Steadfast funk rock 3-piece Real Be Easys [Official Site] has been playing their native New York bar circuit for the past few months, and venues great and small are thankful for it. I caught them early in their latest circuit at Snitch Bar on West 21st, a smoky joint known more for their party atmosphere and background music than for fostering the best sound in their performers. In the preprogrammed lighting and apparent lack of sound technician, acts often flounder a bit. Real Be Easys could have been one of those, but there is much to be said for confidence in one’s sound, and lead singer Evan Jaffee and crew have plenty of it. Amidst the chaos, the band played a short but solid set, managing highlights in favorites like “Rollin’ My Jays” (a bonus track in demo form on their first record) and a spectacular guitar solo on new track “Milk and Honey.” Still, there were disappointments, mostly in the venue (don’t bother if you actually care about the artist), but also in the set list, a self conscious hard rock showcase that was built more for the venue than to actually display the band’s eclectic style and influences. At the show I picked up a copy of their new self titled EP, and an assurance that a coming residency at famed Arlene’s Grocery would better showcase the band’s trademark sound.

Real Be Easys headlined Arlene’s every Thursday in May, and I caught the third show, the thought being to see them as comfortable as they could be in their new surroundings. I was not disappointed. The venue was perfect for their party oriented sound, and the crowd was drunk and not averse to the dancing to the rhythm section’s riotous beats. The set list was far better suited to show off their diverse abilities than at Snitch, and favorites like “Ipso Facto” and “Defunkt” were centerpieces once again. Show opener “The Mall” seemed calculated to play the audience into a hard rock show, and did not fail.

The big surprise of the night was seeming album track “Schizophrenic Man,” a passable song in the studio but a jaw dropper on stage. Evan pulled out his solo skills for this one, energetically throwing himself about the performance area like so much jungle animal. The crowd’s response was undeniably at its peak, and the band responded with three more solid tracks. The set concluded with “Rollin’ My Jays,” keeping with new found tradition.

An eight dollar bar show, this was a solid night out. The band was solid, there were four other acts of various sensibilities, and Arlene’s has always been an unassuming but excellent venue. Follow Real Be Easys website to check tour status, and don’t forget to visit Arlene’s Grocery for solid underground rock, and their live Karaoke on Monday nights.

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