Woodward Theater Presents:
Event: HEARTLESS BASTARDS w/ SPOILS
Date: Saturday, December 9
Time: 7 doors, 8 show
Venue: The Woodward Theater | 1404 Main St., Cincinnati, OH 45202 | (513) 345-7981 | news@woodwardtheater.com
Admission: $28.75 advance / $33 day of show
Ages: 16+
Information / Tickets: https://www.woodwardtheater.com/shows/heartless-bastards-w-spoils
Event Page: https://www.facebook.com/events/6501129483342905
* $2 off any sandwich across the street at MOTR on day of show with proof of purchase *
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About HEARTLESS BASTARDS:
No salve soothes quite like music does. Like the ultimate balm, it releases tension and stress and reinvigorates the spirit. With a warm patchwork of rock ‘n’ roll, psychedelia, folk, alternative, and blues, Heartless Bastards unlock healing and catharsis within their music. Whether in the studio or on stage, the Austin-based band fronted by vocalist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Erika Wennerstrom calm as they captivate. After generating over 100 million total streams and enrapturing audiences at legendary venues such as Red Rocks Amphitheatre, the group continue to connect with listeners everywhere through boundary-breaking sonics and straight-from-the-heart lyrics. “Music is medicine,” observes Erika. “It gives me a sense of purpose beyond just creating art. The idea someone might find comfort in it or it can actually help another person is incredible to me. I don’t know if I ever thought about it in those terms when I was younger. I’ve realized it over the years though.”
At the turn-of-the-century, Erika founded Heartless Bastards in Cincinnati, OH. Inspired by the likes of Joan Jett, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and more, she cut early demos in 2003, performing the bulk of the instruments herself. A bartending gig inspired the name Heartless Bastards. The bar’s touch screen game posed the question, “What is Tom Petty’s backing band?” and offered “The Heartless Bastards” as an answer option, so she accepted this humorous twist of fate and adopted it as her band’s moniker.
The band initially came to life with Stairs and Elevators in 2005, building a discography of fan favorites highlighted by All This Time [2006], The Mountain [2009], and the seminal Arrow [2012]. The latter captured #2 on the Billboard Top Independent Albums Chart, went Top 10 on the Tastemaker Albums Chart, and even cracked the Top 200. “Only For You” notably amassed north of 42.6 million Spotify streams and 17.2 million YouTube views. In the wake of the album, Time attested, “Wennerstrom’s voice is one of the cornerstones of their success. It is tender even when it is severe, and she is unabashedly soulful even when she rocks, almost as though she were at once performing a slow country ballad and singing alongside Mark Bolan from T. Rex.”
Meanwhile, 2021’s A Beautiful Life arrived to widespread praise from Uncut, Glide, and Classic Rock with Pitchfork going as far as to claim, “A Beautiful Life is her best album as a vocalist, as she finds new ways to bend her voice to different styles and sounds.” In addition to sharing the stage with The Flaming Lips, The Decemberists, Wolfmother, Lucinda Williams, and The Avett Brothers, they lit up festivals a la Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Newport Folk Festival, High Sierra Music Festival, and more. Through it all, Heartless Bastards constantly evolve. “The vibe is pretty eclectic,” she goes on. “My voice ties it together. The earlier albums were a bit more garage- and punk-influenced. We’ve drawn from classic rock, indie, and folk too. I love music, and I’m always exploring sounds.”
In 2022, they celebrate the 10th anniversary of Arrow with a special limited-edition re-release on vinyl, new acoustic recordings, and the addition of the previously unavailable “Got to Have Rock and Roll,” “Parted Ways,” and “Bye Bye Baby Blues” originally by George “Little Hat” Jones. “Arrow is the album that reached the most people,” she smiles. “It’s cool to celebrate the success of it and give fans something else. The response to ‘Only For You’ made me feel connected to people everywhere in a beautiful way. I’ll always be grateful for Arrow.” In the end, Heartless Bastards might just be able to heal what ails you. “Ultimately, I hope people enjoy themselves when they’re listening to our records or seeing us live,” she leaves off. “Playing shows really brings me a lot of joy. I hope the connection translates. I’m ready to tour a lot and release more music.”
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About SPOILS:
Spoils is a band born in the riverbed of Cincinnati, OH. Influenced by Ohio greats such as Wussy, The Breeders, and Guided By Voices, Spoils captures the heart and soul of the Midwest with vocal harmonies, string arrangements, and responsive rhythms and melodies. Songwriting, vocals, guitar and violin by Nina Payiatis, synth/guitar/backing vocals by Samantha Smyjunas, bass/backing vocals by Elise Martini, and drums/backing vocals by Leo Martini. Their most recent EP Nothing For A Man, released in September 2023 on Happy Families, is a piece of the ornate quilt that covers the Cincinnati sky.
Overall, SPOILS have smashed it out the park with Nothing For A Man. The band have crafted an excellent EP that is well-produced. Each song builds upon the other, whilst also maintaining its own unique identity. There are layers to each song to be discovered every time you listen to it, and ultimately it is an ode, not only to summer nights, but to the wonders of music itself.
-Distorted Sound Magazine
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MORE ABOUT:
HEARTLESS BASTARDS:
Website: https://www.theheartlessbastards.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heartlessbastards
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartlessbastards
Twitter: https://twitter.com/heartlessbstrds
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/heartlessbastards
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3tGD4Zn
SPOILS:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpoilsOhio/
Bandcamp: https://spoilsohio.bandcamp.com, https://happyfamilies.bandcamp.com/album/nothing-for-a-man
THE WOODWARD THEATER:
http://www.woodwardtheater.com, news@woodwardtheater.com