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Soulful folk-pop duo The Civil Wars has made quite a mark on the genre in just a few short years, hitting the tour trail with the likes of Emmylou Harris and Adele. Singer/songwriters Joy Williams and John Paul White met at a Nashville songwriting session and got to work on an EP entitled “Poison & Wine” with producer Charlie Peacock, the title track of which appeared on the popular TV show “Grey’s Anatomy.”
“Barton Hollow,” The Civil Wars’ full-length debut, surfaced in early 2011 and landed at the top of Billboard’s Independent Albums and Folk Albums charts. It wasn’t long before the two musicians were performing on nighttime television talk shows on both sides of the pond, as well as tackling concerts at the Newport Folk Festival and the iconic Grand Ole Opry.
The Civil Wars also took home Grammy Awards for Best Folk Album and Best Country Duo/Group Performance for the title track, as well as an AMA Award for Duo/Group of the Year and a 2013 Grammy for Best Song Written for Visual Media (“Safe & Sound” with Taylor Swift).
Though the Nashville outfit produced albums, sold tickets and won awards, the two performers surprised fans with an unexpected hiatus after the August 2013 release of their eponymous sophomore set.
I can say with certainty that this is one of the best shows I have ever been to. JVM was liked more by my GF than myself but was awesome, and the Civil Wars were absolutely amazing. Sound was great, venue was great, overall it gets a million thumbs up. Bonus: hotdog cart outside after venue, classic LA bacon wrapped hot dogs, delicious. Beer was $9 a cup, a little ridiculous.
Joy & JP are magical together! I will definitely come back to see them next time they're in town. I also was a big fan of James. His album is good but I was blown away by his performance
Definitely one of the best shows I've ever been to! James Vincent McMurrow blew me away. And The Civil Wars were insanely amazing! The El Rey Theatre was one of the nicest venues I've ever been to as well. All for a reasonable price too! SO WORTH EVERY PENNY! :D
Incredible lyrics and vocals. The chemistry between Joy and John is very fun too.
The duo has an unbelievable magnetism onstage. Their stage presence and chemistry is totally unmatched by any performer I've seen. Great show!!
The Civil Wars were one of the best executed shows I have ever seen. While the set up was simple, the harmonies and the musicianship were impeccable. I was blown away. Joy and John Paul also happen to have some of the best on stage chemistry, and the interaction helps make the often melancholy music much more fun throughout the night. You don't necessarily want to be sad for the whole hour set. The entire audience was captivated in the fairly large venue of El Rey Theatre (more than the Largo and other previous shows). This is a must see show. Get tickets if you can. James Vincent McMorrow was a great show in his own right as well. He was a archetypical artist, not very talkative, but incredibly talented and well executed. The only drawback was his decision to play his last song unplugged in a venue where his music could not project. Bought his album that night and been listening to it at every opportunity.
Not only are their harmonies more powerful and equally tight live, but the "ying and yang" of Joy and JP is cut out of a perfectly executed Abbot and Costello bit. Exceptional and they are still growing! They started "Poison & Wine" a bit fast, and the instrumentation of "Barton Hollow" is a little weak live, but everything else surpassed expectations.
The Civil Wars are an extremely talented Duo. Excellent, fine tuned blend of voices and talented composition skills. They are also, though unique in style, are eclectic in the sense of blending styles. On top of being great musicians they are also excellent performers with a stage presence that's extremely welcoming but professional at the same time. Please go see The Civil Wars, I guarantee you will enjoy.
This show at the El Rey in Los Angeles was fairly brief, with about two hours of music -- including the opening act -- but those two hours were so good I would gladly have paid much more for my tickets. The Civil Wars make great music, no doubt about that, but they are one of those duos you can't miss live if you even like their record a little bit. Do yourself a favor and go out of your way to see them (my wife and I drove four hours round trip for this show, and would do it again in a heartbeat). Never have I witnessed such an intimate, entertaining and musically perfect performance as theirs. Plus, they are great together -- very funny and comfortable on stage.
The Civil Wars put on an all-around AMAZING show!!! Catch them now before they are huge!
The Ark in Ann Arbor is a small venue (400 people or so), on the second floor of a building on Main Street. For this show it was set up with chairs. A quiet, intimate setting perfect for the intimate, often quiet, powerful music of The Civil Wars. Joy and John Paul sounded incredible. The excitement, enthusiasm, and joy that they have in performing their music filled the rest of us lucky enough to be there. They played most of their new CD as well as Poison and Wine, and Tip of My Tongue from their EP. In the show, they included the covers: Disarm, You Are My Sunshine, Billie Jean, From This Valley. They also sang a new song, Oh Henry. If you have a chance to see them, run don't walk, they're the real deal, go and see them.
You have a fighting chance of seeing The Civil Wars in an intimate venue on their present tour. Do not miss the opportunity. This is as good a duet that has ever set foot on any stage anywhere. Their chemistry is perfect. There is a lot to chew on with the songs, and the two profess that everything that they have written together eclipses their individual efforts, but after you hear them sing "Billy Jean" or "I want you back" you will know, their interpretations are their rare gifts to us mere mortals. 2012 Best new artist Grammy # futurenewsflash
These two are on their way to the top. Their performance was great; they received two standing ovations. Love their music. A must see duo!
This concert was amazing, Joy has a voice that could tear you to pieces, and John was just unforgettable. Most defiantly will go to any and every show The Civil Wars play in my area, best show I've ever seen at The Ark. Had to sit in the very back because the show was sold out, but the venue was so small I could still see and hear perfectly. Ran into the lead singer in the bathroom before the show, he is a great, funny guy, a million thumbs up.
Fabulous harmonies, entertaining performance, and good senses of humor. Excellent connection with the audience. Highly recommended!
The chemistry John Paul White and Joy Williams have on stage with each other and with the audience is amazing! Their harmonies and heartfelt lyrics are more powerful in concert than sitting in your living room or singing along in your car. To hear the artists recreate the music and create new moments in the songs with others who appreciate such talent will move you. If you are even remotely a fan of The Civil Wars you must see this show.
The Civil Wars were amazing at Cafe 939! It was a little hard to see because the venue is more long and narrow, but those Berklee nerds sure know how to mic a stage! Overall, they are chill people who sound amazing live- definitely recommend to anyone!
The Civil Wars are absolutely unparalleled live! Their vocal talent is beautiful, and Joy and John Paul are both incredibly genuine, humble people. This is so apparent both in their performance and in getting to meet them after the show. If you have a chance to see the Civil Wars, definitely do!
The Civil Wars were amazing. They had wonderful chemistry between each other and the crowd. They really seemed to enjoy performing so much, and they were incredibly talented!
They are way too good to play in such a small room. They could have filled at least 2,000 or more seats. One of the best to come along in a long, long time. Next years Grammys...they'll definitely be there..
