The Head and the Heart Bring Every Shade of Blue to LA

The Head and the Heart performing at the Greek Theatre, LA by Jonathan Nack

The Seattle Based Band set the tone for the first leg of their tour

It has been over 10 years since The Head and the Heart self-released their debut project, but with several albums and tours later, they remain at the forefront of modern-day indie folk rock. I was first introduced to their music around the time their 2019 album Living Mirage came out. I was immediately captivated by how they blended influences of folk and indie rock to cultivate their unique sound. From songs like “River and Roads” to their more indie rock-centered cuts like “All We Ever Knew,” I was thrilled to see how they would bring these songs to life. Touring their latest release under Warner Records titled Every Shade of Blue, the band took the stage to a packed-out Greek Theatre. 

Local-based folk rock band Dawes opened the night with an exhilarating performance as the band went through some tracks off their latest record Misadventures of Doom Scroller. The crowd greeted them with great energy, singing along to their songs, and even rocking the band's merch, which was so great to see for an opener. They ended their set by showing lots of love to The Head and the Heart and even brought out two members of the band to sing with them on their final song. Closing out with “All Your Favorite Bands,” it was a beautiful moment as everyone sang “May all your favorite bands stay together,” along with the crowd. 

The Head and the Heart performing at the Greek Theatre, LA by Jonathan Nack

As the stage crew finished setting up for The Head and the Heart, I made my way to the photo pit as the lights came up, bathing the stage in a dark blue. The band then promptly opened up with “Every Shade of Blue,” setting the tone for what was to come. The crowd erupted as the band quickly transitioned into the energetic song “Don’t Show Your Weakness,” which came to an explosive climax featuring a roaring guitar solo. Keeping the pace, they moved to standout track “All We Ever Knew” from their 2016 album Signs of Light. The presence of the crowd was undeniable as the almost 6,000-cap venue screamed “la la la la la” in a near-perfect sequence with the band. The Seattle based band seemed incredibly tight-knit with their set feeling extremely seamless. They would often fill the gaps between songs with fluid moments of instrumentals and even standout solos from pianist Kenneth Hensley along with drummer Tyler Williams. 

About halfway into their set, the band moved into some of their slower songs from older records with the likes of “Let’s Be Still” and “Lost,” giving vocalist Jonathan Russell the opportunity to give an incredibly powerful performance. The Heart and the Heart also did a beautiful rendition of “In the Orchard” by Tiger Army which felt natural, given that Russell has the vocal range to pull such a thing off. Soon after, they performed “HoneyBee” which gave the spotlight over to female vocalist/ violinist Charity Rose Thielen, as she sang “If my world comes tumbling down, I could never forgive myself for leaving out,” with the crowd following behind her. The band made sure to thank everyone for coming out and even thanked Los Angeles for providing them with such beautiful weather for the night. After ending with “Shake,” the band quickly left the stage leaving fans wanting more especially since they had yet to play “Rivers and Roads.” 

The audience clapped in sync as an effort to bring the band back out and soon enough, they came to close out the night with “Rivers and Roads,” a song that was a somber send-off. As the opening band Dawes said, “May all your favorite bands stay together,” and after seeing them live, The Head and the Heart show no signs of stopping. Check out the setlist here!

PS: Check out our gallery of photos from the performance!

PS: Check out our gallery of photos from the performance!