The Head and the Heart (Photo by Vince Aung)
The return of transcontinental alt-folk band The Head and the Heart, who play the Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront on Aug. 1, is a homecoming in more ways than one. The group includes players from many parts of the country — including Richmond — who coalesced in 2009 during open mic nights at a Seattle pub. After a self-produced debut powered by intelligent and introspective lyrics, they rose to the level of stadium-headlining, major label artists. The centrifugal forces of fame often tear bands apart. It revived and refocused The Head and the Heart.
Their new album, “Aperture,” is a return to the organic, acoustic sound of the band’s earliest recordings. “Our mission is to expose and give voice to emotions not often present in modern pop music,” says drummer Tyler Williams. “We are in a time when things can get really dark really fast. This album is about choosing to let the light in, focusing on the good that is out there in the world, with hope and positivity for the future.”
Williams has been with the band from the beginning, moving to Seattle in time to record the debut album after an invitation from high school friend, guitarist and vocalist Jonathan Russell; the two previously played in RVA band Silent Film Star. Now, both are back in Richmond, Russell residing in an 18th-century farmhouse across the street from The Brink Recording Studio (located in the former Montrose studio space).
Eight of the 12 songs on “Aperture” were recorded at The Brink. “The band came and stayed with me, like a big family,” Williams says. “It felt like we were back in the Seattle days when we all lived, ate, went on walks and made music together. It was super, back to our roots and creatively fulfilling.”
After making the first album — which has since gone platinum with over a million copies sold — the inertia of success started to build. Their sophomore release, “Let’s Be Still,” took six months to write and record. It became a fan favorite, particularly the song “Another Story” which was inspired by the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. The momentum also led to a contract with Warner Bros. “That is the chapter of the band where there were outside influences,” Williams says. The production became slicker, cinematic and commercial. “There were outsiders involved. It wasn’t just six people in a room making music,” he says. “We put out songs we really believed in, but it was missing a wholehearted commitment to the mission of the band, [to] the things we do so well.”
For the band, a Richmond performance always feels like a homecoming. “This is where Jon and I started out. We have so many friends and family in the area, and we haven’t played here in about three years,” Williams says. “There is something about our music, an alchemy in playing outdoors. Richmond is such a creative and loving place we are always excited to get back to.”
The “Aperture Tour” sees the band traveling across the U.S. and Canada with its one Virginia stop being the Allianz Amphitheater show. The Head and the Heart are part of the inaugural lineup of more than 30 shows at the brand-new outdoor music venue, which hosted its first concert in June.
The band’s optimistic uncertainty in renewal is evident from the new album’s bittersweet opener, “After the Setting Sun.” It is an adult song, haunted by mortality and burnished by experience. Time and people slip away, but with each ending, there’s a new beginning.
The Head and the Heart perform at the Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront on Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $30. For more information, visit allianzamphitheater.com.
