If you’re not from the Midwest, this may come as a surprise…but Kansas City is not actually a “cow town.”
So despite my best efforts over the last year, I haven’t managed to bring cowboy boots back in style here. Yet. Accordingly, I left my trusty boots at home when I hit Record Bar to see Ha Ha Tonka a few weeks ago; imagine my surprise when three of the four headlining members climbed onstage with shiny, pointed boots. I’ll be damned.
Fans flocked to Record Bar early, a nice change from a lot of local shows that I’ve seen there that only fill out for the headliners. I couldn’t tell if the audience was just eager for Ha Ha Tonka or if each band had brought a good crowd. Either way, everyone seemed pumped for and exceptionally supportive of each act. I had a rare moment of smugness at the awesomeness of KC’s music scene.
The Reward Tree kicked off the night with a set list that flitted between slightly electronic and old school rock-influenced. I was a little disappointed that only the first song I caught (I came in a bit late) had a real electronic spark that made me want to dance across the room, but my electro-love might make me biased. I’m pretty sure this was the band’s first show (correct me if I’m wrong), so a few bits of advice:
1. The lead singer is one funny dude, but he needs to loosen up a bit when he’s bantering between songs. His obvious nerves left me feeling a little stressed.
2. I’d love to see this band settle in more to a specific genre. I liked everything they played, but it seemed like they haven’t found yet where they want to fit on the music spectrum.
Up next, The Noise FM — my most anticipated band for the night. I last saw these guys play Leavenworth’s Groundworks in 2005, and I only recently realized they were still rocking out. The trio brought fun lights (who puts Christmas lights inside their amps? So great!), high energy and some wonderfully danceable jams.
“You guys, feel free to dance around to this good old rock and roll,” lead singer Alex Ward instructed the crowd before launching into their set (on a complete side note, Ward sported an awesome pair of leather shoes).
The crowd, unfortunately, did not dance, so I resigned myself to sipping a beer and bobbing my head enthusiastically.
Some of The Noise FM‘s lyrics brought to mind Kings of Leon, which is never a bad thing in my book. “No End” was of particular note, with the repeating, “Why don’t you tell me that you want somebody? That you want somebody.” There aren’t too many bands that manage to catch my attention lyrically when live, so kudos to these guys for being a standout.
And at last, Springfield natives Ha Ha Tonka. The energy in the room soared when the group of four took the stage.
Ha Ha Tonka‘s vibe shifted the gear of the night a lot; I expected more of a rock sound based on the openers, but instead was treated to a folksy, Midwestern session. Within thirty seconds, the boots, the Southern Missouri-inspired band name and the plethora of breezy button-downs on stage made sense. No complaints from this girl.
This band reigned in a dedicated crowd that sang along to plenty of the songs. I’ve never seen so much dancing and enthusiasm at a “local” show, and I definitely never really knew what boot-stompin’ music was before that night. My scribbled show notes read, “Rockin folk music — emphasis on ‘rockin.’”
My friend, who is buddies with Ha Ha Tonka from college and who had encouraged me to check out their show, had warned me earlier that:
“One of those guys hits a note so low, it’ll make you poop your pants!”
It’s okay. I did not poop my pants. But I was impressed when all four of the guys stopped playing and gathered around two mics at the front of the stage for an a cappella harmony. Man, those boys can sing! Easily the highlight of the night for me.
If you missed Ha Ha Tonka at this show, I hate to break it to you, but they won’t be back through for awhile. They’re touring across the U.S. this summer (follow their travels here) and don’t plan to play KC again until their new album releases. No word yet on when that will happen, but we’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, I’ll be wearing my cowboy boots around town with a little more confidence, because if Ha Ha Tonka can make cowboy look (and sound) that good, I know there’s nothing wrong with it.
