Kurt Vile @ The Shank
Sunday, June 21, 2009 at 10:14PM By BAL
Kurt Vile is an up and coming lo-fi singer/songwriter who up until last week I wasn't familiar with. His first "real" album, Constant Hitmaker, was made on a budget and sounds it. But what the album lacks in fidelity and production value it makes up with moments of pure clarity and beauty, “Freeway” and “Space Forklift” are two that immediately stand out. Matador, one of the largest and most respected indie labels, has decided based on this and a few other low budget, home-made tracks that Kurt has the potential to develop into something greater, and I am inclined to agree. I anxiously await Kurt's first Matador-released album.
This show was also part of last week's Northside Festival, at an obscure venue that I had never heard of called The Shank. Let me just come out and say that the Shank is one of the shiftiest "venues" I have been to. In fact, to call it a venue would be stretching it, as it consists of nothing more than a room with no stage, a crappy bar with nothing on tap, and what appears to be someone's living room via a sketchy door right before you go in. It was also hot as balls in there, I had sweated through my shirt within 10 minutes and was ready for a fresh one (didn't have one). I guess in Greenpoint they just make up venues on the spot, willy-nilly. There's just no way that "The Shank" is an actual licensed establishment of any kind. Some pictures from Kurt's show: 
More pics at flickr.
Some Links:
Kurt Vile: No, Don't Bring Me Weed (Interview on LA Record)
Six Questions for Kurt Vile (Washington Post)
Rehearsal V: “Song for John in D” - Kurt Vile (Musicology)
Reader Comments (2)
Less Artists, More Condos does this where they hold shows at "venues" that are either hipster lofts and/or rehearsal spaces.
You must check out God Is Saying This To You... ! As much as I love Constant Hitmaker, I inevitably go back to his bedroom recordings.
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