A quick scan of the crowd at Saturday’s Red Horse concert in Smothers Theatre made it perfectly clear what the folksy trio’s fan base consisted of: a gaggle of middle-aged men and women.
Those who attended the show spent two hours on a Saturday night basking in Red Horse’s perfect harmonies, mellow acoustics and surprisingly relatable lyrics.
The three singer-songwriters who make up the acoustic-folk trio, Eliza Gilkyson, John Gorka and Lucy Kaplansky, boast incredibly impressive musical pasts, from Gilkyson’s Grammy nomination to Gorka’s 11 solo albums. Perhaps the most unique aspect of this group is that they emphasize individuality while promoting as a unit. Their trademark is the concept of singing each other’s songs — in fact, they recorded music written and performed by fellow members for their latest self-titled album.
However, this wasn’t an intricately planned idea. Kaplansky explained to the audience in Smothers that she had received a casual email from Gilkyson, asking her if she would be interested in covering each other’s music. There’s no doubt that the end result was an enjoyable night for the trio.
“It’s fun to try on each other’s songs,” Gilkyson said before she sang one of Kaplansky’s songs during the concert.
It’s no surprise that when these three talented singer-songwriters band together, the perfect balance of individuality and teamwork shines through. During their concert at Pepperdine, each member of Red Horse had their moment in the spotlight, since each of the 17 songs they performed was solo-driven. But at the same time, their voices came together during the choruses to make a flawless, harmonious blend.
The organization of their concert was quite straightforward. Each of the three artists took turns singing — usually their own rendition of another member’s song — but never without the other two members complimenting the soloist’s vocals with effortless harmonies. Although they all had beautiful, soothing voices, the highlight of each song was when the chorus rolled around the soprano, alto and bass tones creating a melodious blend. The end result: The audience was left with a captivating sound filtering through their ears.
With such soothing, almost alluring music as the main focus of the concert, the stage didn’t need any flashy or glamorous touches. Three chairs, three guitars, a piano, some maracas, blue and purple lighting that added to the mellow tone of their music replaced the usual backdrop and numerous props often found onstage with many bands nowadays. This simple, almost humble setup reflected the artists as well. Their down-to-earth, organic personalities made them incredibly likable. Gilkyson’s candidness, Gorka’s quirkiness and Kaplansky’s sarcasm bridged the gap between the performer and the audience.
When it came to transitioning between songs, the band kept a casual, conversational tone as they introduced their next piece of music. And unlike what mainstream music tends to promote, the trio donned more comfortable clothing like jeans, leggings and blazers as their choice of stage apparel. Watching Red Horse perform made it clear that their focus is making honest, raw music.
Their lyrics are genuine and relatable, which added to the organic feel of their songs. Although they have various backgrounds and hail from different parts of the country, they were able to sing each other’s words as if they had written them themselves. The stories behind the lyrics, which the group members would explain before they started singing, consisted of tangible, raw human emotions. Among the songs performed was “Blue Chalk,” written by Gorka, which delved deeper into his relationship with a group of friends who had made unwise decisions.
“Wild Horse,” by Gilkyson, described a recurring dream that she could not get her mind out of while Kaplansky’s “Don’t Mind Me” elaborated on her experience with obsessive love. One of the last songs that Red Horse performed, “Sanctuary,” written by Gilkyson, was a standout. It evoked a sense of spirituality and focused on Gilkyson’s value for her spirituality’s stability. The genuine, vulnerable implications of “Sanctuary” allowed an easy emotional connection between the listener and the performer. Songs such as these only reinstated the beauty in the universality of music.
The most refreshing aspect of Red Horse was the friendship between these three artists, three people who simply share a love for singing and songwriting. Their genuine intentions were a breath of fresh air, especially in the music industry today. The love they share for each other was infused in everything they do on stage.
“[Performing with Red Horse is] like being surrounded by angels that know my lyrics,” Gorka said.
