As the crowd continued to trickle in, Los Angeles-based indie folk singer Marina Allen took the stage. She played for a solid 30 minutes with her backing band; reminiscent of classic folk artists such as Joni Mitchell and Carole King.
Most of the instrumentals were minimal and served each song properly. The spotlight was on Marina. She had great vocal control, making it extremely soothing to listen to the entire set.
It definitely took her some time to warm up to being on stage, as this was her first show on this leg. However, the entire band was well-received by the crowd. By the end of her set, the room was finally full of people and excitement for the main act.
I was extremely eager to witness my first Real Estate concert after months of them being in my heavy listening rotation. Their music is always a vibe and my go-to for a dinner party. I wasn’t sure how well this laid-back vibe would translate to a live setting, especially after hearing mixed reviews about their shows from others.
I’m happy to say that they absolutely delivered and exceeded my expectations.
They opened with “Had To Hear” and immediately demonstrated their ability to transform their songs into completely different experiences live. The Grateful Dead pin on the bassist’s guitar strap was a good indication of where this show would be heading. I discovered afterwards that bassist Alex Bleeker is part of a jam band with Chris Tomson of Vampire Weekend; two of my favourite worlds colliding!
Real Estate’s years of experience playing together was evident during moments such as “Green Aisles” and “All The Same.” The fact that each band member was on the same wavelength despite not using in-ears was a testament to this. The only signals they seemed to have were subtle nods to each other when changing sections. They never missed a beat.
The band’s secret weapon was guitarist Julian Lynch. While the rhythm section laid down a tight foundation, Julian would just float on top of the songs, literally with his eyes closed. Once he started cooking, you had to let him finish. This led to some of the most ethereal moments of the entire show. Hearing his improv on each song, paired with Martin Courtney’s smooth vocals, transported me to a completely new dimension.
Tracks from their new album “Daniel” were clearly crafted as straightforward indie-pop songs. Yet, hearing them live provided a nice contrast from the jammier moments. The band equally showed their ability to serve each song and not go overboard when they didn’t need to.
Overall, their new songs were very well received by the audience and had some of the biggest singalongs, despite the album only being out for a couple months! Highlights for me included “Water Underground” and “Freeze Brain”. The latter featuring a 12-string guitar with some of the tightest drums on the entire record. It translated extremely well to a live setting and got me right in the groove.
The banter from each band member made the entire night feel like I was in a room with close friends, spectating their rehearsal from a couch. Everything felt as if it was happening on a whim, from the song selection to the lighting. I always welcome this vibe at live shows as opposed to a cookie-cutter set and production, where some of the human touch can be lost.
I can confidently recommend catching a Real Estate show if you ever get the chance. Even if you’ve never heard their music before, their talent live is undeniable, and you’ll surely appreciate their ambience.
SETLIST:
Had to Hear
Water Underground Flowers
Crime
You
Easy
Freeze Brain Darling
Green Aisles
Paper Cup
Haunted World Interior Municipality
It’s Real
Talking Backwards All the Same
Encore
Somebody New Saturday
Beach Comber
Review & photos – Michael Anestopoulos
