The lights dimmed as the crowd roared with excitement. To the stage came Sharon Van Etten, accompanied by her newly formed band, The Attachment Theory. As the band took the stage, the lights bled red, and the crowd fell silent as synths eerily played, setting the tone for the night. This wouldn’t be just a concert but an experience that Etten was going to share with us. As her vocals accompanied the track, bodies started moving as everyone, including the band, started to dance to their sound. The first few songs came from her new album “Sharon Van Etten and The Attachment theory,” but quickly shifted to classic songs like "Anything", "Every Time the Sun Comes Up”, and her most popular song, “Seventeen”. These tracks, young and old, brought the crowd together for a night to remember. 

(Sharon Van Etten, photo by Julian Swart)

Sharon Van Etten has almost always called herself a solo project. Through releases such as “Remind me tomorrow”, “Are we there”, and “We’ve been going about this all wrong”, it's always just been Van Etten. This changed in 2025 with her new release formally introducing her band, The Attachment Theory. In press and also at the concert, Van Etten discusses the impact that this band has made on her own music. Being surrounded by such creative people has allowed the band to evaluate their music and create something beautiful. The Attachment Theory consists of members Jorge Balbi (drums, machines), Devra Hoff (bass, vocals), and former TEEN frontperson Teeny Lieberson (synth, piano, guitar, vocals). With their newest release, The Attachment Theory assures fans that there will be more to come. This release marks the transformation of Sharon Van Etten into more than a solo work, but a bigger-than-life project, this being The Attachment Theory.

(The Attachment Theory, photo by Julian Swart)

Turning away from the band's roots, the concert itself was held at Cat's Cradle, marking Van Etten’s second time performing at Cat’s but The Attachment Theory’s first. Going into the concert, I didn’t know much about the band besides my dad’s reassuring words of their greatness. His reassurance was rightfully so, as I was amazed by the band's performance. The energy the band brought was absolutely incredible, and you could tell how close each of them felt. Van Etten danced throughout each song, making an effort to bring the audience in to join the band. The concert felt very vulnerable and new. The band made it apparent that they loved their fans and even shared personal stories as the night continued. 

Between all the dancing, there was a deeper connection. It’s a hard feeling to explain, but I believe the band's name itself explains it pretty well. Attachment theory is a psychological framework that discusses how strong bonds form. The band highlights the importance of bonds and ultimately the effect they have on people. While I might not be a psychologist, I can tell you that if you're ever able to see the band, you’ll see this theory at work. 

(Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory)

Setlist:

Live Forever, Afterlife, Idiot Box, Comeback Kid, I Can't Imagine (Why You Feel This Way), Somethin' Ain't Right, Southern Life (What It Must Be Like), Trouble, No One's Easy to Love, Anything, Serpents, Every Time the Sun Comes Up, Jupiter 4, Seventeen, I Want You Here

Encore: Tarifa, Indio