Pop Break Live: Jenny Lewis at The Met in Philadelphia, PA
Singer-songwriter Jenny Lewis played The Met in Philadelphia on October 26 touring in support of her fourth solo album, On the Line, which was released in March. Lewis, the former lead singer for indie band Rilo Kiley brought along friends The Watson Twins to open up the show. The Watson Twins harmonies were stunning and it didn’t hurt to have a killer backing band. It set the tone for what would be a very special show.
Jenny Lewis, all glammed up, walked out onto the dimly lit stage wearing a gorgeous gold sequin dress, which was a perfect match for the ’70s inspired stage setup surrounding her. She started the night off front and center at her piano and played “Heads Gonna Roll” and “Wasted Youth,” two great new songs off her latest release. Throughout the rest of the night there was a great vibe in the room and the connection between Lewis and the audience was apparent from the moment she walked out on stage.
The setlist was the perfect mix of old and new. Fans screamed out on the very recognizable opening chords to the Rilo Kiley song “Silver Lining”, clapped along to “She’s not Me” and danced to the catchy pop song “Just one of the Guys’. The Watson Twins joined her on stage for “Rise Up With Fists”, a song from Lewis’s 2006 album Rabbit Fur Coat, which featured the twins. New songs such as “Do Si Do,’ “Red Bull and Hennessy” and “Hollywood Lawn” really stood out. A really fun part of the night happened when giant pink and blue balloons fell into the crowd during “Little White Dove.”
She also threw in a great cover of Dylan’s “Standing in the Doorway.” Lewis had all the right moves on “Born Secular” and at the end threw in a couple Jesus walks lines. She hit it out of the park on that one. She mentioned right before the song that her dad was from Philly and had gone to a famous harmonica school here. Lewis said she felt really connected to this place and that the ghost of the past and our ancestors were all with us in the room tonight. It was a cool moment.
Lewis encored with “Taffy,” “Party Clown” and “I Never.” She ended the show with “Rabbit Hole.” As the rest of her stellar band continued playing, she was carried off stage by a man dressed in a large pink bunny suit. Now how do you top that?
This was one of those rare shows where every song seemed like a highlight. The show was that good! It was the type of performance that kind of lingers with days after the show is over. What an incredible night of music at The Met.
Setlist:
Heads Gonna Roll
Wasted Youth
Head Underwater
Happy (Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins cover)
The Voyager
Do Si Do
She’s Not Me
Rise Up With Fists!! (Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins cover)
You Are What You Love (Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins cover)
Hollywood Lawn
Red Bull & Hennessy
Just One of the Guys
Little White Dove
Born Secular (Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins cover)
Standing in the Doorway (Bob Dylan cover)
Silver Lining (Rilo Kiley song)
Encore:
Taffy
Party Clown
I Never (Rilo Kiley song)
Rabbit Hole
