There was a consensus among friends of ours that seeing The Heavy Heavy at Boise’s Treefort Music Festival was a must. Having never heard them before I was curious and my wife, Lila, and I obliged. We arrived to a good-sized crowd that immediately revealed familiar faces among the happy, swaying music enthusiasts. It didn’t take long to find the rhythm the crowd was joyfully moving to or to understand why so many of our friends recommended this band above others playing around town.
What was interesting is that it was hard to find a comparison to what The Heavy Heavy produced. There wasn’t anything particularly unusual about their songs or their style, yet it seemed to land in a pleasant space where we found few good comparisons. Big Head Todd and the Monsters was the only amorphous sound that seemed even close in comparison, although the bands don’t share origins, eras, or genres. The Heavy Heavy is a British band, while Big Head Todd and the Monsters are out of Colorado. Nonetheless, The Heavy Heavy seemed to absorb their influences so seamlessly that, whoever and however they were inspired is hard to identify as they have incorporated their influences into their own, unique sound.
All that said, the band was fun, and easy to listen to, with quality songs and a professional feel. They didn’t try gimmicks or over-the-top antics to engage the audience and it wasn’t necessary. They didn’t try too hard and they didn’t have to. They played their songs, the bass player waved his impressive locks, and the crowd soaked in their melodic sounds.
Even though I can’t pinpoint why, The Heavy Heavy was my favorite band, at least so far, at Treefort. The Heavy Heavy didn’t disappoint and gave credence to the recommendations of my friends. Cheers!
By Jerry Mooney
Co-founder