Summer concerts at Jacobs Pavilion are truly a Cleveland staple. Add a concert from THE HEAD AND THE HEART to that? It has the makings of a perfect Summer night.
THATH are no strangers to Cleveland! In fact, they expressed their love for the Rock and Roll capital onstage, noting that they like to schedule off days here! Cleveland loves this six-piece indie-folk outfit right back!
On this visit to town, the band was touring their new album ‘Aperture’, which was released in May of this year. The record was self-produced by the band, features more expansive arrangements, and was written and recorded collaboratively.
On a Reddit thread, the band describes the writing process for this album as one that involved “soul searching.” They said they were making music they truly believed in, and that is clearly reflected in the final product.
The night kicked off with the title track from ‘Aperture.’ The setlist was heavy on the new album. 8 out of 21 tunes were from the new release, by far the most represented record on the setlist.
THATH wasted zero time dipping into their collection of hits, with“All We Ever Knew,” from their 2016 album ‘Signs of Light.’ (One of five songs that reached #1 on Billboard’s AAA Charts!)
This act does not have a traditional “frontman” arrangement. While Jonathan Russell stands front and center on the stage, the band is one unit that works together in every aspect of their music. Multiple voices are heard singing, instruments are being rotated and swapped, and new instruments are added every song change.
Russell and guitar/vocalist Matt Gervais definitely served as the liaisons between the band and audience, demonstrating a commanding presence at the near-capacity, riverfront pavilion, sharing stories, and dominating the banter. Gervais even grabbed his wireless mic and entered the GA standing pit to dance with fans during “Jubilee.” The band was seemingly in competition to see who could have the most fun: THATH or its loyal audience!
‘Aperture’ may have been the focal point of the evening (the old school way of supporting a new record), but they managed to play at least one song off of all six of their studio releases!
The band included “Virginia (Wind in the Night)” from their 2022 album, ‘Every Shade of Blue’ as well as “Honeybee” and “Missed Connection” from the 2019 album, ‘Living Mirage.’
Every song, whether it was an upbeat dancing tune like “Fire Escape” or a slow, moody one like “Sounds Like Hallelujah” off their debut self-titled album, the band transitioned between each tune flawlessly.
The band’s 2011 Platinum-certified, self-titled debut record has stood the test of time. The #1 hit (and arguably their most recognizable song), “Lost in My Mind,” was performed 2/3 of the way through the set. The appreciative crowd showed their approval when the song started, and not one person headed for the exits to beat the logjam of traffic in the Nautica parking lot, despite hearing what, to many, was one of their favorite songs.
“Rivers and Roads” closed the encore. The 2x Platinum song recently went viral on TikTok despite being released 14 years ago. Trends come and go, but songs can have a new life at any point, thanks to new technologies and outlets that are being created. This holds especially true for a band, including THATH, that write timeless songs.
THATH remember their up-and-coming roots, and are all for giving other acts the same opportunities that were afforded to them in their early days; giving valuable stage time to worthy opening acts. Singer-songwriter Katie Pruitt kicked off the night with her powerful voice. She performed solo with just an acoustic guitar for the first song, before her tour manager joined her on stage to sing backing vocals with her. This stripped-down set felt intimate and truly showcased Pruitt’s incredible talent as an artist.
Indie-folk band Wilderado took the stage next, bringing a bigger band sound that is more similar to THE HEAD AND THE HEART. The Oklahoma natives are not new to the industry, having been a band since 2015, but are growing in popularity by the year, thanks to tours like this. While their merch states “Wilderado is an OK band!” (A fun play on words, using the abbreviation of their home state of Oklahoma!) Their set proved that they are more than OK – they are a group ready to keep taking on bigger and bigger stages.
Tonight’s show proved that The Head and the Heart songs connect to every emotion and life experience. What truly sets them apart from other groups is their storytelling through song, mixed with their chemistry on stage. My hope, as a witness to tonight’s show and a longtime fan of this band, is that this trend continues, because there is truly nothing like a concert from The Head and the Heart.
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