No Direction Home: Hey Ho

May 26, 2012

Kathy, Dakota & Patrick

Kathy & Dakota

The Lumineers

Hey Ho

Whenever I travel, I always take care to check out the entertainment options that are available while I am there, I was thrilled to discover that one of my favorite new bands was going to play a pair of shows at one of my favorite small venues in Indianapolis, Radio Radio in Fountain Square. The Lumineers are fresh off releasing their first amazing CD and have already been hailed by the likes of Esquire Magazine, NPR, Paste Magazine and others as a band to watch. Their self-titled CD, “The Lumineers” has been on heavy rotation since I first heard it a couple of months ago.

Pat & Dakota

Not knowing what our exact schedule was, I wisely purchased tickets to both shows at Radio Radio, figuring I would offer any extras to friends once our schedule was finalized. It was a good thing that I did because both shows quickly sold out and we ended up going to see both shows and even a surprise additional third gig as well.

If I was excited about seeing the Lumineers, our friend Dakota was really, really excited. She flew in to join us for the Indy 500 festivities on Thursday night, one night after Kathy had arrived and we met her at the airport along with my nephew Pat and went straight over to Fountain Square for dinner and then the show. We had dinner and drinks at Revolution, a Mexican beer and tequila bar just across the street from the venue then headed over just in time for the first song by the opening act, Houndmouth.

Kathy & Pat

Houndmouth

I am so glad we didn’t miss their set, they were fantastic. Sometimes you see a band and just know that they have a bright future and I am always excited to discover great new bands. Check out the video below to get a taste of Houndmouth and don’t forget you heard of them here first.

Houndmouth, “Krampus”

The Lumineers show was as awesome as I expected, they played basically every song from their CD as well as a couple of new songs and a couple of fantastic covers including Dylan’s, “Subterranean Homesick Blues” and Levon Helm’s “The Weight”. Even though the show was sold out, Radio Radio does a nice service by not overselling tickets like so many venues do, so it was easy to slide up to the front row and even to leave and get drinks was no problem at all.

Kathy & Pat

Pat & Dakota

Through some lucky twist of fate, I somehow won two passes to a special private gig by the Lumineers that was held Friday afternoon at the Do317 Lounge in front of only 25 invited guests that was to be filmed and recorded for XM Radio. The tiny intimate cool hipster lounge was located just up the street and we initially had planned for just Dakota & I to go in while Kathy waited, but as my luck would have it, it turns out that my buddy Brian just happened to have built and designed the lounge and not only got Kathy in as well, but scored us seats in the dead center of the front row for the intimate, acoustic set which was followed by a meet and great with the band who we were seemingly already long lost friends having hung out the previous night. It was so awesome and fun.

Dakota

Shannon, Ted, Eli, Dakota & Kathy

Eli, Michael, Ted & Brian

So much so that we were back at Radio Radio for the second night (also sold out), this time my good friends Eli, Ted & Shannon all joined us as well. Before attending the show, we all met for dinner at the Libertine Liquor bar, purveyors of excellent cocktails and food. The place is exactly the reason why Indianapolis is enjoying the resurgence that it has for the past few years. Sophisticated, stylish and with exquisite cocktails and food, it was an excellent meal with five of my all-time favorite people in the world.

The Lumineers- “Stubborn Love”

The show that night was another stellar one and despite it being our third show in 24 hours, the band still held my interest and was at least equally as enjoyable. Dakota preferred this show, which found them including a cool Talking Heads cover as well. All in all it was a fantastic group of shows from a wonderful young band, one that you will no doubt be hearing more of in the years to come.

Tracy, Kathy & Dakota