Kurt Vile & the Violators
Thursday 6 February 2014
Corner Hotel Richmond
Image courtesy of Remote Control Records
Kurt Vile fans are very tall. And there are a lot of them. Okay, maybe they’re not ALL tall, but it was hard to see much of what was happening on stage by the time I arrived at the Corner for Kurt Vile and the Violators’ third sold out Laneway sideshow in Melbourne (the first of which was an outdoor gig at Abbotsford Convent).
Vile’s brand of lo-fi indie rock includes touches of Americana, folk, country and psychedelia and it’s easy to get lost in its rambling and mesmeric qualities. Vile’s ever-prominent long hair and mopey, slightly awkward physicality are the perfect match for his drawling vocals and dreamy music, giving the impression that he’s a stoner and a drifter. That said, anyone who heard Vile interviewed whilst he was in Australia will likely agree that in fact the father of two is quite the thinker.
Vile’s brand of lo-fi indie rock includes touches of Americana, folk, country and psychedelia and it’s easy to get lost in its rambling and mesmeric qualities. Vile’s ever-prominent long hair and mopey, slightly awkward physicality are the perfect match for his drawling vocals and dreamy music, giving the impression that he’s a stoner and a drifter. That said, anyone who heard Vile interviewed whilst he was in Australia will likely agree that in fact the father of two is quite the thinker.
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The Philadelphian kicked off the gig with “Wakin On A Pretty Day”, the opening track to last year’s Wakin On A Pretty Daze (which was number one on our Top 10 International Albums of 2013 list). The 9 minute epic has a melodic guitar part in the instrumental sections that I could listen to all day.
Despite that, my favourite tracks on the album tend to be the more rock numbers, like “KV Crimes”. Whilst I was hanging out for the crisp guitar and cowbell of this song, Vile tended to showcase his penchant for noodling guitar over laid back spacious tracks rather than big rock and roll moments. My gig going buddy summed it up when the band played “Girl Called Alex”, saying “this song is like two valiums on a Tuesday morning without the kids around”. |
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Image courtesy of Remote Control Records
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“On Tour” and “Peeping Tomboy” were welcome selections from Kurt’s revered 2010 album Smoke Ring For My Halo. Vile played acoustic guitar on both, the latter performed solo along with a couple of other tracks in the middle of the set. “Baby’s Arms” was the other track from the 2010 album on my wishlist, but it never surfaced.
Amongst his signature drawling vocals, Vile has a great shriek which is showcased on “Shame Chamber” (Wakin On A Pretty Daze) and reappeared for the encore when they finished the night with “Freak Train” (Childish Prodigy, 2009). That shriek’s cut-through over the other sounds made by the four-piece, combined with the song’s driving beat provided a punchy end to a great show, which had me resolving to see him again next time he’s in town – and to wear platforms. Lex Cran Watch Kurt Vile's clips for "Never Run Away" here and "KV Crimes" here. |