The Oh Hellos kicked off their U.S. tour Wednesday, Feb. 21 by rocking The 9:30 Club with their opening act, Lowland Hum. They began their set at 9:30 p.m. with their song “Eurus,” which is also the name of their newest album, and ended at 11 p.m. with an encore of their song “Trees.”
The Oh Hellos are a two-person band consisting of siblings Tyler and Maggie Heath. The Heaths hail from Southern Texas and started their band in 2011 out of a bedroom in their home. The duo has grown to a full ensemble of new and old friends that form the current band.
As seen on their Instagram page (@theohhellos), the band just returned from their tour of the U.K. and Ireland. They are now touring the U.S. until July 19, when they will end the tour at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado.
Lowland Hum opened at 8 p.m. and stayed on for an hour before The Oh Hellos started setting up. Lowland Hum consists of husband and wife Daniel and Lauren Goans. Their slogan, “Support Quiet Music,” pays tribute to their calming sound. Lauren Goans plays the piano, shakers and tamborine while her husband plays the acoustic guitar. Both are on vocals and their voices complement and work off each other. They were quirky and engaging with the crowd, allowing for questions between each song. This quiet and pleasing music was a great setup for the Oh Hellos to take the stage.
The Oh Hellos’ sound is a mixture between folk music and rock and roll, with strong bass and guitar and lyrics that are mostly deep and intense. The majority of their songs are quiet, but with the beat of the drums, they create a strong sound in songs such as “Eurus” and “The Valley” that anyone can rock out or dance to.
The band made their passion for music prevalent through their strong energy on stage. They were constantly dancing, enjoying and revelling in their own sound. Some band members even collided at times, but they continued rocking out. This energy radiated out to the crowd and kept everyone dancing all night.
The 9:30 Club, located on the corner of V and 9th Streets NW, provided the perfect space for a more intimate show. It was personal and easy to hear the band’s banter and commentary. The crowd was a mix of ages, but most people were fans of The Oh Hellos and the close quarters of the venue allowed for conversation to flow easily between dates and strangers. The venue made the concert feel very personal, allowing the audience to connect with the band. Not to mention, their nachos were amazing.
Prior to the concert, I never listened to The Oh Hellos’ music, but I quickly fell in love with their sound and personality. I came a stranger to the band, but their fun sound and interactive nature would leave anyone an enthusiastic new fan.
