Real Estate has grown up quickly. Just this past summer, the band was playing to a half-attentive Toronto crowd at The Garrison. On Friday night, only half a year later, they quickly sold out Lee’s Palace, and this time around the crowd was completely tuned in.
When Real Estate was here last, they were road-testing songs that would later be released on their critically acclaimed new album, Days. The songs sounded good, but they hadn’t reached their full potential yet. At Lee’s Palace, the band sounded excited and confident. Even the notoriously shy Martin Courtney (lead vocals, guitar) seemed to be fully embracing his role as the band’s frontman.
The opening pairing of “Green River” and “Suburban Beverage” set the tone for what would be an energetic evening. Beers were raised as Courtney, lead guitarist Matt Mondanile and bassist Alex Bleeker chanted off party-ready lyrics: “Budweiser, Sprite do you feel alright?” Only two songs in, and Real Estate already had the audience in their pocket.
Next came a string of new tunes off of Days. Both “Municipality” and “Green Aisles” had the band locking into hypnotic, multi-guitar-driven grooves that had the complexity of good Built To Spill jams. Bleeker was turned way up in the mix, and his bouncy bass lines helped fuel the jams. An avid and outspoken Phish fan, you could tell Bleeker was channeling his inner Mike Gordon with his super melodic playing.
Towards the end of the set, Bleeker teased the crowd, claiming that “All The Same” (the longest song on Days) would be played for 25 minutes. That didn’t happen, but the song’s concluding jam was stretched out as the band ventured through numerous tempo changes and intertwining guitar melodies. It was here that Real Estate proved that showy guitar solos aren’t integral to great instrumental segments.
Before the end of their set, the audience sang Courtney a heartfelt rendition of “Happy Birthday,” though I’m still unsure whether or not it was actually his birthday. It seemed like more an ongoing prank led by Bleeker, as Courtney was hesitant to come on stage during the song.
Real Estate then played a quick rendition of “Kinder Blumen,” a song that’s apparently about German hippies in WWII, before launching into their most popular song, “Beach Comber.” Time and time again this song has proven to be the perfect show-ender, and it was no exception on Friday.
Early in their career, Real Estate were labeled mellow and shoe-gazey, mostly thanks to under-produced albums. The popularity of Days has given the band a newfound sense of confidence, and it’s only a matter of time before they’re labeled as one of the most exciting live bands on the touring circuit.
