At Kilby Court with Slow Pulp
Article written and photos by Gentry White
On Tuesday, Oct. 10, Wisconsin-originated and now Chicago-based indie rock band Slow Pulp visited Kilby Court in Salt Lake City, Utah for the North American leg of their tour. Celebrating the release of their newest album Yard on Sept. 29, 2023, Slow Pulp graced the Court with commanding vocals from lead Emily Massey, Teddy Matthews on the drums, Alex Leeds on bass, with Henry Stoehr, and guest musician Javier Reyes on guitar. Preceded by New York’s Babehoven as the opener, Kilby Court was at full capacity for lovely, unique music on a seemingly mundane weeknight in Utah.
Slow Pulp originally released their first EP in 2015 with Matthews, Leeds, and Stoehr at the forefront, and, in 2017, a second entitled EP2 in which Massey first made her appearance. Their full-length, self-produced debut album Moveys was released in 2020 and was met with positive reviews. In support of this first album, Slow Pulp went on tour with renowned artists Pixies, Death Cab for Cutie, and Alvvays.
For those who have not yet had the privilege of attending a show at the infamous Kilby Court, the stage is set up in a small indoor space, with a courtyard-esque area on the outside with available seating. Those not wishing to be condensed amongst members of the crowd can sit outdoors in chairs or on benches and listen to the music flow from a small distance. Kilby Court is known for its Kilby Block Party, an annual festival that takes place in downtown Salt Lake – where artists and listeners come from all over to participate. The May 2023 lineup included bands like Hippo Campus, Japanese Breakfast, The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and more.
Slow Pulp’s show at Kilby showcased their distinctive mixture of brooding lyrics, blurred vocals, distorted instrumentals, and explosive bits of volume to an intimate, but enthusiastic audience. The energy was particularly electric during hit songs like Falling Apart, Slugs, and High. Many of the attendees were familiar with lyrics, for instance, from songs like Doubt where Massey, nearly breathless, sang out, “Take me in and size me up/I know you’re not always a judge/Am I not enough or too much?”
Javier Reyes made the quartet shine just that much more with the added ease and style expressive of his other project: psychedelic rock band Post Animal. Reyes also released a solo album titled Big Amigo in 2021. You can find him on Instagram.
This year marks an important one for the group, as they have now released their sophomore album (Yard), signed with ANTI-Records, and begun touring as the titular act. After a day off, Slow Pulp and Babehoven will return to the stage on Oct. 12 in Seattle, WA, and a show in Canada the following day.
For more tour dates, please visit the link here.
