The crowd at The Civic Theatre had a rip-roaring start to October with performances by The Belle Brigade and The Head and The Heart on the New Orleans leg of their Let’s Be Still Tour. This was The Belle Brigade’s final night on tour with THATH, and with that being said, the band put their heart and soul into one last rocking performance. The brother-sister duo made up of Barbara and Ethan Gruska hails from Los Angeles. Along with some accompaniment from piano and bass, the duo lit up the crowd with their fast-paced, yet soulful songs. Drummer and lead vocalist Barbara Bruska left everyone applauding and cheering with her insane drumming talent. The Belle Brigade went out with a bang on their last tour night and got the crowd thoroughly fired up for The Head and the Heart.
            The Head and the Heart came onto the stage playing “Cats and Dogs,” the first song from their debut album, and the foot tapping, body swaying movements were immediately contagious. The way these six members, made up of Josiah Johnson, Jonathan Russell, Charity Thielen, Chris Zasche, Kenny Hensley, and Tyler Williams, play and interact together shows just how tight-knit and passionate these guys are. The band danced around and had a good time on stage while performing a solid mix of songs from their self-titled debut album and their sophomore album, Let’s Be Still. The house was packed with some dedicated fans on this Wednesday night, with everyone singing along to nearly all of the songs. Some crowd pleasers were “Lost in My Mind,” “Ghosts,” “Homecoming Heroes,” “Coeur D’Alene,” and “Rivers and Roads.” The band displayed their indie-folk sound with Charity Thielen’s violin playing and the use of tambourine and shakers by various members throughout the show.
            With the crowd stomping their feet and chanting for an encore, frontman Josiah Johnson came back on stage to talk with the crowd and play an intimate “Oh Virginia” on piano. The rest of the band came back on after this to play two more encore songs. The Civic burst with applause and hoots and hollers when the band finished their show. The Head and the Heart sounds brilliant live and their unique, folksy sound keeps you singing and swaying the entire time; so if they happen upon a town near you, make sure you attend a concert you’ll never forget!