It’s been awhile. I thought I wasn’t going to see any music for six months because I was away taking care of my mother. Then my sister decided to join me and I thought it was important I get in some face time at work. So I bought tickets for Lucero so I could jump back in with both feet. But when I saw that Band of Horses was playing the Capitol Theatre the night before I decided I’d dip my toe in. Which proved a good decision since my mother died two weeks before I left for home and I needed to come back to the real world slowly.

Upstairs at the Capitol was a private party with catered food. I noticed the BOGO signs for the Lucero show and felt badly for them. This night had a full house – and a lot more older couples than I was expecting. Waiting for the show to start I started feeling the cold of the AC and I watched an orange cartoon squirrel jump through various forest scenes projected onto the walls. It was very trippy.

Opening act was Midlake Acoustic as opposed to Midlake, which has three more band members. There was lead vocal/acoustic guitar, keyboards and flute, and another member also on acoustic guitar. The music can be best described as acoustic prog rock. The banter was as boring as the music – “we played glow in the dark Frisbee with Band of Horses in a parking lot and it got pretty crazy.” No details as to why it was crazy. Their last song was a cover of “I Shall Be Released” and the harmonies were quite beautiful. The lead singer joked that Band of Horses’ beards were looking better than ever.

Band of Horses is one of those bands that I very much enjoy live but have never bought any of their music so I’m not familiar with the songs. The band is Ben Bridwell (vocals, guitar, pedal steel, percussion), Tyler Ramsey (lead guitar), Ryan Monroe (keyboards, mandolin), Bill Reynolds (bass), and Creighton Barrett (drums). As soon as they hit the stage I was feeling it and I was glad to be listening to live music again.

Bridwell, as always, looks thrilled to be on stage. The band was very LOUD and I saw people covering their ears at certain points. Highlights were “No One’s Gonna Love You” and Bridwell’s solo acoustic for “St. Augustine.” Then he was joined by Ramsey on acoustic and Monroe on mandolin for “Part One.”

I was dressed for summer and not the cold and the AC started to get to me. I left before their set was over because I was too cold and it was too loud. Leaving early was not a comment on the show at all. Band of Horses is a band you should see live.

By Carene Lydia Lopez