CONCERT REVIEW: Kurt Vile and Real Estate @ Johnny Brenda's, 7/11

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CONCERT REVIEW: Kurt Vile and Real Estate @ Johnny Brenda's, 7/11

POSTED: Monday, July 12, 2010, 9:07 PM

Filed Under: Music | Concert Review Philly Bands

Callum Hanlon

Kurt Vile

"Can we have reverb? Like, a bunch of it?" asked Real Estate guitarist Matthew Mondanile to the Johnny Brenda's sound technician, foreshadowing the evening's sonic wash. While the guys made up for lost time after missing their soundcheck, they endeared themselves to the crowd with adorably polite requests. Make no mistake: These four Jersey boys didn't hide beneath a total haze of atmospherics either. They cruised through their saltwater-soaked melodies with remarkable tightness alternating between articulated psychedelic strums and intricate picking. It was challenging to make out the lyrics in singer/guitarist Martin Courtney's understated vocals, though certain turns of phrase floated to the surface — from meditations on growing up in the 'burbs ("Suburban dogs are in love with their chains") to a perhaps metaphoric look at the fruitlessness of beach combing ("What you want is just outside your reach").

Callum Hanlon

Real Estate

Real Estate's self-titled debut LP is of the dreamy, just-let-it-play variety — the kind of summer music you want permanently in the background of whatever you're doing, which is probably why the Ridgewood, NJ band's commanding stage presence came as a surprise. Live, their songs demanded full attention, and felt effervescent, even danceable. Plus, it didn't hurt that the guys seemed to be having a great time. Drummer Etienne Duguay fit the beach-bum part in his sleeveless tank and faded black, neon-striped swim trunks, and would later grab the mic to declare his love for Philly before exiting the stage. An ever-smiley Mondanile danced in place with his guitar through most of the set, and encouraged the audience to join him during uptempo rocker "Fake Blues." Highlights included the supremely strummy "Green River," and instrumental gem, "Atlantic City." About an hour later, local favorite Kurt Vile posed a similar soundcheck question, but with a little more push. "Is that echo going? Give it to 'em!" Vile shouted, eliciting enthusiastic shouts in return from the at-capacity crowd. Vile, who recently released a new EP on Matador, carried himself with a relaxed, confident demeanor, as if playing to a bunch of friends. That may well have been the case; he was on home turf, after all. Backed by his band The Violators, Vile cranked up his lo-fi recordings to 11 with bold electric guitar (and feedback galore) and drums so thunderous, unfortunately, they drowned out some of the finer details — namely, the harpist. With the help of the band,"Breathin Out," off 2008's Constant Hitmaker took on a new, richly fleshed-out lease with acoustic and electric guitar complemented by live drums and maracas. Scattered throughout Vile's set and solo encore were some of his more droning psychedelic-folk tunes, which he sang gently through the wavy brown locks covering much of his face. The set definitely peaked on the chugging "Freak Train," with Vile delivering brassy vocals leading up to the chorus' cathartic "train, train, train!" shouts. Won't lie though, it would have been nice to hear some of Kurt's catchiest, most accessible tunes like "Overnight Religion" and "Freeway." Guess that just means he'll have to stop through these parts again sometime soon.

Jesse D

Posted 2010-07-13 08:01:45

Where's this week's Show Down piece?
May I suggest:
Tuesday: Oh, I don't know. Go with Diego Paulo at North Star, I guess. They seem happy enough. Or save your energy for Wednesday's double dip of Mammoth Grinder at the Barbary (their video for "Sentenced to Hell" is insane) followed by El-P at Johnny Brenda's. Thursday catch the Spinto Band in their native Delaware. Friday the million-headed monster known as the Warped Tour hits Camden, and on Saturday Yo La Tengo (the only non-boring band at the annual XPoNential Snooze Fest) does likewise.

Molly Eichel

Posted 2010-07-13 10:51:57

Don't fret J.D. Here it is: http://citypaper.net/blogs/criticalmass/2010/07/13/the-showdown-good-music-is-good-music-right-mr-smooth/

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Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

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