What A Night, Babe
On the tail end of their tour with Greta Van Fleet and just a few weeks before their headlining tour, Houndmouth made a last-minute stop in Orlando, Florida to play an intimate show at The Social. The venue was on the smaller side, and it filled up quickly with fans eager to see Houndmouth’s Orlando debut. With their usual energy and charisma, Houndmouth made for an unforgettable night full of great music, friendship, and even some unreleased tracks.
This show has been my seventh time seeing Houndmouth in the last year and after every show, I am reminded why they are one of my favorite bands. Three of those shows were with Greta Van Fleet, and while Houndmouth sounded great at those shows, there is something so special about their smaller headlining shows. Singer Matt Myers admitted that even though it was great to play big arenas, these smaller shows are where they really find their sound. While it is mesmerizing to hear a packed arena sing “Sedona” together, there is something to be said about the magic of smaller shows. Every show feels personal, sort of like they are playing just for you.
One thing Houndmouth knows how to do is build a setlist. They know when to play the hits, the fan favorites, the throwbacks, and when to slow it down a bit. They joke around between songs, laugh when they mess up the lyrics, and engage with the crowd throughout the entire show. Something that stood out differently at this show was when they played some unreleased songs. Kicking off the encore, Matt Myers unexpectedly sat down at the keyboard and played an unreleased song called “Jackie”, prompting an immediate “release that!” from someone in the crowd. The band joined Myers and they went on to play another unreleased track that was not quite finished yet. They played the first verse and paused to switch up chords and ask for fans feedback on what sounded better. They played a second verse and decided that these might be two completely different songs after all. I’ve been to a few shows before where the band plays an unreleased song, but I have to say it was a first to be there while they were piecing together a new song. It made the night even more special, and it got me excited for the potential for some new music.
While it may seem a little crazy to look forward to the end of your favorite bands show, it is always my favorite part. They close out every show with “Sedona” and no matter how many times I’ve seen it, it is just as magical as it was the first time I heard it. I struggle to find the words to describe the feeling that comes with screaming “so bright and pink” as loud as I can with every single person at the show. They put their heart in every performance and there truly is something immeasurably special about this band. They are humble, grateful, and bound to leave you with a huge smile on your face and a warm feeling in your chest after every show.