Brandi Carlile is giving fans exactly what they asked for — literally. Her upcoming tour, dubbed “Burn the Setlist (The All Request Tour),” lets audience members call out songs on the spot, and Carlile and her band have to play them. The format is one she tested during her recent The Human Tour, and now she’s making it the whole show.
Carlile’s longtime bandmates and collaborators Phil and Tim Hanseroth join her on stage for the trek. Because each show is built around spontaneous requests, no two nights will look the same. That means a fan in Portland might hear Billy Joel’s “And So It Goes” while a New York crowd gets something else entirely.
The tour hits theaters Carlile used to play early in her career, including Portland’s Revolution Hall, the Fox Theater in Oakland, and two nights each at the Rialto Theatre in Tucson, Arizona, the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee, and the State Theatre in Minneapolis. Louisville gets two nights at The Louisville Palace Theater, Kansas City plays the Uptown Theater, and the run closes with three nights at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York.
Request Format Details
The premise is simple: fans submit requests, and Carlile and the Hanseroths play them. It’s a format Carlile first tried during her The Human Tour, which she kicked off earlier this year.
The phone-free approach is familiar territory for Carlile too. Recent shows at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles featured a similar setup for Paul McCartney’s underplay concerts, and Phoebe Bridgers is currently touring with Yondr pouches as well. Carlile’s statement explains the reasoning: “They want to feel free to try difficult things, make mistakes and bond with the audience like never before.”
Each show comes with a QR code. Attendees scan it to receive three bootlegs from the night, plus other exclusive content. Full bootlegs are available for purchase to anyone who shows up.
Ticket Sales Breakdown
Presale tickets for premium Bramily fan club members go on sale tomorrow, Sept. 29, at 10 a.m. local time. Non-premium presale follows at 2 p.m. via the official website. General on-sale begins Friday, Oct. 2 at 10 a.m. local time.
| Ticket Type | On Sale Date / Time |
|---|---|
| Premium Bramily presale | Sept. 29, 10 a.m. local time |
| Non-premium presale | Sept. 29, 2 p.m. via official website |
| General on-sale | Oct. 2, 10 a.m. local time |
Yondr pouches will be provided at the door.
The Album Behind the Tour
Carlile recently took home Song of the Year at the Americana Honors & Awards for “Returning to Myself.” She also released the deluxe version of the album of the same name last week. The deluxe edition is titled Returning to Myself (Sad Gay Version) and reimagines the original record.
Four tracks on the deluxe version were co-produced with Aaron Dessner. The album also includes a new version of Billy Joel’s “And So It Goes.”
Venue List by City
The tour runs from Nov. 5 through Dec. 17. Here is the full list of dates:
- Nov. 5 – Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall
- Nov. 7 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater
- Nov. 9 – Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre
- Nov. 10 – Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre
- Nov. 12 – Des Moines, IA @ De Moines Civic Center
- Nov. 14 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Pabst Theater
- Nov. 15 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Pabst Theater
- Nov. 17 – Minneapolis, MN @ State Theatre
- Nov. 18 – Minneapolis, MN @ State Theatre
- Nov. 20 – Louisville, KY @ The Louisville Palace Theater
- Nov. 21 – Louisville, KY @ The Louisville Palace Theater
- Nov. 22 – Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater
- Dec. 15 – Port Chester, NY @ The Capitol Theatre
- Dec. 16 – Port Chester, NY @ The Capitol Theatre
- Dec. 17 – Port Chester, NY @ The Capitol Theatre
That is a wide net. The tour touches the West Coast, the South, and the East Coast before landing in New York for a three-night stand.
Bootlegs and Exclusive Content
The QR code system is the smart move. Fans get three bootlegs immediately after scanning. That is a tangible reward for showing up. It also gives the show a digital footprint beyond the moment.
Full bootlegs are available for purchase to those in attendance. The combination means everyone walks away with something — either the instant download or the full recorded set.
The Request Format in Practice
The request format is risky. It asks the band to improvise in front of thousands of people. But it also creates a bond between performer and audience that scripted shows can’t replicate.
Carlile’s statement makes this explicit: the band wants to feel free to make mistakes. That is a rare admission from a touring act. Most bands avoid risk in front of large crowds. Carlile is embracing it.
The phone-free setup removes one major distraction. Without phones in hand, fans are physically present. They can shout, cheer, and request songs without pulling out devices. The Yondr pouches keep the room device-free.
This is a tour designed to be unpredictable. That unpredictability is the draw. Carlile is asking fans to commit to a night of unknowns, and she is committing right alongside them.
The risk is real. Some nights will work better than others. Some requests will land flat. But the format itself is generous. Carlile is handing over the setlist to the people who came to see her.
That is a gamble worth taking.
Source material: “Brandi Carlile Plots ‘Burn the Setlist’ All-Request Tour,” Rolling Stone.
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