(photo credit)
On a frigid Tuesday night, I found myself traveling north on I-71 to Columbus for a highly anticipated double-bill of Horse Feathers and Blitzen Trapper. Both have released wonderful albums this year (Horse Feathers’ House with No Home and Blitzen Trapper’s Furr), and I was really interested to see how both bands translated their new material to the live setting. But, first things first, I have to mention the band on the bottom of the bill, but ultimately the one I came away most impressed with, The End of the World.

TEOTW are a traditional quartet, though their rhythm guitarist couldn’t make the tour, so they played their set as a trio at Skully’s. Luckily, the music didn’t suffer in the least. Their setup is unique in that their lead singer, Stefan Marolachakis, is actually their drummer, set up stage right, with Sam Axelrod on bass and Ben Smith ripping guitar opposite Marolachakis. Their rootsy riffs and harmonized vocals fit in as a nice opener for the Dylan-esque style of Blitzen Trapper, and despite playing to a sparse crowd, the guys really breathed a lot of vitality into their set. I was especially impressed with the crisp vocals and interesting drum patterns of Marolachakis.

Horse Feathers was certainly the oddball middle of the night, with Justin Ringle’s wispy vocals and their undeniable influence from early Iron and Wine material. However, what they lacked in loudness, they made up for in stunningly beautiful musicianship and harmonized vocals. I had goosebumps at several points throughout their set. Ringle really is the ring leader of the group, obvious in the mannerisms of the other two band members on stage (Heather Broderick on cello and Nathan Crockett on violin and saw). I was especially impressed with Crockett’s adept use of the saw and Ringle’s passionate vocal delivery. Overall, a great second set of the evening, with another in sight.

Blitzen Trapper took the stage late (around 11), and proceeded through a blistering set, mainly culled from their last two equally brilliant albums (Furr and Wild Mountain Nation). With BT, the sheer amount of people on stage can be a bit overwhelming, and yet not one of them seems out of place or unnecessary as their sound is rich and full. Completing the trend of harmony vocals, BT’s were equally as brilliant as their predecessors, if not more so. I was drawn in by the sheer energy the band emitted on stage, and the fact that they were just downright havin’ a good ole time. The audience responded well to the new material, which was played with especially adept skill. I kept wondering why this band wasn’t playing to a larger crowd. Their music is rather straightforward, unique, and damn fun. They are certainly poised for much bigger things in the days ahead.

Overall, it was a wonderful evening of music. All three bands were impressive. It was a very pleasant surprise to stumble upon a band like The End of the World, with no shtick and straightforward rootsy rock. No real surprises from Horse Feathers or Blitzen Trapper in translation of their new material. Just straightforward, honest music. And quite frankly, what more can a concertgoer ask for.

Horse Feathers – Curs In The Weeds
The End Of The World – I Don’t Wanna Lose
Blitzen Trapper – Gold For Bread