It’s exciting to finally be able to return to The Ledge Amphitheater in St. Cloud on a summer night. We’re just at the halfway point of a Minnesota summer, and with outdoor festivals and shows in full swing, Myself and many other fans that packed the amphitheater couldn’t wait for tonight’s special lineup that many of us made the drive up 94 to see.
The Ledge Amphitheater’s natural beauty gives it a small “Red Rocks” like feeling, where both bands had just performed at days before. Nestled in the heart of Minnesota, the venue’s surroundings provided an idyllic backdrop for the performances. The Revivalists kicked off the evening first with a burst of energy, just as the sun began to dip. Frontman David Shaw’s powerhouse vocals and the band’s soul-rock fusion elevated the excitement. Their anthemic hits are typically enough to get a crowd moving, but it’s a task that historically seems hard to do at the largely seated, outdoor venue. The band focused on their recently released album, Pour It Out Into The Night, which took up eight tracks of their fourteen song setlist. The new album seemed welcomed by fans as the band certainly took it’s name literally, pouring themselves into the music as the night began to take over.
After a brief intermission, The Head and The Heart took to the stage and began capturing hearts with their soulful folk-rock tunes. Lead vocalist Jonathan Russell’s emotive voice resonated with the crowd, creating a serene and intimate ambiance inside the large outdoor venue – a task that’s difficult for any band, but easy for THATH’s songs and homey lyrics and harmonies.
It was somewhat of a homecoming show for vocalist/violinist Charity Rose Thielen, whose family is local to the St. Cloud area, and former owners of the Little Falls Butcher shop Thielen Meats. As such, plenty of her family was in the crowd, as they typically are for any Minnesota show, this time being just that much closer to home.
The Head and the Heart did a great job divvying up their setlist, showcasing their ever evolving catalog while still satisfying dedicated fans. Each of their five albums took 4 songs on the setlist, with 2016’s Signs of Light getting the short straw, with All We Ever Knew being the only track performed from the album. The band performed a three song encore, leaving us with the instant classic (and a song that has recently started to gain traction on social media videos) Rivers and Roads, a song off their first self titled record about the separation of friends who have moved away. While the band’s sound has far evolved from the tight-knit, folksy first record, you can tell that the band is still excited to perform that song long after it’s been written. It’s a must for bands who hope to be around for years to come, and Its good to see that bands like The Head and The Heart and The Revivalists will continue to be.
The Revivalists Setlist:
Kid
Oh No
Alive
How We Move
Criminal
It Was a Sin
Down in the Dirt
The Long Con
You and I
Don’t Look Back
Wish I Knew You
Only You
Good Old Days
The Head and The Heart Setlist:
Living Mirage
Don’t Show Your Weakness
Ghosts
All We Ever Knew
Another Story
Tiebreaker
Missed Connection
Lost in My Mind
Summertime
Glory of Music
Honeybee
Gone
Down in the Valley
Virginia (Wind in the Night)
Encore:
Every Shade of Blue
Shake
Rivers and Roads
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