All Poets & Heroes plays DC’s historic Kennedy Center

In a year when national tension has seeped into nearly every corner of American life, the arts have felt an especially heavy strain. Even the Kennedy Center in Washington DC — long considered a pillar of arts and culture in the U.S. — has faced a noticeable dip in attendance and revenue, a rare drought for the iconic institution. Yet, on this particular night, Nashville indie rock outfit All Poets & Heroes walked onto its storied stage determined to prove that music, in its purest form, remains one of the country’s most unshakeable forces.

The band has been on an upward trajectory as one of Nashville’s most closely watched acts.

Fresh off a major Battle of the Bands victory at Exit/In, All Poets has been busy working on their next album, a project many in the city’s indie rock community expect to push them further into national visibility.

Despite their momentum, the leadup to their Kennedy Center debut wasn’t without turbulence. A wave of online trolls attempted to paint the group as politically motivated simply for accepting the booking — an accusation anyone familiar with the band would find baffling. All Poets has been driven by one thing: the desire to share their music with anyone willing to listen. Still, the digital noise hummed loudly leading up to the performance. But, the moment the first song “Not from New York City” rang out, all of that static and nonsense thankfully dissolved.

The show, livestreamed to thousands across the country, captured a band both hungry and fearless.

Their set beautifully showcased why they’ve become one of Nashville’s top breakout acts. At the Kennedy Center, the response was immediate and unanimous once the band started, with audience members rising to their feet to dance in the front of the stage along with lead singer Rob McCall’s infectious hooks. The energy was reciprocal.

I’m happy All Poets & Heroes didn’t just rise above the online chatter, they obliterated it, proving that authenticity still resonates the loudest. In doing so, the band offered other artists reassurance in similar situations; no matter the current political climate, great music will always cut through chaos.

Photography by Derek Jones

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