The Head and the Heart Captivate The Armory

I’ve seen The Head and the Heart twice, both times at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado. If you’ve ever seen a show at Red Rocks, you know the venue has a kind of magic to it. I was curious to see if their performance at a “regular” venue could live up to the outstanding shows I saw in Colorado. While it’s difficult to compare the vibe at the Armory to the euphoria felt during a sold-out Red Rocks show, the Head and the Heart was once again fantastic.

The Head and the Heart wasted no time in playing crowd favorites. They started off with a bang, playing “Living Mirage,” “Missed Connection,” and “Ghosts.” The energy level didn’t go down from there. During “Let’s Be Still,” everyone held their phone flashlights up at the request of lead singer, Johnathan Russell, so the venue would look like fireflies. You could hear the crowd singing the lyrics back during “Lost in My Mind.”

Johnathan Russell is a rockstar in his own unique way, pulling off a man bun, a hat, slick and boots. He owns the stage, confident in every step. Charity Rose Thielen, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, shares the same charming stage presence. She was fierce with her yellow hair and denim jumpsuit. The drummer exuded pure joy during each and every song, his movements resembled Animal from The Muppets. The band was tight and they quite obviously love what they do.

The Head and the Heart’s stage setup fit the vibe of their music, with a simple wooden wave structure and soft lighting. In the beginning, they were backed by what looked like a starry night. The setup went well with their deeply moving yet chill music. Even during their slower songs, the crowd was enthralled by their harmonies. 

The Head and the Heart played a two-hour set and it was well worth every minute. I highly recommend attending one of their live shows, they are polished and a dream to watch. There may be no better finale song than the iconic “Rivers and Roads.”