Like the smell of fresh dew on a cold morning or the leaves changing colors, there are always signals that tell us that autumn has come. However, some of our favorite fall signs here at the groovement are the sweet sounds of folk and bluegrass as October (or as we liked to call it, Rocktober) unfolds. And what better way to kick off harvest time than checking out singer songwriter duo Watchhouse at our very own Webster Hall. Initially starting almost two decades ago by playing at local coffee shops and restaurants around their home state of North Carolina, this musical couple brings a transcendent, heart warming sound with poetic lyrics that describe the soul’s turning wheel through time. With their newest album, Rituals, dropping early this year in May, it was riveting to experience the majesty of folk music and story telling through the eyes of Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz.

As the show began, Andrew (guitar, mandolin, and banjo) and Emily (guitar and violin) were joined on stage with band members and friends Clint Mullican (bass), Joe Westerlund (drummer), and Josh Oliver (guitar), making it feel like a family affair from the start. In fitting fashion, the band opened with their first track from Rituals, “Shape,” a song where violin and banjo notes really shine to complement Andrew's relaxed vocal tone. As the set progressed, it was uncanny how their live performance sounded almost exactly the same as their studio albums. Watchhouse incorporated a healthy mix of the new with the old, making sure to play plenty of songs from their old moniker, Mandolin Orange, including “Like You Used To” and “Old Ties and Companies,” a groovement and crowd favorite which was accompanied by a warm layering of soft percussion from Joe. Their chemistry isn’t loud or showy; it’s the kind that glows softly, undeniable and unforced, like candlelight in a darkened cabin.

Between songs, the thankful duo discussed how their new album developed, explaining that these were tunes that had been around for years and how excited they were to finally put them on an album and play them live for their loyal fans. Their gratitude to the audience shined as they dove into the Album title track “Rituals,” where we hear Andrew sweet and soulfully sing like a combination of Bob Dylan and Jason Isbell, with Emily harmonizing to the more emotionally ethereal lyrics:

oh sometimes the shadows find a way to make a fist

and each time i've noticed I am still surprised by it

so I send my love to you

i send my love to you

Their lyrical creativity feels like a pilgrimage of the heart with many layers of reflection and awakening that will make anyone sentimental when listening.

The set progressed as the couple continued to switch between Mandolin Orange and Watchhouse songs including “Calvary,” a ballad sung from the perspective of a horse, and “Glistening,” combining super warm melodies, samples of birds singing, and disco ball lights. Watchhouse ended their set with “Patterns,” a bluegrass tune where the band came together to all sing on one mic to serenade us one last time to the sweet sounds of strings.

Just as we thought the show was over, the crowd roared in awe and the folk group came back out for an encore ending the show with an older crowd favorite, “Hey Stranger” and then a newer track, “Sway / Endless Highway (Pt. 2).” It was truly a tender listening experience that filled our souls. Watchhouse continues their tour through the southeast US this fall and we definitely recommend checking them out at a venue near you!

Connect with Watchhouse on Instagram, Spotify, TikTok and their website.