The first four bars were all it took to send a chill racing up my spine. The defining piano chords in the opening to the compelling song “Letters from the Sky” by South African born trio, Civil Twilight, pulled me in like a raging current the first time I ever heard it on the radio. Subconsciously, my body was telling me to stop whatever it is you are doing and pay close attention to this band you are hearing. Luckily, I was stopped at a red light in a busy intersection the first time my ears heard Civil Twilight.
Within hours of being introduced to the band I became obsessed. After darting home from work, I quickly pulled up the songs off of their band website and got in tune with their style of sound, emotional depth and conscious lyricism.
Native to South Africa, Civil Twilight is a three-piece rock band consisting of two brothers Steven (vocal, bass, piano) and Andrew McKellar (guitar) and their friend Richard Wouters (drums) who they met during grade school in Cape Town. Their sound displays direct influences of British and American rock bands such as The Police, Radiohead and Oasis, though their lyrics are deeply rooted in the humanism that exists within.
As a lover of music, I would be insane to let an opportunity to see this band live slip by, especially at such an intimate club venue. Fortunately enough, a couple of weeks later I find out that they’re going to be supporting Company of Thieves on several dates, and will be making a stop at the Theatre of Living Arts in Philadelphia. I knew I was going to find a way to be front and center at that show, I just didn’t realize that I would spend the entire set hanging out in the photo pit with the best seat in the house. Inches away from Steven and Andrew’s effect pedals I knelt comfortably, feeling one with the music.
Humbly taking the dimly lit stage of the TLA, Civil Twilight dove straight into the powerful song, “Anybody Out There,” once the groove was aligned. To me, the symbolization of the light setting resembled a deeper explanation to the meaning of their name. Inspired by aviation principles, “Civil Twilight” is defined as a time during the day where the brightest stars in the sky are visible.
Out in support of their self-titled debut album, Civil Twilight featured tracks from the new record including the upbeat song, “Solider.” Steven’s lyrics come across as if he placed himself in the shoes of others to derive a detail portrayal of the meaning behind the song. “I take those shots but I’m not guilty/I’m just a soldier in another war, it doesn’t matter who I killed before.”
A short while back, I was reading an article that mentioned how instinctive it is for fans to seek out great bands that few people already have discovered. It’s almost like something profound that you watch grow over time to amount to greatness as time passes.
Closing the set was their inspiring tune, “Letters from the Sky,” that has begun its infiltration into radio station frequencies all across the country. The song is about a man in prison that is longing to be set free to see his loved one again, but the emotional transitions on the track truly define the band’s complexity. “One of these days letters are gonna fall from the sky, telling us all to go free/ But until that day I’ll find a way to let everybody know that you’re coming back for me.”
Seeing Civil Twilight live early in their career was an awesome experience. Their honest graciousness and fan appreciation was evident as they thanked the crowd and the local radio sponsors throughout the show. It’s just a matter of time before the floodgates break open and Civil Twilight explode to the next level. Fans can catch a glimpse of the trio as they will be the featured musical guest on the Jimmy Kimmel show on April 29th. So if you haven’t got on board yet with this dynamic band, you heard the recommendation here first!
