Loading Events
Saturday Aug 3

Old 97’s

$26 - $30
HI-FI Annex
Indianapolis, IN
Aug 3
Saturday
6:00 PM
Doors Open
All AgesBuy Tickets

More about this event

Learn More About This Show
Add to Calendar 08/03/2024 07:00 PM08/03/2024 10:00 PMOld 97'sMore Information: https://mokbpresents.com/event/old-97s-2024/HI-FI Annex
Jump to Venue Details

ARTIST PROFILE | Old 97's

RockAlt-Country

“Somehow what we’ve got never breaks down,” Rhett Miller sings on Old 97’s exhilarating new album, ‘Twelfth.” At first, the line comes off as a boast, as a declaration of invincibility from a band that’s managed to survive three decades of rock and roll debauchery, but as the phrase repeats over and over again, it slowly transforms into something more incredulous, something more vulnerable, something deeply human.

“We experienced some close calls over the last few years,” says Miller, “and I think that led us to this dawning realization of the fragility of it all. At the same time, it also led us to this increased gratitude for the music and the brotherhood we’ve been so lucky to share. I think all of that combined to make recording this album one of the most intensely joyful experiences we’ve ever had as a band.”

That joy is utterly palpable on ‘Twelfth.’ Loose and raw, the record is an ecstatic celebration of survival, a resounding ode to endurance and resilience from a veteran group that refuses to rest on their considerable laurels. Working out of Sputnik Sound in Nashville, Miller and his longtime bandmates—bassist Murry Hammond, guitarist Ken Bethea, and drummer Philip Peeples—teamed up once again with GRAMMY-winning producer Vance Powell (Chris Stapleton, Jack White), and while the resulting album boasts all the hallmarks of a classic Old 97’s record (sex and booze, laughter and tears, poetry and blasphemy), it also showcases a newfound perspective in its writing and craftsmanship, a maturity and appreciation that can only come with age and experience. Perhaps the band is growing up; maybe they’re just getting started. Either way, Old 97’s have never been happier to be alive.

“You have to take pride in the unlikeliness of it all,” says Miller. “It’s mind boggling to think that we’ve been able to last this long, that we’ve been able to support ourselves and our families on our own terms for almost thirty years. Twelve is a lot of records.”

Formed in Dallas, Texas, Old 97’s first emerged in the early ’90s with an adrenaline pumping blend of rock and roll swagger, punk snarl, and old-school twang that quickly brought them into the national spotlight. Conventional wisdom places the band at the forefront of a musical movement that would come to be known as “alternative country,” but, as the New York Times so succinctly put it, their sound always “leaned more toward the Clash than the Carter Family.” Fueled by breakneck tempos, distorted guitars, and wry storytelling, the foursome built a reputation for high-energy albums and even higher energy shows, earning themselves performances everywhere from Conan and Lettermanto Bonnaroo and Lollaplooza alongside countless rave reviews. NPR lauded the group as a “pioneering force,” while Rolling Stone hailed their music’s “whiskey-wrecked nihilism and slow-burn heartbreak,” and The New Yorker praised their songwriting as “blistered, blasted, and brilliant.” On top of his prodigious output with Old 97’s, Miller simultaneously established himself as a prolific solo artist, as well, releasing eight studio albums under his own name that garnered similarly wide-ranging acclaim and landed in a slew of prominent film and television soundtracks. A gifted writer beyond his music, Miller also contributed essays and short stories to The Atlantic, Salon, McSweeney’s, and Sports Illustrated among others, and in 2019, he released his debut book, a collection of poetry for children, via Little, Brown and Company.

While part of Old 97’s charm has always been the air of playful invulnerability they exude onstage every night, reality began catching up with the band in 2017. The night before a television appearance in support of the group’s most recent album, ‘Graveyard Whistling,’ Peeples collapsed in a hotel parking lot, falling backwards and cracking his skull on a concrete abutment. He spent weeks in the ICU and was forced to miss the first leg of tour. Bethea, meanwhile, began to notice a loss of feeling in the fingers of his right hand. As his condition continued to deteriorate on the road, the numbness spread to his leg, and he was eventually forced to undergo spinal surgery in order to regain full motor control. Miller, for his part, found himself at more of an existential crossroads, questioning attitudes and behaviors he’d long taken for granted. Yes, he was a rock and roll star (whatever that means nowadays), but he was also a father and a husband, and he decided it was long since time to get sober.

