CAPA To Present The Wood Brothers At Southern Theatre in Spring 2024

Genre-bending roots music trio The Wood Brothers, on tour in support of the band's eighth studio album, “Heart is the Hero,” will be in concert at the Southern Theatre (21 E. Main St.) on Wednesday, April 3.

Tickets start at $35 and may be purchased beginning at 10 am Friday, December 8, at the CBUSArts Ticket Center at the Ohio Theatre (39 E. State St.), online at www.capa.com or www.CBUSArts.com, and by phone at (614) 469-0939.

The Wood Brothers have learned to trust their hearts. For the better part of two decades, they've cemented their reputation as freethinking songwriters, road warriors, and community builders, creating a catalog of diverse music and a loyal audience who've grown alongside them through the years. That evolution continues with “Heart is the Hero,” the band's eighth studio album. Recorded analog to 16-track tape, this latest effort finds its three creators embracing the chemistry of their acclaimed live shows by capturing their performances in real-time direct from the studio floor with nary a computer in sight. An acoustic-driven album that electrifies, “Heart is the Hero” is stocked with songs that target not only the heart, but the head and hips, too.

“We love records that come from the era of less tracks and more care,” explains co-founder Oliver Wood. “When you use a computer during the tracking process, you have an infinite number of tracks at your disposal, which implies that nothing is permanent, and everything can be fixed. Tape gives you limitations that force you to be creative and intentional. You don't look at the music on a screen; you listen to it, and you learn to focus on the feeling of the performance.”

Throughout “Heart is the Hero,” those performances are matched by the visceral storytelling and songwriting chops that have turned The Wood Brothers into Grammy-nominated leaders of American roots music, even as their music reaches far beyond the genre's borders. Together, these songs offer a snapshot of a spirited, independent-minded group at the peak of its powers, always pushing forward and seeking to evolve beyond what's come before.

“There's still acoustic guitar, upright bass, and percussion on this album — things people use all the time — but we're always thinking, ‘How can we make this sound like us, but not like something we've already done?'” Oliver says. “Sometimes, the only way to do that is to get weird.”

That sense of exploration pumps its way through “Heart is the Hero” like lifeblood. Arriving on the heels of 2019's “Live at The Fillmore,” 2020's “Kingdom In My Mind,” and Oliver Wood's solo album “Always Smilin'” — all of which were released on Honey Jar Records, the band's independent label — “Heart is the Hero” is bold, bright, and singularly creative, a fully realized collective effort ultimately greater than the sum of its parts. Perhaps that's to be expected from a group whose willingness to experiment has earned acclaim from Rolling Stone and NPR, as well as an annual touring schedule of sold-out music halls and theaters on both sides of the Atlantic. Ask The Wood Brothers, though, and they'll tell you to expect the unexpected.

“We are never satisfied if we are not searching for new musical recipes,” says Jano Rix, nodding to the uncharted territory that “Heart is the Hero” covers. Chris Wood agrees, adding, “We are one of those bands that isn't easily categorized. We know what our strengths are, but we can't help but push the envelope, as well. It's too much fun.”

CALENDAR LISTING

The Wood Brothers

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Southern Theatre

$35-$55

The Wood Brothers have learned to trust their hearts. For the better part of two decades, they've cemented their reputation as freethinking songwriters, road warriors, and community builders, creating a catalog of diverse music and a loyal audience who've grown alongside them through the years. That evolution continues with “Heart is the Hero,” the band's eighth studio album. For tickets, visit www.capa.com or www.CBUSArts.com.

About CAPA

Owner/operator of downtown Columbus' magnificent historic theatres (Ohio Theatre, Palace Theatre, Southern Theatre) and manager of the Riffe Center Theatre Complex, Lincoln Theatre, Drexel Theatre, Jeanne B. McCoy Community Center for the Arts (New Albany, OH), and the Shubert Theatre (New Haven, CT), CAPA is a non-profit, award-winning presenter of national and international performing arts and entertainment. For more information, visit www.capa.com.

The Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts, helped fund CAPA's 2023-24 season with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, education excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. CAPA also appreciates the generous support of the Greater Columbus Arts Council and The Columbus Foundation's Gladys H. Goodwin Fund, Jane H. Zimmerman Arts Fund, and W.W. Williams Family Field of Interest Fund, with the assistance of the Ingram-White Castle Foundation.

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