Beneath the Moon with The Head and the Heart in Chicago
- Erin Carley
- Aug 12
- 2 min read
Gathered under the full moon on August 8th, The Head and the Heart brought the Aperture tour to Chicago’s Salt Shed fairgrounds. A sweltering summer day led to a blissful evening of live music, watching the sunset’s reflection fall down the skyline.
With two support acts joining them on tour, the night kicked off with a brief, precious set by Katie Pruitt: just a girl, her guitar, and her tour manager on backup. The simplicity of her act provided an intimate listening experience – her velvet voice projecting gently across the grounds. While some fans took the time to explore the fairgrounds and grab a bite, many set up camp at the stage to catch a closer look.
As more made their way into the crowd, Wilderado made their way onstage for the second act. It was evident that many were there just as much to see Wilderado as they were to see The Head and the Heart – wide smiles, loud singing, and giddy dancing followed through their entire set. The band moved around the stage with ease and a lively presence. Wrapping up their set with “Rubble to Rubble,” the four band members made their way to the center mic to tenderly sing us off.
We said goodbye to the sun and hello to the moon in between sets. As dusk passed by, The Head and the Heart emerged with their 2016 classic, “All We Ever Knew.” The nearly two hour set allowed the band to explore the entirety of their discography. Taking us through the range of human emotion, we were met with upbeat hits and mellow moments alike. (Note: I cried during “Let’s Be Still.”)
The stage and lighting design demonstrated thoughtful craft. Ambient string lights dangled above the band, with bright floor lights for added ambience. There were beautiful colors throughout the set, and the faster songs were met with lasers similar to what one would expect at a rave. Yet, it never felt out of place – rather, it invited the crowd to enjoy themselves.
Among the more wholesome moments was when they brought out not only the openers but their own families to join them in song. Standout numbers included “Down in the Valley” and “Rivers and Roads.” Two of their older songs, the band has undoubtedly performed these songs a countless number of times, yet they gave every ounce of themselves. Truly, the entire set was a spectacle to be seen.
All photos by Erin Carley for Zany Waves
