I Was There: Rilo Kiley @ House of Blues 5/26/2008

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's been a while since I posted...no excuse...time just got away from me...

Anyway...

It was an impulse buy really. Saw the show listed on an email newsletter couple weeks back: Rilo Kiley. I've been missing way too many bands in the last couple of months and I didn't want to miss RK...esp. since only Kali knows when they'll make it back here again. Grabbed my Partner in Crime and headed down to the House of Blues...

House of Blues...I both hate the place and dig it. It's nice enough but it's sorta small and the what seats there are generally go fast and are expensive. But the sound is pretty good, the atmosphere generally congenial, and the beer over-priced. Pabst tall boys aren't really as much of an ironic statement here so much as a survival strategy for your wallet.

Nik Freitas I think there's a circle of Hell where the torture consists of having to listen to bad singer-songwriters for all of eternity. If so, the first opening act for Rilo Kiley, Nik Freitas, may very well find a place in Satan's hierarchy. He started off with two low-key songs and while they weren't bad...they were adequate singer-songwriter fare and well, at best, they reminded me of watered down Dylan. But way too low key and slow to start out a night of live music. Then...he was joined by a band...and he played an organ...and then back to the guitar. It seemed like he wanted to show off his versatility...but there's this phrase that goes "jack of all trades, master of none." He also lacked any kind of presence as a performer. And I don't know much about drumming, but I know this: the drummer who joined him on stage laid down the most awful repetitive and boring drum beats. The bigger sin was the drums were so loud and jarring they completely drowned out all the other uninteresting things happening on stage. I'm tempted to dismiss this act as jumped up elevator music, but I will concede that it could make for pleasant background noise...if only in Hell..

The Spinto Band A better bet than the first band, much more up beat and energetic and occasionally we could even make out words! Seriously, HOB has a pretty good sound system these bands shouldn't have vocals that are drowned out or which sound all mush mouthed. The Spinto Band had a lot of people on stage. How much or many of them are essential to the band's sound...I couldn't tell you. I will say that there were between 2-3 people sharing vocal duty. I want to say that they remind me of Weezer, but they don't really sound like Weezer at all. They were entertaining for a while, but I quickly lost interest not being familiar with their work and not being able to actually make out much of what they were singing. I think this is another case of the band just not being my thing. I give them props for employing a kazoo at one point...

Rilo Kiley Rocked. I was critical RK's last album Under the Blacklight. On the first couple of listens I really didn't like it. On repeated listens, well, I hate to sound cliché, but it kind of grows on you. Live? Well, live the music from the album is really really good. But frontwoman Jenny Lewis and the rest of the band are really talented individuals and their live show is a different beast from their recorded effort. Remember up above I mentioned that Nik Freitas was trying to do too much, show too much? Well, Jenny sang her heart out, played guitar, played keys, and had great stage presence. And one hell of a voice. The entire band played like the extremely talented professionals they are. Real class act all around. And for all the fun they were having and all of Jenny Lewis' playing to the crowd and instrument switching, the band did not miss a beat. The entire performance was tight, flowing nearly seamlessly from one song to the next.

Set list? Yeah, I have one thanks to the efforts and keen mind and ears of my Partner in Crime. Most of the songs are from Under the Blacklight and More Adventurous (last two albums) with a few songs from The Execution of all Things.

Close call
The Moneymaker
Dreamworld
Capturing Moods
Breakin' Up
Does He Love You?
Ripchord
The Absence of God
With Arms Outstretched
Hail to Whatever you Found in the Sunlight that Surrounds You
It's a Hit
15
Silver Lining
I Never

And a 2 song encore:
A Better Son/Daughter
Portions for Foxes

Stand outs for me were "Does He Love You?," "With Arms Outstretched," and "15." PiC was really glad "A Better Son/Daughter" was played during the encore--it's her favorite song. We both were in agreement though that it was a good set and that Rilo Kiley was well worth seeing live.

Was there a downside to RK's performance? What did I think of the crowd? Aside from a guy trying too hard to look like a reject from My Chemical Romance blocking our line of sight to the stage, the crowd was pretty decent. Some real friendly people made idle chatter with us during the opening bands. Free watered down shots containing some flavor of Stoli were passed around by a shot girl who I desperately wanted to offer a sandwich. Not a bad crowd...well...okay, there was this one couple who really needed to get a room. I've never seen as much grab ass in public before. I mean the dude grabbed the girl and was miming penetration from behind at one point. It was disturbing... I mean I hardly think of the bulk of Rilo Kiley's music as "make out music" and certainly not penetration music...

Still and all, Rilo Kiley...is awesome live.