The Head and the Heart made a much-anticipated return to Ann Arbor, and the band showed off some local cred, shouting out the “Don’s Rhythm & Blues” sandwich from area deli favorite Zingerman’s (a fitting match to one of their own song titles) and fondly remembering playing another show in the city for the nearby venue The Ark. At the Michigan Theater on November 6th, the Seattle folk rockers delivered a set that leaned on their latest album Every Shade of Blue, but dabbled in a bit of their entire discography going all the way back to their fan-favorite self-titled. Here are five moments that stood out from the show:
Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors Start Strong
Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors set the tone for the evening with their rootsy folk rock. Holcomb’s voice starred from the get-go, with set opener “Fly” showcasing his sonorous croon. In a preview of the many powerful harmonies the night had in store, the next track “Dragons” saw Holcomb flanked by Nathan Dugger and Rich Brinsfield, each contributing vocals over the substantive kick of the drums. As the crowd got more and more into the performance, they cheered loudly for Holcomb’s strong sustained notes on tracks like “Morning Song” and a cover of Adele’s “When We Were Young.” The Head and the Heart’s Jonathan Russell even joined in on the fun, lending an additional voice for the harmonies on “Find Your People.” By the end of the set, the audience bid farewell to Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors with a rousing standing ovation after the jaunty “Dance With Everybody.”
In With the New
The band wasted no time showing off their latest record, opening with the album’s title track “Every Shade of Blue” and “Don’t Show Your Weakness.” On the first song, Russell’s voice stood strong over the minimal opening instrumentation before getting an additional lift from harmonies with violinist Charity Rose Thielen and guitarist Matt Gervais.
Vocal Versatility
Throughout the set, Russell and Thielen’s voices each got time in the spotlight. Russell’s singing impressed with its versatility, from moments of high-pitched croons (“Missed Connection”; “Virginia (Wind in the Night)”) to sturdy, bluesy vocals (cover of Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine”). And seemingly every vocal spot from Thielen was met with a rapturous roar from the crowd, especially on “Let’s Be Still” and “Honeybee.”
“The Dance Portion of the Evening”
After “Honeybee,” Gervais teased the crowd, “We’re about to enter the dance portion of the evening.” This section kept the crowd in a groove all the way till the end of the main portion of the set, with highlights including “Shake” and “Down in the Valley.”
The former saw the band leading fans in a fast clapalong to the insistent drumbeat and punchy guitar riff, with the interplay between Thielen’s and Russell’s voices powering the track to the finish line.
And the latter – seemingly featuring a subtly different alternate opening and closing line from the studio recording – featured a hushed singalong led by Russell’s gentle guitar strumming and Thielen’s somber violin, with the simple arrangement letting the band’s voices shine.
Exhilarating Encore
As the band departed the stage, a loud, persistent cheer from the audience beckoned The Head and the Heart back onstage. The crew – alongside Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors – returned to kick off their encore with a spirited take on “Lost in My Mind,” with another round of powerhouse harmonies, a jaunty piano breakdown, and Gervais extending the microphone stand toward the crowd to sing along.
The encore ended with a stunning rendition of their classic “Rivers and Roads.” A hush fell across the crowd during the gentle strums of the track’s opening before the whole band emphatically kicked in midway through. It’s been well over a decade since the band’s self-titled was released (including this track), but Thielen’s soaring, powerhouse vocals that close out this song still can cause goosebumps (in a good way), especially when layered alongside Russell’s voice at the coda.
