Heartless Bastards

These guys are great to listen to on the cd, I have been doing that for years. Yesterday I finally saw them live and they completely blew me away. Needless to say it will take a long time to get down off of this particularly high floating cloud they sent me on. I will definitely go see them again the next chance I get. Songs like The mountain and All this Time almost feel like brand new songs. One of the most under rated bands out there is a safe assumption. GO SEE THEM!

One of my favorite bands playing in one of my favorite clubs? I m there. Several of us bought tickets a few months ago but by concert night rtb was in Peru on a fabulous vacation and mollyT was at her last night of her movie shoot so it was Mrs. Devereaux, her friend (who was really friendly and nice), and me. I got there early enough to get my spot audience right, up on the riser, close to the stage. Funk music was playing out of the sound system. I noticed two mics on the corners of the front stage pointed to the audience. So they were recording the show. When Mrs. Devereaux and friend got there, they were flush with excitement since they d seen Rhett Miller (lead vocals/acoustic guitar) at the restaurant up the street where they had dinner. He was almost on top of them talking to someone else and said, Hi, to them before he left. My Old 97 s sighting wasn t as exciting. Walking to the club from the subway I saw someone who looked familiar. He must have seen the recognition in my face and smiled. After I passed him I realized it was Philip Peeples (drummer). That evening when I was leaving the club and walking to the subway I saw Murry Hammond (electric bass/vocals) walking towards the club, talking with a woman. All that was missing was a Ken Bethea (lead guitar) sighting. When looking at the Music Hall of Williamsburg s website I realized that the Old 97 s were not the headliners. But the same acts were playing on Thursday at Irving Plaza and the Old 97 s would be headlining. So at the last minute, I bought a ticket for Thursday also. A man standing next to us in the club said that the MHoW show was the only one where the Heartless Bastards would be headlining. Opening act BJ Barham is the lead vocalist/guitarist of American Aquarium. This made me very interested to see him because many Lucero fans are also fans of American Aquarium. (For the two or three of you who don t know Lucero is my most favorite band.) He came out at exactly 8pm to about five people downstairs and the few tables filled upstairs. During his set the people slowly started coming in and everyone was quiet and received him warmly. Barham is promoting his new solo record that is coming out in August. His band was an hour out of Paris when the terror attacks happened in November 2015. When they got word of what happened the band quickly left the stage and got out of France with 45 minutes to spare before the border was closed. The band holed up in Holland and while there Barham wrote a bunch of very personal songs songs about home and his family. One song was for his daughter. After a few very sad songs, Barham said that when the songs are played by the band at least you can move to all the musicians playing. But with just him and his acoustic guitar it gets jump into an empty swimming pool depressing. He opened with a song about a widower talking about a long happy marriage ( Ain t It Funny ). He did American Aquarium songs like Lonely Ain t Easy (about divorce) and songs from the upcoming album like The American Tobacco Company about his grandfather one of the Greatest Generation (and if you watch the video you get bonus cute bulldog). I really enjoyed Barham s songs, which are interesting short stories, and will make a point of seeing the band next time they come to NYC. I get why Lucero fans would like them so much. During the break the songs playing out of the sound system were Dear Prudence and a new wave song that sounded sort of like Flock of Seagulls. The Old 97 s are an alt-country band from Dallas. They are rock and roll in attitude and spirit. They give all for the audience and the audience loves them for it. Since the band was an opener, their drum kit was in front of the kit for the Heartless Bastards. This meant that there wasn t any room for leaping but the Old 97 s made use of the small piece of stage they had. And it made it easier to see Philip. Ken walked around with his guitar, taking solos on either side of the stage. Rhett didn t do his signature jump for Timebomb but most of the audience was pogoing anyway. Even though it was an abbreviated set, the band did songs old and new. As always, it was an exciting set that energized the crowd and kept you wanting more. Everyone in the band, especially Rhett and Murry, looks like they re having as much fun as we are. Rhett sounded like he may be losing his voice and I hope it ll be okay for Thursday. Before the Heartless Bastards took the stage, the three of us were talking about our unfamiliarity with the band. So imagine my surprise when I immediately recognized the first song. It was The Mountain and I was trying to figure out how I knew it. I download free compilations and I was sure the song was on one of them (and it is, so it shows up on my shuffle). But there was more. I d seen the Heartless Bastards open for the Black Keys at Terminal 5 in February 2009. And why was that significant? Because it was also the first time I saw Lucero, who were the other opener that night. I did not become a fan of the Heartless Bastards that night and last night didn t change my mind. The musicians are all very good. Erika Wennerstrom (lead vocals/guitars) is a very good singer (although I don t understand the reason for all the reverb on her voice). Mark Nathan (guitars/bass) is fantastic, as are Dave Colvin (drums) and Jesse Ebaugh (bass/pedal steel/backing vocals). There was also a woman on keyboards/guitars/backing vocals who contributed a lot to the band but I can t find her name anywhere. She gets no mention in the press or websites, which is a shame. Heartless Bastards call themselves a garage rock band, which I can hear, but they lack energy they certainly brought me down from high I was on after the Old 97 s. They do have their fans, who were singing along with every song but they lost some of the audience before they even got on stage. During their show more and more people left until, by the encore, the room was only three-quarters to half full. Their encore was definitely garage rock with lots of (purposeful) feedback from both the guitar and the bass. It all ended at 11:45pm so it was a full night of music and a lot of fun.

