February 10, 2026 – As I sat on my sofa on Super Bowl Sunday, chips and dips and other tasty treats spread across my living room table, I waited for the most important part of the night — not the players, not the matchup — the performer.
Photography & Review by Steve Cerf @stevecerf
Just before the game of the year, Brandi Carlile stood alone, guitar in hand, singing America the Beautiful. She made even my eyes tear. My spine tingled as she hit those flawless notes. I turned away and looked down to inconspicuously wipe the liquid from my eyes so my friends wouldn’t say anything. I thought to myself, Wow — two nights from now I will be watching her open her first arena tour.
That history unfolded in my hometown of Philadelphia — opening night of her Human Tour, her first time headlining major arenas, in celebration of her incredible new album Returning to Myself.
If opening your first arena tour in front of a sold-out crowd of over 21,500 fans would bring someone anxiety, Brandi never showed it. And why would she? Two nights earlier, she stood alone in front of a global audience of over 180 million. This had to feel almost easy in comparison.
She opened with the album’s title track, “Returning to Myself,” silhouetted behind an orange curtain, acoustic guitar in hand. The song set the tone for the night — a returning inward, an honest look inside oneself. As the curtain lifted, Brandi quickly shifted gears and went right into “Human,” charging up the fans with arms up high, cell phones in hand, and cheers from their voices.
Her vocals flew and swooped throughout the night, commanding standing ovations on every song.
Brandi is not the type to hog the spotlight. She frequently paused to praise her band — longtime bandmates The Hanseroth Twins, Phil (bass and backing vocals) and Tim (guitar and backing vocals); SistaStrings, Monique and Chauntee Ross (backing vocals, violin and cello); Matt Chamberlain (percussion); and newcomer Chad Smith (drums). During the a cappella moments, the arena fell silent. No typical bathroom break time. The audience hung on every lyric.
She is one of the most astounding artists on tour this year, enthralling audiences with entertaining, heartwarming, and sometimes true-grit stories about our current state of affairs. She has become a well-deserved, larger-than-life music goddess.
Her concert makes everyone feel their life is precious, encouraging acceptance, compassion, understanding, love, and inclusivity.
