On Oct. 7, 2010, a small indie band from Seattle played at Sophia’s Thai Kitchen.
Two years and one day later, The Head and the Heart returned for a concert at Sophia’s, still sounding like a small indie band from Seattle, but this time with a record deal and an ever-growing fan base.
Sophia’s deck was the perfect setting for the concert — The Head and the Heart was clearly a band meant to be heard in an intimate setting. Overflow concertgoers and under-21-year-olds stood on the sidewalk as part of the audience.
“It was really refreshing to play a show like this, after we’ve been playing a lot of theaters, larger venues, big festivals. You feel the crowd a lot more — literally and figuratively — at shows like this,” said singer and guitarist Jon Russell after the show.
The first opener, “Curtain For You,” got the crowd pumped up, and the deck threatened to break as the band and concertgoers jumped up and down for most of the set.
Then came Bryan John Appleby, whose band can only be described as hipster lumberjacks, with a more soothing sound that added to the crowd’s anticipation for the main act.
When The Head and the Heart finally came on around 9 p.m., Davis was ready.
Most people in the crowd knew the words to every song and swayed along as the band opened with “Cats” and “Coeur D’Alene.”
Lead singers Jon Russell and Josiah Johnson had an endearing bromance, which was put on display as they made beautiful music together.
Charity Rose Thielen kicked ass on the violin, with a soulful voice to match.
The set list was pure gold, hitting all of the band’s popular songs like “Lost In My Mind” without skipping over hidden gems like “Sounds Like Hallelujah.”
“Rivers and Roads” had the whole crowd singing along, and even the token drunk concertgoer seemed subdued by the harmonies of Russell, Johnson and Thielen.
To end an already amazing concert, Russell, Johnson and drummer Tyler Williams jumped off the deck to serenade their sidewalk audience with a few songs, including “Honey Come Home.”
Thank you, The Head and the Heart, for an excellent Monday night. I’ll get lost in your mind any day.
