Happy Landing returned to the “Ole Magnolia” on Friday, Jan. 26, and Oxford locals and students alike made sure to give the indie-folk band a warm welcome with a sold-out show at Proud Larry’s.
The band was formed by members Matty Hendley, Jacob Christensen, Keegan Lyle Christensen, Wilson Moyer and Andrew Gardner, who all met during their time at the University of Mississippi. The beloved Oxford regulars put on a stellar performance at their original stomping grounds.
UNI, a local indie-rock band making waves in the community, kicked off the show with amazing energy. Lead singer Joe Hogue wooed the crowd with his cover of the classic “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers. The energetic drummer, Carson Gentry, made sure to keep the crowd pumped with every head bang he gave.
Hogue reflected on UNI’s opportunity to open for Happy Landing.
“It was such an amazing experience, truly a full circle moment,” Hogue said. “Opening for them last night could not have gone any better. Sharing the stage with such an incredible group like that is something else.”
Decked out in matching space suits, Happy Landing rocked the stage with their folky, bluegrass sound, featuring tunes from their latest album, “Up All Night,” which was released in 2023.
During their set, Happy Landing also hit fans with some crowd favorites, including “Anniston,” “October” and “Love Your Guts.” The band surprised everyone with a cover of Coldplay’s “Yellow” and a new single titled “MY MY MY,” which had rave reviews from the audience.
Their love for music, each other and the Oxford community was evident throughout the entire performance. Hendley and Keegan Chistensen’s beautiful vocal harmonies and Gardner’s aerial acrobatics with his violin provided a thrilling performance for audience members.
The band did not even exit the stage before the crowd started chanting “one more song” in unison, and Happy Landing delivered. They ran back on stage to deliver a performance of their first song ever released, “She’s Got Brooklyn,” and three others, including one they have never performed live before outside of one backyard party, a song titled “God Loves You Forever.”
“The show was unreal, the music was incredible, but the energy was the best part for sure,” freshman general business major Thomas Turner said. “It’s awesome to see how a band enjoys what they are doing so much that they are able to go crazy just from being stoked to play.”
Lead vocalist Matty Hendley made sure to let the crowd know how happy they were to be back and that there is truly “No Place Like Home.”
Happy Landing will be back in Oxford on Feb. 24 at The Lyric, the same night as another local favorite, The Stews.
