Big Thief Bring a Heady Urgency to ‘Colbert’ With ‘Simulation Swarm’ Performance

Big Thief beamed in to The Late Show from a cozy-looking living room for their performance of “Simulation Swarm” Tuesday night, March 1. This marked the indie outfit’s second time on The Late Show after making their debut there in 2019.

“Simulation Swarm” captures a potent blend of headiness and urgency, its swirling, droning guitar lines drifting over a drumbeat that comparatively feels like a rapid pulse. Adrianne Lenker’s vocal performance grows increasingly fervent as she sings, “I’d fly to you tomorrow, I’m not fighting in this war/I wanna drop my arms and take your arms/And walk you to the shore.”

Along with their Late Show performance, Big Thief also announced a one-off livestream performance with the digital events company Driift. The show was filmed in a remote house somewhere in the Northeastern part of the United States, and it’s set to premiere on March 17. Tickets are available to purchase now.

The livestream event will air about a month before Big Thief kick off a North American tour in support of their latest album, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You. The trek launches April 12 in Ithaca, New York, and wraps with two shows in Pioneertown, California, May 14 and 15. A European run will follow.