The Bama Theatre will host a Halloween show of live music, costumes and entertainment by featured performers Moon Taxi and Tea Leaf Green, Wednesday, Oct. 31 at 9 p.m.
Moon Taxi, an americana indie-rock band, will be stopping at the Bama Theatre as one of their first performances while on tour.
The band first got its start after Birmingham natives, Trevor Terndrup and Tommy Putnam, graduated from high school and moved to Nashville, Tenn. As the band grew, they added on more bandmates, including guitarist Spencer Thomson, drummer Tyler Ritter and keyboardist Wes Bailey.
“We started playing in high school and then moved up to Nashville to perform professionally,” Terndrup said. “We developed solidity in 2007, mostly in the Southeast. Technically, we live in Nashville, which is a great central locality and professionally is a great place to make music.”
Terndrup said the band plays a mixture of progressive indie rock they coined as ‘americanica.’ Their debut album “Melodica” was released in 2007 featuring popular tracks such as “Gimme a Light” and “Here to Stay.” Since then, the band has released two additional albums, “Live Ride” in August 2008 and their most recent “Cabaret” in April 2012.
A band known by many college students, particularly those from Birmingham, Ala., Moon Taxi is excited to be back in Tuscaloosa for a Halloween show.
“[Our music] appeals to college students if you are a music fan,” Terndrup said. “We are proficient with our instruments and put on a good show.”
Keyboardist Wes Bailey said they are able to keep up with the younger crowds thanks to their previous performance experience.
“The one thing that has kept us connected is that we have played at a lot of parties,” Bailey said. “Not quite as much as we used to. There’s a mutual energy, and we have stayed young because the fan base is keeping us young.”
Natalie Thompson, a junior majoring in history, first heard about Moon Taxi in high school when the band played at her prom.
“I went to my first show my junior year in high school and instantly fell in love,” Thompson said. “I’ve probably been to about eight or ten of their shows and have seen them in Birmingham, Auburn and Tuscaloosa.”
Thompson said she is ecstatic the band will be making a Halloween appearance this year in Tuscaloosa and plans to be front row.
“I went to their show last year, and they always cover a Halloween classic like Thriller,” she said. “It’s a really good time; they dress up and go all out.”
Tomorrow’s performance will be the first time Moon Taxi has played at the Bama Theatre, but the band is no stranger to Tuscaloosa stomping grounds.
“We have a very rich history in Tuscaloosa,” Terndrup said. “We’ve played at The Booth, Mellow Mushroom, the Jupiter and probably at your house. This is our first time at the Bama Theatre and it’s going to be a great show.”
The Bama Theatre will be the first of many stops during Moon Taxi’s southeastern tour, but the band is confident fans will enjoy the performance.
“Tuscaloosa is one of the first shows on that tour, but we should be warmed up by then,” Terndrup said.
Moon Taxi members will be dressed up festively for the occasion as an added element.
“We can’t disclose [what we’re wearing]” Terndrup said. “But we will be dressed to kill.”
For more information or to purchase tickets online, visit bamatheatre.org.
