LIVE REVIEW: Ward Thomas @ SJE Arts Oxford

Last night (Wednesday, November 29th) British record-making country music duo Ward Thomas brought their intimate 2023/2024 winter tour to the beautiful SJE Arts venue in the heart of Oxford city. The beautiful Evangelist Church made for the perfect setting for the twins’ stunning acoustic setup.

With fans used to full band gigs from Catherine and Lizzy, this time around they’re travelling the UK with a stripped-back tour production with just keys, guitar and the company of skilled guitarist Billy Adamson and it makes for an up-close-and-personal experience that allows the lyrics to really hit home.

Last night in Oxford they had the packed room in the palm of their hands as they delved into their impressive back catalogue of hits such as ‘Push For The Stride’, and ‘ Carry You Home’ along with new tracks including ‘Patience’ and ‘Come Back Baby’ making for an extremely entertaining evening.

The banter the girls have on stage also adds an element of intimacy to any Ward Thomas show and last night’s Oxford gig was no different. But there was a particularly poignant moment when Lizzy sang the wedding song ‘I Do’ she wrote for Catherine before she married a couple of years ago. She has since welcomed a little boy with her husband.

A lot has changed in the almost 10 years since they made their mark on the UK country music scene with their debut album ‘From Where We Stand’ but one thing remains the same: they are the shining lights of the ever-growing British country market and continue to blaze a trail in the genre.

Were you in attendance at the Oxford gig? Let us know your favourite part across social media and in the comments below!