Civil Twilight’s self-titled album demonstrates an enveloping gift for melody, balancing soft yet powerful vocal delivery backed by understated instrumental juxtaposition. And let’s face it: Lead singer Steven McKellar is easy on the eyes. Their performance at The Independent Monday combined these elements for an incredible night.
I’ve been to The Independent too many times to count, but have never seen tables and chairs set up on the main floor. That combined with ultra dim lighting made for quite an intimate setting for Civil Twilight to do what it is they do best: put on an breathtaking performance.
Voxhaul Broadcast and The Daylights, both hailing from Los Angeles, opened for Civil Twilight.
The drummer of The Daylights overshadowed every component of the entire night: Svend Lerche was not only in a constant trance of rhythmic brilliance, he remained impeccably in tune with the disheveled approach of the rest of the band. Close to the end of their set, The Daylights took the audience by the hand and led them on the emotional journey through “Quick Fix” that resonated despair and heartbreak from beginning to end.
Drummer of Civil Twilight Richard Wouters graced The Daylights with a guest appearance on the second to last song of their set, providing structured texture to incorporate a dual drum arrangement.
There was a grungy, mysterious young guy posted by the bar who looked identical to lead singer of The Strokes Julian Casablancas, which turned several heads throughout the night. He was even approached several times, revealing disinterest so as to not stray from the rock n’ roll vibe even for a split second.
It was evident from the beginning that the guys from Voxhaul Broadcast, The Daylights and Civil Twilight were incredibly amicable, not only individually but amongst each other as well.
By the time Civil Twilight hit the stage, everyone got up from their seats and inched toward the stage. They members captured the essence of what a live performance should deliver, flawless, organic composition that somehow converged from its three seemingly detached members. Their interaction on stage was very limited, stifling the aesthetic fluidity of the overall performance. If there was a specific genre for their music, it would have to be “Arena Epic.”
McKellar is pretty popular with the ladies. They engulfed the front of the stage much like a hundred pigeons would attack a baguette.
The second song from the set was most definitely the highlight. They performed the hit song “Is Anybody Out There?” There was a series of unique graphics projected on the amps and the back screen, continually changing as the songs progressed.
Andrew McKellar’s use of a bowed guitar vowed the unsuspecting crowd; many of them exclaimed that they had never seen one before.
The Civil Twilight set was nearly two hours long, holding the mesmerized audience captive throughout its entirety.
BabsinWesternAddition 