Bluegrass powerhouse Sierra Hull filled Portland’s Aladdin Theater to capacity on Monday night for an evening of dazzling musicianship and heartfelt storytelling. Touring behind her new album, A Tip Toe High Wire, Hull arrived in Portland with anticipation running high after the show was rescheduled due to a conflict with Willie Nelson‘s Outlaw Music Festival. The energy was electric as fans packed the historic venue, eager to witness one of contemporary bluegrass’ most inventive voices at the height of her artistry.
Photo: James Sissler – Sierra Hull, 9/8/25
Stephanie Lambring opened with a witty 30-minute solo set, delivering tongue-in-cheek lyrics like, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, say it behind my back.” With her charming stage presence and sly humor, she had the house smiling and the show off to a lively start.
Then Hull and her band took the stage amidst an evocative stage set adorned with leafy foliage draped over mic stands, glowing old-fashioned light bulbs, and a small altar-like table with a framed photo of her grandmother—an image that would later become central to the night’s themes of family and memories of small-town Tennessee.
Related: Stepping Out Onto The ‘Tip Toe High Wire’ With Bluegrass Powerhouse Sierra Hull [Interview]
Hull ripped into the evening with “Out of My Blues” before launching into “Lord, That’s A Long Way”, a blazing instrumental that immediately showcased her status as a mandolin virtuoso. The energy subsided gently through “Muddy Water”, with bassist Erik Coveney laying down the low end while drummer Mark Raudabaugh added textured rhythms with subtle, inventive brushwork. Guitarist Shaun Richardson and fiddler/guitarist Avery Merritt meanwhile provided lush harmony like the wind beneath Hull’s wings.
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The momentum ramped back up with “E Tune”—another jaw-dropping instrumental—followed by the quick and catchy “How Long”. Noting the decorative red birds planted around the stage, Hull swapped her mandolin out for an acoustic guitar as she transitioned into “Redbird”. She then proudly lifted the framed photograph on the table behind her while introducing “Spitfire”, a tribute to her grandmother’s fiery spirit.
Between songs, Hull engaged in friendly banter that made the theater feel like a front porch jam, at one point striking up conversation with an audience member sporting a Tennessee Vols hat. That down-home energy continued as the band gathered around a single mic and Hull announced, “It’s bluegrass 30 on the setlist.”
Photo: James Sissler – Sierra Hull, 9/8/25
A quiet and soulful “Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder”, one of the oldest songs in her catalog, gave way to “Daybreak in Dixie”. “That’s a song I’ve been playing since I was nine,” Hull shared before diving into Bill Monroe‘s “Sitting Alone in the Moonlight”, complete with playful stage antics and an impressive snare drum solo.
With a self-deprecating grin, Hull introduced “Best Buy”, explaining that sometimes you write songs to express deep emotions, and other times “you write a song in the Best Buy parking lot because there’s nothing you can do to stop it.” She then invited Stephanie Lambring back up for a stripped-down, emotionally charged duet before finishing the main set with a cover of “Mad World”.
For the encore, she began solo, then welcomed her bandmates to join in one by one. The audience stomped and clapped in rhythmic accompaniment, transforming the theater into a jaunty bluegrass hoedown.
Photo: James Sissler – Sierra Hull, 9/8/25
More than just a bluegrass picker, Sierra Hull is an artist in the truest sense, with an authentic, innovative sound honed over a lifetime. From picking at bluegrass jams in small-town Tennessee to expanding her horizons at Boston’s Berklee College of Music to performing on festival stages around the world alongside icons like Willie Nelson, her eclectic range of influences and experience combine to produce a style entirely her own. Her latest album, A Tip Toe High Wire—her first independent release after signing to Rounder Records at age 13—leans into folk, jazz, Americana, and even funk-tinged grooves, pushing well past the boundaries of traditional bluegrass. On Monday night in Portland, she proved that she’s not just a virtuosic instrumentalist, but a composer, arranger, bandleader, storyteller, and songwriter through and through.
Check out fan-shot videos from Sierra Hull’s performance at the Aladdin Theater in Portland, OR, scroll down for the full setlist, and click below to browse a gallery of photos. Find a full list of her upcoming tour dates and ticketing details here.
Sierra Hull – “Lord, That’s A Long Way” – 9/8/25
[Video: ConcertClips]
Sierra Hull – “E Tune” – 9/8/25
[Video: ConcertClips]
Setlist: Sierra Hull | Aladdin Theater | Portland, OR | 9/8/25
Set: Come Out Of My Blues, Long Way, Boom, Muddy Water, E Tune, How Long, Redbird, Spitfire, Middle Of The Woods, Beautifully Out Of Place, Last Minute, Absence**, Daybreak In Dixie**, Sitting Alone In The Moonlight**, Nahatlach**, Best Buy**, Birthday (w/ Stephanie Lambring)**, Weighted Mind, Mad World
Encore: Stranded > Angeline the Baker
** Single mic.
