Duluth-native sextet fusing bluegrass, folk and rock, Trampled by Turtles will bring their signature sound to Huber Heights, OH this summer for their first-ever performance at Rose Music Center at The Heights on Friday, August 16. Waterville, OH indie-folk trio Oliver Hazard will join as support.
TRAMPLED BY TURTLES
Trampled by Turtles are from Duluth, Minnesota, where frontman Dave Simonett initially formed the group as a side project in 2003. At the time, Simonett had lost most of his music gear, thanks to a group of enterprising car thieves who’d ransacked his vehicle while he played a show with his previous band. Left with nothing more than an acoustic guitar, he began piecing together a new band, this time taking inspiration from bluegrass, folk, and other genres that didn’t rely on amplification. Simonett hadn’t played any bluegrass music before, and he filled his lineup with other newcomers to the genre, including fiddler Ryan Young (who’d previously played drums in a speed metal act) and bassist Tim Saxhaug. Along with mandolinist Erik Berry and banjo player Dave Carroll, the group began carving out a fast, frenetic sound that owed as much to rock & roll as bluegrass.
Trampled by Turtles released their first record, Songs from a Ghost Town, in 2004. In a genre steeped in tradition, the album stood out for its contemporary sound, essentially bridging the gap between the bandmates’ background in rock music and their new acoustic leanings. Blue Sky and the Devil (2005) and Trouble (2007) explored a similar sound, but it wasn’t until 2008 and the band’s fourth release, Duluth, that Trampled by Turtles received recognition by the bluegrass community. Duluth peaked at number eight on the Billboard bluegrass chart and paved the way for a number of festival appearances. When Palomino arrived in 2010, it was met with an even greater response, debuting at the top of the bluegrass chart and remaining in the Top Ten for more than a year. Two years later, their crossover appeal landed them at number 32 on the Billboard 200 pop charts upon the release of their sixth album, Stars and Satellites. In addition to major bluegrass and folk festivals, they began showing up at Coachella, ACL Fest, and Lollapalooza. The official concert album, Live at First Avenue, followed in 2013, recorded at Minnesota’s most famous venue. A year later, the band returned with the darker-toned Wild Animals, which bettered its studio predecessor on the album charts, reaching number 29 on Billboard. Countless tours with bands like Lord Huron, Wilco, Caamp, Mt Joy and Deer Tick to name a few have followed. 2022 saw the release of the band’s latest body of work called Alpenglow which was produced by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco.
OLIVER HAZARD
The story of Waterville, OH indie-folk trio Oliver Hazard – Michael Belazis (vocals, guitar) and Devin East (vocals, guitar), joined by Nate Miner (keys, vocals) – is the digital age’s version of classic band mythmaking. One member of the band came home to Ohio after leading camping trips in California and decided to make an album with two childhood friends. They won a Facebook raffle to record one song at a studio. Instead, they played their whole album straight through once, resulting in their debut LP 34 N River (2018). The Fader called the album a “folk-pop masterpiece” and the band was booked at Bonnaroo and Mountain Jam shortly thereafter. In 2019, the band released their 6 track EP, The Flood, which Billboard called a “souvenir.” This brings the band to their sophomore, self-titled album (July 2023), featuring music from the band’s recent Northern Lights EP, plus five additional songs.
Tickets will go on sale to the public beginning at 10AM on Friday, April 19 at Ticketmaster.com and the Rose Music Center Box Office and range from $39.50 – $59.50.
