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| Down in the Valley Festival @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
The Head and The Heart (THATH) staged a two-day festival of friendly vibes and great weather, bringing a musically diverse lineup to their initial Down in the Valley Festival at Napa’s Oxbow River Stage on Saturday and Sunday. Featuring three sets from THATH over the weekend and a blend of established and up and coming performers such as Dawes, Waxahatchee, Madison Cunningham, Faye Webster, Shaina Shepherd and Miya Folick, Down in the Valley brought a festival that leaned heavily on the music as the central point of festival that ran quite smoothly considering its rookie status.
The festival was unique from so many others in multiple ways:
- The band was friendly and accessible – You didn’t need a diamond-level VIP status to get an offstage glimpse of the bands. Many members of various bands were frequently out on the general admission lawn listening to the music and happy to mingle with fans.
- Music for music fans – The lineup ran deep on musical substance and had none of the shallow “looks only” or gimmick acts that seem so pervasive. The one stage setup also eliminated any need to make a trek between stages so everyone could see every band and people could stay in place. General Admission also had equal visibility and proximity to the stage as VIP ticketholders and there was none of the elitism and little of the here to be seen of the bigger festivals.
- Friendly times and location – located in the heart of downtown Napa and starting at 3 pm on Saturday and 4 pm on Sunday, there was plenty of time and easy accessibility for out of towners to partake in local eating and drinking establishments. The later starting times and 10 pm finish each night also made it very convenient for people coming from throughout Northern California.
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| Jonathan Russell & Matty Gervais of The Head and the Heart @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
The Head and the Heart greeted early arrivers on the pleasantly cloudy Saturday with an acoustic set that was a surprise to many in the audience. The band’s three front musicians performed acoustically as violinist/singer Charity Rose Theilen, guitarist/singer Jonathan Russell and guitarist/singer Matty Gervais brought the crowd a rousing 7-song set that started appropriately with the weekend’s theme song “Down in the Valley.”
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| The Head and the Heart's Jonathan Russell @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
The early crowd turn out of several hundred fans was a surprise to the band. “We thought there would be like 20 people here this early,” Charity told the early afternoon crowd. The three performed a smoking acoustic version of “Don’t Show Your Weakness” and “Another Story” before performing two songs that would not be played in the other sets of the weekend – a new song “Partisan Eyes” and “Backwards Breathing“ off the 2019 LP Living Mirage. The traditional celebratory “Lost in My Mind” preceded a tribute to Jimmy Buffet who had passed away this weekend. The group did a lovely version of “Margaritaville” with the crowd singing along in remembrance with the chorus and “salt, salt, salt.”
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| Miya Folick @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
All weekend, the transitions between acts were very quick – generally about 15 minutes – and the first-time festival did a terrific job of keeping on track with the intended run of show. Miya Folick delivered a terrific act in the tough spot of following the headliner’s acoustic. She was terrific on her last trip through the Bay Area, when she opened for Aly & AJ at Oakland’s Fox Theater and making her first trip ever to Napa, she demonstrated an increased confidence and command of the stage. Her new album Roach is an absolute triumph and for her second song she and her accompanying keyboardist Jacob did “Nothing to See.”
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| Miya Folick @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
Folick found herself searching for her setlist: “I’m a little scraps of paper person. There are some things you do that are functional and some you do because they make you feel good. I like to write things on paper. I will never be a person who types things into their phone.” “Elton John” - a not-yet released song from the singer-songwriter was next up to get an acoustic treatment before Folick went into more electric guitar-playing and fully unleashed her powerful voice for her rockier songs. Folick was enchanting – self-effacing, funny and supremely talented and the crowd (including some members of THATH) cheered lustily for her and she seemed to love the festival. “I’ve never been (to Napa) before and I was surprised by how many people were drinking wine early in the day,” she laughed before finishing her set with a strong version of “Bad Thing” off Roach.
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| Rayland Baxter @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
Rayland Baxter brought a decent fan base and was unlike any other performer on the weekend. He gave a lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek performance. “Casanova” stuck out as it started with a reggae-style vibe before it became a loud rocker with a tremendous jam with pounding drums by Kyle Davis and a shredding solo. Nashville’s Baxter introduced a “Hey Larocco” as “a song about chasing your dreams and running away from them all at the same damn time.” He finished with a cover of Mac Miller’s “Small Worlds” from his 7-song tribute album to Miller Good Mmornin (yes, two m’s there 😉). Baxter was surprised at how fast his 45 minutes had gone. “That’s it? We’re done?” he asked. “OK. That’s all. Time flies when you are rocking out! Thank you very much and have a blessed day!”
