CVC at The Edge of The Wedge, Southsea: 'Pure Laurel Canyon by the way of the valleys' | Review

The songs set out CVC’s stall perfectly – their blend of jangling indie guitars with lush three-piece, West Coast-inspired harmonies is pure Laurel Canyon by the way of the valleys.

Lead vocalist Francesco Orsi has an awesome voice – and he is flanked by guitarists Bassey and Elliot Bradfield who add those harmonies, while also occasionally take the lead too.

A well-drilled live act, they’re not averse to having some fun, packed on The Edge of The Wedge’s tiny stage, with an outbreak of synchronised bobbing from the whole band during Winston, which accelerates towards its finish.

And Bassey introduces one song as ‘from our multi-selling album’, to which Orsi swiftly replies: ‘We've sold two.’

Special mention must also go to Bassey’s amazing ‘guitar faces’ when soloing.

As is often the case, the band has a little more grit than in their recorded incarnation, which is no bad thing. The rhythm section of bassist Ben Thorne, drummer Tom Fry provide the bedrock for their flashier comrades at the front of the stage.

With their hirsute looks and Bradfield’s impressively wide trousers, it’s clear the era of Crosby, Stills and Nash doesn’t just inspire the sound – these guys look like they’ve stepped out of the early ’70s.

There’s a bit of disco creeping in to their sound from time to time, which is made explicit on their sole cover of the night. But I won’t even hold it against them that they cover Modjo’s once-inescapable 2000 hit Lady (Hear Me Tonight) – a song I can’t stand.

Before they play current single Sophie – an ode to keys player Daniel ‘Nanial’ Jones’s girlfriend, it is revealed that not only is she at the gig, but it’s also her birthday – so we all sing her a rowdy Happy Birthday. The single itself is a fiercely catchy love song.

They finish, no encores, with another former single, Docking The Pay which delivers a fine pay-off to the hour-long set.

While their full name may be Church Village Collective they’re not religious boys – Church Village is their home, about 30 miles out of Cardiff. Those harmonies are heavenly, though.