I attended this show expecting to sit through an opener I did not know and that I would never listen to again in order to get to the band at the top of the bill, as is the case with a lot of touring acts’ shows these days.
In an effort to maintain a modicum of journalistic integrity, I have to confess that I showed up to this show about 45 minutes late, and in doing so I missed the first opener, Girlpuppy. What I was met with instead was the incredibly endearing and hilarious Whitmer Thomas, an actor, comedian, and musician from Gulf Shores, Alabama. It is obvious that Whitmer Thomas (who I think has a first name for a last name and a last name for a first name, but that’s besides the point) has listened to a lot of John Prine, as this influence shows through quite clearly in his songwriting and performance style. I am not a fan of his recorded music, but Thomas puts on a live performance chalk full of jokes, funny music, and awkward charm that can all be summed up by his motto, “I’m a comedian mostly, so if I fuck up it doesn’t count”. As I waited for indie pop duo Hovvdy to take the stage, I bumped into a fellow WTUL staff member (shoutout DJ Skitch!!!) who ended up with a Hovvdy set list! I’ve been a Hovvdy fan for around 2 years now, but I missed their tour last fall when they stopped in New Orleans, so I was glad to catch this show. I think that Hovvdy sounds like the feeling of watching the ducks in Audubon park on a day when you have no responsibilities. The band is fronted by Charlie Martin and Will Taylor, who met in Austin, Texas, and they are also an incredibly endearing live show. I feel like it is rare these days to find a band whose live performances and recorded music are comparable, but I can honestly say that I love both. They played songs from their latest album, “True Love”, as well as some older tracks, and a cover of Tom Petty's "Free Fallin" that got the whole venue singing and moving. Will and Charlie clearly love what they do, they sang and played each song with intention and intense emotion. I think that they fit very well with the demographic that listens to their music, and I found them both very relatable. Perhaps my favorite part about this show was that every act that played ran their own merch table. I got to meet all of them, and spent way too much money on merch. Overall, this show was so much fun! Both acts I saw made me laugh, and evoked emotion from the audience, which I believe (warning: very cheesy statement about to come off my keyboard) is the purpose of music and art in general. Will and Charlie (of Hovvdy) had that kind of small town charm that makes you believe you can do anything, and Whitmer Thomas had that kind of charisma that makes you spend $30 on a hat that says “shrimp” without batting an eyelash. For now, I am $42 poorer and one sick show experience richer.
DJ Skitch's Hovvdy Setlist!!!