HEARTLESS BASTARDS AT GRUENE HALL IN NEW BRAUNFELS
It’s not everyday that you get to play a show at the oldest dance hall in the state of Texas. Austin, Texas’ own Heartless Bastards did just that on Friday, October 29 when they ripped a killer set at the Historic Gruene Hall in New Braunfels, Texas.
This show kicked off the second leg of the band’s fall tour with support from California-based indie-alt band, Valley Queen. I had never heard of Valley Queen before, but they quickly got the crowd’s attention as soon as they took the stage.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but as soon as I heard singer Natalie Carol’s angelic, yet powerful vocals, I was pleasantly surprised. The rest of the band was just as powerful. They were the perfect high-energy mix to go with the vocals. Fans were mesmerized by the lead guitar melodies and note-bending solos.
Then, Heartless Bastards took the stage. The band went right into playing new material off the recently released album, A Beautiful Life
The 2-hour set featured songs from the band's expansive catalog. They even played a song from front-woman Erika Wennerstrom’s solo album, which was one of my favorite moments from the show.
The band did an amazing job of playing the songs exactly how you hear them on the recordings. The 6-piece group had every harmony, piano melody, auxiliary percussion, and every other part covered flawlessly.
In addition, Wennerstrom commanded the crowd with her powerful voice. This was especially highlighted on the anthemic track “Revolution”, where she plays the first half of the song before the band joins her for an epic ending.
All in all, the band did a great job keeping the crowd’s attention for the duration of the set. The highs and lows were perfectly placed and it certainly didn’t feel like they were on the stage for two hours.
Although I had already seen Heartless Bastards once, this show made me an even bigger fan. It was also evident that they were a pleasant surprise for some of the locals who wandered into the hall for a night of dancing and good music.