As Seattle’s The Head and the Heart hit the first chords of “Cats and Dogs” Thursday night at Milwaukee’s Turner Hall, the near-capacity crowd erupted with glee. The six-piece folk/rock/pop act was polished, enthusiastic and, frankly, fantastic sounding.
The crowd clearly agreed. A glance around proved puzzling as everyone from children to middle-aged drunk men were eating up every word sung by Josiah Johnson, Jonathan Russell and Charity Rose Thielen. It was a crowd (and show) more indicative of a well-known local band, the kind of band that brings out family members, young and old, along with everyone who’s ever had some connection to a band member. (Why yes, my ex-neighbor Joanne’s sister’s daughter Janice used to animal sit for the drummer’s brother’s friend’s pet lizard.) But that’s not the case. So are we really chalking up this crazy excited crowd to Iron and Wine’s June show at Turner in which The Head and the Heart opened? Perhaps.
“It’s so good to be back in Milwaukee,” Thielen said excitedly after “Cats and Dogs,” launching into the whimsical, haunting, Gomez-reminiscent “Ghosts.”
Then brought “Honey Come Home” and an ever-so-slight lull in the set’s middle, as the Seattle six-piece made its way through softer and slower numbers, with even a slight touch of James Taylor. Seriously. But it slammed back with an energetic “Lost in My Mind.” Openers Thao with The Get Down Stay Down and The Devil Whale joined The Head and the Heart on stage, creating one comically large, jubilant, on-stage dance party for the band’s biggest hit.
The masses exited the stage, and The Head and the Heart closed its set with “Rivers & Roads,” complete with folks in the crowd swaying arm in arm. (I half expected an accidental yelp of “Varsity” and “You Rah Rah Wisconsin.”) Thielen, however, earned her keep with fantastic belting through this bare-bones, Southern-tinged number.
The two-song encore ended with “Down in the Valley,” which is credited with persuading drummer Tyler Williams to leave Virginia and join the group back in 2009.
With its authentic Southern parts, Seattle indie label (Sub Pop) and just mainstream-enough appeal, The Head and the Heart are poised for one hell of a popularity upswing. Its crew might have had the same idea, taking a celebratory shot next to the merch table as the crowd roared for the encore. We might just have the next Mumford & Sons on our hands.
Photo courtesy Sub Pob.
