The Headlights
TNK Music Festival
(Day One)
Chicago, Illinois
1/10/07
One of the bands I looked forward to most for the Tomorrow Never Knows Festival is the Champaign three piece The Headlights. Perfectly suited for the Polyvinyl label, they put out a fantastic full length in 2006 entitled Kill Them With Kindness to accompany their EP The Enemies and a live recording as well. Brimming with fantastic melodies, the album has incredibly catchy songs like “TV” and “Lions” which were highlights live. There are also quieter bittersweet moments that bring to mind the work of Canada’s Stars. Female lead singer Erin Fein’s vocals even recall those of Amy Millan’s especially on album. (Take a listen to her vocals on “Put Us Back Together Right” for example)
It’s been a little over a year since I last saw The Headlights, playing with one of my very favorite and now unfortunately defunct bands Palaxy Tracks (though, Palaxy Tracks lead singer is now playing with The Octopus Project). I’ve never seen the other band these three band members (Tristan Wraight, Erin Fein, and Brett Sanderson) are part of, Absinthe Blind which is even more shimmering albeit in a much greater shoegaze and atmospheric vs. indie pop context. However, I can say that they’ve clearly grown stronger in their playing as The Headlights.
The major difference between their live set and their recorded songs is that live there were less of the subtle melancholy moments that the album has. Erin was clearly having a great deal of fun dancing and singing while playing her keyboard and she was equally exciting to watch as she seemed to be enjoying the set immensely. The only absence felt was the lack of strings that are definitely prominent on Kill Them With Kindness. What immense elation it would be to see them someday accompanied with a string section, though it might bring a much different feel to the set.
Listen to The Headlights on myspace
View Complete Flickr Set of Day One with: French Kicks, Headlights, Skybox, and Eagle Seagull
Click to see tour dates, additional pictures and a setlist:
Setlist:
Tour dates:
Jan 21 2007 8:00P
the House Dekalb, Illinois
Jan 26 2007 8:00P
Courtyard Cafe Champaign, Illinois
Feb 2 2007 8:00P
Highdive Champaign, Illinois
Feb 8 2007 8:00P
Hafen 2 Offenbach
Feb 9 2007 8:00P
Haus der Jugend Ramseck
Feb 10 2007 8:00P
Kaserne Basel
Feb 11 2007 8:00P
tba TBA
Feb 12 2007 8:00P
Arena Wien
Feb 13 2007 8:00P
Cairo Wurzburg
Feb 14 2007 8:00P
Gleis 22 Munster
Feb 15 2007 8:00P
Fundbureau Hamburg
Feb 16 2007 8:00P
Paradiso Amsterdam
Feb 17 2007 8:00P
Music in Mind Brugge
Feb 18 2007 8:00P
Le Grande Mix Roubaix
Feb 19 2007 8:00P
FR - tba TBA
Feb 20 2007 8:00P
Le Point Ephemere Paris
Feb 21 2007 8:00P
La Lune Des Pirates Amiens
Feb 22 2007 8:00P
Sonic Cathedral London
Feb 23 2007 8:00P
UK - tba TBA
Feb 23 2007 8:00P
UK - tba TBA
Feb 24 2007 8:00P
UK - tba TBA
Feb 25 2007 8:00P
Cavern Exeter
Feb 26 2007 8:00P
Windmill London
Feb 27 2007 8:00P
The Hope Brighton
Feb 28 2007 8:00P
Botanique Brussels
Mar 1 2007 8:00P
Rotown Rotterdam
Mar 2 2007 8:00P
P7 Magdeburg