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| Faye Webster @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
The biggest screams of the weekend came next for Faye Webster, who received a HUGE welcoming as she began her set with a large idol inflated at the center of the stage. Matt “Pistol” Stoessel provided terrific pedal steel and backing guitars for Webster – who the predominantly young, female crowd on the rail cheered lustily for at every turn. “Right Side of My Neck” from 2019’s Atlanta Millionaires Club was delivered with a terrific restraint that saw Webster softly teasing how “the right side of my neck still smells like you.” “Jonny” was delivered as a slow and staggering torch song with impressive support from Stoessel and Charles Garner on drums. She ended the set with a strong version of “Cheers” before exiting the stage to a large amount of screaming from the front.
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| Waxahatchee @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
Waxahatchee was up next – Katie Crutchfield took the stage with only her guitars and accompanying bassist Eliana Athayde and performed stripped down versions of her music. It was a tough ask for the sunset time of day and it seemed that some of the crowd had departed temporarily to go visit one of Napa’s restaurants before the headliners. “Can’t Do Much” was a slow, steady start – heavy on Crutchfield’s twang as Athayde’s bass was deep and booming. “Hell” with its promise of “I’ll put you through hell” saw a quickened pace. The duo finished strong with “Fire” off the album Saint Cloud. While the severely stripped down set showcased Crutchfield’s strong songwriting skills, with day turning to night, most of the audience remained sitting down and rather disengaged.
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| Sunset @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
The Head and the Heart took the stage to “Cats and Dogs” - the first song off their 2011 debut album with Russell taking the lead vocals, Gervais energizing the crowd with guitar and Theilen adding in her vocals and violin. Next up was that album’s second song “Coeur D’Alene’ and it appeared that the band might be going down the road of playing a whole album on this night. However, that was not the course charted for either of THATH’s two headlining sets. Rather, the band blended in a mix of obscurities, hits and songs from 2022’s Every Shade of Blue. A strong and forceful “Don’t Show Your Weakness.”
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| The Head and the Heart @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
“We are very lucky to have so many people here who have been with us for so long through so many changes. We have the best fans in the world,” Gervais told the crowd after a very spirited version of “Ghosts”. “Another Story” showcased their amazing harmonies in a sweet a cappella start before the song kicked into full gear with bassist Chris Zasche, drummer Tyler Williams and keyboardists Kenny Hensley taking it into anthemic proportions before it dropped to finish again in a cappella style.
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| The Head and the Heart & friends @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
“Lost in my Mind” saw the band joined mid-way through the song by many members of the weekend’s fellow festival acts as it erupted into a giant musician-filled celebration. The second half of the set saw many additional highlights. “Did anyone here get engaged this week?” When a couple confirmed that they had, he dedicated “Honeybee” to them. “Missed Connection” was delivered at club-level pace and volume with singers dancing back and forth across the stage. They ended the main set with a touching “Down in the Valley,” before the main three returned to perform “Library Magic” and then brought the rest of the band out for the new release “Virginia (Wind in the Night)” and their traditional closer of “Rivers and Road.”
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| The Head and the Heart's Jonathan Russell @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
Day two started off with Shaina Shepherd walking out alone to her keyboard under a blazing sun that had been shrouded by clouds the day before. The day would be filled with big performances, but perhaps none bigger than the Tacoma, Washington raised artist. Coming into her own spotlight out from the Covid lockdown, there were two blaring questions originating from her performance: (1) Where the heck has she been? And (2) How is it possible that she doesn’t have a full album yet.
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| Shaina Shepherd @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
Shepherd was admittedly nervous as she took the stage, but quickly gained the audience with her phenomenal voice. “The Head and the Heart were part of my dream. Do you know what it’s like when they become the ones that are helping me with my dreams?!” She exclaimed to the audience. Hearing her set was reminiscent of seeing Adele early on before she owned the world – a huge, soulful voice with incredible songs to be sung and a warm, self-effacing spirit. “It’s a very moist job we have,” she told the crowd near the end of her set under the full sun “Lots of sweat, spit and tears.” When the Napa Valley Wine Train arrived, she was overjoyed and pleaded with the conductor to blow the whistle. When he did, she celebrated the uniqueness of the venue. Her unique talent and playful, joyous and soulful set indicated big things to come for her.
