The Big Four Roadhouse was packed Sunday night, and after a long day of Stampeding under the cover of thunderstorms and light rainfall, the crowd was in the mood for love.
The stage welcomed eight-piece soul ensemble St. Paul & the Broken Bones to open up for the beloved Lord Huron — it was humid and somewhat sticky in the Big Four, with throngs of enraptured couples and a Smithbilt white hat (or at the very least, a convincing knockoff) perched atop the head of every third person in the crowd. A lengthy improv by trombonist Chad Fisher was a highlight of the set as the band leaned into their funkier discography and the crowd pulsed along to vocalist Paul Janeway's rich voice.
Lines to the washroom grew long, and the liquor was flowing. This was clearly the date night of choice for many at the Stampede, weary from a long weekend of ice cold beers, mini doughnuts, corporate tent parties and carnival games. Despite the energizing pace of St. Paul & the Broken Bones, the mood was somewhat sleepy as audience members drooped like flowers in the hot sun during the extended break between sets.
Smoke plumed out and the ambient instrumentals of "Time's Blur" moved throughout the venue as Lord Huron's six-piece touring band silently made their way onto the stage. Moving as shadows, it was a sombre beginning to a set that would take the crowd on an existential journey they might not have been expecting. "We've got something for everyone," frontman Ben Schneider mused, pushing his shoulder length hair back away from his face and smiling sheepishly. "You want to feel depressed? We've got that. Just wait a while."
It was a bold statement to make to a crowd that had spent the weekend half-cut at some of the Stampede's more high-energy offerings, but it set the right tone as the band launched into their decorated discography of atmospheric and dreamy indie-folk hits. The stage lights dimmed and a colourful nebula shimmered behind the band, cultivating an on-stage presence that pondered the nature of human relationships and the state of the universe as equally as their evocative lyrics.
It's long been a bit of a mystery how an American band, one whose frontman grew up visiting rather than living here, can be so successful at crafting a sound that is so quintessentially Canadian. Perhaps it's their songwriting, which evokes images of starry evening skies, endless winding rivers and awe-inspiring mountains. Or it's their instrumentation, which hovers somewhere between America's Mumford & Sons and Canada's Said the Whale — though Lord Huron's iteration is significantly dreamier, and filled with far less boot-stompin' instrumentation. Maybe it's simply that they fall firmly in the category of "music to listen to while driving to the mountains," a pastime that many Canadians are familiar with. Whatever the case, Lord Huron has the formula figured out.
Lord Huron certainly resonate with Calgarians in particular — tonight's show was packed to the thousands, and Schneider was able to capture their attention with plenty of dips, spins and clap-alongs to their intro song, "Meet Me in the Woods" from 2015's Strange Trails. Moving right along into the gunslinging, country-forward "Mine Forever" was an apt choice for the setting, as cowboy boots shuffled along to the track's Western inspired, plucky guitar strings.
The crowd was joyous as the introductory 'oohs' of "Ends of the Earth" filled the room and galactic stars twinkled on stage. It was a magical moment, with plenty of fans singing along dutifully to the track's recognizable, wistful lyrics. Ambient sound filled the venue as the lo-fi introduction of "Ancient Names (Part 1)" gave everyone time to catch their breath. Then, Lord Huron picked up the pace, ramping up to full on rock show level energy. But just as Schneider promised, the set had a little something for everyone. Things slowed down again for the romantic "Wait By The River" and couples swayed along to the ballad.
Lord Huron was tight and polished throughout the extended hour and a half long set, taking little time for banter and instead focusing on covering the breadth of their four album discography. By the time "Fool For Love" rolled around, some fractures began to show in Schneider's vocals. The crowd did plenty to help with singalongs, and Schneider took a brief pause to thank them again for their endless support.
Then, things returned to the existential for the moment fans had been waiting for: "Until next time…" Schneider cooed. "May you live until you die." The band once again slid into the recognizable opening 'oohs' of "The Night We Met" and the crowd exploded with cheers. Couples in cowboy hats and boots slow danced in the back of the venue, and sweethearts couldn't resist the temptation to lean in for a quick kiss. The track's heartbreaking climax took the night to new heights as the song's chorus received full on singalongs from the crowd.
While Lord Huron's music is well suited to heartbreak, it's moments like these that showcase Schneider's songwriting ability and how a deeply heartfelt track like "The Night We Met" can become symbolic of an entire relationship. I watched as a couple in their late forties danced together, gazing into each other's eyes with renewed love. A husband, who attended the show with his leg in an aircast, reached out to hold hands with his wife. She smiled as they swayed along together to Lord Huron, and I thought to myself "love is real."
Even at the Calgary Stampede, a place with a sordid reputation for sloppy late night partying and random hookups, there is true love to be found. Thanks for the lesson, Lord Huron.
