There is always a bit of a buzz when Kurt Vile sets out on tour, and when he is joined by the Violators, Rob Laakso on guitar and bass, Kyle Spence on drums, and Jesse Trbovich on guitar it just adds to that anticipation, and tonight they are premiering tracks from his latest offering, Watch My Moves, and the loyal Manchester fanbase was out in force.
I must confess that tonight’s support King Hannah has gone under my radar, so a step into the unknown is taken with positive vibes.
Hannah Merrick’s recollection of how she and Craig Whittle first set about turning ambition into reality is typically down-to-earth. “I remember wanting a band,” she says, “and that was that. The first thing was to get a guitarist, and that was Craig. But it was never, ‘Let’s just jam’. Instead, as soon as we had our songs together, it was, ‘Let’s build on this. Let’s put a band around it.’” And ‘this’, as others might say, is how the magic began.
King Hannah’s sound is both soothing in its moods and intoxicating in its rushing soundscapes. Their neon guitar lines and intimate torchlight vocals put the every day on a pedestal, lifted by melodic licks that swell into dense and swirling atmospheric textures. King Hannah’s songs begin with an unpropitious roll of Dionysian sensuality transitioning into a hedonistic outpouring of thunder that reverberates on so many levels. I will be sure to make sure I make their next gig in Manchester; I have seen enough to tantalise my musical taste buds.
SETLIST
1/ A Well-Made Woman
2/ Big Big Baby
3/ State Trooper
(Bruce Springsteen cover)
4/ Go-Kart Kid (Hell No!)
5/ The Moods That I Get In
6/ Like a Prayer
7/ Crème brûlée
8/ It’s Me and You, Kid
Kurt Vile is Philadelphia’s psych-rock behemoth, the previous lead guitarist with The War on Drugs, and a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer in his very own right.
He has also been the frontman of Kurt Vile & the Violators for the last couple of decades and tonight he touches down at New Century Hall Manchester on his current UK and European tour, a tour that is pulling out all the stops.
Kurt Vile has never been an out-and-out let’s go for it, type of artist, the strategy is a well-established one, it’s been tried and tested, and it keeps the fans happy and always brings them back.
They create a wall of sound that is both familiar and challenging, blending classic indie rock influences with psychedelic and experimental tendencies. But things are always laid back, always assured, and always delivered impeccably; tonight is no different. As the show unfolds you are invited into the world, and mind of tonight’s host, lots of guitar changes, if his hands are not on a guitar, they are usually on a set of keyboards.
Opening the set with “Palace Of The OKV Reverse“, immediately hits the groove, a track from his latest album, and same-titled tour, Watch My Moves, this is the bedrock of work that has defined KV’s work over the last few years. “Loading Zones”, and “Bassackwards”, delve into the vast back catalogue of the band’s work, one that seems to resonate with the crowd.
The set was peppered with old and new, both accepted and for the main part enjoyed and sung along to with unbiased abandon. As you would expect quite a few tracks from the latest album were aired, “Wakin On A Pretty Day”, and the poignant, “Pretty Pimpin”, are stand-out tracks, there is something satisfying watching a group of musicians evolving and centring around a body of work, that translates so deep when you see it live, that its cathartic in its moment.
As “Hunchy,s Back”, finishes the set there is already a sense of how quickly the evening has gone. The band reassemble onto the stage and another track from the latest album, “Like Exploding Stones“, a song written about stress, and the need to let it out before you explode, ah the beauty of letting your demons go. Finally, the last track of the night, time for one new track, “Cool Water“, really did complete a wonderful evening.
All in all, a Kurt Vile and the Violators live show is a must-see for fans of indie rock music, as it offers an unforgettable and engaging experience that you don’t want to miss If you have never ventured into Kurt Vile’s world, his latest album is a great gateway to step through,
SETLIST
1/ Palace of OKV in Reverse
2/ Loading Zones
3/ Bassackwards
4/ Hey Like a Child
5/ Check Baby
6/ How Lucky
7/ He’s Alright
8/ Runner Ups
9/ Flyin (Like a Fast Train)
10/ Say the Word
11/ Mount Airy Hill (Way Gone)
12/ Wakin on a Pretty Day
13/ Pretty Pimpin
14/ Hunchback
ENCORE
15/ Like Exploding Stones
16/ Cool Water
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