Big Thief launch free live archive with 10 concerts

Big Thief have opened a free online archive of fully mixed live concerts, starting with 10 full sets available to stream now.

The band confirmed the launch of the Big Thief Live Archive on 14 October, with all 10 shows offered for free listening and no ticket or subscription needed, according to Pitchfork. The sets are presented as complete concerts, mixed for release quality rather than rough board tapes or phone recordings.

The archive will keep growing on a fixed schedule. A new performance will be added on the second Tuesday of every month, giving fans a regular date to check for fresh material.

The idea came from drummer James Krivchenia and his admiration for the Grateful Dead’s catalogue of live albums. That band famously allowed taping and later built a vast official live collection, and Krivchenia wanted Big Thief to document their own shows in the same spirit.

To mark the opening, Big Thief have also shared a live version of “Incomprehensible” recorded at an April performance in Dublin. The track acts as a sampler for the archive, pointing new listeners toward the fuller sets.

For fans, this means a simple choice. Pick a night, press play, and hear how the songs shift from city to city. Live versions often stretch, slow down or open up, with different harmonies, tempos and endings from the studio recordings.

The band have long been known as a heavy touring act, with long sets and changing setlists. A central archive brings those nights together in one place, instead of leaving them scattered across fan uploads and short clips.