The stage welcomed eight-piece soul ensemble St. Paul & the Broken Bones to open up for the beloved Lord Huron — it was humid and somewhat sticky in the Big Four, with throngs of enraptured couples and a Smithbilt white hat (or at the very least, a convincing knockoff) perched atop the head of every third person in the crowd. A lengthy improv by trombonist Chad Fisher was a highlight of the set as the band leaned into their funkier discography and the crowd pulsed along to vocalist Paul Janeway's rich voice.
Lines to the washroom grew long, and the liquor was flowing. This was clearly the date night of choice for many at the Stampede, weary from a long weekend of ice cold beers, mini doughnuts, corporate tent parties and carnival games. Despite the energizing pace of St. Paul & the Broken Bones, the mood was somewhat sleepy as audience members drooped like flowers in the hot sun during the extended break between sets.
Smoke plumed out and the ambient instrumentals of "Time's Blur" moved throughout the venue as Lord Huron's six-piece touring band silently made their way onto the stage. Moving as shadows, it was a sombre beginning to a set that would take the crowd on an existential journey they might not have been expecting. "We've got something for everyone," frontman Ben Schneider mused, pushing his shoulder length hair back away from his face and smiling sheepishly. "You want to feel depressed? We've got that. Just wait a while."
It was a bold statement to make to a crowd that had spent the weekend half-cut at some of the Stampede's more high-energy offerings, but it set the right tone as the band launched into their decorated discography of atmospheric and dreamy indie-folk hits. The stage lights dimmed and a colourful nebula shimmered behind the band, cultivating an on-stage presence that pondered the nature of human relationships and the state of the universe as equally as their evocative lyrics.
It's long been a bit of a mystery how an American band, one whose frontman grew up visiting rather than living here, can be so successful at crafting a sound that is so quintessentially Canadian. Perhaps it's their songwriting, which evokes images of starry evening skies, endless winding rivers and awe-inspiring mountains. Or it's their instrumentation, which hovers somewhere between America's Mumford & Sons and Canada's Said the Whale — though Lord Huron's iteration is significantly dreamier, and filled with far less boot-stompin' instrumentation. Maybe it's simply that they fall firmly in the category of "music to listen to while driving to the mountains," a pastime that many Canadians are familiar with. Whatever the case, Lord Huron has the formula figured out.
Lord Huron certainly resonate with Calgarians in particular — tonight's show was packed to the thousands, and Schneider was able to capture their attention with plenty of dips, spins and clap-alongs to their intro song, "Meet Me in the Woods" from 2015's Strange Trails. Moving right along into the gunslinging, country-forward "Mine Forever" was an apt choice for the setting, as cowboy boots shuffled along to the track's Western inspired, plucky guitar strings.
The crowd was joyous as the introductory 'oohs' of "Ends of the Earth" filled the room and galactic stars twinkled on stage. It was a magical moment, with plenty of fans singing along dutifully to the track's recognizable, wistful lyrics. Ambient sound filled the venue as the lo-fi introduction of "Ancient Names (Part 1)" gave everyone time to catch their breath. Then, Lord Huron picked up the pace, ramping up to full on rock show level energy. But just as Schneider promised, the set had a little something for everyone. Things slowed down again for the romantic "Wait By The River" and couples swayed along to the ballad.
Lord Huron was tight and polished throughout the extended hour and a half long set, taking little time for banter and instead focusing on covering the breadth of their four album discography. By the time "Fool For Love" rolled around, some fractures began to show in Schneider's vocals. The crowd did plenty to help with singalongs, and Schneider took a brief pause to thank them again for their endless support.
Then, things returned to the existential for the moment fans had been waiting for: "Until next time…" Schneider cooed. "May you live until you die." The band once again slid into the recognizable opening 'oohs' of "The Night We Met" and the crowd exploded with cheers. Couples in cowboy hats and boots slow danced in the back of the venue, and sweethearts couldn't resist the temptation to lean in for a quick kiss. The track's heartbreaking climax took the night to new heights as the song's chorus received full on singalongs from the crowd.
While Lord Huron's music is well suited to heartbreak, it's moments like these that showcase Schneider's songwriting ability and how a deeply heartfelt track like "The Night We Met" can become symbolic of an entire relationship. I watched as a couple in their late forties danced together, gazing into each other's eyes with renewed love. A husband, who attended the show with his leg in an aircast, reached out to hold hands with his wife. She smiled as they swayed along together to Lord Huron, and I thought to myself "love is real."
Even at the Calgary Stampede, a place with a sordid reputation for sloppy late night partying and random hookups, there is true love to be found. Thanks for the lesson, Lord Huron.