“Back when we were in our 20’s, we put ourselves through these terrible trials because we thought we could survive anything,” says Miller. “But over the last few years, it started becoming clear that we’re human.”

Rather than slow things down, the band decided to embrace their mortality as all the more reason to seize the day. Life is short—a lesson that was hammered home on the group’s first day of recording in Nashville, when a series of deadly tornadoes ripped through town—and ‘Twelfth’ is the sound of Old 97’s recommitting themselves to making the most of every moment they’ve got left. Addictive opener “The Dropouts” sets the stage, taking stock of the band’s journey from its very first days, when they cut their teeth playing the bars of Deep Ellum in exchange for pitchers of beer and pizza. Like much of the record to come, it’s a nostalgic look back on simpler times, but it smartly avoids looking at the past through rose-colored glasses, instead recognizing that change is neither inherently good nor bad, only inevitable.

“There’s a line about sleeping on hardwood floors in that song,” says Miller, “and that’s what we did in the early days. But that image of hardwood floors keeps coming back and building on itself in different songs throughout the album, and over time it begins to mean different things as we grow up and start families and own homes.”

Miller has a knack for capturing those sorts of little details that tell a larger story, for crafting richly cinematic scenes that transform seemingly mundane moments into metaphors for life itself. The driving lead single “Turn Off The TV,” for instance, spins a free cable hookup into a celebration of the visceral pleasures of living in the present, while the larger-than-life “Diamonds On Neptune” turns an astronomical phenomenon into a meditation on what really matters, and the waltzing “Belmont Hotel” finds emotional symbolism in the restoration of a Dallas landmark.

“‘Belmont Hotel’ is a microcosm of the album, and of our band,” says Miller. “When we first started out, the Belmont was in absolute ruins, and we even did a photoshoot in the empty parking lot. Now, though, it’s more beautiful than it was in its glory days, and that got me thinking about the way we approach our relationships. Whether it’s a friendship or a marriage or a band, it’s inevitable that you’re going to go through ups and downs, but if you’re willing to put in the work and stick out the hard times, you can wind up with something that’s better than it ever was before.”

While Miller collaborated with writers like Butch Walker and Nicole Atkins on ‘Graveyard Whistling,’ he penned everything on ‘Twelfth’ himself (outside of the Spaghetti Western-esque “Happy Hour” and hypnotic album closer “Why Don’t We Ever Say We’re Sorry,” which were both written and sung by Hammond). It’s a return to form he credits in part to his increasing comfort with sobriety, a comfort that finds him effortlessly running the gamut from playful romance (the dreamy “I Like You Better”) and brash bravado (the blistering “Confessional Boxing”) to supernatural fantasy (the Kinks-ian “This House Got Ghosts”) and old-school twang (the rollicking “Bottle Rocket Baby”). It’s perhaps the jaunty “Absence (What We’ve Got)” that captures this particular moment in Old 97’s history best, though, as Miller marvels at the way things change while staying the same. “The wine turns into whiskey / And the whiskey turns to tears / It’s been this way for years,” he sings, later summing the whole magic act up with a deceptively simple confession: “This is what I do.”

Old 97’s may be human, but somehow what they’ve got never breaks down.

READ MORE >>READ LESS >>
CONNECT:

Supporting Acts

SHOW BY SIMILAR ARTISTS

Friday October 18
HI-FI Annex
Indianapolis, IN

KMFDM

Presented by: Spellbound
Friday October 18
The Clyde Theatre
Fort Wayne, IN

Here Come The Mummies

Friday October 25
HI-FI Annex
Indianapolis, IN

Cold War Kids (Sold Out)

Presented by: MOKB Presents
Saturday October 26
HI-FI Annex
Indianapolis, IN

Sammy Rae & The Friends (Sold Out)

Presented by: MOKB Presents
Saturday November 2
LO-FI Lounge
Indianapolis, IN

Wildermiss

Presented by: MOKB Presents
Wednesday November 20
HI-FI
Indianapolis, IN

Slow Pulp (Sold Out)

