Live shows have pretty much been nonexistent since March. There have been some cover bands playing around the city here and there, but honestly, no band is worth the risk of contracting the virus. Like everyone else, I remember the “before times” when I would hit up a few shows a month and headbang my troubles away. The last show I attended before the pandemic was the legendary house show Norma Jean put on as part of their most recent tour. Since then I’ve been longing to see a live band play, and this past Sunday my hiatus from live music ended when Atlanta’s own Half Hot, a rock band I’ve written about previously for various publications, performed at Park Tavern for their weekly Sunset Sessions concert.
I showed up a bit early to get the feel for how the venue was set up. My plan was to find an open spot so I could space myself away from others. I half thought the crowd might be packed because of the general lack of live music as of late, but to my surprise (and relief!) the crowd was spread out with everyone giving each other space. I ventured over to the green room to catch up with the band as I had not seen them since COVID started. Warm welcomes were exchanged fueled by the lack of socializing for most of 2020.
Half Hot rocking Park Tavern
Following this, the band geared up in their iconic getups, including leather pants and leotards. I was giddy with anticipation for the show to come, not only because of the live music but also because of the showmanship Half Hot brings to the stage. Their frontman Andrew “Goosey” Hughes knows how to work a crowd and leads his merry band of misfits to make every show one of a kind. That night was no different as the dance floor, abiding mostly by social distancing, was filled with shaking booties and Snapchatting fangirls. It was wild to see people cutting loose amid all that has happened this year.
Half Hot played a unique set compared to their usual gigs. For Sunset Sessions, they were tasked to fill two hours with music that sits well outside their scope of original bangers such as “Wild,” “Sugar” (which is my personal favorite), and their first music video single, “Nowhere.” The band added in a huge swath of catchy covers with everything from Redbone to Elton John to KISS. They even had Alex Gannon from Ides of June join them onstage for some Zeppelin. The crowd was hyped by the energy put out by Half Hot, creating a Sunday night dance party at Park Tavern. It made me forget about how Music Midtown (RIP) was slated for the same day before the dreaded virus canceled everything for the year. If anyone is itching to get out but still a bit fearful of the pandemic, I recommend checking out Park Tavern’s Sunset Sessions as it is a haven away from the chaos and bullshit of 2020. It almost made things seem like they were normal again, if only for a night.
Keep up the hope, and I’ll see you on the rail at the next festival.
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