Venues
Events
MediaFeature
An Experimental Make-Under at Carnegie Hall
Band of Horses ushers in summer with their fresh, lush sound
Band of Horses
In many ways, Band of Horses perfectly encompass the sounds of summer—haunting vocals that are at once filled with a present freshness and longing nostalgia, guitars that strum softly like the hottest of days and a feeling of lush freedom in each track. Though not in the form of the quintessential New York summer concert experience—outside, it’s fitting that Band of Horses is arriving in the hottest of summer cities right before the season’s start. At Carnegie Hall, no less.
When Ben Bridwell (vocals, guitar) and Mat Brooke (guitar, now with Grand Archives) formed the band in 2004, Band of Horses was known simply as Horses and hailed from Seattle, Washington. With the release of their 2006 album, Everything All the Time, the band was poised to become a favorite among music fans.
But it was their 2007 release Cease to Begin that cemented their place as an arriving act to contend with. Singles like “No One’s Gonna Love You” and “The Funeral” were heard on network favorites like One Tree Hill and Chuck a la bands like the Shins on The O.C. (which also featured some early Band of Horses songs) in the early aughts. The band’s eventual relocation to South Carolina seemed a fitting move as their sound became even mellower and more appropriate for hazy days on the porch.
Now, two years later, the band prepares to play one of the most prestigious venues in the country—Carnegie Hall’s Isaac Stern Auditorium. The auditorium has hosted classical and popular music since 1891, but it’s the band’s first appearance at the venue, where they’ll tackle another first—an acoustic set. “It’ll be interesting to see how that works out as it’s our first real stab at an acoustic show,” Bridwell says. “We wanted to make the performance a special experience and Carnegie sounds so beautiful naturally.”
On a stage that used to be home to the New York Philharmonic before its move in the ’60s to Lincoln Center, the band will deliver their orchestrations in the most stripped down form possible. “I hope we can adapt our sound to have as much impact quiet as it does loud.” adds Bridwell. Those who know and love the band, though, know that won’t be a problem. Opening for the band is Baltimore’s Arboretum.