Presented by: MOKB Presents
Thursday November 21
LO-FI Lounge
Indianapolis, IN

Native Sun

Presented by: MOKB Presents
Friday November 22
Fishers Event Center
Fishers, IN

Turnpike Troubadours

Presented by: MOKB Presents, Mammoth
Tuesday November 26
HI-FI
Indianapolis, IN

Wishy

Presented by: MOKB Presents
Wednesday November 27
HI-FI
Indianapolis, IN

NORMUNDY – Album Release

Presented by: MOKB Presents

About HI-FI Annex | Indianapolis, IN

HI-FI Annex is an open-air ALL AGES venue located in the back parking lot of The Murphy Arts Center. The main entrance to the venue is located on St. Patrick Street across from the church. All shows end by 10 pm.

Box Office: 317-986-7101
Main: 317-986-7101

Getting Around the Venue

1065 St. Patrick St,
Indianapolis, IN 46203
Hours: Mon. thru Fri. 10 am to 6 pm
Doors: 1 hour before doors

Frequently Asked Questions About HI-FI Annex | Indianapolis, IN

What are the age restrictions at this venue?

HI-FI Annex shows are always all ages, with a handful of exceptions when a 21+ restriction is in place. Bring the whole family!

Check the individual show listings at hifiindy.com to view if there are age restrictions for your show.

HI-FI Annex requires a valid ID for admission. For guests who will be consuming alcoholic beverages, a valid state or government issues ID is required. Everyone will be carded during check-in. Expired and temporary ID’s are not accepted.

Can I upgrade my to VIP seating?

The Sidestage Lounge VIP access offers a premium exclusive viewing location with an up-close and personal view of the stage. It features a private bar with a full selection of cocktails, beer, and wine. While the Sidestage Lounge is an all-ages area, you must be 21+ with a valid ID to visit the bar. Additionally, it provides a comfortable seating area with tables and couches, as well as dedicated outdoor restrooms for your convenience. Click here to reserve your spot in the Sidestage Lounge.

What items are permitted or prohibited at this venue?

Our security staff performs a thorough screening of all bodies, purses and bags entering the venue. All guests will go through security screening to ensure no weapons or non-permitted items enter the venue. Screening may include metal detection and/or wanding.

Permitted and restricted items may vary by show. Below is a general list of permitted and non-permitted items and activities. Ticket buyers will receive information prior to the show with any updates.

Permitted Items

  • Small purse/fanny pack/diaper bag – subject to security inspection
  • Umbrellas – small, handheld only
  • Strollers
  • To-go food from local restaurants
  • (1) factory sealed bottle of water or (1) empty, refillable water bottle
  • A warm heart & smiles
  • Lawn chairs & blankets are only permitted for a select few shows and in designated areas

Non-Permitted Items

For safety reasons, guests are refused entry if they are in possession of prohibited items. Illegal items will be confiscated. If a guest is found inside the venue with a prohibited item, the item will be confiscated and the guest may be ejected from the facility. HI-FI reserves the right to prohibit any item, including items not listed here, from entering the premises if deemed hazardous or disruptive to the event.

  • No weapons of any kind: including firearms (with or without permit), knives, multi-tools
  • Pepper spray/mace
  • Fireworks or flares
  • No outside beverages or coolers
  • No oversized bags (larger than 12″ x 12″) including backpacks, duffle bags, camelbacks, briefcases luggage etc.
  • No drugs or illegal substances
  • No laser pointers
  • No glass
  • No smoking or vaping in venue, designated smoking area outside venue
  • No pets or animals – with the exception of documented service animals
  • No removable lens cameras or flash photography, tripods, monopods, selfie sticks – unless pre-approved by Event Manager
  • No audio or video recording devices – unless pre-approved by Event Manager
  • Skateboards, hoverboards, rollerblades, bicycles, scooters – bike parking available outside the venue
  • Signs large than 11″ x 17″ or any sign attached to a stick
  • Hula hoops, spray paint, silly string

Can I bring a bag into the show?

Yes! You are allowed to bring a small purse or fanny pack, but it may be subject to security inspection.

What’s the parking situation like?

