The Civil Wars @ Birmingham HMV Institute – March 13th 2012
So the back story — Jon Paul White & Joy Williams, 2 solo singer/songwriters from opposite sides of the United States, were thrust together at a Nashville songwriters’ workshop in 2008. They clicked, and over the next couple of years put an album together, released it on their own label, and with the help of a couple of high profile US TV appearances, and the support slot for Adele, are now riding the crest of a wave. The album, Barton Hollow, won Grammys for both Best Folk Album & Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group, and has now racked up around half a million worldwide sales.
In their now familiar stagewear (Joy in a little black dress, JP in a tuxedo), they came on to a huge roar from a packed Institute, on the first night of their sold out UK Tour, and launched straight into 4 songs from the album, ending with the wistful harmonies of 20 Years. If you wanted to pigeonhole their music, you’d put them in the darker side of Americana – Songs of lost love or imminent break-up, beautifully performed, with an ever-present air of melancholy.
After a quick ‘Hello’ they went into ‘our one happy song’ I’ve Got This Friend, which was followed by their premiere of a cover version of the haunting Portishead song Sour Times. Any doubts, that one guitar and two voices can provide enough musical variety for a whole set, were quickly dispelled by a storming version of the title track from the album, which really got the crowd whooping. That’s the dichotomy of The Civil Wars, they perform intense low key songs probably more suited to late night bedsit-land, yet the audience are on a complete high for the entire set, threatening mood disruption at any moment. It took considerable effort on the part of Joy & JP to switch from chirpy banter, back to the more serious side of performing. The other odd thing is the onstage chemistry, which they have in spades. Jon Paul stands very still the whole time, whilst Joy dances around him like some latter day Salome. She couldn’t even sit still for the two songs, on which she plays keyboards. But they are not a real life couple. Curious. At one point Joy confirmed that she is expecting her first child later this year, so it remains to be seen if these ‘mating dances’ continue on future tours.
Back to the music, they continued with almost all the songs from Barton Hollow, plus their regularly performed version of the Jackson Five’s I Want You Back, ending an intense hour with Poison & Wine, a song that seems to sum up their musical relationship in the repeated refrain ‘I Don’t Love You, But I Always Will’.
They bounced back out for their usual 2 song encore, Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean and Leonard Cohen’s Dance Me To The End Of Love. In response to fan requests, both of these songs have now been added to the album.
When The Civil Wars return to the Midlands in November, it will be interesting to see if the addition of a newborn baby, brings any change to their musical outlook.
Support for the night was from Matthew & The Atlas, who have built a good reputation from gigs last year with Mumford & Sons. Matt Hegarty has a strong voice, not dissimilar to Ray Lamontagne, and the trio seem a good selection to tour with The Civil Wars.
Review – Alan Carruthers