Sarah McLachlan Brings a Beautiful “Better Broken” Set to Michigan Before Mother Nature Breaks it in Half
As Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre in Sterling Heights, Michigan slowly became enveloped in Canadian wildfire haze on July 15th, 2026, Sarah McLachlan, with support from Allison Russell, took the stage. The venue filled up quickly when doors opened, everyone excited for two incredible sets.
The stage was set beautifully under Allison Russell’s name on the background screen. Lit delicately were a large harp, a banjo, guitar, drums, and clarinet, with “Rainbow Coalition” items placed carefully in front of the microphone at the front of the stage. As the artist made her way to the microphone, and the band joined the stage, you knew it would be a soulful experience.
Allison Russell’s songs are deep-rooted in personal themes such as trauma, survival, resilience, as well as hope and joy. Her voice and song lyrics are expressive and command attention, evoking so much feeling that you feel like you are part of something profoundly spiritual while she is on stage. When she spoke about growing up and struggling through personal situations that were traumatic, only to be able to find herself performing onstage with “our queen” Sarah McLachlan, the appreciation for her growth and where she is today was felt through the crowd. As the set began, everyone already in their seats were locked in and soaking in her words, lyrics, voice, and the pure elegance that performed on stage before them. Allison Russell was absolutely the perfect act to begin the shows on the “Better Broken” Tour, and the crowd seemed to feel enlightened and primed for what was to follow after the set completed.
It is known globally that Sarah McLachlan had a profound impact in the 1990s, and the shift she created in the landscape of the music industry with numerous hits, her ethereal singer-songwriter sound, challenging industry sexism, and leaving a cultural legacy. She moved from Canadian recognition with ‘Solace’ (1991), to global appreciation with ‘Fumbling Towards Ecstasy’ (1993), to the massive success of ‘Surfacing’ (1997), and it happened to be the 29th anniversary of Surfacing the evening we all convened to experience her beautiful set.
Tracks such as “Possession,” “Building a Mystery,” and “Angel,” all highlighted her profound two-and-a-half octave vocal range and intimate lyrics that were delivered with vulnerability. Following global success, she strongly challenged an incredibly sexist industry by founding “Lilith Fair,” which fundamentally changed the way women were marketed in live music. Back then, the world was dominated by grunge, testosterone-heavy music, and festivals like Lollapalooza and Ozzfest.
It has been reported that concert promoters and radio personalities told her they wouldn’t play or book two female artists back to back because it wasn’t considered profitable, but she and Paula Cole proved them wrong with a tour in 1996 that became “Lilith Fair” from 1997-1999, grossing over $16 million in 1997 alone, making it the top-grossing festival that year. Over its run for three years of genre-blending performances, it raised almost $7 million for charity and outpaced a male-dominated industry. She helped to prove women are not a “niche market” or a secondary act, leaving a festival legacy and one that faced so much backlash that she pushed back on and defended, paving the way for women in the industry.
The impact and groundbreaking changes for women in the music industry paved the way for female artists in the 2000s, and over three decades later, people from all over are travelling to their local venues for an ethereal and moving experience to watch Sarah McLachlan live. Michigan Lottery Amphitheater was packed to the brim as the set began at her beautiful black grand piano. She took the stage barefoot in a leopard slip dress and updo, looking and sounding radiant- the band and background vocalist complementing her elegantly. Anyone who could have entered the pavilion or lawn that were not acquainted with her music could tell by the cheers and screams that she has been a loved figure and has an incredibly loyal and loving fanbase.
“Better Broken” began, showcasing that her songwriting and multi-octave vocal abilities remain intact and still incredibly impressive. Transitioning from the piano following “Better Broken” to the microphone with her acoustic guitar reminded the crowd of the massive talent taking the stage before them. With a glowing smile, she waved to the cheering audience, treating them as old friends instead of people who came to watch her perform. All of the heaviness in the world seemed to be washed away because Sarah McLachlan reassured us that she would seamlessly include songs from her latest album release in September with the nostalgic tunes we had all come to know and love deep in our hearts.
Sarah played guitar and sang “Hold On” and “The Path of Thorns (Terms)” flawlessly. After every song, the pavilion erupted with thunderous cheers and applause. The beauty of being at this show was not only my personal love and experience with Sarah McLachlan and her music but the amount of love, positivity, and best friends, couples, and enjoyment surrounding me. I sat alone, taking it in, following my absolute favorite track “Possession,” and the amount of people there smiling and having an amazing time alone or together.
Around “Reminds Me,” Sarah was approached by staff mentioning the sudden increase in wildfire smoke, and she let the crowd know they wanted her to leave due to the air quality but that she was willing to soldier on and push through to sing for us, taking her day off the following day to recover. She showed immense loyalty to her appreciative fanbase, cheering in front of her for maintaining her stance at the piano. “Fallen” had me wiping tears as she and the band performed it so magnificently, seeing other women surrounding me doing the same- such a sight being in the presence of the voice that shrouded and protected us with love through multiple decades.
When Sarah returned to the piano, she told us a story that painted her in not the best light; long-time fans of hers knew which song she was about to play. “Adia” was a powerful anthem of heartbreak and separation of people who were so close and the regret that followed when they grew apart. She eloquently told the story of falling in love with her best friend’s man, and how they drifted apart but then rekindled their close friendship and were present for each other currently and through divorce and family life. Such a beautiful reminder that if you care about someone enough, you can always work hard to fix what went wrong and put aside your pride to let them know how you feel.
After “Adia” with the crowd singing along, venue staff informed her that there was inclement weather nearby and that we would shelter in place. The wildfire air grew thicker, headaches and watering eyes began, and the band left the stage while we waited for the weather to pass. Twenty minutes or so later, it was obvious Mother Nature did not want the show to continue, and we were informed we had to leave the premises for safety and would get information from our point of ticket purchase on next steps.
The seven songs we received from Sarah McLachlan and the soulful set from Allison were so powerful and moving. Guests clamored out of the Amphitheater safely and efficiently, eagerly awaiting the return of the tour to our hometown. Leaving the venue, I don’t think I was alone in yearning to feel and cry more of the tears we were all holding back for the songs that had not yet been performed due to Mother Nature taking the stage.
Sarah’s tour continues through September, and you can find upcoming dates on sarahmclachlan.com/events.