Last Sunday night me and the mister went to see Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins at the Angel Orensanz Foundation and bless my little soul for being "this" close to welling up because of how great this was. Sigh.
I shall proceed.
Get there and M. Ward is opening. I'm like who the eff is this joker cause I didn't hear him introduce himself and after 10 minutes I'm like all about the fool and then realize, "Oh snap, this is M. WARD! Mr. fancy pants musician/producer/bon vivant and friend of indie rockers from sea to shining sea." After that was out of the way dude get off the stage and it just turned real glorious*...
All of a sudden the lights go down and I heard the Jenny and the gals singing "Run Devil Run" and look down from the balcony and they are slowly walking from the back of the room to the stage all harmonizing and shit. Then they get on stage, old girl...that being Ms. Lewis, straps on her geetar and then they bust out into "The Big Guns" and it's a balls out hootenanny. There was no rhythm section, just another guitarist, the back-up singers, the Jenny and another dude getting his slide/keys on...and it was great!
She did almost ALL of the songs from her AMAZING solo album, Rabbit Fur Coat, and goddammit if that shite didn't hold up like a good bra. Hell. She was singing and I was swooning like a fool. The whole thing was like taken to church...there were even programs y'all...motherfucking programs! If they had passed along a collection plate I would have but a bill in the bitch. Swear to the Gyllenhaal I would.
Okay, so this is where she KILLED me. My favorite song on this album is "Born Secular". Now check it. The rest of the band leaves, except for my flame haired friend and her back-up singers. She gets behind the keyboard does her thing and lets out a voice that would have angels being like, "Oh shit, that bitch is trying to take my job!" While playing her keyboardist comes back...starts playing next to her...takes over...and then she and the Watson Twins leave the stage and SANG back down the aisle to the back of the room and just let their voices float to the rafters. Nah, for real, I totally had a tear perched in the corner of my left eye...cause that's the lazy one...ret to roll down. It was so beautiful.
They then come back for an encore, have everyone get up, pull out their hymnals and sing along on one last song. Big breath and sigh. I totally have a crush on her.
The joyous Jenny Lewis will be back in the NYC March 18th and YOU have to go. Don't sleep on this, I'm not kidding at all. I would make an appearence but I will flying to Vietnam for a two week jaunt with Mr. Read. Yeah, I'm bragging. I don't care.
Check out her website and the video for "Rise Up With Fists!" Has a 'Hee Haw' vibe about it plus Sarah Silverman and the adorable James Valentine of Maroon 5 is in it...dude plays on the album.
http://www.jennylewis.com/
*Um, yeah, Conor Oberst was also there but the mini-mogul gets so much press I don't feel the need to add to that. Oh, but special shout to Jim Jones of My Morning Jacket for rocking the mic too.
