Zervas and Pepper, The Globe, Cardiff

December 21, 2016 by

It may have been  Winter outside but inside The Globe on a dreary December evening it was anything but.

It was more the hissing of summer lawns and long shadows over Laurel Canyon as Zervas and Pepper dished up a great serving of their Celtic version of West Coast harmony that banished the gloom.

The pair, Paul Zervas and Kathryn Pepper accompanied by their excellent band have been entertaining us since their formation in 2007 and have picked up rave reviews for both their live work and recordings, most notably from the likes of BBC Radio 6’s Mark Radcliffe, Deacon Blues’s Ricky Ross whilst rubbing shoulders with legendary David Crosby of CSNY fame.

Finally receiving the credit their excellent music deserves, they create ageless tunes that should be a feature on any Radio 2 play list and, even though their musical influences are very plain to see and hear, there is a uniqueness about what they do, whether it be the voices that blend and compliment each other beautifully or that each song is packed with melody, they make exquisite music that needs to be heard.

Opening with a reflective One Man Show, the band were quickly into their first new song of the evening Harlequin, a driving tune that Neil Young would have been proud of and possibly a sign of the direction Zervas and Pepper are heading with their new album coming our way in 2017 something also notable in another new song Motel Bible, with a great narrative.

Then is was time for a few old favourites with a stunning trio of the brilliant Abstract Heart, Cigar Store Indian and Buffalo Crow and ending the evening with another newie, the excellent Universe To Find.

Whether as a just a duo or with their excellent band, Zervas and Pepper are certainly a band to see and judging by the new material, 2017 is certain to be one to look forward too.

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