Karina Rykman Welcomes Melt’s Marlo Shankweiler and More for Debut Covers of Ween, Beck and The Cardigans at Webster Hall
Photo Credit: Tara Gracer
On Saturday, May 10, Karina Rykman took the stage for her long-awaited performance at New York’s Webster Hall. Rykman’s largest headline show to date was a big moment for the rapidly rising jam star and her hometown crowd alike, who showed out for a non-stop sing-along at the New York indie institution. In this celebration, Rykman made the landmark staging even more significant with a fistful of original debuts, three first-time covers and a wealth of sit-ins from friends in the scene.
Rykman set off her Webster Hall show with a classic, treating the audience to the title track from her Trey Anastasio co-produced 2023 breakthrough record Joyride. The ace bassist and bandleader continued to build momentum from this exciting opener with “All That You Wanted” before she turned the page to new material with the hazy “Leave It To Me (Shoegaze Summer),” which she played to a crowd all her own for the first time after a live debut at My Morning Jacket’s One Big Holiday concert getaway. “Change My Flight,” a new power-pop gem, was debuted between staples “Plants” and “Run of the Mill,” then the artist honored one of her musical inspirations with her first treatment of Ween’s “I’ll Be Your Jonny on the Spot.”
After “Childlike,” yet another new original, Rykman ripped into a rapid-fire run of signatures like “City Kids” and “No Occasion,” accented by her final original debut of the evening with the scenic and vivid “Riverside Drive.” For one last blast of energy in her set, Rykman struck the iconic first chords of The Cardigans’ enduring 1996 vintage pop hit “Lovefool” alongside Melt guitarist Marlo Shankweiler, who added call-and-response vocals at the hook and a free-flowing, shapeshifting solo to drive an extended jam section.
Finally, following takes on “Atom Dance” and “Elevator,” Rykman concluded her performance with a debut cover of Beck’s groundbreaking 1991 offering “Loser” with a massive team of guests, including another spot from Shankweiler, bassist and regular collaborator Isaac Sloane, her producer Gabe Monro and tour manager Charlie Horne, as well as Ricki Blakesberg, Lauren Baker, Alastair Hart, Andrew Sax and Jono Hart. Watch the grand finale below.
Karina Rykman will take the stage next at Divided Sky Foundation’s second-annual Music on the Mountain, where she’ll deliver a full-band set and take part in a supergroup with Daniel Donato, Ray Paczkowski and more. Find tickets and more information on her full tour itinerary at karinarykman.com.
