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Love and Theft concert will be a memorable night
By John Benson
Love and Theft singer Stephen Barker Liles said the country duo is getting mature on its next studio effort, due out in early 2015.
However, one look at the video for the band’s latest single “Night That You’ll Never Forget” featuring guest appearances by Parmalee, JT Hodges, Maggie Rose, Joel Crouse and Michael Ray, and mature isn’t the word that comes to mind.
Basically, the mid-tempo anthem details a crazy night of drinking that involves everything from strippers dressed as police officers to angry neighbors, someone wearing a chipmunk costume and a poker game.
As reckless as all of the aforementioned behavior may sound, it’s the latter involving a player going all in with a pair of twos that seems the most egregious.
“Maybe they’re one of these [expletive] that were bluffing and that’s the kind of guy you don’t want to play with,” said Liles, calling from Nashville.
When asked whether the subtle video element is a metaphor for the success of Love and Theft, Liles didn’t miss a beat. He said, “I think everybody does a little bit of bluffing throughout their career no matter what they do for a living.”
The ACM, CMA and CMT-nominated Love and Theft — featuring Liles and Eric Gunderson — first emerged on the country music scene with the 2009 hit single “Runaway,” from the band’s debut album, “World Wide Open.”
Then in 2011, the twosome scored its only No. 1 single “Angel Eyes,” which so far has garnered more than 7 million views on YouTube/Vevo, as well as hits “If You Ever Get Lonely,” “Running Out of Air” and fan-favorite “Amen.”
During that time, the outfit has remained busy with a touring schedule that included opening up for Music City giants such as Taylor Swift, Jason Aldean, Brad Paisley, Lady Antebellum and Tim McGraw (twice).
Up next for Love and Theft is its very first headlining jaunt. “The Night That You’ll Never Forget Tour,” featuring supporting acts Joel Crouse and DJ Du, comes to Northeast Ohio for a Thursday show at the Dusty Armadillo in Rootstown.
Liles said fans attending the show can expect to hear “Night That You’ll Never Forget,” as well as upcoming single and new album title track “Whiskey on My Breath.” The latter tune is described as a backlash to the bro-country movement currently dominating country radio.
“We thought it would be a good time to put out something that has a little depth to it,” Liles said. “It almost sounds like a hymn melodically. We’re really not bro country, we were never called that and that’s a nice thing, but we just thought it would be a good time in our careers to put out a song that means something.”
Therein lies the aforementioned maturity commitment by Love and Theft. Also, proving this point is Liles, who when asked to describe a night that he’ll never forget eschews what is expected to be a night of debauchery and drinking for a personal and heartfelt anecdote.
“That would be the night I went to the hospital when my son was born,” Liles said. “I’ve had a longing desire for a while to be a dad. It’s something that’s been in my head for a long time, so when that finally came through it’s definitely a night I’ll never forget.
“That’s how I feel. We can always have another night to go party, but having a kid — that’s pretty epic.”