[ATTENDED: June 3, 2022] Kurt Vile & The Violators
Since the last time I saw Kurt Vile (2018), S. has become a huge fan of Kurt and his music. So when he announced he was touring, and would be ending his run in his home town, of course we grabbed tickets.
I had seen Kurt playing in New Jersey four years ago and he was a delight. He switches instruments almost every song. he doesn’t talk a lot, but he seems to be having a really good time and is happy that we’re there with him.
It was amazing that he played almost none of the same songs tonight that he did four years ago. True he had two new albums to showcase since that time, but even the older cuts were mixed up (except for his biggest hit which I couldn’t imagine him not playing and “Waking on a Pretty Day”).
Kurt is pretty much exactly what you get on record–his delivery is pretty much the same, his guitar playing is the same. he comes across as the most natural performer you’ve ever seen. Like he literally just walked in and started playing.
I am a huge fan of some of Kurt’s songs. I love “Loading Zones” and could listen to him play that song for ages.
I also really enjoyed his cover of Silver Jews’ Pinks in the Beerlight which Kurt told us they played every night this tour as a tribute to singer David Berman, who passed in 2019. It’s a rocking punk song that Kurt plays on acoustic guitar.
I also like “Bassackwards” so this set was heavy up front with goodness for me.
After a couple more songs, the band left and Kurt played a solo acoustic version of “Runner Ups.” Somehow he’s even more charming when singing solo acoustic with his fascinating drawl. He slide over to the piano for his fascinating (my guess was the first song he ever played on piano) “Goin on a Plane Today.”
When the band came back he moved on to the wonderful older song “Wakin on a Pretty Day.” After some more fun on the keyboard, he delighted everyone with a runthrough of “Pretty Pimpin.” This was the one song that didn’t quite sound exactly like the record. This was clearly done on purpose as it was the one that everyone was singing along to, but whatever, it’s such a great song who cares.
He went back to his debut for “Hunchback” and then returned to the new album for the two encore tracks. “Like Exploding Stones” is a slow, chillout track that you can easily zone out on. It runs over seven minutes long with lots of ooohs and yeahs. He followed it with “Cool Water.” A chilled out five minute track that doesn’t meander far from where it started.
These two songs were lovely, and they really encapsulate the KV ethos. But I think for me, a Kurt Vile show might be more enjoyable seated, so you can just relax and let the sounds wash over you (like we did with his friends in The War on Drugs.
| 2022 | 2018 |
| Palace of OKV in Reverse ∞ | Wheelhouse ⇓ |
| Loading Zones Ø | Jesus Fever ♦ |
| Punks in the Beerlight (Silver Jews cover) | I’m an Outlaw ⇓ |
| Bassackwards Ø | KV Crimes ∇ |
| Hey Like a Child ∞ | Goldtone ∇ |
| Check Baby Ø | Girl Called Alex ∇ |
| Runner Ups ♦ [solo guitar] | All in a Daze Work ⇓ |
| Goin on a Plane Today ∞ [solo keyboard] | Waking on a Pretty Day ∇ |
| Flyin (Like a Fast Train) ∞ | Dust Bunnies ⇓ |
| Say the Word ∞ | Pretty Pimpin ⇓ |
| Wakin on a Pretty Day ∇ | Inside Looking Out © |
| Mount Airy Hill (Way Gone) ∞ | Freak Train © |
| Pretty Pimpin ⇓ | Wild Imagination ⇓ |
| Hunchback © | Encore |
| Skinny Mini Ø | Baby’s Arms ♦ |
| Encore | Puppet to the Man ♦ |
| Like Exploding Stones ∞ | |
| Cool Water ∞ | |
∞ Watch My Moves (2022)
Ø Bottle It In (2018)
⇓ b’lieve i’m goin down… (2015)
∇ Wakin on a Pretty Daze (2013)
♦ Smoke Ring for My Halo (2011)
© Childish Prodigy (2009)
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