Heartless Bastards were okay, but the songs started to just sound the same after awhile. The opening band Susto was much more diverse.

The Heartless Bastards never dissapoint. This was the third live show of theirs Ive seen and each time I like them more.

This girl got a huge set of pipes on her! They played for nearly 2 hours and I could've stayed for two more. Plus The Varsity Theater has a great atmosphere.

I couldn't even stay to watch the Heartless Bastards with the horrificly bad opening act. Don't understand why they Builders Butchers are on the same bill as Heartless Bastards.

First of all, the remodels the varsity theater has made are epic! Second , Erika can wail! Her deep gutteral moans smother the riffs with lines that make you want to quit your job and get back to the earth! As long as she's still somewhere singing her song, I can do nothing but have hope for the human race.

The voice of angels, that speak to my soul! I spoke w/her once in Royal Oak and she was as sweet as pie. She autographed my tic stub and then washed it in my jean poocket...maybe I'll speak to her again someday.

Erika is so cute.....then she opens her mouth - what a badass! Her talent is almost indescribable.....Wow, these guys really impressed me AGAIN. I will always see them when they are in New England. THESE GUYS ARE NOT TO BE MISSED!

4th time seeing the heartless bastards and yet again i was not disappointed. they rocked.

The show was excellent. The price was extremely reasonable. My complaint is that the Heartless Bastards did not start playing until 11 PM. That is not appropriate for a week nite show. I saw many people leaving before the set was over.

The move to Austin seems to be paying off. Erika Wennerstrom was both energized and focused and the band plowed through songs from all of her albums with ferocity. Now if only the violinist could accept that he does belong onstage and stop trying so hard.

The Heartless Bastards played their hearts out for around two hours and played every song I wanted to hear and some. Very impressed with their show. Also, Bowery Ballroom is a sweet venue.

Heartless Bastards put on an amazing show. It was great to find out that Erika Wennerstrom's vocals are not a studio trick -- she has the best voice in rock and roll. All the band members were energized, and can play really well. The whole unit was super tight. Made for a phenomenal night!

I wanna marry her! Awesome show. The bastards rule.

Fantastic show. I've wanted to see Heartless Bastards for years and, somehow, plans kept falling through. So this is the first time I've seen them live...and it was great! So highly recommended. Great energy, great music. I missed Peter Wolf Crier (who I'd wanted to see), but the 2nd opener was surprisingly good. Get there early enough to catch all 3 bands.

This was my first time seeing Heartless Bastards live and it was one of the best concerts I've seen in a long time.

They rocked the Hard Rock! It was worth the wait to 11:30 to hear them rock out.

I have been to multiple HB concerts in the past two years. I've seen them in a sold-out venue in Seattle; I've seen them in a tiny bar in the midwest. No matter the venue or crowd size, HB bring their best. I had a chance to talk with Jesse (bass) before the show and he commented that no matter if there were 2 people in the audience or 2,000 they would bring their best to the stage. The crowd seemed somewhat familiar with a few of HB's larger songs - it was great to see a couple people mouthing the words to the songs along with Erica. After finishing the set, they came back out to play "Runnin" - a song I requested in celebration of my marriage earlier this month and a song that is near and dear to us. Erica can write some killer lyrics - you can hear the emotion in her voice as she belts the tunes from her small frame. Overall, the crowd was weak, the band was strong. Hacienda played before HB took the stage - they were great. I pointed out the Black Keys sound to Jesse and he mentioned Dan helped with production of their latest album. Pretty sweet for some Texas boys.