Depending on the day and time, finding a spot can be tricky. On busy show days we advise arriving early to ensure you get a good spot.

Parking is free on all of the surrounding streets in Fountain Square and most parking lots.

The LAZ pay lot directly across from HI-FI Annex (on Prospect St) offers paid parking by the hour and is the closest public parking to the venue.

Rideshare and guest drop-off should take place on the corner of Prospect St and St. Patrick St.

We advise against traveling down St. Patrick St on show days, as it can become congested one-way with traffic coming from both directions.

Bike parking is available outside the HI-FI Annex box office as well as at any of the bike racks on Virginia Ave in front of HI-FI.

What is the camera/photo policy for this venue?

The photo policy for each night is posted at the band’s discretion. This policy can change on a nightly basis. As a general rule HI-FI Annex does not allow any professional photography unless pre-approved by the band. For approved photographers, Photos permitted for the first three songs only. No flash. Media and professional photographers can contact marketing@hifiindy.com to submit a request for photo credentials.

Is there food and drink at this venue?

HI-FI Annex offers a variety of food, snacks and drinks for guests of all ages. Any guest consuming alcoholic beverages must provide a government issued ID and be 21 years of age or older.

Easy Rider Diner accepts pre-show reservations if you are looking for a sit-down meal before the show. Easy Rider Diner is our restaurant connected to HI-FI. Guests who make advance reservations will be treated to a free show poster from that nights show. Posters can be picked up in the diner by asking your server.

Snack Shack
Snack Shack is a concession stand for guests of all ages. Choose from several hot and ready food times from Easy Rider Diner including hamburgers, chicken nuggets, vegan burritos and much more. In addition, Snack Shack offers popcorn, slushies, candy, sodas and water. Snack Shack also doubles as a HI-FI merchandise store where you can pickup t-shirts, hats, hoodies, stickers and more from our venues.

Main Bar
Main Bar is located to your right when you enter the venue. It’s the largest container in the venue and serves up the largest selection of beer, wine, spirits, specialty cocktails and boozie slushies. Guests must be 21+ to enter this area.

Stage Bar
Stage Bar is located on the left when you enter the venue, and is the bar closest to the stage. This location serves a selection of beer, wine and cocktails and is the only bar in the venue that serves draft beer.

Sidestage Lounge Bar
This bar is tucked away on the end of Stage Bar, inside of our VIP area known as Sidestage Lounge. This location serves the same options you will find at Stage Bar, but in a private intimate setting.

View seating maps for this venue

The majority of HI-FI Annex shows are general admission, standing-room-only. There is a limited amount of seating upgrades available in Sidestage Lounge. Contact the box office to secure a seating upgrade for your show at boxoffice@hifiindy.com. Shows that are reserved or partially reserved seating configurations will have information or purchase options directly on the event listing.

Can I leave and re-enter the venue?

No. Re-entry is not permitted at this venue with the exception of the external smoking area.

Do you offer ADA, handicap or special needs options?

There are 2 handicapped parking spots in the lot located across Prospect St. closest to El Arado Mexican Grill. The box office handles any special needs or ADA seating requests at boxoffice@hifiindy.com.

Where is the box office located?

Getting tickets to our shows is super easy! You have a few options, depending on how you like to roll:

Online: Grab your tickets in advance from our official websites, hifiindy.com and mokbpresents.com, or through our trusted ticketing partners tixr.com and seetickets.us.

In Person: Swing by one of our three convenient box office locations around the Murphy Arts Center building and grab tickets with no service fees:

HI-FI Annex Box Office: The box office is located at the front entrance off of St. Patrick St.

Main Box Office at Virginia Ave Mercantile: Located at 1043 Virginia Ave Suite 2 (between Easy Rider and La Margarita). Open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 6 pm and Saturdays from 9 am to 5 pm.

HI-FI Box Office: Found at 1043 Virginia Ave Suite 4 (at the main entrance to HI-FI). Open only on show nights, starting 1 hour before published show times until 10 pm.

I lost something at the show. Who do I contact?

Have you misplaced something during one of our events? Don’t worry, we’re here to help reunite you with your belongings! While we can’t take responsibility for lost or stolen items, we’re committed to assisting you in any way we can.

