Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile- Thalia Hall, Chicago 10/27/17

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Combining witty lyrics laden with completely odd, intriguing, and catchy metaphors, masterful guitar jams, and a stage chemistry that showcases a genuine enjoyment, admiration and love of playing together and you have a recipe for a great duet group.  That formula was evident before a capacity crowd at Thalia Hall in Chicago on a brisk Friday evening when Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile took the stage with their combined all-star band "Sea Lice."  The intercontinental friendship of the two stellar songsmiths hailing from Melbourne, AU (Barnett) and Philadephia, PA (Vile),
was evident from the opening laid back groove of "Over Everything," the single and first track off of their stellar album together, Lotta Sea Lice.  What makes Lotta Sea Lice such a treat of a record is how it balances the songwriting strengths of both Barnett and Vile, two writers who tend to focus on the quirky nuances that define the human experience.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

On "Let It Go," Barnett and Vile literally finish each other's sentences while building a lush soundscape of blues inspired guitar licks around them.  Barnett is an incredibly powerful vocalist, and her lead on "Fear is Like A Forest," a tune penned by her partner and opening act Jen Cloher, has a haunting delivery that plays well against trippy guitar work of Vile. 

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Likewise, when given the chance to take lead vocals, Vile delivered with his signature laid back swagger on tacks like "On Tour" (off of Vile's Smoke Ring for my Halo album from 2011) and "Life Like This" (from 2015's, believe i'm going down) 

While Barnett and Vile were exceptional when taking the lead on tracks, they were even more powerful when their songs were done together.  "Continental Breakfast" was the highlight of the show with masterful duet roles in the characters in the songs, coming from "a hotel in East Bumble, Wherever, somewhere on the sphere around here."

Special props go to Janet Weiss, the former Sleater Kinney drummer, who did a phenomenal job delivering powerful beats on the skins. 

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Opening for Barnett and Vile was Jen Cloher, a fellow Melbourne song smith.  Playing music by yourself on stage with just a guitar can be a challenge to engage the crowd, but the audience was greatly appreciative of Jen's clever lyrics and fun stories between songs that dotted her thirty minute support set.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch