It doesn’t take a country music fan to fall in love with Shovels & Rope, a band formed in the heart of Charleston, South Carolina. With a unique blend of country rock, folk and rock ‘n’ roll, Shovels & Rope began its 90-minute 9:30 Club set at exactly 9:30 p.m. on Sept. 21.
Fresh from the Aug. 26 release of their third album, “Swimmin’ Time,” the duo played some fan favorites and performed songs from the new album. Thanking the crowd for bearing with them as they “practiced” some of their recent titles, Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst wasted no time in engaging the crowd with their energetic music.
Blending country rock, folk and rock ‘n’ roll, this duo draws from its southern influences to create their unique sound. Trent, a Denver native, and Hearst, from Mississippi, became a duo after meeting in Charleston as solo artists.
In response to this feeling of being in genre limbo, they wrote the song “Cavalier,” which admits that they use a mix of many different sounds.
This wide range of sounds attracted a crowd of all ages and demographics to the 9:30 Club to watch the duo’s incredible on-stage chemistry.
Watching Hearst and Trent perform together, it’s not surprising to hear that they are married. Not only do they engage the audience, but they also have an amazing connection. They sang to each other throughout almost every song and leaned in on the same microphone, and their voices came together in chillingly beautiful harmonies.
Opening with the title song from their most recent album, “Swimmin’ Time,” Shovels & Rope also played their popular tunes “O Be Joyful” and “Birmingham.” Every song was upbeat, and audience members had no choice but to pump their heels and nod their heads to the kickdrum.
The stage was simple, with a large Shovels & Rope tapestry and string lights to back up the two musicians. The duo did not need theatrics to entertain the crowd, though. While alternating lead vocals, guitar, piano and drums, Hearst and Trent finally slowed the music down with “Lay Low,” a soft yet powerful song that cut the air with a cappella harmonies in parts.
Speeding it back up with the upbeat and vindictive song “Evil,” Shovels & Rope played through its set and ended with a two song encore. “Thresher,” with its church organ influences, was followed by “Hail Hail,” another fan favorite. Despite having a broken keyboard and breaking a guitar string, the couple finished their set with smiles on their faces.
