XPN Fest Recap: The War and Treaty wash over the Marina stage with love

If you haven’t already noticed, it is very hot out today. However, if you got the chance to watch The War and Treaty on the Marina stage this afternoon, you might have forgotten about that for a while. The husband and wife duo put on a show that beamed with love, joy, and the healing power of music. With a large and incredibly proficient band behind them, Michael and Tanya Trotter forced their crowd to dance and clap, even if they felt as if they were on the verge of heatstroke.

Before the couple had sung a word of “Hi Ho,” everyone was already clapping along. That energy continued throughout the set. Where for other acts, the audience tends to peter out towards the end, The War and Treaty drew more and more people until the last band member had left the stage. A double bass, guitar, trumpet, saxophone, and organ all supported Michael and Tanya, who played keys and tambourine respectively. The band-intro portion of the set was the most thrilling of the weekend and gave them all the chance to show off their individual talents. The couple also sang, and they sang from their hearts.  Their remarkable voices paired with the magnetism of their phenomenal band make every song they play sound like simultaneously like nothing you’ve heard before and something comfortingly familiar.

The only thing preached at the Church of The War and Treaty is LOVE. This was made clear through the Trotters’ affection towards each other and their adoration of the crowd. At one point, Michael said that everyone should “forget how hot the sun is and remember how hot you are.” While they defiantly forgot about the sun, everyone’s attention was firmly on the Trotters. From the tenderness of “Just For Me” to the triumph of “Healing Tide”, which they dedicated to our very own Bruce Warren, no one dared look away from the Trotters.

Setlist
Hi Ho
All I Wanna Do
Mothers Child
Lonely In My Grief
Five More Minutes
Just For Me
Healing Tide