The Watson Twins
Last Week Live
Tuesday night, Ram's Head Live was filled with a crowd largely bereft of the auspicious "black X's" drawn on the hands of those under 21. Instead, one was hard-pressed to find a college age kid amidst the crowd of thirty-somethings and those who had already weathered their mid-life crises.
Billy Bragg, the headliner of the evening, was the primary reason for the crowd. However, the Watson Twins, who opened for Bragg, brought both their youthfulness and honed performance skills to the stage.
Unfortunately, the crowd seemed largely unaware of who the Watson Twins were. Relatively under the radar, the twins had previously garnered attention after backing Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis on the album Rabbit Fur Coat. Additionally, this summer, they released their first full-length album Fire Songs.
However, the Watson twins gracefully acknowledged that they weren't the stars of the show and took the crowd's unfamiliarity in stride. In between songs, they jokingly pleaded for the audience to stay for Bragg's performance, since, of course, everyone was there to see them.
The Watson Twins began their set with "Lady Love Me," from their new album. In fact, their entire set, minus the finale song came from Fire Songs. The instruments were minimalist, but the effect powerful. With only an acoustic guitar, a keyboard, and the occasional harmonica or tambourine, the Watson Twins capitalized on their signature harmonies and vocal duets. It is not often that the vocals in a live performance parallel those on a recorded album, but such was the case for the Watson Twins.
In keeping with the stereotype that twins share everything, Leigh and Chandra Watson alternated who sang lead vocals, who played the guitar, and who got to shake the tambourine. Their highlight performances included "Sky Open Up," their cover of the Cure's "Just Like Heaven" and "Southern Manners" from their EP. The applause after each, however, was poor.
The twins showed their appreciation for their fans by heading to the merchandise stand at the back of the club to "peddle their wares" and engage in conversation with the audience. When I mentioned to them how much I enjoyed their performance of "How Am I To Be," Chandra Watson laughed and said that she had heard a few claps out in the audience when they played it.
Billy Bragg, the headliner of the evening, was the primary reason for the crowd. However, the Watson Twins, who opened for Bragg, brought both their youthfulness and honed performance skills to the stage.
Unfortunately, the crowd seemed largely unaware of who the Watson Twins were. Relatively under the radar, the twins had previously garnered attention after backing Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis on the album Rabbit Fur Coat. Additionally, this summer, they released their first full-length album Fire Songs.
However, the Watson twins gracefully acknowledged that they weren't the stars of the show and took the crowd's unfamiliarity in stride. In between songs, they jokingly pleaded for the audience to stay for Bragg's performance, since, of course, everyone was there to see them.
The Watson Twins began their set with "Lady Love Me," from their new album. In fact, their entire set, minus the finale song came from Fire Songs. The instruments were minimalist, but the effect powerful. With only an acoustic guitar, a keyboard, and the occasional harmonica or tambourine, the Watson Twins capitalized on their signature harmonies and vocal duets. It is not often that the vocals in a live performance parallel those on a recorded album, but such was the case for the Watson Twins.
In keeping with the stereotype that twins share everything, Leigh and Chandra Watson alternated who sang lead vocals, who played the guitar, and who got to shake the tambourine. Their highlight performances included "Sky Open Up," their cover of the Cure's "Just Like Heaven" and "Southern Manners" from their EP. The applause after each, however, was poor.
The twins showed their appreciation for their fans by heading to the merchandise stand at the back of the club to "peddle their wares" and engage in conversation with the audience. When I mentioned to them how much I enjoyed their performance of "How Am I To Be," Chandra Watson laughed and said that she had heard a few claps out in the audience when they played it.
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