Photos: Alessio Neri

Southern folk and country was brought back to San Francisco with The Kernal setting the tone with some good old fashion country reminiscent of Johnny Cash. John Paul White brought it home with the emotion that had been stirring within him during his four years away from music. White returned to San Francisco with his newest album, Beulah. The  Tennessee native took his time to show the intimate crowd what he’d been feeling during his time off.

When John Paul White took the stage all eyes focused on the former The Civil Wars frontman. He cruised onto the stage with his guitar and had the attention of everyone in the room as he started into “I Remember You.”  After The Civil Wars, White took a break from music to focus on his personal life back home in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. His thoughts were illustrated clearly during this time.

White played  “The Martyr,” then Kelli Jones-Savoy put her violin down for “The Once and Future Queen” and sang with White to bring back a faint memory of what he once was with The Civil Wars.

“Make You Cry” and “Hate the Way You Love Me” brought a darker feeling to the show while “Fight for You ” brought a rock sound that wasn’t there in his previous life.

A few songs later, White began to go into why he took a break from music. He recommended that everyone takes the time to listen to each other, the way he listens to his kids now. He then played, “I’ve Been Over This Before.” White closed the show with “Can’t Get It Out of My Head” by Electric Light Orchestra.

— Joey Reams