Small stage flats of lovingly painted clouds and keyboard stands adorned with cotton sheets of rainbows and starscapes made the sold out crowd seem emotionally ready for a live high school production of Instead, trotted out with a big smile under her bangs, “What up, D?” Enormous cheers. Deafening cheers. The woman has fans. Loud fans.
With the youthful nostalgia of 2014’s Ryan Adams produced “The Voyager” extending far beyond the visuals of the album, Lewis sang rock/country/pop songs about yesteryear with the strength and vibrancy of someone half her age. Never missing a chance to wink and smile, she hypnotized the sardine can of a crowd. Two thirds were singing the chorus to “Slippery Slopes” at the tops of their lungs, while the rest were just screaming when Lewis jumped on her box to shake for “The Moneymaker.” Seriously, these fans had the electricity of a Barack Obama rally in the Fall of 2008.
And it wasn’t limited to the old stuff! Lewis’ current album is garnering the same enthusiasm for singalongs. One of the most excitedly received songs was “Late Bloomer,” along with other acerbic storytelling ditties like finale “She’s Not Me” and vacation-gone-wrong anthem “Aloha & the Three Johns.” Lewis couldn’t pick a dud of a song to play if she tried.
You can bet that most of these rabid fans will be at Red Rocks early on Friday to see Lewis open for Beck.
Set List:
Silver Lining
Just One of the Guys
Head Underwater
Slippery Slopes
Pretty Bird
The Moneymaker
Next Messiah
Bad Man’s World
Rise Up (With Fists)
The New You
Late Bloomer
You Are What You Love
Aloha & the Three Johns
Love U Forever
A Better Son/Daughter
Acid Tongue
She’s Not Me
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Marc Hobelman makes websites at The Denver Post, tweets pictures of his cat and is a regular contributor to Reverb.