Sounded even better than I expected, and my expectations were high. Great set list, and great songwriting.

The Heartless Bastards are probably not very widely known.....yet. If you ever see this band live you will be hooked. I have been listening to them for awhile now and have gotten a few of my friends hooked on them also. They put on a great show and at a small venue like the basement every row is front row. Please see them if you ever get a chance and the Basement is a pretty cool small venue for a show. I also predict the Heartless Bastards are going to blow up and go far.

I love this band and traveled from Cleveland to Columbus to see them. It was well worth the trip!!!!! These guys sounded great! Met Erika!!!! That was the best.

I have seen MANY live acts over the last 25 years and i can say that only a handful of times have my expectations been blown away and Heartless Bastards did that to me last night!! The lead singer/songwriter/guitar player Erika Wennerstrom proved that she is a bona fide rock star in the making!! Her vocal power and soul can not be matched by anyone in rock today...go see her live if you don't believe me, And the rest of her band is super tight and talented; the bass player Jesse also expertly played the banjo and steel pedal guitar when needed!!! There was not a misstep in the whole set and plenty of memorable moments that those in attendence will never forget. Not to mention, Erika has great legs!!!!

From the first few notes that Erika Wennerstrom belted out on Wednesday night at the Troubadour, I knew it was going to be one heck of a show. And she didn't let off. Erika was spot on with her vocals and seemed humbled by the history of the stage and venue on which she and her bandmates were playing, taking pause to thank the crowd and take in the moment. An amazing set list that featured songs from all three of their records really showcased the band's musical abilities. A nice treat when they played "The Mountain" with Jesse Ebaugh putting down his bass and playing the pedal steel beautifully. Another highlight was a two-song break with Jesse playing the banjo and a violinist accompanying them for "Had to Go" and "So Quiet" from their most recent release, The Mountain. An incredible show by an extremely talented band.

Fantastic show, HB keep getting better and better!

Music Hall of Williamsburg: Great venue - small, all good sight lines, good bar facilities; However, overwhelming smell of cleaning chemicals (ammonia or bleach?) from the HVAC system that night. Band: As a huge fan of their recorded work, I was somewhat disappointed. Lots of energy and enthusiasm by all; Erika's timing, pitch, and delivery was perfect. However, I don't know if it was the band's fault or the sound board guy, but the drums overwhelmed Erika and the rest of the band on nearly every song, and all instruments seemed at full throttle all night. Thus the subtleties and musician-ship of their recorded work was missing, and every song ended up sounding the same, nearly always at climax start to finish. This made for a somewhat monotonous show. Also the lead guitarist had trouble keeping pitch.

Heartless Bastards did not disappoint from start to finish. Erika's voice is just amazing and more amazing live. The band clearly enjoys playing together and it shows. The venue was great and the staff could not have been friendlier. I hope the Heartless Bastards will continue to play venues like this in the Northeast and I wish them nothing but success.

I think The Heartless Bastards did a great energetic show and didnt skimp out on nothing. They played a long set with a great mix of new and old and the venue had great sound.

The heartless bastards are retro and now at the same time. From the psychadelic simple feeling to the progressive groove jams and a syrupy sweet and powerful voice of the lead. There is a gravitational pull towards the stage.

If you want to see a killer show with tons of energy, riveting vocals, a funky bassist/ pianist, a lead guitarist that can shred, & drums that keep you dancing; then there is no other option-- you HAVE to see the Heartless Bastards. This band can jam! & man, do they ever! Amazing stage presence, they love their fans & you can feel it right from the first strum. <3 I can't wait to see these folks again!

no roadies. gibson guitars. vox amps. great vocals, smart songs, beautiful harmonies.

Powerful set list with gems from every album. My only complaint is with my fellow Bostonians as the venue was only about 1/3 full. Saw a sold out Alabama Shakes show at House of Blues a couple weeks ago, and without Heartless Bastards they would not exist. What gives?

This band kicked some ass, they are one of the tightest band I have seen in a long time even when Erika inadvertently shut off or unplugged her mic, they didn't miss a beat. From the opening with The Mountain till they closed with Gray they had the crowd in their hands even had this Old Fart shaken my booty LOL <;) The crowd was a good mix from young to old, will see them next time they come thru town. One thing negative to say but not about the band, is that I've been to this venue a few times and don't like how they kick us out at the end of shows so they can change over to a dance club. Hangin out with the band after show is part of the experience of going to a live show that they have taken that away because most of the bands are very approachable!!

