

Katie Pruitt recently performed at AmericanaFest in Nashville, TN and now continues on her 33-city Fools for the Fleeting tour across the United States and Canada through December. Tickets are on sale now and it’s a show you should not miss. You can catch Next of Kin as the supporting act through the Chicago, IL date on October 12.

Katie Pruitt