Photos and review By Michelle Morrissette Cucchiaro
Show Photos: HERE
It was Wednesday, June 4th and I’d been asked to cover a show up at the State Theater in Portland, Maine. The State is a great venue. It’s not too big and not too small. It’s just right.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the evening’s events as I wasn’t familiar with any of the bands I was about to witness. There were two openers, Steve Gunn and Kurt Vile and the Violators, and the headliner, Jenny Lewis. I arrived early and milled about the crowd to get a feel for the fans. They were youngish, 20-30-somethings. They were artsy types for sure. I imagined that this kind of fan mix was pretty typical for this venue as Portland is draw to those who enjoy the arts-on-the-water environment.
Jenny Lewis is a breath of fresh air. She really has a lovely voice and given the crowd that showed for this gig I’m not the only one who thinks so. Jenny engages her audience. She’s warm toward them, she acknowledges them and she shows them appreciation for having come out to see her.
She opened her set at the keys. The stage was dark but for the spot that illuminated her porcelain skin and long red locks. Her voice was sweet and melodic and would prove to be in stark contrast to tunes performed later in the evening. It was a slow build as audience and performer warmed. Jenny switched from keyboard to electric guitar and then the party started! Jenny kicked it into high gear and totally rocked the house! It wasn’t a long set, maybe an hour, but what she put out was quality and was met with appreciative cheers from her many adoring fans. All in all a great performance and definitely worth the go-see.
Jenny Lewis at The State Theater – ME
