Stephen M. Coss
Members of The Ballroom Thieves onstage in blue light.
The Ballroom Thieves at the High Noon Saloon.
Indie-folk group The Ballroom Thieves came on strong early during their 15-song set at the High Noon Saloon Oct. 14, but their masterful encore set really made the evening.
At the heart of the Massachusetts-based The Ballroom Thieves are key members Martin Earley and Calin Peters. Earley (guitar, vocals) and Peters (bass, cello, vocals) — who are now married — have a reputation for their stunning harmonies and infectious energy in a live setting. Since the group released their debut album, A Wolf in the Doorway, in 2015, they’ve caught the attention of a growing fanbase. They’ve played dream sets at Newport Folk Festival and Boston Calling, toured in support of three albums, and earned multiple awards.
If anything, though, the past few years have taught The Ballroom Thieves to roll with the punches, after being forced out of touring due to the pandemic, being involved in a frightening multi-car pileup on an icy Interstate in 2020, and the departure of drummer Devin Mauch.
They’re now returning to the road following a lengthy break and the release of their fourth album, Clouds, which they describe on their website as a “lush meditation on longing to return to touring — to see different sunsets and cities.” The two-part harmonies on Clouds explore love songs, wanderlust and mental health over folksy, optimistic melodies.
The concert kicked off with a gorgeous yet understated performance from opener Georgia Harmer. The Toronto-based singer-songwriter quickly won over a growing crowd, playing tracks from her debut album released in April. The high point of Harmer’s set was “Austin,” a grungy track that felt especially dynamic live.
The Ballroom Thieves have an onstage chemistry that was evident as soon as the band took the stage. At the heart of it is the relationship between Earley and Peters. The connection was evident partly thanks to the size of the venue, which added an extra layer of intimacy. Backed by drummer Kevin O’Connell (from Green Bay) and guitarist John Henry Nolan, Earley and Peters brought high energy to their set, from “Canary” to the new track “Worldender.” Throughout the 80-minute set, the band exchanged laughter and playful banter, and mid-song moments when Earley and Peters came together to play off one another felt especially touching.
The set reached an emotional high point about an hour in, when Earley delivered a beautiful rendition of acoustic track “Bees,” supported by O’Connell on keyboards and Earley on cello. Upbeat track “Anybody Else” got the crowd singing the chorus “I never wanted anybody else.” The band’s connection throughout kept the crowd engaged, powering through an otherwise distracting moment when a fan was FaceTiming the performance to a friend from the front row.
The packed crowd at the High Noon Saloon was fully onboard by the time The Ballroom Thieves reached their encore. Earley and Peters returned to perform a stunning duet of “Blues,” showcasing their harmonies and sneaking in one last romantic moment before welcoming the other two members back for the high-energy finisher, the DOnna Lewis cover “I Love You Always Forever.”
It’s rare to find a band that seems both this comfortable and this thrilled to be onstage. It’s good to have The Ballroom Thieves back live and on the road.
[Editor's note: The spelling of John Henry Nolan's name has been corrected.]
