The last time the Band of Heathens graced the Blue Light stage, it was pouring rain outside.  Lightning kept cutting off the power, thunder rumbled the windows, and the bar was less than full.  But it was completely wonderful; the listening atmosphere was nearly perfect and the music was excellent.  For months, those who saw the show talked about it in hushed tones as though something sacred had taken place for a secretly chosen few.  Apparently, the secret got out; there was barely room to stand in the Blue Light Saturday night.

The Band of Heathens astonish me.  I love any band who doesn’t appoint a “leader” of the group; everyone is so equally talented they can pass along the microphone and back each other up with harmonies that are nothing short of great.

Their most recent release, One Foot in the Ether, was well represented with a nice chunk of their set coming from the album.  What’s This World called out the mistakes of society and the eerie harmonies on Golden Calf punctuated those mistakes with an odd, yet entirely fitting tone.  One specific highlight was the song Jackson Station, from their their previous, self-titled release.  It’s a catchy tune with the wonderful phrase “She’s been up all night; she’s got crows walkin’ round her eyes.” How do you not love that line?

They closed their set with L.A. County Blues, a song chock full of Hunter S Thompson references from “gonzo” to “mint juleps” – a fitting tribute to a remarkable individual, and of course a great finale.

Check out the Band of Heathens on iTunes and get yourself some new music!