It's been such a long time since Jenny Lewis last played in Sacramento, California that she sighed a "finally we meet again" before the small crowd at the Empire Events Center.
I last saw the Rilo Kiley frontwoman perform in San Francisco's The Fillmore at the last official stop of her 2006 tour to support her solo debut Rabbit Fur Coat.
That concert, which featured The Watson Twins, was decidedly more theatrical at the historic Bay Area venue. Empire has more of a nightclub feel, and thus helped to elevate Lewis's performance as a one-woman show in the cozy, yet intimate space.
Lewis opened with the up-tempo pseudo-jam track "See Fernando" which helped rev up the all ages crowd. The concert's first half was Rabbit Fur Coat-heavy, mixing in rousing old numbers like "Big Guns" and "You Are What You Love" with Acid Tongue tracks like "Pretty Bird" and "Bad Man's World."
Always friendly and talkative, Lewis even introduced the audience to her friend Eric who was helping with onstage matters and who also has a special nickname that isn't Johnathan Rice's blurted "Sgt. Snuggles." One can only assume and wonder the truth.
Lewis felt the need to apologize to all the moms in the audience as she took off yet another article of clothing while sitting at the keyboard. First came the hat. Then the jacket went off, which prompted the appropriate screams and at least one swooning fan (and by a female no less). I think all the men got excited at the prospect of more stripping, but were disappointed for not being pleasured by the short shorts of her recent Pomona show.
Article comments
1 - Alisa
I think she was saying sorry to the moms because she was about to sing a song about a son killing a mom, not that she was taking off her jacket.
Eric is their roadie, I believe. He was there for past Jenny Lewis concerts too.
And she sang "Acid Tongue", not "Born Secular"
2 - Tan The Man
Hah. That shows you how a guy's mind thinks...