Fresh from Forecastle appearance, Vile and company bring A-game to Mill & Mine
By John Flannagan
Prior to Kurt Vile and his band The Violators taking to the stage at the Mill & Mine in downtown Knoxville on Sunday, July 15, Dylan Carlson, founder of iconic hard-rock band Earth, opened the night’s proceedings by playing drone-drenched solo electric guitar – a style he helped pioneer. Interestingly, Carlson was Kurt Cobain’s best friend and one-time roommate, and he also happened to purchase the shotgun that Cobain later used in his suicide. As a result of this unfortunate connection, Carlson has made numerous appearances in conspiracy-themed documentaries over the years – most notably in “Kurt & Courtney,” a controversial film by Nick Broomfield, the same person who directed “Biggie & Tupac.”
So aside from the music itself, there were several other compelling factors that led to my decision to catch the opener. Returning to Knoxville for the first time since Earth performed at Scruffy City Hall during the 2014 edition of Big Ears, Carlson stuck to a doom-and-gloom formula throughout his time on stage. However, seeing him dawning a cowboy hat while playing this style sucked me in from the start. He was appreciative of the opportunity, thanking “Kurt and the boys” for including him on the tour and dedicating “Black Cat” to them at the end of his set.
Following the intermission, Vile and his group emerged onstage promptly at 9:15. wasting no time in commencing the rock as they kicked off with “Wheelhouse” before moving to the banjo-dominant track “I’m an Outlaw.” From there, the guitar-swapping by Vile and instrument-swapping by Jesse Trbovich and Rob Laakso was never-ending for the remainder of the show. Keyboard, saxophone, bass and rhythm-guitar duties were shared by those two, which was one of the most impressive aspects of the concert. They were in the pocket from the onset despite the changes, and they commanded the audience by sheer musical chops.
In addition to the aforementioned banjo, Vile played at least five different guitars over the course of the night, as well as an acoustic for several numbers. Vile himself was engaging throughout the show, smiling and giving one heck of an Elvis snarl – which seemingly had to be a special nod to Tennessee. Before playing “Goldtone,” a highlight of the set, Vile asked the audience, “What’s there to do in Knoxville? Rob was wondering.” Various bars and a few shouts of “my house” were among the audience’s answers.
As for the rest of the set, Vile and company poured through hits including “Peeping Tomboy,” “Wakin on a Pretty Day” and the popular “Pretty Pimpin,” which had everyone in attendance singing note-for-note, even adding a little Ric Flair “whoo!” during the chorus and proving once and for all that this town loves that sound. For me, the underrated “Freak Train” was the standout track during this masterful set. When it was all said and done, the band had played for nearly two straight hours. We even got a one-song encore at the end, as the group came back out to play “Baby’s Arms,” the cherry on top of a beautiful Sunday sundae that sent everyone home on a happy note.
