This past week I got to see two great shows in Dallas that showcased wildly different styles of music. The manic post-punk energy of Savages, which stands in stark contrast to the relaxed/jam filled tunes offered by Kurt Vile and his backing band the Violators. Besides the musical differences there was also a big difference in regards to how I went about attending these two shows. I have been a Vile fan for years, anxiously awaiting the arrival of a Dallas date. On the other hand, I discovered Savages while looking up local shows in the area. Although I came to attend these shows different ways, I was rewarded with two completely different show experiences within the frame of one week.
First up was the Savages show in Dallas at Trees. Although I was new to the band only a few months ago, I quickly bought both of their albums and spent quite a bit of time listening to their music. Adore Life may be my favorite album put out this year. One thing I was not psyched about was the show being on a Monday work night. This initial “bummer” was quickly quelled once the show started. Although the attendance was not at capacity, the crowd was as into the show as any concert I have ever attended. This was in large part to the presence of charismatic lead singer Jenny Beth. She interacted with the audience frequently, and as you can see from my pictures even played a song while being held up by members of the audience. Her vocals and performance style are so intense that it is almost as if she demands the attention of each and every audience singer. They tore through much of their catalog at a rapid pace, with everyone in attendance holding on to each and every word. Some of the highlights included “Evil”, “This is What You Get When You Mess With Love”, and of course the incredible single “Adore” which was the second to last song played. It was also the song that roused the biggest response from the audience. All the way through Jenny Beth provided amazing/ haunting vocals while being backed with incredible force from the rest of their band. Towards the end of the show they said they hoped to return to Dallas soon, and I’m sure everyone in attendance hoped for the same. It ended up being nice seeing them in front of a small crows, especially since they went on to give a well-received set at the Coachella Festival later in the week.
Next up was the Kurt Vile show at the Granada Theater. Unlike the Savages show this one was completely sold out. It was also mercifully on a Saturday. Vile has a much different stage presence, which is more in tune with his laid back music. He did not attempt to demand the attention of his audience in the way that Jenny Beth and Savages did. He started with a terrific jam song “Girl Called Alex” from his previous album Wakin On a Pretty Daze. This set a great tone for the start of the show. That album also offered my favorite tune of the night with perhaps Vile’s most intense (and my favorite song of his) “KV Crimes.” Although he visited a number of songs from his older albums a lot of the night was spent on his most recent album believe I’m Going Down. He got his biggest response of the night of the night from the lead single of the album “Pretty Pimpin.” I enjoyed seeing him play this album, in particular, because of all the different musical directions he took . Before this album came out I would have never imagined seeing him play banjo live! His slowed-down and chill vocals were a great compliment to the musical tones of the songs. The only downside of seeing this type of music live is it does not always enrapture the attention of concert goers the way that it should. I unfortunately had to get there later then I would have liked, placing me further back in the theater ( a downside of sold out shows I was able to avoid at the Savages concert). By the tail end of the show many of the people around me were busy talking away and playing on their smart phones. This was unfortunate because Vile put on a great show throughout.
In the end it was just a fun experience for me to see these wildly different acts within a one-week time period. It was great reminder of the variety of different musical clients that make seeing live music so fun. Although I would highly recommend seeing both artists, if I were to relive one I would choose the Savages show. The way Jenny Beth and the rest of Savages got the crowd into the show was really extraordinary to experience.
By Nathan K.
Tones OF HOME 