|
Words: Nick Christian It’s taken Rilo Kiley nearly ten years to get here, to a stage this broad and performing to a crowd this expansive. Of course this isn’t so long, but most bands seem to enjoy it when it comes their way. Rilo Kiley look, if not uncomfortable, but as if they’d like the audience to be a bit closer and perhaps to have a little less room. The Empire, while a perfectly pleasant theatre space, is an atmospheric vacuum. The wet weather and sodden shoes doesn’t help; it would take nothing less than a suicide bomber to get these fuckers on their feet and screaming. It is, as expected, a set taken largely from the band’s recent recording, Under The Blacklight. This is no bad thing as major label debut More Adventurous was a poor representation of the band, oozing mediocrity and wiffing more than a little of an Ally McBeal tribute album. Remember Ally McBeal? Uh no, me neither. Having never received a formal release over here the first two albums are unlikely to ever get much of a look in at a UK performance. It therefore comes as a pleasant surprise that ‘Picture of Success’ and ‘Execution of All Things’ find a place on tonight’s setlist. It is with a more mature voice that Jenny Lewis sings these tracks from an innocent age. Still sweet but not saccharine. The
new songs are indie and pop with harmoniously equal measures of each.
I’m delighted that Lewis, the petitely perfect pop package, can
now afford backing vocalists and it certainly adds to the live performance.
But it’s not enough. I want more from them and I want less and I
can’t help think they want the same. |
 |
Iron and Wine - The Shepherd's Dog Dead Meadow - Live at Brighton Audio High on Fire w/Russian Circles - Live at Brm Barfly Rilo Kiley - Live at Shepherds Bush Empire Okkervil River - The Stage Names
|
||
|
||||
|
 |
|||
 |
||||
Rilo
Kiley - Shepherd’s Bush Empire