For those who braved the unseasonal cold and rain, Joseph and Sawyer made it well worth their while at Columbus’ Newport Music Hall.
Sawyer started right on time and performed for 45 minutes. This “Indie Sparkle Pop” duo from Nashville is comprised of Kel Taylor and Emma Harvey. They were playful and had a vintage style about them. Between songs, Kel took the lead on witty banter and flirting with the audience — “We love Columbus. We are seeing other cities, but there’s something special here.”
Their stage performance was just as intelligent as their songwriting. After introducing themselves, Kel welcomed us to “Group Therapy.” She encouraged us to think about the worst person that we know, but not feel obligated to relay who it is. Then they sang an unreleased song about someone named Caroline. After striking a pose for the touring photographer, they slowed it down by the fourth song with “Mistake.” Their performance was more rock-oriented than their studio EPs and singles released so far.
Before they left the stage, Kel talked about people who are “dumb dumbs,” and those who are “smart smarts.” They offered to show us the dance they made up a few days ago and congratulated the audience for being fans of Joseph, a great band that is also great people. Finally addressing the audience one last time, they let people know they will be at the merch table ready to sell their friendship to us.
Three equidistant mics were placed on stage for sisters Natalie, and twins Allison and Meegan Closner, who all wore matching outfits like a 1950s pop trio. They focused on their harmonies together, while Natalie also played the guitar. It was an intimate crowd to see these two bands, so it was particularly grating when a drunk man with a boisterous bellow belted out long notes of approval like a vendor at a ballpark selling beer. Fortunately, both bands were able to ignore him. And, in contrast, it made the soothing melodies from Joseph even more enjoyable. Like a well-balanced relationship, their voices went off on their own, only to come together in harmony when it really mattered.Joseph is a Portland, Oregon-based indie folk trio. Both Sawyer and Joseph can be categorized into music genres, but first and foremost, they need to be recognized as songwriters for their clever and often poignant lyrics.
These sisters were grateful performers who were more serious than their opener, but just as entertaining. Natalie, who recruited her sisters for this project, spoke of some personal issues in life while confirming it was okay with her sisters to continue.
Spanning from 2014 to the present, the band named after the town Joseph, Oregon, and their grandfather Jo have four studio releases. The current tour is to support The Sun, released on April 18th. They will be continuing their U.S. tour through late August, and picking up again in the UK in late October.
JOSEPHWebsite Facebook Twitter
