Although The Head and the Heart has played in Boulder twice before, once in a backyard and once opening at the Boulder Theater, Sunday was the band’s first sold-out show headlining the Boulder Theater.
During Blitzen Trapper’s set, the theater was about three quarters full. There were hardly any seats in the balcony area overlooking the floor. People were standing along the walls in hopes of finding a spot. By the end of Blitzen Trapper’s set, the venue was packed, and seats were held by neighbors to ensure a place.
Jonathan Russell of The Head and the Heart performs at the Boulder Theater Sunday night. (CU Independent/Patrick Fort)
Among the patrons were older fans, many in their 50s, which is interesting compared to most shows college students attend. These fans, just like everyone else, couldn’t wait for The Head and the Heart to take the stage. When the band appeared on stage, excited voices could be heard shouting with the clapping.
Throughout The Head and The Heart’s set, the lighting was one of the most interesting parts. The lighting changed depending on who was emphasized during the song, but mainly focusing on the three vocalists Josiah Johnson, Jonathan Russell and Charity Rose Thielen.
At times the lights would shine upon the crowd, darkening the stage and highlighting the energy of the audience. Watching this from the balcony was intriguing. The lights would wave up and down around the theater, reaching my eyes and going back down in a sweep. With the darkened stage, the music was heard without any distractions. When the lights reappeared onstage, the musicians were jumping around getting each other excited.
As the music rose in energy, the crowd rose with it. As the music slowed down so did the energy of the crowd, mirroring what the artists wanted. Everything was on the same wavelength.
With every song, the feeling of the words and sounds of the instruments meshed without any rough changes or disruptive turns in the flow. One instrument that shined was Thielen’s violin, which sped up and slowed down, bringing intense energy and the attention of the crowd to the twisted melody.
The bond that the musicians share was apparent. They were all so in sync, encouraging one another when it was time to build up a part and when it was time to calm it down. It was like watching their own world that we were all allowed to be in on for just one night.
As the last song played, stomping began in the theater. The sound of the ground shaking could be heard even after the song stopped. After the first wave of stomping, more continued until Johnson came back on stage to play a song on his own, “Honey Come Home.”
He explained that it was a song he usually played in his room, so he imagined that his bed was in the theater, turning the venue into his imaginary bedroom. When his strumming began, all eyes and ears in the theater were on him. When the song ended, the rest of the band came onto the stage to play one last song together to end the evening.
For their first headlining show in Boulder, The Head and the Heart excelled and gave everyone a great evening before the school and work week, providing some great music and energy to carry them through the week.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Claudia Rebora at Claudia.rebora@colorado.edu.
