I’m Madly in Love with Kathleen Edwards

“She brought us pie”, said my girlfriend incredulously. I could only laugh at the complete absurdity of the situation. As we stood watching My Morning Jacket rock the TLA in Philadelphia, Kathleen Edwards — the extremely talented opening act — brought us two pieces of pumpkin pie from backstage. The most amazing thing of all? It wasn’t the first time this had happened.

A little more than two years ago, Kathleen & Co. played The Troc in Philly in the midst of their tour behind Failer, her phenomenal debut album. The Troc was a big step up, considering she’d played 150-seat Point in Bryn Mawr just 6 months earlier, and although the show was reasonably well attended, there was plenty of open space. Appreciating the music lovers who did make it out on a weeknight, Kathleen invited all of us upstairs to the dressing rooms for dessert after the show — apparently a fan who worked at a bakery had brought over a plethora of delectable sweets and Edwards wanted to share the wealth. At first I thought this had to be a joke, but she insisted if we stuck around for just a few minutes, dessert would be ours. Troc management eventually required that the dessert be brought to the main floor (instead of the crowd traipsing up the rickety back stairs), but, sure enough, about 15 minutes after the show ended, Kathleen and band re-emerged packing baked goods. They hung around for about an hour, talking with fans and passing out cakes, pies and tortes, and although it was probably my strangest concert experience, it was also the coolest thing I’ve seen an artist do to connect with and thank their fans.

So, after Kathleen’s short but “sweet” set opening for My Morning Jacket Friday, I couldn’t hold my tongue as she talked to fans in the TLA lobby during the break. “Hey Kathleen, Where’s dessert?” I cracked. “Do you seriously want some?”, she quipped back without missing a beat. “Because I’ve got a bunch upstairs. And I’ll bring it down if you seriously want me to. I’ll do it!” I replied “At this point, it’s kind of expected”, and we both got a good laugh. Walking back to my spot on the floor, I was pretty satisfied — a quick but fun interaction with an artist I respect is more than one gets on most nights. As I would soon find out, however, this wasn’t most nights.

About 15 minutes later, done with autographs & such in the lobby, Kathleen was headed back upstairs to do whatever opening acts do during the main set, when, luckily for me, she just happened to walk by where I was standing. To my girlfriend’s horror, I started up again: “Hey Kathleen, I’ll be right here when you bring dessert down,” I stated jokingly, trying not to push my luck too far. “Okay. You guys like pumpkin pie? I’ll be back in a few.” It was at this precise moment I realized she was actually considering following through with this seemingly absurd request. It was even more preposterous than the Troc incident, seeing that last time it was for everyone, and this time it was just for the two of us.

As time passed, it seemed more and more likely that she wasn’t coming back, especially when MMJ started their set. There was just something about her manner, though, that made me think I would see her again very shortly. She surely appreciated the humor, but I also think — and this is just a theory — that she realized that anyone who remembered that night at the Troc was truly her fan, not just here to see MMJ. And clearly, Kathleen appreciates the importance of treating her fans right. So, a few songs in, there she was, fighting through the crowd to deliver two pieces of pumpkin pie. And two forks.

They say the quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Well Kathleen, you’ve captured mine. We didn’t get to properly thank you when you actually delivered the pie, but we certainly are forever grateful. It might not seem like a huge deal to you to bring a few plates of pastry down some stairs, but to me it was a grand gesture. You care. You brought us pie.