Found items are securely stored at our Virginia Ave Mercantile & Box Office until they’re claimed. Please note that items lost during late-night events might take until the next morning to reach our lost and found. We know you might be eager to retrieve your belongings (like that phone you’re pinging outside our door at 6 am), but our team typically wraps up late-night events and may not be available until later in the morning.

For lost items, please follow the outlined process rather than popping into Easy Rider in the early hours. They’re open early, but our restaurant team is busy during weekends and can’t assist with lost items during busy service hours.

To inquire about lost items, shoot us an email at boxoffice@hifiindy.com. Mercantile hours are Monday through Friday, 10 am to 6 pm, and Saturdays from 9 am to 5 pm.

Let’s work together to get your goods back to you as quickly as possible!

What is your refund policy?

What’s Your Refund Policy for Postponed Shows?

If a show gets postponed, don’t sweat it! We’ll shoot you an email to let you know about the change, and if you’re cool with the new date, no further action is needed on your part.We’ll be working diligently to find a new date for the show, and we’ll keep you updated every step of the way. But if you can’t make it to the rescheduled gig, we’ve got your back. You’ll have a generous 30-day window following the announcement of the new date to request a refund.

For those who paid with cash at our box office, just drop us a line at boxoffice@hifiindy.com for further instructions on processing your refund.

Please bear with us as we explore rescheduling options with the tour. Your patience is much appreciated as we work to present the best possible show experience for you.

What’s the Refund Policy for Canceled Shows?

In the unfortunate event of a canceled show, don’t fret! If you purchased your tickets online, your refund will be processed automatically. Just sit tight and allow 3-5 business days for the refund to appear in your bank account.
No need to lift a finger! However, there are a few scenarios where you might need to reach out to our box office:

  • If you paid cash at our box office.
  • If you’ve received a new or different card since your original purchase.
  • If you haven’t seen the refund in your account after 5 business days.

What Happens if a Show Gets Rescheduled?

No worries! If a show you’ve already grabbed tickets for gets rescheduled, your tickets will still be valid for the new date. We’ll shoot you an email to let you know about the change, and if you’re good to go for the new date, no further action is needed on your part.

However, if you can’t make it to the rescheduled gig, we’ve got you covered. You’ll have a generous 30 days from the announcement of the new date to request a refund. Just reach out directly to our box office to kickstart the process.

Beware of counterfeit tickets. How do I tell if my ticket is valid?

It’s crucial for all buyers to exercise caution when purchasing tickets from unauthorized sites and ticket resellers. Tixr and SeeTickets are the only two ticket vendors supported at our venues. Unfortunately, this is a widespread issue affecting venues nationwide, and true fans often find themselves at a loss. Regrettably, there’s little we can do in such situations. Since the original transaction didn’t occur through our authorized ticketing partners, we lack the necessary information to assist. It’s disheartening to witness fans being taken advantage of, especially on platforms like Craigslist, Facebook, StubHub, VividSeats, SeatGeek, and others. We are only obligated to honor valid tickets purchased through our approved channels.

Can I purchase tickets in person without fees?

Yes. HI-FI Annex box office is located at the main entrance off of St. Patrick St. The box office is open 1 hour prior to the published door time. Additionally, the new and primary box office is located two doors down from HI-FI Annex in Suite 2. This box office is open Monday through Friday 10am – 6pm for fee-free ticket purchases. HI-FI Annex accepts cash as well as all major credit cards for ticket purchases.

Do you have free WI-FI?

Yes. HI-FI Annex offers free WI-FI during all shows. Simply select the HI-FI Free WI-FI network and you are all set.

All Ages
Aug 3

Old 97’s

HI-FI Annex
$26 - $30
Presented By: MOKB Presents
Doors: 6:00 PM
Start Time: 7:00 pm

Learn More About This Show
Add to Calendar 08/03/2024 07:00 PM08/03/2024 10:00 PMOld 97'sMore Information: https://mokbpresents.com/event/old-97s-2024/HI-FI Annex

Buy Tickets

ARTIST PROFILE | Old 97's

RockAlt-Country

“Somehow what we’ve got never breaks down,” Rhett Miller sings on Old 97’s exhilarating new album, ‘Twelfth.” At first, the line comes off as a boast, as a declaration of invincibility from a band that’s managed to survive three decades of rock and roll debauchery, but as the phrase repeats over and over again, it slowly transforms into something more incredulous, something more vulnerable, something deeply human.

