Flatland Cavalry @ House of Blues 10/2

Photography and review by Gabriella Knapp

This past Thursday, East Coast cowboys and cowgirls threw on their boots, hats, and denim, lining up down the block outside Boston’s House of Blues for a night of stomping and hollering with Americana group Flatland Cavalry.

From Lubbock, Texas, and now based in Nashville, Tennessee, Flatland Cavalry burst onto the country music scene in 2015.Their debut album, Humble Folks, was released  2016. In November 2024, the band released “Flatland Forever”—a 25-track album celebrating their tenth  anniversary and artistic journey. The record blends new releases with old fan favorites, capturing the true essence of Flatland Cavalry’s sound. A month later, they followed up with an extended version, “Flatland Forever (More),” featuring reimagined versions of older songs and commentary on beloved tracks such as “Summertime Love.”

Flatland Cavalry’s set began simply, with guitarist Ried Dillon alone on stage, strumming the opening riff to the band’s hit song “Sleeping Alone.” Slowly, lead vocalist Cleto Cordero entered the stage and began to join in the acoustic tune, singing sweetly about being apart from the woman he loves. Eventually, bassist Johnathin Saenz, percussionist Jason Albers, Wesley Hall on fiddle, and multi-instrumentalist Adam Gallegos joined in, smoothly transitioning into the rest of the show.

Starting soft and mellow, Flatland Cavalry soon had the whole crowd dancing to their driving rhythms and energetic instrumentals. Every corner of the venue was dancing—groups of friends swayed with arms around each other, couples twirled, and some even took to line dancing on the sides of the pits. The atmosphere perfectly encapsulated Flatland Cavalry’s warm, wholesome atmosphere and the crowd’s jubilant energy. 

Towards the end of the set, the lights dimmed on Wesley Hall, and the crowd waited expectantly. Upon hearing the familiar opening notes to “A Life Where We Work Out” from the fiddle, the audience began to cheer and sing. The excitement only grew when Cordero invited the opener, Kaitlin Butts, who is featured on the song, to the stage to join him. Kaitlin is not just a featured vocalist for Flatland—she’s also Cordero’s wife. The pair charmed the crowd with sugary lyrics about a couple who has it all in another lifetime. 

As the opener, Kaitlin Butts had already captured the hearts of those who had the privilege of listening to her sing. Her clear, powerful voice and cheeky lyrics kicked off the show with some of the most energy I’ve ever seen for an opening act. The crowd adored her—delighted with her stories of how she met Cordero as she tuned her guitar between songs.

The duo performed one more song together. Before beginning, Cordero mentioned that their fifth anniversary was approaching, prompting whoops and hollers from the audience. He announced the next song, “Mornings With You,” then slyly asked who the crowd thought it could be about, earning another warm round of cheers.

As if the show couldn’t get any sweeter, the band then played their most beloved song—a cover of “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac. Their rendition of the song has been a staple on the set since they released a studio recording of it in 2024. The familiar tune had the entire crowd singing along, louder than they had all night. 

I first discovered Flatland Cavalry through their song “Wool,” which was written for the “Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” soundtrack in 2023. I feel lucky to have fallen in love with the song, otherwise I might never have experienced the pure joy of Flatland Cavalry in concert.  Blending soulful, southern sounds with modern energy, the band turned a chilly October night into something warm and unforgettable.