The Heartless Bastards' catalogue reached its peak in the most recent album, Arrow, and their live show is a force to be contended with. Erika Wennerstrom's voice is powerful enough to cut straight to the core, leave you breathless and teary. Everything that sounds good on the album sounds that much better live. An excellent show, and I can't wait to see them again.

This was a great show! The drummer really impressed me, although the whole band are bad-asses.

The show was great! The atmosphere and venue were awesome!! We actually got 2 shows for the price of one because These United States came out first and played several songs. They have a quirky lead singer who loves to interact with the audience, so it made for a great experience! Then the Heartless Bastard's came out and played music from their current and previous albums. The live performance was wonderful. I would highly recommend going to their show to anyone!!!

Heartless bastards were awesome! Venue sound guy was deaf.

This show was unreal! I enjoyed it immensely!! What an awesome band.

She has such an amazing voice! I loved every minute!

One of my favorite shows of the year so far. I see a lot of shows and I didn't really expect it. She was a spot on front-woman who i expected to carry the show but she certainly didn't do it alone. This band is super tight and competent. No one blew me away but that didn't appear to be their thing, they were just a really strong, well put together four piece power band. She, the front woman, was accomplished, passionate, powerful, and humble. For a band with this format to headline the Fillmore and nearly sell it out on a Thursday is quite an accomplishment and you could see and sense her happiness which was a bonus for me. The lead guitar player was also unassuming but perfect. Adding his unique brush to the canvas in the most appropriate way at every step. The show itself was well paced and every song was well crafted. A 10 of 10 for me and I'll definitely be back.

Show exceeded my expectations(which were high). Great energy!! They gave and gave!!

You could taste how much they love to play as the grooves stirred the air around us, and what a great crowd (nice normal Bastards lovers) Erika wooed the crowd with her Viking strong voice and her daisy charms and I'd have hopped in her pocket in a second had I half the chance. The rest of the family provided shoulders to fly upon and my only complaint is I can't find one of their T-Shirts in 4X (could I be their biggest fan twice over). I can't wait to see them again and again and hope they'd all stop by for dinner next time they're in my neck of the woods (10 miles off the GWB - Erika drop me a line :o) and I bet she could have hooked a hundred husbands that night had she been so inclined.. Dave Colvin on drums impressed me with his subtle

Truly AWESOME!!!! This band is not to be missed. They are far too infrequent visitors to NYC. I may have to move to Austin.

The Heartless bastards are a group of very talented musicians, who sound really great live. I would definitely see them again!

The show was amazing! We have an almost-2-year-old daughter and this was our first official night out since her birth (I know, right?) and I could not be happier! The night was blustery and cold and wet, but definitely worth it. The band is so talented and gritty and unique, I'm eager to go see them again in the future. Kudos!!!! We stood on the edge of the mezzanine, got there super early and had a great view. Just watch out for encroachers! Also, avoid standing right above the smoke machine, it puffs out smoke every 4 - 5 minutes and I'm sure blocked those concert-goers' views. We were halfway back from the front (stage left) and it was perfect.

These guys kick-butt live. Definitely check them out!

Doesn't get any better what a tight group - sweet sweet real rock n roll

Great live show. Awesome new album. erica is the bomb!

Show was Awesome!! Intimate setting. Undeniable talent. Very enjoyable evening!

Excellent show would definately see them again. Great show

fun and fun. could have been a little more exciting, but she knows her material and does it very well.

The band was great - full of life and errorless. Erika's voice was as strong as the warmth that emitted from her pie hole, and I consider it to be one of the best live shows I've attended. Mark with his hello kitty shaped hair, and Jesse with the feather in his cap that allow them to fly are powerhouse musicians deservant of the grace they enrich.

erika has one of the best voices ever and playing acoustically brings that strength even more. you could tell they were rockers but held back with this set up - they did a great job!

I am so glad I went to this show. It was almost 100 degrees in the city and I was going by myself, so I was seriously thinking of bailing. I sure made the right decision! The band was so awesome, and Erika's voice just gives you goosebumps. She played acoustic, one guy played electric, and the other guy played a pedal steel guitar (i think), AND an upright bass! So much awesomeness...plus it was at the mercury lounge, so the sound and ambience were incomparable. i had a smile on my face pretty much the entire time. They also had a chic from another band come out and sing harmonies w/ Erika, and some percussion instruments. I liked the 2 singing together; it just added another layer. I definitely recommend seeing these guys live; you won't regret it!