Since this show was on the same day as the Super Bowl, we left the party we were attending at halftime, and made it to the Angel Orensanz Foundation just in time to see JENNY LEWIS. Thus, we completely missed M. WARD, the unannounced opener for this evening’s show. Almost as soon as we walked in, Lewis took the stage, accompanied by THE WATSON TWINS on backing vocals and JOHNATHAN RICE on guitar.
From the first moment she opened her mouth to sing, over the strains of “Run Devil Run,” the opening track on her debut solo album Rabbit Fur Coat, we knew we were in for something very special. Something about the majesty of this beautiful (and unfortunately not very well maintained, though that added even more mystique to the setting) old synagogue and the stripped-down nature of the show suited each other perfectly.
Playing no RILO KILEY songs, Lewis instead focused on material from Rabbit Fur Coat, with the unquestionable highlights of her main set being stunning versions of the title track and the closing one, “Born Secular,” with Lewis on piano. Her voice sounded beautiful, and it was easy to make out The Watson Twins’ harmonies as well, because of the excellent sound. She also played “Paradise,” a song from a split 7” single with the band WHISPERTOWN 2000.
For the encore, she started with a song I didn’t recognize (it sounded like a ‘60s girl-group song) with The Watson Twins joining her a cappella. Next, she was joined by M. Ward for “It Wasn’t Me,” followed by a duet with Johnathan Rice on the old gospel song “Cold Jordan.”
If there was one sticking point for me, it was that “Handle With Care” (a cover of the TRAVELING WILBURYS’ 1989 hit) wasn’t played, even though M. Ward and CONOR OBERST, who both are on the Rabbit Fur Coat version, were in attendance. (Oberst joined M. Ward for a song in his set, though again, I missed it.) In all fairness, though, BEN GIBBARD is also on that track, and he wasn’t in attendance. Though I suppose that Rice could’ve taken his place. Regardless, it was still a magical show for those of us who chose to skip all or part of the Super Bowl.
