“To really get it, you’ve got to see them live” may be a music fan cliche as tired as yelling “Free Bird,” but, what can I say – I feel that I can never truly understand a band or artist until I see them in front of a crowd. Part of this is because it lets me get a greater sense of their personality by seeing them interact with their fans (and in some cases, it lets me see who their fans actually are), but it also gives me a greater sense of what they were trying to accomplish with their records. At least, that’s always been my interpretation of it – obviously there are many artists who aren’t particularly interested in performing live and commit themselves totally to creating music in the studio, but I tend to prefer bands that rise out of physical scenes and try to convey a sense of regional identity or personality, and there’s only so much you can learn about that identity by listening to their albums.

Kiwi jr are one of those bands. A post-punk and new wave influenced four piece from Canada, Kiwi jr are led by the wordy Jeremy Gaudet, the modern day embodiment of the musician-enjoyed-by-critics-because-he-looks-like-them archetype pioneered by Elvis Costello. Gaudet’s vivid lyrics include some compelling characters and evocative imagery, but there always felt like there was a bit of a sneer to his storytelling. I’m not opposed to sneer – some of my favorite artists thrive on it – but I did wonder how this would translate to a live show, if only because I’ve sometimes seen that sneer imprint itself on an audience, which is an unpleasant experience for everybody.

The sneer at Berlin NYC was at a minimum. Instead, Kiwi jr. seemed more interested in proving what a tight and impressive live band they are, ripping through a catalog-spanning set that left me with a new appreciation for their frenzied-but-focused sound. The heart of the group isn’t songs like “The Extra Sees the Film” or “Nashville Wedding,” where Gaudet homes in on tragedy or contempt, but rather “Downtown Area Blues,” in which the group lauds their “downtown area fans.” Gaudet may be smart, but he’s also just one of the guys – and the tempo and sinew of his band’s live show, which doesn’t always translate on record, helps hammer that point home.

Nowhere is this distinction made starker than “Night Vision,” a moderately paced rocker from 2022’s Chopper that features some atmospheric keyboards, but takes on a much quicker, guitar-focused shape live. Guitarist Brian Murphy hopped on the keys when necessary, but for “Night Vision” he focused on his fretwork, digging in on the wobbling lead from the song’s bridge to give it some extra heft. The increase in pace helped Gaudet’s lyrics, too – on the record, lines like “It might take another year”/”It might take a shotgunned beer” never stood out to me, but on stage he was able to inject them with a newfound urgency. Likewise, whatever’s lost by sacrificing the jangle of a song like “Waiting in Line” for its sleeker, punkier live arrangement (that nonetheless features Gaudet playing a twelve-string guitar) is made up for in the increased shoutability of its title. Slightly more literary lines like “I’ll never recover from the color of your tears”/”When you came home from spring break after thirteen years” from “The Sound of Music” proved to be surprisingly effective crowd participation moments. Halfway through the set, Gaudet asked if anyone saw Kiwi jr’s show at the same venue last year – a particularly enthusiastic group to my right roared their confirmation. Gaudet declared them his “special boys” and the “Kiwi jr jr’s” – when the band stops by New York again, you’ll be able to count me amongst their ranks.