Next Friday, June 6th, folk outfit The Head And The Heart return to The Met Philadelphia for the first time since 2019 and to Philadelphia itself for the first time since… well, earlier this month, although it was a private show… The Seattle six-piece have a new album that sees them returning to their roots in a lot of ways and is dying to be experienced in a live setting. Here are three-and-a-half reasons why you should plan to spend next Friday at the opera house with The Head And The Heart.
1. APERTURE IS THE HEAD AND THE HEART’S BEST ALBUM IN OVER A DECADE
Earlier this month, The Head And The Heart released Aperture, their sixth full-length, first for Verve Forecast, and first self-produced effort since their 2011 self-titled debut. And the 12-track collection is their most impressive since their years on Sub Pop, who released their debut, in addition to 2013 follow-up Let’s Be Still. The Head And The Heart guitarist and vocalist Matty Gervais says in a recent press release that the LP, which follows a three-album stint on Warner Bros., “Represents the choice we all must make between resigning ourselves to darkness, or letting the light in and recognizing our own agency to do so… It’s about choosing hope again and again, no matter how many times it may feel that you have lost it.”
2. EVERY TIME THEY PLAY PHILLY IT’S AMAZING
Over the course of the past 14 years, The Head And The Heart have played the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection over a dozen times, and they’ve never disappointed, with their summer 2023 stop at The Mann’s Skyline Stage and December 2014 holiday-time show at the legendary Tower Theater providing some of the best large-scale folk performances we’ve seen in recent years. Their most recent area appearance was just a few weeks ago, when they played a 7-song set at the hyper-intimate (at least for them) World Café Live for WXPN’s NON-COMM 2025. “I haven’t had butterflies like this since we began as a band,” said violinist/guitarist/vocalist Charity Rose Thielen as the band took the stage, so it would seem that the full show is well worth your time…
3. SCHOOL’S OUT FOR SUMMER
June 6th is the last day of classes at Drexel University, meaning school is officially out for the summer at all major Philadelphia universities. And fans of The Head And The Heart know that the band’s catalogue boasts a number of summertime jams, mostly notably “Summertime” off of their sophomore LP (which you may have heard on this month’s edition of Philthy Radio, my monthly show for Y-Not Radio, now streaming), in addition to “Cruel” (off of the same album), “Tiebreaker” (a highlight from 2022’s Every Shade of Blue), and their cover of Harry Nilsson’s “Don’t Forget Me” (the band’s contribution to Starbucks compilation Sweetheart 2014). So, take a breath, break out your fanciest summertime duds (There will likely be a beer garden, but it is an opera house…), and officially kick off the sunniest season with The Head And The Heart.
BONUS REASON. THE SUPPORT IS GREAT
Providing direct support for the night is Athens rockers Futurebirds, who have actually been at it for slightly longer than The Head And The Heart and last summer dropped their fifth full-length, Easy Company (whose title track is a stunning collaboration with Waxahatchee), followed by a November headlining gig at Johnny Brenda’s. And handling opening duties is Anna Graves, who spent last month opening for our buddies Wild Rivers and whose most recent single, “Bluebird,” is my favorite “sad girl” country song of the year.
*Get your tickets here.