“We experienced some close calls over the last few years,” says Miller, “and I think that led us to this dawning realization of the fragility of it all. At the same time, it also led us to this increased gratitude for the music and the brotherhood we’ve been so lucky to share. I think all of that combined to make recording this album one of the most intensely joyful experiences we’ve ever had as a band.”

That joy is utterly palpable on ‘Twelfth.’ Loose and raw, the record is an ecstatic celebration of survival, a resounding ode to endurance and resilience from a veteran group that refuses to rest on their considerable laurels. Working out of Sputnik Sound in Nashville, Miller and his longtime bandmates—bassist Murry Hammond, guitarist Ken Bethea, and drummer Philip Peeples—teamed up once again with GRAMMY-winning producer Vance Powell (Chris Stapleton, Jack White), and while the resulting album boasts all the hallmarks of a classic Old 97’s record (sex and booze, laughter and tears, poetry and blasphemy), it also showcases a newfound perspective in its writing and craftsmanship, a maturity and appreciation that can only come with age and experience. Perhaps the band is growing up; maybe they’re just getting started. Either way, Old 97’s have never been happier to be alive.

“You have to take pride in the unlikeliness of it all,” says Miller. “It’s mind boggling to think that we’ve been able to last this long, that we’ve been able to support ourselves and our families on our own terms for almost thirty years. Twelve is a lot of records.”

Formed in Dallas, Texas, Old 97’s first emerged in the early ’90s with an adrenaline pumping blend of rock and roll swagger, punk snarl, and old-school twang that quickly brought them into the national spotlight. Conventional wisdom places the band at the forefront of a musical movement that would come to be known as “alternative country,” but, as the New York Times so succinctly put it, their sound always “leaned more toward the Clash than the Carter Family.” Fueled by breakneck tempos, distorted guitars, and wry storytelling, the foursome built a reputation for high-energy albums and even higher energy shows, earning themselves performances everywhere from Conan and Lettermanto Bonnaroo and Lollaplooza alongside countless rave reviews. NPR lauded the group as a “pioneering force,” while Rolling Stone hailed their music’s “whiskey-wrecked nihilism and slow-burn heartbreak,” and The New Yorker praised their songwriting as “blistered, blasted, and brilliant.” On top of his prodigious output with Old 97’s, Miller simultaneously established himself as a prolific solo artist, as well, releasing eight studio albums under his own name that garnered similarly wide-ranging acclaim and landed in a slew of prominent film and television soundtracks. A gifted writer beyond his music, Miller also contributed essays and short stories to The Atlantic, Salon, McSweeney’s, and Sports Illustrated among others, and in 2019, he released his debut book, a collection of poetry for children, via Little, Brown and Company.

While part of Old 97’s charm has always been the air of playful invulnerability they exude onstage every night, reality began catching up with the band in 2017. The night before a television appearance in support of the group’s most recent album, ‘Graveyard Whistling,’ Peeples collapsed in a hotel parking lot, falling backwards and cracking his skull on a concrete abutment. He spent weeks in the ICU and was forced to miss the first leg of tour. Bethea, meanwhile, began to notice a loss of feeling in the fingers of his right hand. As his condition continued to deteriorate on the road, the numbness spread to his leg, and he was eventually forced to undergo spinal surgery in order to regain full motor control. Miller, for his part, found himself at more of an existential crossroads, questioning attitudes and behaviors he’d long taken for granted. Yes, he was a rock and roll star (whatever that means nowadays), but he was also a father and a husband, and he decided it was long since time to get sober.

“Back when we were in our 20’s, we put ourselves through these terrible trials because we thought we could survive anything,” says Miller. “But over the last few years, it started becoming clear that we’re human.”

