Live Review: The Head at The Mill on Etowah in Canton, 6/4/2021

Like all bands around the globe, Atlanta trio The Head have been on a 16-month break from performing live. The Covid pandemic has sidelined most live music, save for virtual shows to at least keep musicians afloat. The band returned to the stage Friday night and blew the cobwebs out from a year in isolation. The venue was at the new Mill on Etowah and hosted in part by the Canton Reformation Brewery. The event was outdoors with plenty of food, drink, and social distancing.

The band sounded surprisingly tight considering the amount of time they’ve been off the grid. Most segues between songs involved much banter and discussion from the band, talking about what to play and other issues which may arise after such a lengthy “vacation.” According to drummer Jack Shaw, getting back on stage was like “riding a bike.” The trio jumped back on that bike and sped through a fierce two-hour set. Singer/bassist Mike Shaw and guitarist Jacob Morrell added hints of a new album in the near future to follow up the band’s last LP, 2017’s Space. Stay tuned to No Earplugs for more on that.

The Head has begun recording a new song each month through September. Check out “Corkscrew,” a piano-driven, 70s throwback underscoring just how much the band has evolved since their solid 2009 debut Puckered (which they recorded as teenagers).

Shaw went on to say, “While we don’t have any album planned yet, we are constantly writing and recording, and we would love for some of these songs to form the foundation of an album….we’ll see what happens.” Watch for the next two singles to drop on June 18.

As we ease back into a sense of normalcy, live music will be there to coax you out of this forced hibernation. The Head will perform at Tucker Brewing Company on Friday, August 20 beginning at 6:30. Follow and like the band on social media and check out the website at The Head Music. Listen and purchase music at their Bandcamp page.

As always, #SupportLocalMusic