FALLING

The Civil Wars (band-name for “folka” artists Joy Williams and John Paul White) have been writing songs, recording, and performing for just over a year.

Last night at The Evening Muse in Charlotte’s bohemian NoDa neighborhood, the pair presented a career-making set of original songs and one cover—a rearrangement of “You Are My Sunshine” that would make a birthday clown stab himself in the heart.

The Civil Wars sings and plays music to make the whole family weep: teenagers, mommies, pap-aws. This is deep south heartbreak—spare, desperate, tormented—set to whispering, tongue-in-groove harmonies that make you glad to be alive...no matter how much being alive kills ya.

Post-set, as John Paul and I chatted at the merch table, that flittering pixie with the revival choir voice and granny smile, suddenly shushed us:

“Madi’s starting her set!”

Joy nodded toward the stage. We looked. Madi and Kyle were starting.

"Yes'm."