The Oh Hellos: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

December 8, 2015 by BOB BOILEN
When The Oh Hellos piled out of a van at NPR, someone remarked that it was like a clown car: Band members just kept coming, including brother and sister Tyler and Maggie Heath and their mom. They were all road-weary, trading sniffles, coughs and more. But the nine-piece group brought anthemic joy to the Tiny Desk in the form of buoyant songs whose underpinnings could still be dark and lonely.

Some of the music here is from The Oh Hellos' recent second album, Dear Wormwood, which was inspired in part by the writings of C.S. Lewis; it's about a protagonist who doubts a relationship before finding the resolve to never look back. Still, for all the deep sentiment, the band brings the same jubilant energy it brought to its performance at the Newport Folk Festival in July — even now that summer fun has given way to winter germs. Fortunately, the only contagion you'll encounter here is joy.

Dear Wormwood is available now.

Set List
"Hello My Old Heart" 00:00
"Like The Dawn" 05:43
"Exeunt" 12:54

Credits
Producers: Bob Boilen, Morgan Walker; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Videographers: Morgan Walker, Julia Reihs; Production Assistant: Kate Drozynski; Photo by Jun Tsuboike/NPR

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[aggieswholovemusic]

A while back I was at a concert in Austin and a really nice guy came up and started a conversation with me. I asked him what he did and he said “I play violin for a band called The Oh Hellos.” Cool to see him looking just as happy here as he was talking with me. Rare to meet such a genuinely nice person.

[kk]

Since it isn't already listed in the video, the names of the performers are:
Tyler Heath - Vocals/Guitar
Maggie Heath - Vocals
Nathanael Smith - Electric Guitar (Handlebar mustache)
Matthew Hagerman - Violin
Joshua Heinlein - Electric Guitar
Austin Norman - Percussion
Drew Griffith - Bass
Reagan Smith - Banjo
Joey Chance - Accordion

[michaelheredia]

I went to college with most of these guys. The accordion player was one of roommates for a year! Great group of musicians and even better people.

[omysack]

Kudos to the violinist for keeping up his shave with all this beard pressure going on

[mattGoTARHEELS]

I emailed Tiny Desk almost a year ago and recommended they invite The Oh Hello's! Never got a response, still taking credit though

[Orangecrush]

Okay but the violinist looks like he's having the time of his life :D

[mizukigin]

For me, the music by The Oh Hellos is just like a warm hug, a cup of tea on a rainy day, the smell of the rain and the forest, everything healing combined. I alway start to cry when I listen to them but afterwards I just feel like I'm glued back together. It's amazing what music can do to humans, and I'm amazed how much this music in particular does for me.
This was wonderful to watch :)

[owenpeters]

He says that the performance of Exeunt is more impressive with the full setup, but this version is my favorite. The energy it holds is more raw and personal, and the full group singing "I have set my mind and my will" helps release that energy. It has been building through the song as the reasons to leave have become more and more clear, and with that burst of strength and resolve, the clarity of the final "I am Leaving" is properly driven home

I have nothing but love for this song, and this version is the best I have heard

[xWAMPUMx]

It's like an American version of Of Monsters and Men. And it's absolutely fantastic.

[Daniel-xnos]

when he said traveling quarantine zone, that hit different in 2020..

[Mettle_DAD]

I love when musicians sound better here live on tiny desk than other folks do in the studio. Something special about raw beautiful music.

[hemlockecho]

I wish I enjoyed doing anything as much as that violinist enjoys playing those songs.

[Wafflez]

I love the dude on the violin going ham

[niormal_froggie]

i bet the oh hellos could do an amazing D&D podcast

[sc]

I’m absolutely mesmerised by the violin guy and the guitar guy in the blue shirt just being so into it and freaking shredding it on Exuent

[nigelpassage]

i've gotta give credits to the sound guy. only a couple mic's and it sounds so good, every single desk concert

[boodiah]

I've been depressed and void of feeling for months, and this music brought warmth to my chest and tears of joy to my eyes. I can't explain why, but I am thankful.

[adolfokrysar]

The Oh Hellos feels like having hot chocolate in winter.

[withanianight]

Tyler's voice is like a comforting hug and I'm tearing up. And the gentle melody is telling me not to give up.

[silversail]

Man during that third song the violinist went bananas