The fine band Real Estate performed at Atlanta's Terminal West last night, the last evening of March Madness.
If you don't know what March Madness is by now, or if you think that it has something to do with a collegiate basketball tournament, then you haven't spent much time at this blog before.
The band Pure X opened, one of the quietest bands I've heard since, well, since the Dum Dum Girls. They played fine, jangley dream pop not at all unlike Real Estate, and it was pretty obvious why they were chosen to open for and tour with Real Estate. Despite the low volume, however, the sound sounded muddled and incoherent at times, marring what was otherwise an interesting and enjoyable performance.
Following Pure X's set, Real Estate played on one of the loveliest stage sets I've seen since, well, since Purity Ring, and had the volume and mix exactly right from the very beginning of their set.
They sounded terrific, with the twin guitars of Martin Courtney and Matt Mondanile chiming and harmonizing perfectly. Their joy and enthusiasm for playing guitar together was obvious through the set, which turned out to be an energetic one from a band that can sound laid back on record at times, and the enthusiastic audience cheered and egged them on throughout the show.
Sometimes I feel like I think that every show I just saw was the best of the year, which is actually a really nice way to experience these shows, but leaving last night's Real Estate set, I really did feel like I was present at something really special - a great, great show by a great, great band.
After a surf-rockish instrumental, the band teased the audience with the introduction to Black Sabbath's Iron Man during the encore, before settling in to play It's Real, probably their best known and most loved song.
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