last night's gig

Rilo Kiley’s Jenny Lewis Makes Sweet Love to Thousands

Photo: Christopher Owyoung / Retna


“You guys are beautiful. This place is trippy — it’s like a big spaceship we’re all in together…” Blake Sennett was mooning about something on the first night of Rilo Kiley’s Monday-Tuesday stand at Terminal 5, but was anyone listening to the former child actor who co-writes the band’s songs and apparently is engaged to be wed to Winona Ryder? Somewhere on the periphery of our consciousness, like an itch: Donny, you’re out of your element … We were pure focus: Jenny Lewis. Voice smashing all the chatter about Terminal 5’s terrible sound. Legs, shooting out of a patterned jumper. Tina Turner. We understand now. The legs … Him, a little brother intruding on a make-out session, nothing more. Right hand: mike to her mouth. Left hand: turned curtly at the wrist, palm parallel to the stage. A little wiggle. Right arm shoots up! Later, she seats herself at the edge of the stage, on a monitor — crosses her legs. Flirts, left hand on her hip. Encore, last song, belting: “The talkin’ leads to touchin’, then touchin’ leads to sex — and then there is no mystery left…” But there was — plenty left. —Nick Catucci

Rilo Kiley’s Jenny Lewis Makes Sweet Love to Thousands