I’m ashamed to admit it, but I’ve skipped out on some live shows that I’d actually bought tickets for. Yes, I know it’s awful. Back in 2014 for example, the wife and I were about an hour and ten minutes into 2 1/2 hour drive to see Spoon in Indianapolis when both of us sort of realized we weren’t really feeling that late night. We’d seen Spoon back in 2008 and it was a hell of a show. Maybe a top five show for us, but something in our bones said “Turn around. Go get dinner and then go home”, which we did. There was also a time way back in 1995 when we had tickets to the HORDE Festival and didn’t go because it was supposed to be a downpour all day. So instead of getting soaked with all the other stoned Black Crowes fans we got dinner and saw Apollo 13.
The one that really stings, though, was missing out on seeing Kurt Vile. The wife and I once again had tickets to see Vile in Indianapolis back in early 2019 at a small venue called The Vogue. Once again on the drive we just didn’t want to make the drive and instead grabbed food and looked around at furniture before heading home. I’m a huge Kurt Vile fan, so looking back on that now after seeing The War On Drugs just last Friday in Chicago, really hurts. The live music bug has finally returned in us, and the idea of seeing Vile in that small club three years ago would have been amazing.
Oh well, no sense obsessing over past mistakes. The good news is that I’m making up for lost concerts this year. We got one down, and have at least three or four more lined up now for the remainder of the year. Hopefully one of those may be Kurt Vile since he’s got a brand new album coming put April 15th called (watch my moves).
Kurt Vile is one of those artists that seems to feel music in every pore. He’s got that free-spirited vibe to his songs, as well as his guitar playing. He’s got a little bit of a twang to his music even though he hails from Philly, but his music has an almost jazz quality to it. Which I guess makes a little sense since he’s releasing the new one on Verve Records. But Vile’s music sort of sits in its own rarified air, a touch of groove, twang, psychedelia, and free-spiritedness.
First single “Like Exploding Stones” seems to bring all of Vile’s musical passions together sort of perfectly; touches of psychedelia, pedal steel, his rambling vocal style, and lots of great guitar. I feel like this is where he’s been heading ever since Smoke Ring For My Halo. Each album since has added to his musical repetoire, hour long excursions into labyrinthine musical puzzles. And with (watch my moves) sporting 15 songs I imagine this will be yet another epic listen.
I’m happy the live music bug has returned for the wife and I, and I’m especially excited for the return of Kurt Vile.
Complex Distractions 