|
• All Feature Articles
The Indigo Girls Orchestrate a Classy Three-Night Stand in Nashville
by Rich and Laura Lynch
While Thursday, May 29, 2025 might have been our first time seeing the Indigo Girls perform with the Nashville Symphony at the Schermerhorn Center in Nashville, Tennessee - it was most definitely not the first time that the duo has worked with an orchestra.
Emily Saliers at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville.
Founded in the late 1980's, the Indigo Girls have sold millions of records with music that speaks to the human experience. Amy Ray & Emily Saliers are the only duo with top 40 titles on the Billboard 200 in the '80s, '90s, '00s and '10s. Rolling Stone has said "they personify what happens when two distinct sensibilities, voices, and worldviews come together to create something transcendentally its own". They also use their powerful voices in support of important social causes including environmental justice and human rights.
In 2012, the Indigo Girls collaborated with a pair of orchestrators to craft symphonic arrangements of their songs thus blending folk, pop and rock with classical instruments that took their insightful lyrics to an even more inspired level. After more than 50 performances with symphonies across America, the sound was captured in all its grandeur on Indigo Girls Live With The University of Colorado Symphony Orchestra (2018). Based on all that we were anticipating an animated spin on their songs and that is exactly what we got.
Music City welcomed the Indigo Girls along with the Nashville Symphony and conductor Enrico Lopez-Yañez from May 29th through the 31st as they presented compositions from their iconic catalogue over two sets at the Schermerhorn. On Thursday, cheers erupted as both ladies emerged casually dressed to take center stage. They opened with the potent "Power of Two" flowing into the haunting "Fugitive" with the Nashville Symphony adding a rich array of horns, percussion and strings to their muse. Amy and Emily played both acoustic and electric guitars throughout the night. They also shared lead vocal responsibilities when they were not harmonizing. Other highlights of the first set were "Go" with the Symphony enhancing the effect of movement. As one would expect, fans were on their feet singing and swaying to "Galileo" which was even better with the orchestral elements.
Amy Ray at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville.
"Really fun to play with a big band like this but it's nerve-wracking too," shared the Indigo Girls while mentioning that they have been home for a few months dealing with everyday things like cleaning up after their pets.
Back in Nashville, after a short break the Indigo Girls were back with more classics from their extensive career such as “Chicken Man” which is one of their many tunes filled with symbols of the happy and harsh realties of life. One of their newer numbers - “Change My Heart” (2020) touched upon the divisive times we are in while seeking understanding. “Kid Fears” reminded us that we are all facing some type of scary adult challenges but the Indigo Girls closed on a hopeful note with the crowd pleasing “Closer to Fine”.
We have been following the Indigo Girls for decades and we both really enjoyed all the extras that the Nashville Symphony brought to the music. The pair have another orchestra gig on their schedule with the Fairfax Symphony in Tysons, Virginia on June 19 and 20, 2025. From there they will hit the road with Grammy Award-winning rock icon Melissa Etheridge for their 2025 'Yes We Are' Co-headline Tour that kicks off at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado on July 25 and runs all the way through October 12th concluding at the Arizona Financial Theatre in Phoenix.
The Schermerhorn Symphony Center which is centrally located in downtown Nashville continues to host classical, folk, jazz, pop, rock and world artists. The Nashville Symphony's recently announced 2025-26 season is set to include more than 80 performances spanning a wide range of genres including world premieres, live recordings of modern masterpieces and first-time guest artists and conductors. Please check their website for a complete list of upcoming events.
Indigo Girls at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville.
Related Links:
For more information on the INDIGO GIRLS and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -
Indigo Girls |
Nashville Symphony |
The Indigo Girls Opened the Book On Their Back Catalog in Nashville |
The Four Voices Make a Statement as Historic Tour Takes Flight in Nashville
|
