Citay, Psychic Ills, Vetiver play Tonic NYC

Last night (Thursday, July 20) the scene for me was Tonic with Vetiver, the Psychic Ills and Citay.  With the downstairs closed, Tonic reminded me of one of those trailers you had when your high school was overpopulated.  Small, hot, awkwardly intimate.

Citay started the night with jam band filler.  Their set quickly became background music; Something to tap along to while waiting for the bartender to notice you.  The only songs that were enjoyable were the ones the lead singer didn't participate in.

The Psychic Ills took the stage next.  
Take your friend who likes to see how long he can go without sleep and throw him on stage with your other friend who always had the better chemistry set than you, and what you have done is just mirrored the insanity that is the Psychic Ills.  It wouldn't be appropriate for me to continue with this review without mentioning the sexy female bassist who was melting the hearts of both boys and girls alike.  
So, what about the music?
The Psychic Ills will be the next big thing, just not this minute.
Dins, their most recent release should have been a four track EP versus a complete record.  Anyone whose listened to their full record will tell you how the whole thing blends together in a hodgepodge of noise.  It's the occasional stunner like January Rain that peeks your interest, makes you realize there's something there.  The live performance was the same as the album.  If the Ills would take the time to shape each individual song instead of blurring them all together they'd probably avoid getting swallowed up in the tidal wave of sound they produce.  I've put the Psychic Ills on hold for the next year until they mature a bit.

Ahh, and now Vetiver.
"People were coming up to me saying I look Amish, I thought they said honest."
That's how Andy opened the night.  He does look honest.
There's a certain warmth wrapped around Vetiver's songs.
Oh Papa came first.
It's unfortunate that such a beautiful song was lost by background chatter and the sounds of people settling.  Approximately four songs later Vetiver picked it up with You May Be Blue, and from that point on we were cruising.  We dropped our trousers for Red Lantern Girls, a kid in the front screamed for the brake down and Andy responded with "Holy Guacamole."  Vetiver has the ability to take a rather placid song and infuse it with a seven member liveliness.  This is what makes seeing them live so great.  They have the gift of knowing what you want to hear, when you want to hear it.