An array of vintage amps and a full-scale science classroom skeleton adorned the stage at The Ritz Ybor on Thursday night, making it clear that the evening’s headliners, haunting Los Angeles-based indie folk outfit Lord Huron, were ready to deliver a less than ordinary show.

A near-capacity crowd of mostly college-aged concertgoers warmly greeted the sometimes eerie, sometimes quizzical quintet and welcomed them back to the area with a hearty ovation. The band delivered a memorable set at 2013’s hometown music extravaganza Gasparilla Music Festival, which helped to garner a local following here in Tampa Bay.

As vacuous radio frequencies buzzed from the house PA, the quintet emerged onstage and wasted no time getting right into the unique blend of swampy rockabilly and ethereal folk they’ve perfected in the two full-lengths and various EPs they’ve released since 2012.

Lead singer and band founder Ben Schneider, looking the part of either a Green Acres cast member or an oddball David Lynchian character, exudes equal parts mystery and quirkiness as he croons and howls. Opening with “The World Ender,” one of the many fine tracks off stellar 2015 LP Strange Trails, the band set the mood for the night, sonically resembling a marsh-soaked version of The Cramps. As Ben bellowed the creepy couplet “..they put me in the ground / but I'm back from the dead..” from the song’s chorus and as dramatic lighting bathed the stage, it was clear that Lord Huron hads already mastered the art of creating a definitive onstage aura very early into their existence.

Indulging the 20-somethings that filled the venue, Schneider praised the bustling Ybor area where the theater was situated. “Nice little part of town you got here! You can get a tattoo, you can vape, you can smoke a cigar…or you can listen to some rock ‘n roll!”. And, like that, even when borrowing shtick from the oldest book of stage banter clichés, Ben sent the audience into one of the night’s many rousing frenzies.

There were moments when Schneider’s dual vocal harmonies with touring band member and LA session multi-instrumentalist Brandon Waters reached astonishing heights of beauty and longing. Sadly, quieter, more delicate numbers were marred by incessant audience chatter. It wasn’t enough to spoil the vibe Lord Huron invoked so effortlessly all throughout their performance.

It’s hard to say if the introduction to the night’s absolute highlight, the ghostly “Way Out There,” was geared at the nonstop jabber-jaws in the house. “This one’s got a little bit of magic, so pay attention,” Ben announced before bassist Miguel Briseño launched into the tune with some fantastic other-worldly theremin work.

Shifting gears between moody numbers and lively rockers, lead guitarist Tom Renaud took charge of each selection, smartly yet subtly adding bluesy slide work or aggressive strumming to each of the songs.

The 90-minute show came to a frantic close to another ear-splitting (and well-deserved) ovation, followed by an encore that ended with a barn-burning, ragged version of “She Lit A Fire”, one of the many superb tracks from the band’s 2012 debut, Lonesome Dreams.

Spontaneous dancing and shaking erupted around the room as the band delivered the killer final number of the night.

Even the skeleton that had hung motionless onstage at the onset of the show got the chance to stretch out and crowd surf during the finale (with a little help from Schneider, of course).

Here’s hoping that this sparklingly original and unique outfit finds it in their future tour plans to visit us again soon. It won’t be long until Lord Huron is wowing crowds in venues much larger than the theater where Thursday night’s crowd was lucky enough to see them in for a dynamic, intimate and memorable performance.

SETLIST

Thursday, June 16, 2016

The World Ender

Time to Run

Lonesome Dreams

Hurricane (Johnnie's Theme)

Cursed

The Birds Are Singing At Night

Ends of the Earth

Dead Man's Hand

Way Out There

Love Like Ghosts