After their recent tour supporting Deacon Blue, this weekend Zervas and Pepper’s own headline tour reached their hometown of Cardiff with a packed gig at The Globe.
Looking a little worse for wear but as loveable as ever the traditional Cigar Store Indians were present and correct :
The set list for the gig focused on the new album Abstract Heart with a few favorites from Lifebringer and a couple of excellent covers.
The group is undeniably influenced by the “Laurel Canyon” movement and if they ever cast a Joni Mitchell film biog then Katherine Pepper is a dead ringer and has the voice to match while Paul Zervas could pass for a young James Taylor
Abstract Heart brings a “fatter” sound while retaining that glorious sunny laid back California vibe. “Reach Out” for example has the sound of a Joni Mitchell song backed by the Almann Brothers. The track that opened the set,
Miller, has a Desperado-era Eagles feel to it.
The band have grown in confidence since we first saw them at a free gig in Newport and were patently loving the positive feedback they were getting from the crowd.
They included great covers of Joni Mitchell’s “Don’t Interrupt The Sorrow” and Neil Young’s “Ohio” and the highest praise I can give is that they didn’t feel out of place.
My personal favorite of the night was “Lookout Mountain” but I also loved the
great guitar playing on “King of the Skies”.
The sound is very retro in the best meaning of the phrase and it was really
great to see a band clearly enjoying themselves
They finished with a banging cover of “Born to be Wild” with the full Paul Zervas paisley shirt on display
It was a night to just let the Cardiffonian Sun sound wash over us from such a lovely bunch of musicians who show no affectation at all and are obviously enjoying every minute of the music and the vibe.
A great night.
Eat see hear Cardiff 