REVIEW: Alison Krauss and Union Station Fill The Palace With Ghost Stories
07/22 @ The Palace, Albany
“Union Station reminded the audience that bluegrass has always balanced sorrow with resilience, finding light in the darkest stories…”
On Wednesday night, Alison Krauss and Union Station brought their Arcadia tour to the Palace Theatre in Albany. The band’s lineup currently includes Alison Krauss, Jerry Douglas, Ron Block, Barry Bayles, Russell Moore and Jacob Burleson. The legendary bluegrass ensemble delivered an excellent performance highlighting their musicianship and themes of history, heartbreak and redemption. Their historic stories fit well in the Palace’s ornate Baroque design, filling the nearly 100-year-old theater with ghost stories.
Theo Lawrence warmed up the crowd with his country songs that could have come straight out of the late ‘50s–early ‘60s scene. The singer, standing alone onstage with only an acoustic guitar, performed songs from his most recent albums Chérie and Pickin’ & Singin’, and gave a fitting introduction to the night’s celebration of timeless songwriting.
Lawrence may remind some of George Jones or Hank Williams or Elvis, leaning heavily on a classic country twang. Originally from France, the singer relocated to Austin, Texas three years ago and closer to that American country sound that he has had a lifelong passion for. By the end of his songs I was singing along to lyrics I didn't even know.
He brought out Phil Hollie, a friend who has joined him on tour, to debut a song titled “Are You Dreaming of Me?” that they just wrote last week while driving in their rental car. Lawrence may intend his songs to feel as if they came from 1950s country music, and in a way they do, but they also feel very contemporary. This is a difficult balance and I find many other bands who try to make “retro” music often sound corny. Lawrence is doing this well, in a way that honors the style but still feels like something new which was exciting to hear.
After intermission, Union Station emerged beneath a weathered marquee and vintage theater set of Arcadia. With an old streetlight and faded ticket booth, the Palace stage transformed into a forgotten American landscape, perfectly matching an album built around stories from other eras.
The band opened with "Looks Like the End of the Road," setting the ominous tone that would be a constant throughout the set. Songs like "Granite Mills," "Richmond on the James," and "Dust Bowl Children" explored tragedy, loss, and resilience through richly detailed storytelling. Union Station brought the audience back in time while also reminding us how these themes are still so current.
Jerry Douglas once again proved why he remains one of the most revered dobro players in American music. He took the stage alone for a few minutes for instrumental covers of Chick Corea’s “Spain” and Paul Simon’s “American Tune”. His featured instrumental performance drew one of the night's biggest ovations, showcasing his remarkable technique.
Krauss remains the center of it all, however. Her voice is one to reckon with and is as piercing, delicate, and expressive as ever, floating through the band's intricate arrangements. Crowd favorites like “Baby, Now That I’ve Found You”, “Touch You for a While”, ”The Lucky One” and “Everytime You Say Goodbye" were all included in new medley arrangements, allowing more time for Arcadia songs to get their full moment and these hits to breathe in new ways. Arcadia was given a spotlight that really showed what this album is about and the season this group is in.
One of the evening's most moving moments was a cover of Willie Nelson's "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground” which Krauss has performed with Robert Plant over the years.
Despite the emotional weight of many songs in minor keys, the atmosphere remained warm and inviting. Between songs, Krauss spoke directly to the audience as the house lights came up, replacing the usual performer-audience distance. I’ve never experienced this at a show before and in a way it broke the fourth wall allowing the room to feel more comfortable and communal. It also brought these performers more directly in the present day for a moment and distanced themselves from the 100-plus-year-old stories they told across the rest of Arcadia. Her understated humor balanced the emotional heaviness of the music.
That contrast defined the evening. Arcadia is filled with ghosts, forgotten towns, and difficult histories, yet the music never loses sight of hope. Union Station reminded the audience that bluegrass has always balanced sorrow with resilience, finding light in the darkest stories and that’s something musicians of all kinds can take with them. The tragedies and triumphs embedded in these songs still carry lessons worth remembering.
After over three decades together, Alison Krauss and Union Station continue to perform with remarkable precision while never sacrificing warmth or humanity.
