Concert Review: Real Estate – Lexington, KY
Participating in a road trip to see a show is the equivalent of a blood oath or rite of passage in the indie rock scene. We have all experienced the feeling of getting into a band only to discover, with disappointment, that they were not making a pit stop in our respective city. Without the requisite crystal ball, it is impossible to know when the next opportunity to see that band will come. Decisions must be made.
This weekend my indie rock partnership was solidified with a band that I have not been able to shut up about on this blog: New Jersey’s Real Estate. Their release Days is my favorite album of the Fall season and this also gave me an opportunity to meet up with an old roommate, good friend, and fellow musical connoisseur. The itinerary: depart from Indianapolis in the morning, swing through Cincinnati to pick up teammate, and then down to the land where Wildcats, race horses and bourbon are the only topics of conversation. The trip has come and gone, but will not be forgotten. Thank you Lexington, Kentucky for the southern hospitality, the opportunity to hang out with an awesome friend, and providing me a reasonable geographical haven to rock out with Real Estate.
Nearly 400 miles were covered on this voyage. While this number is not extremely overwhelming it displays a sense of loyalty to me. Expeditions to see bands are extremely fun. It is not only a bonding experience with music, but also gives you plenty of drive time to ask yourself why am I doing this? For them? Real Estate’s October release of Days immediately placed them in the category of bands that I had to see before the year was over. The venue was perfect, the beer was delicious, and Real Estate extended their property lines in my musical mind.
Three bands opened for Real Estate, but Lexington’s Idiot Glee stood out as the most interesting to me. While they were a little rough around the edges, the potential was there. I will keep my eye on this trio to see what they do next, but I have a feeling we all will be talking about them soon. Stream their latest album Paddywhack:
Real Estate hit the stage at 12:30 AM and they were absolutely worth the drive. They shredded tracks from their new album while reaching back on old favorites. This band has a certain synergy and you can tell they have fun together. They were able to translate this live and build on the energetic vibe of the audience. People were here to get excited about an emerging band, and their performance materialized with the mass.
Dedicated fans gushed over the “Killin’ the Vibe” teaser in between songs and new followers exploded for “It’s Real”.
I am not sure if it was the traveling, the album, or the opportunity to reconnect with my friend, but this was truly one of my favorite live shows of 2011. I am thankful for a lot of things this holiday season: great job, awesome family, and my health. Thankfulness for good tunes is something I always think about during this time of the year. Real Estate has cemented themselves into this category and a legitimate contender for my band of the year as we close out 2011. While I now have a new bond with a band that I appreciate, I would imagine more stories like this will be created as the career of a group of guys from the Jersey suburbs continues their conquest of your musical mind.
Written by Brett McGrath
Will the Naptown Hip-Hop Fans Please Stand Up?!
This is not a review. This is a call out.
It is time for the Indianapolis hip-hop fans to come out of the woodwork. Where have y’all been hiding and what have you been doing? Some serious opportunities have been missed in recent weeks and it is raising reason for concern.
On August 30th, I attended Rock the Bells featuring veritable legends Raekwon, Ghostface and Mobb Deep. The Egyptian room was half-empty at best (half-full if you’re into that sorta thing.) The group put on a helluva performance despite the mediocre attendance. It may have gone down as one of the shows of the year had it been held at The Vogue with a near capacity crowd.
The lackluster attendance at the first Rock the Bells installment was followed by a postponement and eventual cancellation of the Mos Def / Talib Kweli Black Star performance. I know this tour struggled across the country, but unfortunately, Indianapolis was no different. Maybe tickets were a tad on the costly side, but we are talking about some of indie hip-hop’s strongest acts.
Last night brought one of underground hip-hop’s hottest up-and-coming acts, Das Racist, to town for the second time this year. The trio played to a sold-out crowd at White Rabbit Cabaret earlier this spring. The stellar performance, followed by unparalleled buzz surrounding their release Relax, prompted last night’s billing at The Vogue in Broad Ripple. Unfortunately, once again, Indianapolis’ hip-hop fan base fell short.
The Das Racist show felt more like a raucous house party than any concert worthy of The Vogue. If you care about hip-hop and would like to see Indianapolis play host to major acts in the future, these recent turnouts should serve as cause for concern. Das Racist will be featured on the cover of next week’s Spin magazine. Collectively, the Rock the Bells crew accounts for some of hip hop’s founding fathers.
If you can’t show up for these shows, what will you show up for? That’s the question I keep asking myself and I can promise that promoters are thinking the same. I hope hip-hop isn’t dead in this region, but attendance proves otherwise. The next time a decent lineup comes to town, get to the box office or we’ll be relegated to a life of Weezy, Jeezy and worse.
Written by Rob Peoni
Thought on Tracks 
Preview: Tonic Ball X
Tonight marks the tenth annual Tonic Ball in Indianapolis’ historic Fountain Square neighborhood. This year’s festival promises to be the largest in its history, showcasing more than 40 artists at three separate venues. All money from ticket sales supports Second Helpings – a charity organization that provider over 3,000 meals to Indy’s hungriest citizens each day.
The event will kick off with a silent auction at New Day Meadery from 5 – 8 PM. From there, guests will wander toward the tunes. Each of the three venues will feature local artists attempting to create a unique version of songs not their own. Fountain Square Theatre will play host to the Michael Jackson stage, White Rabbit Cabaret will serve as the David Bowie stage and Radio Radio will feature songs by recently disbanded R.E.M.
Indy’s latest and greatest event site Do317.com is powering a nifty schedule that allows attendees to easily map out their scheduled listening for the evening. The music will continue into the wee hours with Hitchhike playing closer at 1 AM at Radio Radio. Tonic Ball promises to be one of the parties of the fall in Indianapolis, and its support of Second Helpings adds another worthwhile reason to attend.
Online sale of tickets are now closed, but a limited number of tickets will be made available at the event itself. Claw, scratch, and elbow folks. Do what you must to get into this event. Just don’t miss it!
Written by Rob Peoni