22 March 2012 (gig)
24 March 2012
The Civil Wars are a seemingly unlikely pairing of accomplished, contemporary Christian music artist, Joy Williams and Tennessean born songwriter, John Paul White, whose credit list to date includes Meatloaf and Faith Hill. They are a partnership built around intuitive glances, instinctive accentuation of one another’s rich and virtuous vocals, and the delivery of performances, so rich in dynamics, that the pair take the audience from the most audacious clamour of harmonised vocals and gritty guitar playing, right down to a whisper in the swiftest of breaths.
Watching The Civil Wars perform live, after familiarising oneself with their 2011 debut album, Barton Hollow, provides every explanation of why they have shot from support for Adele, in 2011, to headlining a nearly sold-out tour in 2012 of their own; this is a musical outfit whose performances make it nearly impossible to follow.
The atmosphere in Bristol’s O2 Academy was surreal, as the audience, comprised of a real wide range of people, looked on in silent anticipation, waiting for the entry of the pair. As the lights dropped and the finely dressed shapes of their bodies could be seen, the crowd erupted into a near-frenzy, resulting in the duo having to take a bow before even beginning their set!
The warmth and joy that exuded from both Williams and White, was infectious; they were genuinely happy to be there, on that stage, playing to that audience. During the set Williams said, “we like to feel like we’re in my living room when we play our songs, so if you don’t mind that’s how we’re going to do it.” That level of intimacy provided the audience with an opportunity to experience the wonderful personalities of The Civil Wars, making it a unique experience for all.
If the simplicity of The Civil Wars’ instrumentation is ever of concern, the duo quickly and powerfully silence any doubters with their conversational approach to vocal arrangements, offering an exercise in dynamics that would give some of the finest opera a run for its money. The pair moves from perfectly accentuating one another, through series upon series of flawless harmonies, to what can only be described as a wonderfully and finely orchestrated dual. Their shared awareness of microphone control, and its power to enhance a song is astounding, whilst at the same time it is seemingly the most natural of things to them both.
A 75-minute set crammed with all of the band’s original material, a sprinkling of wonderful cover versions - with the surprise inclusion of Portishead’s ‘Sour Times’ - had the audience in a trance-like state; the pair could have played for another two hours and the crowd would have remained happily in place, hanging on their every note and word.
Whilst The Civil Wars’ music provides a large part of the reason for captivating such an audience, White’s southern charm, Williams’ besotting personality, and a uniquely combined presence on stage, manages to capture the room in its entirety, making every member of the audience feel a part of a truly magical experience.
As if the night wasn’t perfect enough, the support of Matthew and the Atlas provided an immaculate warm-up for what was to follow. Hegarty, the band’s vocalist and songwriter, offered up a tonally rich vocal aesthetic that was inviting and full of heart, whilst his band, comprised of a banjoist / guitarist and violinist, provided a familiar folk sound. The songs were full to the brim with imagery and their delivery was fantastic, but it felt obvious that by the end of the set there was really nowhere else to go. Nonetheless, there is no doubt Matthew and the Atlas will be around for the foreseeable future, as one of an ever-increasing spout of new folk acts, but luckily for us, Hegarty has the songs and a fantastic voice, making the scene that little bit more interesting.
