Contributed By: Beyond 2000
Created On: Thursday, 20 December 2007
Hits: 135
 Jeffrey Lewis The second pivotal moment with Jeffrey Lewis was under a railway track in East London, surrounded by appreciators whose lives had also been altered by hearing one simple song long ago. Last night. Cargo. The magic began with mind boggling Misty’s Big Adventure setting the stage. A man with blue skin, danced in an outfit made up of hands, and yet no one felt this an odd occurrence, as the Adventure stunned with their happy clapping riffs and circus beats.
And on to the big event. The humble man who had just been selling CDs and T-shirts beside the cloakroom, wanders on stage, as people murmur ‘is he the merchandise man? He can’t be any good’. It’s not until this nervous being breaks out into a mesmerising version of ‘Sex Therapist’, do the pennies drop all over the venue, and people begin to realise just how good this merchandise man really is. Early indication of his humorous but painfully honest writing talent amuses on ‘Don’t let your record company take you out to lunch’. An instant crowd pleaser.
And it’s not just his picture perfect story telling that enthrals, but also the theories behind historical events that he somehow manages to slot into the set without too much bewilderment. Tonight’s history lesson is a documentary on communism in China, told in front of a cartoon background. Not only can this guy write and perform, but didn’t I mention that he also is a highly talented comic book artist? The entire lo-fi comic ethos fits perfectly with the anti-folk brush that Lewis is often painted with.
The genre that no one quite ‘gets’ groups Jeffrey Lewis and the Jitters with alt hero Daniel Johnston; the sorely missed Moldy Peaches, and the uber cool Regina Spektor. But it is Lewis’s old time influences that set him apart. Some of which are on show in ‘Williamsburg Will Oldham’ aka Bonnie Prince Billy, and ‘The Chelsea Hotel Oral Sex Song’, a wonderful update of Leonard Cohen’s iconic tale. Lewis although a thoroughly contemporary artist, has more roots in The Fall, Grateful Dead and Mr Cohen, than even Mark E. Smith can brag.
Lewis’s comic interludes continue with crowd favourite ‘Champion Jim’, from a very early recording available only for 50 very lucky people. Jim is a touching tale of revenge, dismemberment, drowning, and dying, but above all, fighting on, and doing this all without any limbs.
Lewis’s touring band features his also highly talented brother Jack, who bears an almighty resemblance to Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite fame. Despite, or more likely because of, his Mexican facial hair and ace trailer park t-shirt, it is hard to take your eyes off this rocking and rolling ball of hair and guitar. The entire ensemble create a perfect anti-folk band, and add to Lewis’s back catalogue of entirely underrated LPs.
An all too short set is brought to a triumphant close, but much to the crowds delight, the merchandise man returns to play a classically touching selection of early recordings. ‘Heavy Heart’ from 2001’s masterpiece ‘The Last Time I Did Acid I Went Insane,’ hushes the crowd’s previous request heckles and you could hear a pin drop beneath the East End arches. This ethereal edge switches for the first real rock vibes of the night, on even older track ‘Journey to the Centre of the Earth’. The Jitters exit stage left and the audience are left realising that they are in the presence of someone truly gifted. No merchandise seller in sight. Just Mr Jeffrey Lightening Lewis.{mos_ri}
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