The Oh Hellos concert came to the streets of Boston like a roaring valley on the 11th of October. Their band was joined by a smaller, though a personal favorite one, Rabbitology, which played the preshow and actually later returned for a combined finale.

The setlist consisted of Rabbitology's most recent singles, including “Prey Birds” and “Living Ghost: Still Rising”. Meanwhile, the Oh Hellos played three of their most popular albums, Notos, Boreas and Dear Wormwood, as well as their number 1 single “Soldier, Poet, King”. Through this mix of indie, folk and rock, you can really feel the community these bands have both grown.

Though the bands had moved venues (from the Royale to the Roadrunner), they made great use of the small performance space. Something that really stood out to me was their ability to connect with the audience, be it with sound, music or words. These people come to hear stories and songs and they get both fulfilled wholeheartedly, which creates such a nice space and a safe feeling all around.

However, nothing can be perfect, as some parts of the show, especially Rabbitoly's preshow performance, sounded like the bass was boosted to 110%. This overpowering force was mostly calmed by the playing of other instruments for the latter half of the night. Even though the bass made it harder to hear some parts, like the quieter sections, it made sure that you could really feel into the music. No literally, the floor was basically shaking.

If you’re trying to place this show in context, imagine a cross between Mumford & Sons when they dial back the pop, and Fleet Foxes when they step up to the mic with a full acoustic-electric build, banjos and mandolins. The Oh Hellos bring that folk-choral energy of Mumford, but with the more dramatic peaks and valley moments of Fleet Foxes. For a concert goer who’s seen both bands, this show felt like stepping into the heart of that hybrid, earnest, and expansive music, while staying grounded in folk roots.

Who is going to get the most out of this? Fans of indie folk, folk-rock, vocal harmonies, banjo/violin instrumentation, will feel at home. It’s great for a slightly older crowd comfortable with standing and engaged with the music, but equally for younger listeners interested in discovering high energy folk songs with a twist.

A large audience of the Oh Hellos are people who might run into the woods and try to befriend every creature and live with the critters till the end times. However, if you prefer strictly mellow acoustic sets with no electric push, this show may feel a bit full-tilt. And if you’re looking for mainstream pop or top 40 dance, this is not definitely that.

My reaction? I walked out feeling energized, wrapped in a warm glow of “yeah, that was worth it.” The Oh Hellos delivered emotionally, musically, and visually. The high points were the goose-bump moments that come when the entire audience joins in on a chorus, and you feel a sense of community and power that's only possible through the valley's music. But those minor gripes still show through, though many were not reasonable enough to be fully considered as per the restraints of the venue.

For a musician or folk-lover, you’re getting a genuine live performance with heart. Therefore, if I had to give a rating, it would be an 18.6 out of 20, not perfect, but still good to make you wanna break out in dance and maybe build a log cabin.