Adele Laurie Blue Adkins — known in the music world simply as Adele — is a mix of contradictions. She’s a woman who tells Rolling Stone magazine that her mother is still her closest friend, yet speaks bitterly about the father she never knew. She writes and performs personal songs that bare her vulnerabilities and occasionally bring her to tears on stage, yet tells filthy jokes during her sets.
No matter what you think of Adele’s personality, she may well be a voice of a generation with her soulful, blues-filled pop songs.
| ONSTAGE |
| Adele with the Civil Wars |
| » When: 7 p.m. Thursday |
| » Where: 9:30 Club, 815 V St. NW |
| » Info: Sold out at press time; tickets may be available from online resellers; 9:30.com; 800-955-5566. |
That fate was sealed when her second album “21” debuted at No. 1 in both the United States and United Kingdom, and triggered a powder keg of interest in her, almost instantly selling out her concerts.
“I’m scared of audiences,” she told Rolling Stone. “One show in Amsterdam, I was so nervous I escaped out the fire exit. I’ve thrown up a couple times. … I just gotta bear it. But I don’t like touring. I have anxiety attacks a lot.”
The good news is that she does soldier on, bringing her voice and signature musical style to her enthusiastic fan base, that includes none other than superstar producer Rick Rubin, who produced four songs on the January release, and performers, including her touring mates, the Civil Wars.
The Civil Wars, known individually as John Paul White and Joy Williams, are such fans that they broke their own vow to only tour as headliners after their debut album “Barton Hollow” debuted in February. When Adele came calling, they jumped at the chance to open for her.
“I’ve been a fan of Adele’s since her first album [’19,’ released in 2008],” said Williams. “It’s something I really look forward to.”
The Civil Wars mix a range of influences from Williams’ Northern California background (think the Beach Boys) and White’s Alabama country tendencies plus a host of indie, pop and hard rock sounds.
“We pull from everything,” said White, noting the two were independent songwriters with no interest in working as a team before they met. “The chemistry out of that is something that never would have happened if we were each on our own.”
