“Just two lovebirds singing without reverb.”
That’s all that the War and Treaty offer up as a self-description on their website. But damn, does that undersell this duo of musicians. Tanya Blount and Michael Trotter are a husband and wife musical team throwing out the genre rule book as they tour the country. They’ve performed at the 2020 Grammy’s and was touted by Rolling Stone as “one of Nashville’s most thrilling new acts,” Next Thursday, they perform live in Norfolk.
If you check out The War and Treaty with only audio-only first listen, as I did, you might think there’s a whole choir singing on the tracks. The duo brings a vocal intensity and richness to their songs that frequently builds into grand, all-encompassing musical energy. Blurring the lines of gospel, soul, country, folk, rock, and blues is no simple feat, yet the two do it with a passion that could move even the most cynical listeners. Reviewers of their live performances often quote their infectious joy and combined charisma that electrifies the crowd. Love for music, and each other, are driving audiences to pulse-pounding, foot-stomping, and body-swaying captivating.
Trotter and Blount met by chance when they both performed at a festival in Maryland when Michael was struggling with PTSD as a homeless veteran. Their story is incredibly touching, enough so that I can’t do it justice. Hear it directly from them:
The painful pasts that the two have endured are laid bare in many of the songs and lyrics they present to us. It’s often a candid look into the pain accompanied by truly hopeful healing energy. The rawness of their emotion is so evident that even some of the most booming ballads feel intimate and personal.
Their latest album, 2020 release Healing Tides, is full of grief, darkness, and soulful edge. But it’s no downer – in their own words: “We’re not the kumbaya cats that people may want to paint on us.” Trotter expanded, “we intentionally wanted to focus on healing with Healing Tide, but we might’ve given off the wrong impression in saying that we are the healers. […] We are the hopeful cats.”
This Thursday, May 26th, The War and Treaty perform live at Virginia Art Festival’s Perry Pavilion. It’s bound to be a fully charged concert for music lovers across the spectrum.
The War and Treaty
Spotify
Youtube
Virginia Arts Festival
Perry Pavilion
451 Bank St
Norfolk, VA 23510
Thursday, May 26th, 2022
7:30 pm
Get Tickets Here
Paul Stetson Rice
Chelsea, NFK
Paul is the creator of NFKVA.com. He was born and raised in Norfolk, graduated from Virginia Tech, and narrowly avoided law school. Chat with him about economics, entrepreneurship, hip-hop, and hiking. When he's not working on five different projects, you'll catch him sharing a beer with friends at a local brewery.
