Since visiting Brooklyn Bowl Wednesday night, I now believe every Vanderbilt student should see a show there at least once before they graduate. With a bowling alley, restaurant, multiple bars and live music all under one roof, the venue offers a different experience than your typical concert. It was the perfect setting for The Head and the Heart on their 15th anniversary tour as they filled the lively space with their warm harmonies.
The crowd gave the night a different feel from the typical student-heavy concert scene in Nashville. Most attendees were older, and many already wore the band’s merchandise. Before the show began, people stood in groups talking over drinks, drifting between the bar and bowling lanes and enjoying the social atmosphere.
At 8 p.m. CDT, Ava Paige came out as the first performer of the night. Paige shared her story as a cancer survivor and being treated at Vanderbilt’s Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital. She encouraged people to donate to the show’s sponsor Jam For Good, a charity that helps kids battling cancer through live music.
Paige’s set was performed with only a guitar and a strong voice with a country twang. Her personal tone set the mood for the night.
Indie artist Chrysalis followed with a slow, dreamy set that leaned into a more folk sound. The soft vocals and gentle pace gave the room a calm mood. Chrysalis introduced Simon, the acoustic bassist, and Grace, the keyboardist and backup vocalist. Their set ended with a crowded venue filled with anticipation.
When The Head and the Heart took the stage around 9:30 p.m., the mood in Brooklyn Bowl immediately shifted. The steady beat of the opening drum pulled the crowd in, and people near the front started raising their hands and moving with the first song of the night, “Cats and Dogs.” The performance matched the stage’s warm, homey setup with pink-lit lamps throughout the platform and a faux fireplace that boasted a framed portrait of the group’s debut album cover above the mantel.
The connection between the band and the audience only grew stronger. The best parts were when the band reflected on the history behind their songs. Before performing “Down in the Valley,” drummer Tyler Williams told the story of how it became the song that made him want to be in the band. Backed by the violin, guitar and piano, the song felt especially emotional.
Before “Rivers and Roads,” The Head and the Heart shared that they first performed the hit in a parking garage.
“We never imagined it would become the song that it became … it became everyone’s song,” lead singer Jon Russell said.
That feeling definitely came through in their performance. The song felt extremely nostalgic and wistful with intense instrumentation and a forceful buildup that had the crowd singing along and whooping in response.
Later, the band reflected on the song “Lost in My Mind,” which Russell shared was written when he was 24. It was especially intimate as the singer described getting married and starting a family at the same time as his fans standing in the room.
When the band left the stage, the crowd erupted into whistles and applause until the band returned in different outfits for the encore. They came back out and performed several more songs that are not on their debut album, including “All We Ever Knew.” The room turned into a singalong as people danced and shouted every familiar word.
The moment carried through the final stretch as the group moved to more upbeat songs. At one point, the guitarist began spinning in circles as he played, and this shift was the perfect way to end the night. It was clear that this 15th anniversary tour meant just as much to the audience as it did to The Head and the Heart.