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| Shaina Shepherd @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
Richy Mitch & The Coal Miners put on a nice set that evoked Jack Johnson combined with Fleet Foxes. Soaring songs and harmonies emanated from the young, likeable band that has had a hit with “Lake Missoula.” “My first concert was nine years ago,” Mitch Cutts said “and it was The Head and the Heart. And now we are here!” The band may be young, but they had a confidence to them and one look at their tour itinerary shows them selling out at most of their upcoming events. Cutts took to the piano for their final song of “Lucerne” which saw the band break out into a huge jam. With three albums under their belt already and another on the way, they seem to be a band to watch.
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| Ritchy Mitch @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
Madison Cunningham blew away both the audience and her fellow performers with a set that overcame some technical issues (CSI was needed to determine whether the issue was the amplifier or pedals). After much of the second song was slightly distracted by attempts to remedy the sound situation, she wisely called for a professional pause before the next song to get the problem fixed once and for all. Tech problems resolved, Cunningham never broke stride again as she delivered a set that showcased her next-level vocals, guitar-playing and showmanship.
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| Madison Cunningham @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
While her vocals were reminiscent of an angel, Cunningham played guitar like someone who’s made a deal with the devil. Songs like “Pin It Down”, “Life According to Rachael” and “In from Japan” stood out as she delivered a set that never let up and wowed the crowd. “Well, I know one thing after watching her set,” Dawes lead singer Taylor Goldsmith would later tell the crowd. “This was the last time we will ever be playing after Madison Cunningham.”
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| Madison Cunningham @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
Indeed, following Cunningham to the stage was no easy feat, but Goldsmith and Dawes more than met the challenge delivering a set that was full of energy leveraged Goldsmith’s engaging personality. Starting with “Someone else’s Café / Dreamscroller” off their latest album, the band ably demonstrated their claim as a great live band. They would play eight songs in their sixty-minute set with plenty of room taken to extend into jams and gain crowd interaction. Drummer Griffin Goldsmith and guitarist Trevor Menear delivered excellent support behind Taylor Goldsmith’s front man combination of vocals, personality and guitar excellence. “If I Wanted Someone” and “Feed the Fire” ensured that the audience would not drift off or lose momentum before the headliners like they had night one.
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| Dawes @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
The band closed the set with a rousing “When My Time Comes” that had the audience up, shouting along with the chorus and throwing their arms up in the air. For the finale of “All Your Favorite Bands” members of THATH joined them up on stage and the crowd was pumped up for the final set of the Down in The Valley Festival.
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| The Head and the Heart & friends @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
“How many of you were here yesterday,” THATH’s Matty Gervais asked the crowd early on. When the vast majority of the crowd responded in the affirmative, Gervais smiled ear to ear. Of the 19 songs they played on the final night, less than half were repeated from the night before. While hits like “Don’t Show Your Weakness”, “All We Ever Knew”, “Missed Connection”, “Shake” and the closer “Rivers and Roads” were given another airing, night two had plenty of new memorable moments. Once again, “Lost in My Mind” saw the other performers of the day hit the stage en masse to join in on the song. “Winter Song” from the band’s debut album was brought forth in a tender and sweet manner “Time for a Lullaby,” Russell said before they began the song. “Every Shade of Blue” the latest album’s title song was presented in a powerful and emotional telling.
Russell introduced “10,000 Weight in Gold” off 2013’s Let’s Be Still with “This is a song that I always thought was about my dad. But as time has gone on, I’ve realized that it’s about me.”
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| The Head and the Heart's Charity Rose Theilen @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
The band’s huge version of “Hurts (But It Goes Away)” followed and sent the night into another level with powerful lights and the band’s onstage energy on 10. “Sounds Like Hallelujah” was introduced as “the second song we ever wrote as a band. We would play everywhere we could. We rented time at the Seattle Library Music Room. We played parking garages because they sounded good.” Once they began playing the live rarity, Russell called an early stop. “Oh sh#t! I have to start over. I always f*#k up the first verse.”
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| The Head and the Heart @ the Oxbow River Stage (Photo: Sean Reiter) |
They closed the main set by returning for the third time in two days to the weekend’s theme song of “Down in the Valley” – this time feeling a little more sentimental as the festival wound to a close. The band reemerged for the encore with “This is a good vibe. This feels good. This has been a good two days. It worked. It actually worked. We’re so glad you came and so glad all the artists we asked, all said ‘Yes.’” The band closed out the festival with ”GTFU”, “Shake” and “Rivers and Roads” and ended a wonderful Napa music weekend -leaving everyone with the hope that next year would see “Down in the Valley 2.”
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