A Long Awaited Return: Band of Horses Reconnect with Minneapolis at the Fillmore

Wednesday night at the Fillmore in Minneapolis felt less like just another concert and more like a long-overdue reunion. It had been close to ten years since Band of Horses last played in the Cities, and judging by the packed house, people had been waiting every bit of that decade. The venue was shoulder-to-shoulder, making it tough to move around, but no one seemed to mind once the music started.

The band opened the night in a way that immediately set them apart from a typical setlist, they played their debut album Everything All The Time in full, and mostly in order. The only shake-up came with “Wicked Gil” and “Our Swords” swapping places, but it hardly mattered in the moment. Hearing the album performed live like that gave it a new weight, like revisiting something familiar but more alive. Songs like “The Funeral,” “The Great Salt Lake,” and “Monsters” especially hit the emotional heartstrings during this first set, drawing some of the biggest reactions of the night. Benjamin Bridwell’s voice was locked in from the start, clear, emotional, and consistent all the way through.

After finishing the album, the band stepped offstage briefly before returning for a second set that leaned into fan favorites. “Is There a Ghost” kicked things off and instantly lifted the energy even higher, setting the tone for the rest of the night. After “NW Apt,” Bridwell shared that he wrote the song in Minneapolis back in the 2000s, which got a big reaction from the crowd and made the moment feel even more personal.

The second set had no shortage of highlights “Casual Party,” “Laredo,” and “Ode to LRC” all landed perfectly but it was clear the band was feeding off the audience just as much as the audience was feeding off them. They closed the night with “The General Specific,” a strong and fitting end to a set that balanced nostalgia with genuine energy.

More than anything, the night felt like a city reconnecting with a band it had missed. There was a sense that this wasn’t just another stop on a tour it meant something. Before leaving the stage, Bridwell promised to “come back sooner.” After a night like that, no one in the room will forget that promise.