Dead Horses with Ben Jaffe- The Backroom at Colectivo 4/5/18

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

"It's hard for me to concentrate with all of your smiles," Dead Horses singer-songwriter Sarah Vos quipped during the band's robust 90+ minute set in front of a filled-to-the-gills Back Room at Colectivo, as Dead Horses celebrated their album release of My Mother The Moon, the band's third LP.  The capacity crowd hung on Vos's every word, swayed, danced and often sang along with numbers, including some of the tracks on the new record!  An elated and joyful vibe filled the Back Room at Colectivo as Dead Horses stopped in their hometown in between dates in St. Louis and Ann Arbor to perform their entire new record as well as a plethora of other tunes in the midst of a massive tour which will take them around the country, including a spot playing at the famous Red Rocks Amphitheater later this summer with Trampled by Turtles.  Thursday evening's show at the Back Room at Colectivo was not so much a coming out party for the group as it was a was an arrival of a band who is quickly blossoming into a bonafide national act.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Dead Horses embodies everything that is great about Americana music.  From Vos's raw, powerful and emotive vocals, to the precise bow work and plucking of upright bassist Daniel Wolff, to the brush work and subtle nuanced percussion of Jamie Gallagher, to Ryan Ogburn's mandolin and guitar accompaniments and jams, Dead Horses sounds like a well-oiled Americana engine traversing our country's rural roads. Rooted in folk traditions, Dead Horses employs elements of bluegrass, jam band, country and indie rock to create a rich sonic timbre that is both familiar and surprising at the same time.  The new tunes from My Mother The Moon were distributed throughout the set and felt like old friends, as Vos and company spun tales of modern American life in a way that made the listener feel like she/he was a passenger riding shotgun as the band traveled throughout the American countryside.   

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Highlights of the set included many new tracks from My Mother The Moon, like the heartbreaking honest set opener, "American Poor."  "Darling Dear," a standout number from the new album had an almost anthem-like quality about it when performed live.  "On and On," a cut that Vos shared was written in her head while on a drive between Stevens Point and Oshkosh was another track that held the crowd in the palm of Vos's hand.  Older "classic" tracks from Dead Horses like "Lay Me Down," "Deep Blue Sea," and "Golden Sky" were also well-received and played to perfection.

Opening for Dead Horses was honeyhoney songwriter and singer Ben Jaffe, whose highly engaging solo set took the audience on a journey throughout Los Angeles that included tales about aspiring love and even a befriended cat.  In addition, Jaffe entertained the crowd with his witty banter and fun haikus about tour-mates Dead Horses.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch