Concert Review: Jens Lekman Show Life Will See You At Bowery Ballroom

Every life is divided between how ordinary an extraordinary it is, and Jens Lekman performs and writes music for that essential fact. This lovely human being will give you a night that is affirming and amassing of every moment when you thought maybe my small, little life is big enough for me. In a world where we can make ourselves feel so less and average, Lekman made the audience at Bowery Ballroom feel beautiful and hopeful. Moreover, he may be one of the few artists that makes you feel as if you matter not just as a fan but as a person.

Jens Lekman – What’s That Perfume That You Wear?

What’s That Perfume That You Wear?

I reviewed Lekman’s recent album, Life Will See You Now, as a positive, powerful album that makes the simplest details in a room come off as necessary and grand. While any artist can make you feel grand through their music, it is the making you feel necessary and needed that makes Jens Lekman one of the most unique, refreshing concert experiences you will ever have. With songs like “To Know Your Mission”, “I Know What Love Isn’t”, “A Postcard To Nina”, and “Pocketful of Money” even by the titles of these songs, you get the feeling you are going to hear words that are thoughtful and intricate to the emotional experience that is life. When Lekman plays his guitar and sings, he looks above the audience like he is staring at stars in the night-sky. His eyes twinkle as he sings, and his face emotionally transforms in songs to fit the sense of wonder and rawness he felt when he first wrote them, i.e. “How We Met (The Long Version)”, “What’s That Perfume That You Wear?” and “Sipping On Sweet Nectar”. It is as if he is more than just “singing” lyrics. He is singing a diary page from his life, which makes his sporadic moments of eye contact or connection with audience members carry a surge of intimacy. It is as if someone is bearing their soul and mid-conversation they look straight at you to say, “Have you been through this?”.

There are not many questions that can so build an automatic. shared connection like “Have You Been Through This?”. Lekman’s performance and aura is a giant embodiment of this question. He is so humble and warm that each lyric he utters, each hand he grabs or waves to, and each smile he makes to a person in the crowd feels like a butterfly got its wing. You feel empowered by his presence and the potency of his vocals because they speak to the instances when you felt your “emotional wall” fearlessly drop in front of a compassionate person. In concert, Lekman supersedes the definition of a “powerful” vocals, by aiming for potent ones that are so clear and striking sentiments that it is as if they are coming directly from his heart. Maybe, that is why I love Jens Lekman. Although his album emoted that he is considerate of every aspect of a human spirit, his concert conveys that he also cares for it. He truly comes off like the kindest guy ever, which makes his songs feel so alive in their discussion and dreaming of feeling as such. For More Information On Jens Lekman Click Here.