Sarah McLachlan and Allison Russell unite for summer tour
DIRECT ANSWER: Sarah McLachlan and Allison Russell are touring together this summer on McLachlan's Better Broken amphitheater run, with Russell opening every date through August 9. In a joint Variety interview, the Canadian singer-songwriters describe the shows as spaces to forget madness and find communal healing through live music.
Key Takeaways
- Russell and her Rainbow Coalition open all Better Broken tour dates from July 1 through August 9 across North America.
- The artists bonded at Joni Jam at the Gorge in 2023; Russell's first public performance was McLachlan's song Mary in high school.
- Russell's album In the Hour of Chaos arrives July 10; one dollar from every ticket supports Sarah's School of Music.
- McLachlan blends new Better Broken material with Fumbling Towards Ecstasy anniversary setlist favorites.
Why are Sarah McLachlan and Allison Russell touring together now?
This summer, Sarah McLachlan and Allison Russell are building what Variety calls a sister-y road show. McLachlan is touring behind her 2025 album Better Broken, following her successful Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30th Anniversary Tour, with commemorative setlist elements intact alongside fresh songs.
Russell has surged in visibility opening for Hozier and starring on Broadway in Hadestown. McLachlan told Variety she chose Russell for her energy and music—deep soul and pain transformed into joy—and because she wants to hear her every night. Russell insists it is not a double bill; she is proudly opening for McLachlan.
How did their partnership begin?
The two met in person at Joni Jam at the Gorge Amphitheatre in 2023, sitting on a green velvet settee with Annie Lennox behind Joni Mitchell. Brandi Carlile had surprised Russell by pairing her with McLachlan and Lennox rather than caregivers, as Russell initially assumed.
The Gorge held symbolic weight: it hosted the first Lilith Fair show on July 5, 1997. Russell recently watched Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery on Hulu and urged her daughter to see McLachlan's documentary. Both artists frame their work as continuing Lilith's community-first, woman-led spirit.
What can fans expect on the Better Broken tour?
Variety spoke with both artists on Zoom ahead of the run—McLachlan from Vancouver, Russell from New York while finishing a memoir. The tour kicked off July 1 in Franklin, Tennessee, and continues through August 9 at Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery in Woodinville, Washington, hitting Red Rocks, Forest Hills Stadium, and the Greek Theatre.
Russell releases In the Hour of Chaos on July 10, coinciding with early tour dates. McLachlan recently won her 14th Juno Award. A dollar from every ticket benefits Sarah's School of Music, which Russell's niece attends in Vancouver. For more live entertainment coverage, see our Streaming and TV Alerts section.
McLachlan promises audiences a few hours to forget madness and be part of something beautiful—what she calls church, communion, and shared humanity. In a divided moment, both artists see concerts as bridges, not battlegrounds.