To open a sold out Angel Olsen show at Royale on Tuesday, Laetitia Tamko (aka Vagabon) sang, “All the women I meet are tired.” Just Tamko and a violinist took the stage for this stunning rendition of “Every Woman.” Tamko’s voice reached deep into your chest cavity to massage an intergenerational ache that you didn’t know you had. Then on a dime, the full band joined the two of them to play “Cold Apartment” on blast. Whether she’s delicately picking at her guitar while singing hushed refrains, or bellowing over fierce riffs, Tamko embodies vulnerability and strength within the same breath. 

While drawing from Vagabon’s self-titled second album, out this past October, the tracks that especially shone were the ones that introduced new elements not heard in her debut album Infinite Sounds. “Secret Medicine” brought the return of the violin and the steady shake of a maraca. “Water Me Down” invited dance-inspired sound with keys, plus a striking bass feature. “In a Bind” had a captivating group hum like that of a spiritual. Tamko performed with such seemingly effortless precision, the audience would not have known she was feeling weary from tour had she not shared mid-set that she was tired. She concluded the too-short performance with the tender yet heady “The Embers.”

Next, Angel Olsen’s and her 6-member band took the stage with a commitment to aesthetic, donning entirely black wardrobes and even a couple all-black instruments too. Olsen was also joined by a strings section, with a violin and a cello. As with Vagabon, the transformation from solo record to group performance was breathtaking. Shortly after playing “All Mirrors” (which has the lyric “Standin’, facin’, all mirrors are erasin’/ Losin’ beauty, at least at times it knew me”), Olsen said they were caking makeup on over the dirt, since there were only four days left of the tour. Dirt or no, the music was blindingly bright. (And in the memorable case of “Impasse,” the stage lights were as blinding as the song’s stark crescendo.)

It’s funny that a performer whose catalog oozes such film noir drama™ has such a bubbly personality. She pronounced vaguely Italian-sounding words in between songs, challenged hecklers to a fight (before quickly admitting she was a “gentle soul”), and when a member of the crowd shared that it was their 30th birthday, she said “Welcome to Hell.” She laughed and added, “It gets harder and harder, but you just keep laughing.” Following an album that talks about leaving toxic relationships (see “Lark” and “Too Easy”) and watching friends settle down (like “Spring”), it’s nice to know that she’s learned how to laugh at the hard stuff instead of letting it get to her. She also shares songs like “Tonight,” which are about “liking yourself better than liking someone else.” Angel Olsen’s personal growth made for a stunning album and an even more stunning performance.