Barnstormer Tour - Akron, OH

Driving down a windy trail surrounded by trees isn't what we're used to when we're heading to concerts; we're used to the streets of Cleveland, which always smell comfortingly like exhaust. So it was refreshing to be able to go to Daytrotter's Barnstormer tour stop in Akron, OH, stopping at scenic cemeteries along the way and being able to breathe fresh air.

After crossing the railroad tracks that lead to the Conrad Botzum Farmstead Barn, we knew it would be a good night. The barn itself was gorgeous, decorated with glowing horse lights and filled with a really good atmosphere. You could see out to the fields, so you could watch the sun go down as the bands played. It was one of those days where nature behaved for once, and the night brought a cloudy veil over everything that made you forget there was a morning coming tomorrow.

The first band to take the barn was Wildlife. Despite the lead singer rocking a leg cast, they had enough energy to fill the entire woods and surrounding fields, much less the crowd. They were very, very impressive. When they cut off the music and harmonized with just their voices, it gave you chills even though the sun was still out. They played as if they could break the entire barn down.

After them was Princeton, who we were there to see. They had a lot of crowd interaction and were really involved with their music. We've seen a lot of jaded bands who aren't into their own music any more, so it's good to see musicians who still love what they do. It felt like they were playing in your living room, it was such a relaxed, engaging set.

Doug Paisley, who went on right after Princeton, could play. He got up there with just his acoustic guitar and his voice, and he filled the barn with it. It was getting dark, and the lull of his voice made it a kind of surreal night. Fireflies started lighting up in the barn as he played, and a bat decided to join the party and swoop around in the airspace. The lights played shadows across the back of the barn, and the music was perfect.

White Rabbits followed Doug Paisley, and it went from quiet peace to full-on dance rock. They were extremely well practiced and made the barn floor roll from the crowd's stomping feet. We'd listened to their latest album before, and hearing it live amplified the precision they had recorded.

Hacienda ended the night, and it was the perfect band to wind down to. They seemed like a well-organized jam band, music you could end the night on. It was like it summarized everything you'd already heard and sent you home with good music in your ears.


Daytrotter put together a fantastic group of bands and musicians, and it was a show that we won't ever forget.