Petalpusher Inspires Unity at Westminster Presbyterian Church with Aly Rowell

Last Friday, Westminster Presbyterian Church became an unlikely but deeply fitting gathering place for friends, family, and those lucky enough to catch word of the benefit show. Featuring performances from Aly Rowell and headliner Petalpusher, the church’s quiet reverence made the music especially intimate, reflective, and communal. At a time when going to concerts can sometimes feel detached and transactional, the evening carried a sincerity that feels increasingly rare. The show also served as a fundraiser for Detention Resistance, an organization focused on supporting refugees and migrants impacted by criminalization, grounding the performances in a broader sense of shared humanity.

Kicking off the evening was Aly Rowell, a Filipino-American indie-folk musician based in San Diego whose set saw the entire room embrace a forward lean, pulled in by the gentle force of her voice and the poignancy of her lyricism. Her vocals are achingly earnest, moving like a lilting instrument between folk softness and soaring, almost operatic highs. Her cover of “Edelweiss” had the audience singing in unison like a congregation —  a moment of vulnerability that underscored music’s power to connect and uplift us.

Rowell’s most recent album, Twenties, reflects on that stage of her life, while her upcoming September release, Where it All Goes, leans further into themes of family and inherited experience.

At long last, Petalpusher assembled on stage for their second-ever live performance. The band consists of Grace Berryhill (guitar, tambourine), Henry Wright (guitar, accordion, harmonica, banjo, keys), Josiah Roberts (guitar, drums), Jack Thomas (guitar, mandolin), Sierra Hill (drums, guitar, keys), and Sammy McCubbin (bass). A true jack-of-all-trades group, it’s often hard to pin down anyone’s “main” instrument. With each member a multi-instrumentalist and all contributing vocals throughout the set, the performance felt less about fixed roles and more about a fluid, collaborative exchange.

A personal and crowd favorite was their rendition of “Passing Through” by Leonard Cohen, a song whose themes of transience and solidarity felt especially fitting. With such a wide range of vocal textures between them, the band’s harmonies balanced grit with tenderness, recalling the raw, unadorned spirit of Townes Van Zandt. Boisterous yet restrained, it felt deeply lived-in rather than rehearsed.

While the setlist included a beautiful and well-chosen range of covers, the real treat was hearing the band’s originals: “Touch & Go” and “Machine” by Roberts, “Oh, Chrysanthemum” and “Tongue and Matches” by Berryhill, “Shady Glen” and “Take Me (With Ease)” by Hill, “Worm-Hungry” by Wright, and “General Malaise” by McCubbin. One of the most touching aspects of the evening was the way the band championed each other’s songwriting. Each member brought a distinct compositional style, yet together they formed a remarkably cohesive sound — a testament to their shared creative language. It’s an exciting time for the band as they begin the recording process.

There’s a quiet romanticism running through Petalpusher, shaped by long-held trust and a shared love of the craft. The music feels less constructed than discovered together — fragmented moments that still somehow resolve into a belief that connection itself might be the only way forward. That closeness turns the performance into something expansive, where connection is not just possible, but essential. Concerts like this one make it very apparent how, though we are united in many ways, it is through music and art that our hearts sync in a rhythm that encourages understanding.

Photos by: Benjamin Johnson
Review by: Abigail Murr

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