Spoon and Band of Horses @ Sunset: The Festival at the Espee

(Photo Credit: Ashley Wingate)

The inaugural kickoff of the Sunset Festival at The Espee in San Antonio was nothing short of unforgettable. Each band that took the stage filled St. Paul Square with their own iconic anthems, ensuring no corner was left untouched by their music. Although the Sunset Festival’s lineup consisted of truly impressive performances, the night truly belonged to Band of Horses and Spoon. And based off of the screams from the crowd—that opinion certainly seemed to be shared.

Band of Horses managed to effortlessly captivate the audience with a setlist of tracks from their sixth album, Things are Great. Lead vocalist Ben Bridwell’s astounding vocals carried the band through tracks from their acclaimed album, displaying the band’s raw emotion and unmatched punk-rock energy. The lineup, featuring longtime members Ryan Monroe and Creighton Barrett, alongside new additions Matt Gentling and Brett Nash, showcased an epic performance that incorporated both new material and beloved classics.

Following Band of Horses, Spoon dominated the stage with a setlist that incorporated a variety of tracks from their extensive catalog. The combination of Spoon’s incredible instrumentation and Britt Daniel’s enthralling vocals had the crowd of the festival aching for more—despite the fact that they were the last act of the evening. The Austin-based legends managed to effortlessly captivate the audience from start to finish, which remains to be a reason why Spoon continues to be one of the most respected indie rock bands around.