Jenny Lewis
Words: Sean Moore / Photos: Kelsey Riordan
It’s hard to think of things to say about Jenny Lewis that haven’t been said before. Lewis is a very admired indie rock queen from her time with the seminal indie rock band Rilo Kiley to her multiple projects like Jenny and Johnny, Nice as F*ck, and a number of guest appearances. Over the past decade or so, Jenny Lewis’ solo career has really blossomed into a clear definition of who she is as an artist. Last night’s headlining show at the State Theatre in Portland showcased her extraordinary ability to put on a show that was a visual spectacle with a stage set-up that reminded me of something out of the 1970s variety shows. It’s clear that Lewis loves bright colors, from the lights, her guitar, her piano, all the way to her shiny sequined dress. I could not help but think back to January when country-pop star Kacey Musgraves performed on the same stage with a similar aesthetic.
During her solo career, Jenny Lewis has released 4 incredible albums, Rabbit Fur Coat, Acid Tongue, The Voyager, and this year’s On the Line, which she’s been touring behind both as an opener for Death Cab for Cutie this past summer which also brought her to Portland and as a headliner.
Last night she came out to the song “867-5309 (Jenny)” by Tommy Tutone, very unironically and then immediately broke into the lead single from On the Line “Heads Gonna Roll” which rang through the entire building. The crowd cheered happily and never let up all night. Although there wasn’t much dancing happening, the crowd was definitely enjoying themselves and attentive. Credit must be given to Jenny Lewis for that, because she never really gave the audience a chance to talk amongst themselves. She played 9 songs from her latest album, including the party-ready “Do Si Do” and “Wasted Youth” early in her set. It was great to hear a couple of her songs with The Watson Twins (re: “Happy” and “Born Secular,” which was one of the slower songs of the night).
Before Lewis and her band played “The Voyager,” Lewis told the crowd a story about the recording of the song and how her producer wasn’t happy with how it sounded and how he wanted something more radio-ready. She recorded it the way it sounds on the album regardless, and then on a vacation in Jamaica, she recorded a sort of “remix” after “smoking some weed and getting a group of session-ready musicians, and a studio, for super cheap.” Then, she played the Caribbean-styled remix of the song and the crowd loved it. Lewis is very outspoken about her use of marijuana both in her songs and in conversations and before her next song, she mentioned how “the room smells good,” in reference to the smell of weed hovering in the air, but then interjected a warning about the smoke, because “the last time I played here, with Kurt Vile, there was some smoking upstairs in the bathroom and the smoke alarms went off and everyone had to evacuate. When the firemen and policemen came, they found a roach and asked who it belonged to and I said, ‘it’s mine!’ So, now there’s a sign warning that smoking will cost you a $2500 fine, and that’s because of me. So, you’re welcome!” She said with a laugh and an unapologetic grin. The crowd cheered loudly, and the show went on. Hearing “She’s Not Me,” “Red Bull and Hennessey,” and “Just One of the Guys” back-to-back-to-back was definitely a highlight for me. In the middle of “Little White Dove,” gigantic multi-colored balloons were released from the otherwise empty balcony and a party ensued, with the majority of the balloons lasting through the next two or three songs. But then, Lewis played “Silver Lining” from Rilo Kiley’s final album as the penultimate song on her set and everyone (including me) just about lost their minds for the unexpected, pleasant surprise. The set ended with the title track from On the Line, but the crowd demanded more.
Lewis obliged. She played “Dogwood” on piano, alone on stage. The band joined her for yet another Rilo Kiley song, perhaps one of my all-time favorites, too. The way Jenny Lewis’ voice carries the notes on “I Never” is something to be admired. In fact, I noticed throughout the whole night that she strategically held the microphone at least a couple inches away from her mouth because the proximity was unnecessary for how incredibly strong her voice carries through it. I was utterly amazed by her vocal abilities. “Rabbit Hole” was the perfect ending song for the night, complete with a guy dressed like a rabbit prancing around the stage.
She definitely proved herself a worthy headliner, as she’s done time and time again. If you missed her, either Saturday night or with Death Cab for Cutie, you should not miss her next time.
