The Limelight, Belfast
4th November 2016
First ladies of British country, Catherine and Lizzy Ward-Thomas aren’t old enough to remember Gladiators. You know, the 90s TV show where contestants went up against formidable opponents and occasionally triumphed against the odds. And yet, in Belfast, they’re hanging tough in The Limelight and running a gauntlet of Friday night boozers on the last night of their current tour.
Weekend crowds can make for a tough room. This one is packed into the iconic venue, hot, sweaty and well-sauced. Everyone looks of an age to remember 90s TV shows. Some look like they’ve arrived early for the disco. Others yet look like they’ve left their horse or Honda Civic outside. That’s the appeal of Ward Thomas. Fresh-faced country stars taking youthful Britsh themes, wrapping them up in a Nashville sound and taking them on the road to rightfully deserved critical acclaim.
Starting quietly, they ease into their set with ‘Good On You’. The crowd may not need warming up but the band takes the first couple of songs to stretch and find their feet. A couple of songs in though, and no punches are pulled.
It’s the last night of the current UK and Ireland tour promoting the ‘Cartwheels’ record and the first half a dozen tunes are lifted from the album.
‘Boomerang’ sees the Ward Thomas sisters and band hit their stride. The guitars lend a rockier edge, the crowd joins in with handclaps. Lizzy joins Catherine on guitar and after some feedback, the tunes from ‘Cartwheels’ continue apace.
At times, the vocals are lost in the mix. At other times, even the snapping of fingers echoes crisply through the venue. This probably isn’t the fault of either band or venue but a cause of the gladiatorial battle ongoing between the stage and the crowd.
We’ve been fans of this Hampshire-based outfit for a few years now since choosing ‘Push For The Stride’ as one of our Songs of the Day back in 2014. Terry Wogan was a fan and the debut single is dedicated to the legendary DJ and presenter.
The crowd silences briefly to applaud Sir Terry and enjoy the handclaps and “heys” of the edgier ‘Guilty Flowers’. At Folk and Tumble, we’ve learned to never judge a book by its cover. Likewise never judge a Hampshire lass on her mild-mannered demeanour.
Like Rocky Balboa or a punch-drunk contender, just when you think the girls have had enough there’s a polite but firm request for the noisy drunks to pipe down at the back.
For the most part, the audience acquiesces but one guy in a striped shirt is still weaving in front of me, slipping his arm around anything female to ask what they think of the band. Maybe if he’d let them listen, they could form an opinion.
He didn’t listen to the band’s polite request. He didn’t observe this editor’s slightly more forceful demand. Some are here for the shots and some for the songs.
Ward Thomas are not backing down in the face of adversity, though. The band ups the volume and tempo. Catherine and Lizzy’s vocals harmonise and hit sweet spots The Limelight doesn’t usually experience and in spite of themselves, the crowd are lapping it up.
At times, we’re lacking in some of the intimate intricacies of the songs but at full tilt, it’s a performance that’s more than competent. ‘Cartwheels’ is a superb second album from one of the UKs finest purveyors of country music and lead single ‘Carry Me Home’ has the crowd singing and dancing as one.
It’s an odd moment to behold. The duel between fans and band seems to be done. It’s like everyone has realised there’s a gig on. The blow-ins are hearing that one song they’ve come for. This is a uniquely “Belfast” problem.
At Folk and Tumble, we call it the ‘Galway Girl’ effect.
But hey, if it happens to a legend like Steve Earle, it can happen to anyone.
With just over an hour on the clock, Ward Thomas make it to the end. Beaming smiles and arms raised aloft, it’s like they’ve powered up that weekend night travelator and swung through the paper burst. They’ve won the battle, won some hearts and won over a crowd against all the odds.
Let’s hope they come back for a rematch someday.