Reviewed - The Civil Wars with Milo Greene

Berklee Performance Center, Boston, MA

After hearing that one of my favorite up and coming acts Milo Greene, was going on tour with The Civil Wars, one of the best live bands around, I knew I had to see them together. While the venue choice of the auditorium-like Berklee Performance Center was an odd one, the two acts combined to create one of my favorite shows of the year. The opening L.A.-based quintet captivated the unsuspecting crowd with their dense four-part harmonies and their lively instrument-swapping performance. All five members are extremely talented musicians in their own right, and combined, they are greater than the sum of their parts. After a solid 40 minutes of fun, The Civil Wars took the stage. 

The voices of Joy Williams and John Paul White make one think that neither of them have hit a wrong note in their lives. Playing through nearly their entire catalog, the duo also put their own twist on The Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" and Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" to a fantastic result. With the sweetest, most pristine live harmonies I have ever heard and some extremely entertaining stage banter, The Civil Wars ran through their set with a casual grace and relaxed stage presence that is rarely seen these days. The combination of their voices is addicting and I must say I need another dose.