Rather than slow things down, the band decided to embrace their mortality as all the more reason to seize the day. Life is short—a lesson that was hammered home on the group’s first day of recording in Nashville, when a series of deadly tornadoes ripped through town—and ‘Twelfth’ is the sound of Old 97’s recommitting themselves to making the most of every moment they’ve got left. Addictive opener “The Dropouts” sets the stage, taking stock of the band’s journey from its very first days, when they cut their teeth playing the bars of Deep Ellum in exchange for pitchers of beer and pizza. Like much of the record to come, it’s a nostalgic look back on simpler times, but it smartly avoids looking at the past through rose-colored glasses, instead recognizing that change is neither inherently good nor bad, only inevitable.

“There’s a line about sleeping on hardwood floors in that song,” says Miller, “and that’s what we did in the early days. But that image of hardwood floors keeps coming back and building on itself in different songs throughout the album, and over time it begins to mean different things as we grow up and start families and own homes.”

Miller has a knack for capturing those sorts of little details that tell a larger story, for crafting richly cinematic scenes that transform seemingly mundane moments into metaphors for life itself. The driving lead single “Turn Off The TV,” for instance, spins a free cable hookup into a celebration of the visceral pleasures of living in the present, while the larger-than-life “Diamonds On Neptune” turns an astronomical phenomenon into a meditation on what really matters, and the waltzing “Belmont Hotel” finds emotional symbolism in the restoration of a Dallas landmark.

“‘Belmont Hotel’ is a microcosm of the album, and of our band,” says Miller. “When we first started out, the Belmont was in absolute ruins, and we even did a photoshoot in the empty parking lot. Now, though, it’s more beautiful than it was in its glory days, and that got me thinking about the way we approach our relationships. Whether it’s a friendship or a marriage or a band, it’s inevitable that you’re going to go through ups and downs, but if you’re willing to put in the work and stick out the hard times, you can wind up with something that’s better than it ever was before.”

While Miller collaborated with writers like Butch Walker and Nicole Atkins on ‘Graveyard Whistling,’ he penned everything on ‘Twelfth’ himself (outside of the Spaghetti Western-esque “Happy Hour” and hypnotic album closer “Why Don’t We Ever Say We’re Sorry,” which were both written and sung by Hammond). It’s a return to form he credits in part to his increasing comfort with sobriety, a comfort that finds him effortlessly running the gamut from playful romance (the dreamy “I Like You Better”) and brash bravado (the blistering “Confessional Boxing”) to supernatural fantasy (the Kinks-ian “This House Got Ghosts”) and old-school twang (the rollicking “Bottle Rocket Baby”). It’s perhaps the jaunty “Absence (What We’ve Got)” that captures this particular moment in Old 97’s history best, though, as Miller marvels at the way things change while staying the same. “The wine turns into whiskey / And the whiskey turns to tears / It’s been this way for years,” he sings, later summing the whole magic act up with a deceptively simple confession: “This is what I do.”

Old 97’s may be human, but somehow what they’ve got never breaks down.

READ MORE >>READ LESS >>
CONNECT:

Supporting Acts

About the Venue

HI-FI Annex is an open-air ALL AGES venue located in the back parking lot of The Murphy Arts Center. The main entrance to the venue is located on St. Patrick Street across from the church. All shows end by 10 pm.
Amenities: Live Music, Outdoors, All Ages (Children 5 & under free w/ adult), Premium Sound, Sidestage Lounge, Full Bar, Snack Bar, Street-Level Box Office

Upgrades: The Sidestage Lounge VIP access offers a premium exclusive viewing location with an up-close and personal view of the stage. It features a private bar, a comfortable seating area, as well as dedicated outdoor restrooms. Click here to reserve your spot in Sidestage Lounge.

Ticket Support: Box Office opens 1 hour before published door time. For ticket related questions please email boxoffice@hifiindy.com.

Parking: Street Parking, Bike Parking
Refund Policy: All tickets are non-transferable and non-refundable unless the show is canceled. Contact the box office with any questions: boxoffice@hifiindy.com.
1065 St. Patrick St Indianapolis, IN 46203

More Shows Like This

All Ages

vaultboy

All Ages

Corey Smith

Hot Ticket
All Ages

The Moss

Hot Ticket
All Ages

KMFDM

Hot Ticket
All Ages

Dexter and The Moonrocks

All Ages

Carnifex

Be the first to know

Subscribe for show updates, ticket alerts, merch deals and exclusive subscriber perks.

"*" indicates required fields