Jeffrey Lewis, The Cluny, Newcastle
- Written by Lee Hammond
With what seems like a supporting cast of thousands, we arrive early on as DIY indie pop band Martha are just finishing their set, however, we do get the opportunity to catch the last couple of songs. Hailing from the small village of Pity Me in County Durham, these guys are truly on an upward trajectory having toured America and released their debut LP on Fortuna Pop.
Perfectly formed indie pop fills the air and it’s a great way for us to start our evening, these guys are certainly worth five minutes of anyone’s time. Next up is one of Jeffrey’s friends and touring buddies Seth Faergolzia of the band Dufus, he’s full of charisma and doesn’t fail to get the crowd dancing. With a new album recently released, tonight we hear the title track 'Doubting Won’t Do'and many other loop based jams.
Seth hops through a variety of genres, ranging from hyped up and overly excited tracks to something much more chilled out. Time seems to be kicking on but we’re extremely excited as Jeffrey Lewis and his band mates The Jrams take up their instruments. He bounces on to the stage full of beans and ‘What Would Pussy Riot Do (WWPRD)’ makes an early appearance setting the standard for tonight’s set.
There’s a serious message behind a lot of Jeffrey’s songs, but at the same time the way he delivers them he makes them accessible and fun. The best exponent of this has to be ‘A Brief History of Communism Pt. 6’ brilliantly illustrated in Jeffrey’s own inimitable style, he provides what is a funny but educational tour of communism in all of three minutes, proving to us that he is definitely a genius.
Not only can Jeffrey Lewis educate, he also has a variety of songs with a deeper meaning such as ‘Williamsburg Will Oldham Horror.’ It seems to be all about the plight of the artist and has such depth to it we almost believe it’s a nightmare the way in which it ends. So, whilst at times we laugh and at times we have fun this evening, there is a real seriousness to Jeffrey’s work and this track compounds that.
Another stand out track for us is ‘Support Tours’ another about the plight of an artist, this has a bit more of a jovial melody and the lyrics do provoke laughter from the audience. It still has a harsh meaning, Jeffrey’s unafraid to speak out about his life and his chosen career path. We fully admire his outspokenness and completely support him in his endeavours.
As we leave we’re filled with happiness and adoration for Jeffrey Lewis, he’s a phenomenal artist in every sense of the word whether it be his illustration or his music. His genre hopping is never short of amazing, he’s intense yet inviting and we’re always blown away by this genius of a man.