Real Estate, Woods and... Real Woods

Woodsist buds Real Estate and Woods joined forces last night -- first on the bill then on the stage -- for a memorable show at Toronto's Horseshoe Tavern. Real Estate played a mix of their acclaimed debut, their solid followup EP (Reality) and a few odds-and-ends. Having caught them in November on the eve of their album's release, I'm happy to report that they haven't lost any of their mellow enthusiasm or airtight guitar interplay. In fact, they're sounding better than ever.

This was my third time seeing Woods in less than a year (having caught them at Soundscapes in May and Sneaky Dee's in August) and all three shows were surprisingly different. Last night's set was noticeably more abrasive than usual -- complete with a long, Sonic Youth-inspired horror jam -- but the band also delivered several of their most accessible, feel-good hits.

Best of all, the evening culminated with all eight members of Real Estate and Woods joining forces onstage (calling themselves "Real Woods") to perform a lively rendition of Blind Melon's maddening, yet memorable, "No Rain." Though Real Estate bass player Alex Bleeker made no effort to approximate the original's peculiar vocal stylings, Real Woods nailed everything else perfectly. Who knew Sundays could be this much fun? -- JD